1. SS.6-8.1.1 Create compelling questions representing key ideas of the disciplines.

Hawai‘i Core Standards in Social Studies

1. SS.PID.3.7.2: Assess the importance of exercising the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in a democracy.
2. SS.PID.5.7.1: Plan and demonstrate some ways in which an active citizen can effect change in the community, state, nation, or world.

ELA Common Core Standards:

1. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.2: Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
2. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.2: Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
3. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.7.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
4. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.7.1.c: Pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to others’ questions and comments with relevant observations and ideas that bring the discussion back on topic as needed.
5. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
6. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.c: Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others’ questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas.
7. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
8. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Nā Hopena Aʻo Cards

1. Sense of Belonging: Know who I am and where I am from, build relationships with diverse people, communicate with clarity and confidence, remain open to new ideas, and actively participate in school and communities.
2. Sense of Responsibility: See self and others as active participants in learning, question ideas and listen generously, make good decisions with moral courage and integrity, and reflect on the quality and relevancy of learning.
3. Sense of Aloha: Give time and knowledge generously, appreciate others’ gifts and abilities, communicate effectively to diverse audiences, and respond mindfully to what is needed, bringing joy and happiness.

Compelling Question

• What does it mean to be an actively engaged citizen within a community and how can civic engagement lead to positive changes?

Overview

• In this two to three day introductory unit, students learn about civic engagement and read short articles about young people (in Hawaiʻi and beyond) who use their voices to take civic action. Groups complete a short creative activity that brings to life a civic responsibility from their article and share with the class. While groups present, classmates generate compelling, open-ended questions to drive a whole-class discussion. Students finish with a reflective journal entry; if time allows, the class closes with a final discussion.

Public Product

• Optionally, display posters from the creative activity around the room as ongoing reminders of civic responsibility.

Technology

• Computer to project the slides.
• Articles printed ahead of time or posted in your LMS (devices needed if reading online).
• Device or paper for the reflective journal entry.

Teaching Pro Tips

• This is a quick lesson that can easily be extended—add more articles, assign a short story for homework, or expand the creative activity.
• Feel free to substitute your own articles or increase the number of groups; aim for stories of youth making a difference (ideally in Hawaiʻi).
• The plan may spill into a third day. Extend as needed, or trim activities to wrap sooner.

1. Use this slidedeck, slides 1-5.
2. Start with the introductory discussion on slide two. Students may not have a lot of familiarity with what civic responsibility is, so you might need to provide some quick examples to help foster the discussion. Approx. 10 minutes.
3. Before showing the videos on slide three, remind students to be thinking about something that they noticed and something that they wondered while watching. Then after showing the videos, ask students to discuss briefly in small groups, focusing on what they noticed and wondered. Approx. 15 minutes.
4. Read through the directions with students on slide four. You may choose to print the articles ahead of time or simply post the link to your LMS for students to read online. For the written portion of the assignment, only one student needs to write down the full group’s response, which they will work on together collectively in small groups. You can choose to have them write this by hand, or online, using your LMS. Finally, have one or two students from each group share the synopsis of their articles with the full class (this can be an informal presentation).
5. Article Links:
   1. “The Actions of Hawaii’s Youth will Determine its Future” – Civil Beat
   2. “Mala’s Story” – MalaFund
   3. “Youth Activists Win ‘Unprecedented’ Settlement in Hawaii” – The Guardian
6. Lead students through a full class discussion using the prompts on slide five. Steps 4 & 5: Approx. 30-40 minutes.

1. Use this slidedeck, slides 6-9.
2. Materials needed: butcher paper and markers for the creative activity. Small pieces of scratch paper for students to write compelling questions.
3. First, break students up into their reading groups from day one. Then, read through the directions of the creative activity on slide six. Students will then complete the creative activity. Approx. 30 minutes.
4. Before the presentations (slide seven), hand out pieces of scratch paper to students so that they can write their compelling questions throughout the presentation. Review with students ahead of time what a compelling/open-ended question is. Remind them that these are questions that should not be able to be answered with yes or no, and that these types of questions should inspire multiple responses and varying perspectives. Tell students you will be collecting their compelling questions at the end of the presentations. Optionally: give some examples of compelling/open-ended questions.
5. Next, one or two students from each group will present their creative activity to the class, which can be done informally. After each presentation, lead the class through a discussion using some of the compelling questions students have generated. Approx. 20 minutes.
6. Read through the directions on slide eight and then students will begin their reflections. Optionally, this can be completed for homework rather than in class. Approx. 20 minutes.
7. If time permits, use the reflection journals as a starting off point for one final, full class discussion.