What’s happening in this lesson:
Narrowing the focus of their CAP projects will help students choose and complete effective civic actions. Students will meet in their CAP groups to identify specific causes or effects of their CAP issues and to complete the CAP Planner: Thinking It Through Part 1.
Resources
- CAP Planner: Thinking It Through Part 1 (one per student)
- Exploring Causes and Effects slideshow
Scaffolding Consideration
Students may need at least a few days to explore issues and problems before they can complete Handout 1A.
Supplementary Lessons
Civic Action Survey
Persuading
Building Constituencies
Persuading Policymakers
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Identify various causes and effects of their CAP issue.
- Select a cause or an effect to help focus their CAP project.
- Develop an issue statement for their CAP project using the CAP Planner: Thinking It Through Part 1.
Prep/Materials
___ CAP Planner: Thinking It Through Part 1 (one per student)
___ Exploring Causes and Effects slideshow
Procedure
I. Discussion of Causes and Effects (10 mins)
A. Remind students that for CAP they will complete various civic actions that will help them understand and address their selected problem or issue. Ask students to convene in their civic action groups.
B. Show Slide 2 and explain that to impact an issue or problem effectively, it’s helpful to narrow the focus of their civic actions. One way to do that is by examining the causes and effects of the issue or problem.
- Show Slide 3 and ask students: What do you think the causes of crime might be? (Slide 3 shows how the big issue of crime can be narrowed to a specific cause or effect to base a project on.)
- Allow a couple of minutes for brainstorming and accept all reasonable answers. Record responses under “Causes.”
Students might respond with the following causes:- Poverty
- Discrimination
- Poor parenting
- Failure in school
- Peer pressure
- Drug and alcohol abuse
- Lack of morals/values
- Child abuse and neglect
No need to dwell on particular answers/ Explain that these are just possible causes.
- Repeat the same process for the effects of crime.
Students might respond with the following effects:- Business failure
- Injuries and death
- Lost income and money
- Fear of going out at night
- Fear of certain neighborhoods
- Rise in insurance rates
- Medical costs
C. Show Slide 4 and explain to students that now that they have identified potential causes and effects of an issue, they’re ready to draft an issue statement. An issue statement provides a specific focus for their civic actions.
Share the following examples on Slide 4:
— To address the issue of crime, we will focus on peer pressure as a cause of crime.
We think this is a good idea because we want to prevent crime from happening.
— To address the issue of crime, we will focus on the fear of going out at night as an effect.
We think this is a good idea because we want people to feel safe in our community.
Format for issue statement:
To address the issue of _______________, we will focus on _______________.
(your issue) (cause or effect)We think this is a good idea because ____________________.
D. Explain that they will now apply the same cause-and-effect process to their CAP issue and identify a specific focus for their research and civic actions.
II. CAP Planner: Thinking It Through Part 1 (25 mins)
A. Distribute a CAP Planner: Thinking It Through Part 1 to each student. Review the planner, discussing the tips to ensure that students understand each step’s objectives and expectations.
As part of their issue statement, each civic action group will include at least one reason why they think it is a good idea to focus on a particular cause or effect to address the issue they are working on. This is another way for them to convince you or anyone else why this is an important project.
B. Show Slide 5 and tell students to work together in their civic action groups to complete part one of their CAP Planner: Thinking It Through Part 1. Explain that students will apply the same cause-and-effect process to their CAP issue/problem:
- Identify your issue/problem at the top of your CAP Planner: Thinking It Through Part 1.
- Brainstorm the “Causes” and “Effects.”
- Choose a cause or effect to help focus your CAP project.
- Draft an issue statement that explains the focus of your CAP project:
We will address the issue of _______ by focusing on the cause/effect of ________. We think this is a good idea because _______.
C. Select a reporter to share out their group’s responses to CAP Planner: Thinking It Through Part 1.
- What is your CAP issue?
- What is the cause or effect that will help focus your CAP project?
- Share your issue statement.
