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Curriculum Analyzing Anti-Gang Policies provides students with practice in analyzing policy. First, as a whole group, they evaluate an anti-gang policy using GRADE. Then in small groups, they are given policies that address gang violence and they evaluate each. Policymaking at the Local Level gets students to examine an instance of policymaking at a school board, one of the most common institutions at the local level. First, students read about and discuss a common local (and national) problem, the dropout rate. Then they role play subcommittees of a hypothetical school board, examine documents about the dropout problem, and craft a policy to address the dropout problem. Finally, they exchange policies with other groups and evaluate one another’s policies using the GRADE rubric. Law & Policy informs students about how existing law can influence public policy and policymaking. First, students read about and discuss how existing law can influence public policy.Then in small groups, they role play members of a public policy law firm and decide whether a policy of evicting renters violates existing law and whether a new law is needed to protect renters. Setting the Public Agenda introduces students to the public agenda and its importance to policy. First, students read about and discuss the public agenda and ways that citizens can influence it. Then in small groups, students are given different situations and they develop strategic plans for getting their issues or solutions to issues on the public agenda. Using the Media helps students learn about the importance of the media in setting the public agenda. First, they read about and discuss how the media help set the public agenda and how citizens can influence the media and even create their own media to help change the public agenda. Then they develop a plan to do one action to use or affect the media. Finally, they begin to implement their plan. As homework, they complete their action. Creating Change Through the Electoral Process focuses on electoral politics and how it deeply influences policymaking. First, students read about and discuss the role that electoral politics plays in policymaking. Then in small groups, students role play campaign workers and create strategies to attract young people to participate in an election campaign. CRF Resources for AP U.S. Government & Politics
Pacing GuidesCAP Scope and Sequence: Quarter
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Multimedia Contest Constitutional Rights Foundation is proud to announce the winners of the 2022 CAP Multimedia Contest!Students from all over the nation created websites, videos, and presentations to illustrate the variety of civic actions they completed to gain a deeper understanding of issues they care about.1st PlaceEnvironmental Pollution in Wilmington, CA  2nd PlaceImproving Sexual Education Classes  3rd PlaceCampfire Procedure for Safety from Causing Wildfires in California  Honorable MentionFunding for Special Education Programs  Fall 2020 Multimedia Contest Winners
1st PlaceCovid-19 Vaccine Distribution Jorge M.  2ndPlaceClimate Change Leslie C.  3rd PlaceFighting the Consequences of Gentrification Abigail R.  Honorable MentionRecycling at COS and UPHS Adelaide P.  1st PlaceSafety at COS (College of the Sequoias)Brittney S., Corina F., and Aubrey L.
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20241st PlaceMandate Student Active Shooter Training Brooklyn D. Mt. Whitney Hight School |
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2nd PlaceMOOR Protection on STDs/STIs Megan C., Vivian R., Justin E., Terra W., Courtney D. Alhambra High School |
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3rd PlaceA Well Needed Change To The School Disciplinary System John P., Antonio P., Phaedra P., Hunter S. Flagler Palm Coast High School |
Constitutional Rights Foundation is proud to announce the winners of the 2023 CAP Multimedia Contest!
We commends the efforts of participating students to take their CAP projects above and beyond! We also thank every CAP student for their dedication to creating positive change in their communities and a better future.
1st Place
Model UN in New Mexico
by Andrew P
East Mountain High School, NM
2nd Place
Homelessness in Tulare County
by Lillian K.
University Preparatory High School, CA
Honorable Mentions
School Safety
by Isabel EunKang O, Hajra, and Dua,
Mountain House High School, CA
AB-367 Menstrual Products Bill
by Emily C
University Preparatory High School, CA
The Importance of Teaching Teen Mental Health at AUHSD Schools
by Cindy Salgado O, Monjeera T, Mark C, Natalie G R, and Michael N
Loara High School, CA
Asylum Seeking
By Eliana W.,
St. Mary’s Academy, CO
Teachers or students can contact Allison Hernandez at allison@crf-usa.org with any questions about their contest entries.
CYB
The CAP Youth Board (“CYB”) consists of passionate alumni who have successfully completed a Civic Action Project and have found CAP to be an excellent way to get youth civically engaged. CYB members are able to strengthen their civic experiences by building on their success in CAP to become peer-coaches for students currently completing projects.
Gallery
Media Gallery
Photo
Common Core
- News
CAPfolio contest
CAP Live
CYB AP
CYB Nomination Form
Students Ge
Step Two. Enroll your students.
Send us a list of student names for each class you wish to enroll in CAP by clicking the Submit Class Roster button below. You can submit your class roster(s) either in the body of the submit message or as a Word document or spreadsheet attachment. We will then create usernames and passwords for each student and send you a confirmation email with this information. Share the usernames and passwords with your students, and they can start posting on the Connect pages and completing the planners.
Your CAP program is now in session! NOTE: Students’ information will not be shared by Constitutional Rights Foundation. We encourage students not to use their full names on the Connect pages.
Submit Class Roster
What's the Fit? Tips from a Veteran CAP Teacher
Adapted from a workshop presentation by CAP teacher Patricia Vasquez, who teaches at Bell Gardens High School in Bell Gardens, CA.
Blended Learning
Six Proven Practices for Civic Education
Common Core Standards
CAP and College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Inquiry in Social Studies Standards
CAP Nationwide
toolkit
Assessment
Teacher Resources
Lesson 5 Quiz (ppt) – A quiz on the Chicago Gang Policy. – Mary Ellen Daneels and Allison Baxtor
Lesson Handouts
Lesson 4 - Handout (doc) – Helps students plan a Civic Action Project – May Ellen Daneels
Lesson 5 & 6 - Handout (doc) – A graphic organizer for Lessons 5 and 6. – Mary Ellen Daneels
Lesson 5 Quiz (ppt) – A quiz on the Chicago Gang Policy. – Mary Ellen Daneels and Allison Baxtor
Lesson 7 & 9 Handout (doc) Blends GRADE and Persuasion – a way for students to assess each others’ arguments. – Mary Ellen Daneels
Culminating Activities
Common Core Standards
Surveys
Examples of Civic Action Projects
CAP Scope and Sequence
Getting Started
Teacher Created Resources
Web Citizen
Student Resources
Teacher/Educator Registration
California History–Social Science Content Standards
Colorado Academic Standards - Social Studies
Florida Civics and Government Standards
Illinois Social/Emotional Learning Standards
Kentucky Core Academic Standards: High School Social Studies
Nevada Social Studies Standards
New York Learning Standard 5 — Civics, Citizenship, and Government
North Carolina Standards Civics and Economics
Ohio 2010 Academic Content Standards: American Government Course
Pennsylvania Standards
Tennessee U.S. Government Standards
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills: United States Government
Privacy Policy
Terms of User
Citing Your Sources
CAP Lessons
Lessons Webcast
Webinar Series
LA Showcase
PSA Contest Gallery
CAPfolio Contest Gallery
CAP Youth Board Tips & More. . .
Share your social media products here.
Students Talk Civics and the Impact of CAP
PSA Contest Examples
Webinar
Washington State Standards and C3 Connections
CAP Creates Voters
Civic Action Project Showcase 2016!
File Upload and Download
- sitemap
Search
Registration
Tips & Tricks for Implementing CAP in your Classroom!
PSA Conteest
Student Created Videos
Student Created Videos
Student Survey
Teacher Survey
2017 showcase
Lessons
Lessons
V
Resources for Students
- Toolkit A step-by-step guide through the civic action process for students.
- Student Action Take a look at what other CAP students are up to.
- Contests The CAPfolio and CAP PSA contests gives students a chance to showcase their work and win prizes.
- Connect Students from all over the U.S. share and discuss their CAP projects.
WEB CITIZEN ASSIGNMENT: Responding to CAP Colleagues
Planners
Proposal
(Comprehensive: Online | PDF ) (Streamlined: PDF)
Thinking it Through
(Comprehensive: Online | PDF) (Streamlined: PDF )
Civic Action(s)
(Comprehensive: Online Civic Action 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | PDF) (Streamlined: PDF )
Report
(Comprehensive: Online | PDF) (Streamlined: PDF )
Rubrics
Proposal (PDF) | Thinking it Through (PDF) | Civic Action (PDF) | Report (PDF) Sample Rubric
Grade Planners
Select planner below to grade.
– Proposal
– Thinking It Through
– Civic Action 1
– Civic Action 2
– Civic Action 3
– Civic Action 4
– Civic Action 5
– Report
– My Sources
Economics and Public Policy
In this lesson, students first discuss making decisions in terms of trade-offs and opportunity costs. Students read and discuss cost-benefit analyses, using the minimum wage as a case study.
This lesson can be used with students who have already been introduced to CAP in a U.S. government course, or by students in an economics course to supplement what they are learning by doing a CAP project more. . .
Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) provides academic, non-partisan programs and curricula that increase civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions using research-based methodologies including content about government and policy, student-directed discussion, and authentic civic engagement. Some state or local laws impose specific requirements on certain subject matters or manners of instruction, including those involving civic engagement or policy advocacy. It is the responsibility of teachers, administrators, and school districts to determine how, if at all, state and local laws may affect the use of CRF materials or resources.
Elective Course Lesson Plans Overview
Lesson 1: What is an Effective Citizen?
This lesson introduces the Civic Action Project (CAP). To help students understand CAP’s rationale, students first discuss why civics is a required course. Then they brainstorm the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and actions of informed and effective citizens. Finally, students are introduced to the CAP assignment of addressing a problem or issue through informed civic actions.
Lesson 2: Exploring Issues, Problems, and Policy
This lesson provides students with an understanding of the concept of cause and effect. Students will apply this concept to specific examples. Next, students will read and discuss a short article defining policy to understand the connection between problems and policy. Finally, students will analyze policy scenarios to understand how policy can be part of the solution or sometimes even be part of the problem.
Lesson 3: Civic Action A: Proposal
In this lesson, students are introduced to the Project Proposal Planner and challenged to convince a classroom audience that the problem, issue, or policy they want to address is important. First students will convene in their civic action groups. Next they will review their “Picture the Problem” charts to draft and add their group’s CAP issue statement. Finally, groups will apply the results of their “Picture the Problem” and Citizenship Brainstorm charts to complete their Project Proposal Planner before submitting for teacher approval.
Lesson 4: Persuading (Optional)
This lesson introduces students to the art of persuasion. First, they read about and discuss the three types of persuasion: appeal to reason (logos), appeal to emotion (pathos), and appeal to ethics (ethos). Then students prepare two-minute persuasive talks on why their CAP issue is important. Finally, in their CAP groups, students present their talk to the class for feedback.
Lesson 5: Introducing the CAP Website (Homework Assignment)
In this homework assignment, students are challenged to complete a scavenger hunt that will familiarize them with featured online resources designed to help them with developing their CAP projects. Students will then apply what they learn to complete Project Proposal in next lesson.
Lesson 6: Policy Implications
This lesson provides students with further background about the connections between problems, policy, and civic actions. First, students explore how policy can be linked to problems. Finally, they receive their CAP assignment and become familiar with the CAP Proposal.
Lesson 7: Analyzing Homelessness Policies (Optional)
This lesson provides students with an additional opportunity to practice analyzing policy. First, as a whole group, they evaluate a criminalization of homelessness policy using GRADE. Then in small groups, they are given policies that address the criminalization of homelessness and they evaluate each.
Lesson 8: Civic Action B: Thinking It Through (Homework)
In this lesson, students continue to narrow the focus of their CAP projects by drafting three important questions about their problem or issue. First, students convene in their civic action groups to reflect on results and challenges of their first civic actions. Next, they brainstorm three guiding questions that they want to address with their civic actions. Finally, each group works together to apply the results of discussion and feedback to their Thinking It Through Planner.
Lesson 9: The Mayor's Speech (Optional)
As students continue to work on their CAP projects, this lesson reminds them of the importance of thinking about cost and benefits as they seek solutions to problems. In this two-day activity, students become a Crime-Free Schools Task Force appointed by the mayor of a hypothetical community of Glen Hills to choose a school safety plan that makes the best use of funds. In Day One, students listen to a reading of the mayor’s speech before they break into groups to read and analyze five Crime-Free Schools plans. In Day Two, students meet again to review and select plans to address school safety and crime. Note: Effective law enforcement requires the cooperation of all the communities it serves. The school community is no exception. This lesson helps students place issues of law enforcement and public safety in the context of their own lives and that of the school.
Civic Action C: Ask and Answer
Now that the students have thought their issue through and identified its connection to policy, they will continue building upon their work. For this civic action, students will begin formulating important questions regarding their Civic Action Project and determine who might be able to provide answers to their questions. They will decide the best approach to outreach in securing answers to their questions, e.g. letters, emails, phone calls, etc. They will maintain communication with their community partners, following up with additional questions, as they develop a solution to the problem or issue in their Civic Action Project. In their teams, students will report progress to their teacher using the Ask and Answer Planning Sheet.
Civic Action D: Support & Oppose
This civic action engages students in their third civic action, conducting interviews with individuals or groups that support and oppose their civic issue. Students will research and prepare interviews, conduct the interviews and reflect on the experience to identify new understandings and potential next steps.
Civic Action E: What's Next
This civic action engages students in their next civic action, to be determined by the student CAP working group. Students will work with their partners to review the civic actions they have already taken, and discuss and devise a plan for their next action.
Civic Action F: Civic Action Report and CAPfolio or PSA Contests
Students raise awareness about their CAP issues by creating public service announcements. First, students discuss what a public service announcement (PSA) is and what makes existing PSAs effective or ineffective. Next, students critique existing CAP PSAs from the CAP website using guiding questions. In their CAP teams, students plan their own PSA for their CAP issues and either choose or are assigned a medium for the PSA. Finally, each group creates its PSA and completes the Planner.
Go to Planners, Toolkit, Student Action, and other course materials.
Frequently Asked Questions - FAQs
Groups
Additional CAP Lessons and Resources