Students Making a Difference
                               By:  Brian Taylor

Project at a Glance :

This project will help high school government students identify significant problems in their community and plan actions to help mitigate them by assisting community partners.  Project duration:  4 - 5 weeks.


Driving question:

How can we identify a major issue in our community and help a local agency mitigate it?              

Standards:

• C – 6.4.3  and/or C – 6.4.4

Team / Culture Building:

• Present several examples of public policy issues in other others, then let students choose their issue (hence, indirectly, their group).  Allowing students voice and choice will increase overall project 'Buy in'.​​​​

Entry Event:

• Invite a panel of different advocates representing agencies and/or organizations -- each explaining why the problem they are addressing is important (food insecurity, homelessness, crime, illiteracy, racial injustice, etc.) or arrange a  bus tour to these locations to learn about their mission.​​

Stakeholders:

• Holland Rescue Mission
• Community Action House
• Center for Women in Transition
• United Way (and some of the groups they fund)
• Holland Township
• Housing discrimination
•  Social justice groups
• School district/administrators (board policies, curriculum)

Empathy Building:

• Student groups will create Empathy Maps based on agencies introduced during the entry event.

Inquiry / Need to Knows:

•  Use the “Golden Circle” method of questioning (starting with the solution)and perhaps try the suggested Project Wall on Padlet as a central place to list these items.
•  “5 Whys” protocol to flush out more information about the issues local agencies are facing.​

Incubation:

• Students will generate ideas using the Tell it to a Toddler and Brainfiring protocols.
•  Create Mind Maps and concept maps to show what they've learn
•  Conga Line or Speed Dating activity to generate lots of quick partner feedback with students instructed to add ideas and provide feedback on the ideas of others.​

• Idea Quota activity - do in small groups using same color Post it notes to encourage participation while reducing stress. After each group is finished they combine ideas and use the Group and Saturate protocol to organize similar ideas.​​​

---

​Soultion:

• Critique ​Bracketology and/or $100 Test to show what students value the most as potential solutions.
• NUF Test followed by the SWOT protocol - to determine overall best solution ideas.
• Create Affinity Maps

Critique and Revision: 

•  Students will engage in a Charrette discussion  -- where each group can share and get feedback from others in a safe, structured process.​

---

Authentic Audience:

• Kids Food Basket
• Holland Rescue Mission
• Community Action House
• Boys & Girls Club
• Other local agencies

Final Presentation:

• Students will present prototypes and/or modified memes including or an Elevator Pitch to highlight their solution ideas.​

Resources:

• Click here for teacher's full plan.​

Reflection and Feedback:​

• Use a process rubric/timeline and/or  Flipgrid to summarize their work and detail their work.

Click here for the  teacher's Journey through PBL on Padlet.

Meet the Educator:
Brian Taylor has taught History and Government courses at West Ottawa High School in Holland, MI for the past 19 years. 
    
          "I love solving problems; but I love it most when students do!"