Proposing a Law for Michigan
                                                                         By:  Jim Warren

Project at a Glance :

This is a project for 11th and 12th Graders in Current Events Class to research and propose a new State law that will help the people of Michigan. ​ 

​Driving Question:

What is a law that we could propose that would help the people of Michigan?            

Standards:

• C – 6.4.3 Identify and describe a local, state, national, or international public policy issue; research and evaluate multiple solutions; analyze the consequences of each solution and propose, defend, and take relevant action to address or resolve the issue. 
• C – 6.4.4 Equip students with the skills and knowledge to explore multiple pathways for knowledgeable, civic engagement through simulations and/or real world opportunities for involvement.

Team / Culture Building:

• Students will complete the Creative DNA analysis to help them learn how their personalities contribute to the team environment.

​Entry Event:

• Students will watch a video that introduces the Michigan Capitol Building and how legislators do their job.
• If possible, take the students on a field trip to the State Capitol in Lansing.​

Stakeholders:

• The class will complete a Stakeholder Map to determine all  groups involved with our solution.​

Empathy Building:

• Use the  Pain & Gains protocol to learn more about the perspectives of our Stakeholders.

Inquiry / Need to Knows:

• Introduce the Innovator’s Compass to help decide what students will need to research to solve the DQ.​

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• Contextual Inquiry protocol will assist students in preparing for interviews.
• AEIOU protocol will identify all of the different elements the Stakeholders deal with, which will guide the investigation and research.

Incubation:

• Students will use the Idea Quota protocol  to dig deep and really push themselves to create ideas that are new and effective.  
• Striving for 100 or more ideas in 15 minutes is incredible to watch, After 6 or 7 minutes, they think they can’t possibly think of anything else - but then, if they keep pushing, THEY DO! ​

Checking in:

• Students will engage in the Fireside Chat protocol for 1 on 1 check-ins once a week with the educator and each student.  
• Mind-Mapping protocol for students to see the full process which will help them come up with ideas.

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Solution Building:

• Students will create a Storyboard drawing the solution using as few words as possible. It helps them explain the sequence and details of the solution in a great way. 
• Next, students will use the Dot Voting protocol to narrow ideas.  The final three ideas will dissected to come to a final solution idea.  

Critique and Revision: ​ 

• The students will use the NUF Test to determine if the idea is New, Useful and Feasible.
  
• Next, students will engage in the Seeking a Skeptic protocol to determine if their solution ideas effectively answers the Driving Question. 
• The Critical Friends activity will be used to provide feedback for fine tuning their final pitch out using warm and cool feedback in the format of I like and I wonders.

Authentic Audience:

• Administration​
  

 Final Presentation:

• Each student group will prepare and rehearse a Final Pitch Presentation with visual aids - a Power Point/Google Slides format - along with any physical props that would add to the Authentic Audience understanding of what the proposed solution is. ​

Click here for teacher's full plan.

​Reflection and Feedback:

• Students will do a self-evaluation for themselves as individuals - as well as an evaluation for their group. This can be with a simple rubric that doesn’t take too long to fill out.
• A Scale or Rubric will be provided ahead of time to the Authentic Audience so that they can become familiar with the tool they will use to give feedback to the students.
• The Start/Stop/Continue reflection allows the students to think back on what they did well and what could be improved or eliminated. These discussions are special to listen to as students have really progressed with HONESTLY assessing themselves and their group. An extremely valuable life skill. 

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

Meet the Educator:

Jim Warren teaches Social Studies at Spring Lake High School.

     "I have always had a passion for having students apply what they learn to a real-world setting. This helps them understand the value of what they are learning - and how it is giving them skills they will use in the future. PBL is the best system I have ever seen for developing student skills that they will use in careers and as members of any organization - and students realize this value in real time."