[printer friendly (text) page]

Voting Project Ideas

Government Service-Learning Project Ideas

Connecting to PA’s Proposed Academic Standards for Civics and Government

Teaching citizenship and developing character through service-learning is clearly aligned with Pennsylvania’s Proposed Academic Standards for Civics and Government. Ultimately, as the preamble to the standards indicates, PA schools were created “to educate children to be useful citizens, loyal to the principles upon which our Republic was founded, and aware of their duties as citizens to maintain those ideals.”

The Standards for Civics and Government are divided into four sections: 5.1. Principles and Documents of Government; 5.2. Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship; 5.3. How Government Works; and 5.4. How International Relationships Function. A well-designed service-learning effort could make any of the concepts more compelling to students, as will be explained in connection with the brief examples below.

At Belmar Elementary School in Pittsburgh, students developed and ran a food bank by advertising for and collecting non-perishable food items that they donated to the community once a month. At Pine Richland Middle School in Gibsonia, students planned and administered a cultural awareness night that included interviews of diverse community members and preparation of various foods. Students at Waynesburg Central High School worked with three correctional facilities to provide stationary materials for inmates who were encouraged to communicate with their families.

5.1.3. (Grade 3) C. Define the principles and ideals shaping government, including justice, diversity of people and ideas, common good, leadership, and citizenship. In the example cited above, students at Belmar Elementary School served their community by operating a food bank. This type of service-learning gives the teacher an opportunity to introduce the concepts of common good, leadership and citizenship. Further, the teacher and students have an opportunity to explore different types of diversity, including economic diversity, and they are introduced to the concept of justice and how they can help to further it.

5.2.6. (Grade 6) C. Explain ways citizens resolve conflicts in society and government. D. Describe the importance of political leadership and public service. E. Identify examples of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. G. Explain the importance of participating in government and civic life. Pine Richland's cultural awareness night provided numerous opportunities to increase student understanding of political leadership, public service, citizen rights and responsibilities, participation and social conflict resolution. Through carefully guided reflection, students can gain an improved understanding of the essential role of ordinary people in small-scale efforts to increase tolerance and build community.

5.3.9. (Grade 9) A. Explain the structure, organization, and operation of the local state and national government including domestic and national policy-making. C. Explain how a bill becomes a law on a federal, state, and local level. D. Explain how independent government agencies create, amend and enforce regulatory policies. In Waynesburg, students worked with three separate state and county correctional facilities. This service-learning experience not only provided an excellent opportunity to reinforce the rule of law (5.1.9. J. Explain how law protects individual rights and the common good.), it also presented an opportunity to examine the legislative process for the creation of each facility, the legislative and regulatory processes that determine how the facilities function and the local-state-national cooperation that characterizes the criminal justice system.

5.4.12. (Grade 12) A. Analyze the impact of international economic, technological, and cultural developments on the government of the United States. High school students could research the path of their clients as they help at a food bank, English tutorial center or second hand store. International crises lead to influxes of refugees, and urban non-profits are often the first point of contact for new arrivals. Actually meeting international refugees gives students an enhanced awareness of cultural diversity, concern for problems overseas and an improved understanding of the United States’ geopolitical position.

More Ideas....

It is often hard to get young people excited about politics. Service-learning would be one way for students to gain a new appreciation for our democratic government! Here's how:

Every election there are ads on television and on the radio aimed at getting citizens registered to vote. Students could help out with this effort by helping with voter registration in their community. Students could research the voting statistics of their community and find out what percentage of the community is registered or not registered. Then they can meet with the local polling office or local political party leaders to decide upon the best course of action for a campaign in the community to promote voter registration.

Even if students aren't old enough to vote, there are many ways they can help inform the public about the voting process and the political issues relevant to them. Students could contact local candidates and invite them to take part in a debate at their school. Educational issues could be the main topic, and students can set out to garner the participation of parents and teachers at this debate. Students would have to research the educational issues and discuss these issues before the debate so that appropriate questions could be prepared for the candidates. For example, students might decide that school safety is an issue they feel strongly about. Or they might want to hear the candidates debate the issue of school vouchers or standardized testing. Once the debate is over, the students will have lots to discuss and examine in terms of the issues they raised in the debate. The community will benefit from having an opportunity to meet and learn more about the candidates, and the debate itself will not only educate the students, it will educate the candidates in terms of the issues students feel are important.

Grant Opportunities provide additional project ideas >>