Program Description

Project Citizen is a challenging and engaging activity for students in grades 5-12.  The curriculum teaches government and civics in an engaging, relevant way that encourages student participation. Project Citizen teaches students about public policy through collaborative work, research, and analysis.  Project Citizen helps   students learn how to express their opinions in a respectful manner, support their opinions with facts, identify solutions to problems, and influence public policy decisions at appropriate levels of government.

Project Citizen can, but is not required to, culminate in a competition—with a State competition for grades 5-12 and a National competition grades 5-8.

Through Project Citizen, students, with support and direction, will:

-Brainstorm problems in their community-what "bugs" them
-Focus their project on one problem
-Reasearch the problem in books, current events, intervies, and surveys
-Reasearch the possible solutions:
-Costs and benefits of each one
-Possible Constitutional issues
-Choose one solution to promote
-Develop an action plan to promote the solution, including
-Identifying the governing body with authority to act on the problem
-Identifying concerned people or groups
-Create a portfolio and an oral presontation
-Present to concerened parties, governing body, and at Project Citizen Competition

The Educational Benefits of Project Citizen
Project Citizen incorporates Middle School Best Practices:

-Curriculum that is relevant, challenging, integrative, and exploratory. Multiple learning and teaching approaches that respond to diversity in learning styles. Team learning structure that supports meaningful relationships and learning.
-Interdisciplinary – students use research, reading, writing and speaking skills.

Project Citizen supports Minnesota Government and Civics Standards:

-Civic Values, Skills, Rights and Responsibilities
-Beliefs and Principles of United States Democracy
-Governmental Institutions and Processes of the United States

-Research
-Writing
-Public speaking
-Graphic design
-Group Work