The ABC Project: Action-Based Communities
The ABC Project: Action-Based Communities is the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago’s dynamic new program that 
engages 5th-8th grade students in “civic learning through doing.” Participating students explore their community; identify, research and write about a problem; consider public policy options; design and implement a civic project; share their recommendations with local experts and policymakers; and reflect on what they’ve learned. The program provides students the opportunity to create and exhibit web-based presentations of their work, and promotes civic participation among students, their parents, and members of the community.
The ABC Project and Student Skills
The ABC Project helps students learn how to:
- Work collaboratively to address a problem in their community
- Participate in complex analysis and social problem-solving
- Present their projects to local experts and policymakers
The ABC Project and the Common Core State Standards
The ABC Pr
oject is aligned to the Common Core State Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies for grades 6-8, English Language Arts for grades 5-8, and the Anchor Standards for College and Career Readiness. The ABC Project can be easily aligned to the ISBE Social Emotional Learning Standards, Bloom’s Taxonomy, 21st Century Skills, as well as selected outcomes in math and science.
