Boise State Writing Project 211C Liberal Arts Building Boise State University 1910 University Drive Boise, Idaho 83725

1. Inviting Students to Shape Their World by Putting Ideas into Words This presentation will assist teachers in realizing their role in helping students learn how to participate in the democratic process through literacy. Teachers will be introduced to a sequence of activities that provide students an opportunity to ask questions, gather information, engage in conversation, form an opinion, and create a final product . The product will be shared with a ‘real” audience and met with a response from that audience. After the presentation teachers will be aware of the important role they play in perpetuating our democratic republic. Boise State Writing Project 211C Liberal Arts Building Boise State University 1910 University Drive Boise, Idaho 83725 erjneilson@gmail.com JaNan Neilson, Teacher consultant, Boise State Writing Project

2. Writing for Social Action

3. What is a law? A law is a rule that has been articulated (spoken or written), and socially agreed upon and enforced. think, pair, share JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

4. What is the difference in written and unwritten laws? JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

5. Are written laws essential in American Society? JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

6. How important is literacy in democratic living? Why or why not? Share conclusions JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

7. Writing for Social Action Justifying the assignment Connect kids to the language of democratic principles JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

8. Compare and contrast the two drawings below: JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

9. C & C Who has the power? Who is creating the law? Who has to obey the law? How does each model affect the development of human potential? Which model will allow for the greatest prosperity? Will a change in leadership have an impact on the law? Which illustration best shows the way our government works best? Why is our democratic participation necessary to maintain this balance? JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

10. Civic Literacy Civic=exercising one’s role as a citizenand as a member of a community Literacy=Knowledge and Skills Knowledge and Participation JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

11. George Washington refused to be king Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. --George Washington JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

12. It must be acknowledged that it is entirely up to the public to decide how, to what extent, and at what cost it means to have things managed, otherwise representative government would be nothing but a deception, and the sovereignty of the people a meaningless expression. Now, having recognized the tendency of any government to grow indefinitely, when it questions you through the polls on the subject of its own limits, if you leave it to the government itself to reply, by entrusting its own civil servants with drawing up the answer, then you might as well put your wealth and your freedom at its disposal. To expect a government to draw from within itself the strength to resist its natural expansion, is to expect from a falling stone the energy to halt its fall.--Frederic Bastiat JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

13. If a Nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.... [I]f we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed. ( Thomas Jefferson in a Letter to Colonel Charles Yancey, January 6, 1816)  JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

14. So how are we doing? JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

15. How literate are we? JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

16. A number of recent studies have revealed a worrisomely low level of both political knowledge and voting turnout among younger Americans. (Milner 2010) JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

17. How much are we participating? JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

18. How much are we participating? JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

19. It is not unreasonable, therefore…to draw tentative confirmation…that a contributing factor to a society’s level of civic literacy is the capacity of the schools to bring students at the bottom, to a level of cognitive proficiency making possible the comprehension and retention of the factual knowledge requested for civic competence. (Milner 2010) JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

20. What about the Economy? JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

21. It’s costing us!158 billion in lost earnings 36 billion in taxes! Toyota [decided last] June to build its newest North American manufacturing plant, with 1,300 jobs in Canada. Several US states offered Toyota more than double the Canadian incentives, Pro-Literacy Worldwide said. …Toyota hoped to avoid the expensive training faced by Nissan Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co., which had to use pictorials when training workers to use high-tech equipment in their Alabama plants. Bloomberg, 2010. JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

22. Quote on economy from DeSoto …the major stumbling block that keeps the rest of the world From benefitting from capitalism is the inability to produce capital. …most of the poor already possess the assets they need to make a success of capitalism. Because the rights to these possessions are not adequately documented, these assets cannot be readily turned into capital… In the West by contrast, every parcel of land, every building, every piece of equipment, or store of inventories is represented in a property document that is the visible sign of a vast hidden process that connects all of these assets to the rest of the economy. Thanks to this representational process, assets can lead an invisible parallel life alongside their material existence. They can be used as collateral for credit. The single most important source for funds for new businesses in the United States is a mortgage on the entrepreneur's home. (DeSoto, 2000) JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

23. "If you think you are too small to make an impact, try sleeping in a room with a few mosquitoes. " --West African proverb We must teach our students that we have the power to make a difference, and show them how to use that power. JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

24. What actions are taken by people who practice “civil literacy” ? Read and WriteGather informationForm a justified opinionExpress your opinion to neighbors, friends, in public, and to your representative JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

25. How do we touch on a point of interest? Carpe diem Seize the Teaching Moment !!! JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

26. How do we narrow the scope? "Small scale is critical to local life, to the ability of local people to control what happens where they live." -- Paul Weyrich JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

27. It is a the local level, thus, that voting and More active forms of political participation Appear to go hand and hand most often. It is …Moreover though the impetus to participate is to ensure that their own interests are taken into account, in so doing, people learn to define their interest effectively in the context of the interests of the wider Community for which they also have responsibility. (Mill 1910: 346-59 from Milner, 2010) JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

28. Writing for Social Action Justifying the assignment Connect kids to the language of democratic principles Procedural Knowledge Selecting a relevant local topic JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

29. Go to www. Legislature.idaho.govgo to Bill center and select a topic of interest TEXTING AND DRIVING SB 1352 amends existing law to provide that texting while driving a motor vehicle shall constitute in attentive driving. HB 729 Amends existing law to provide that texting while driving a motor vehicle shall constitute an infraction. SB 1264 Amends and adds to existing law relating to motor vehicles and cellular telephones to prohibit the use of cellular telephones while operating a motor vehicle, to provide exceptions and to provide a penalty. JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

30. What do you already know about texting? • What good things can you accomplish with texting? • Are there any problems with texting? • (think, pair, share) JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

31. Write three open-ended questions that you would like to know about texting and driving. • What? • Who? • When? • Where • Why? • Which? • How? JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

32. Writing for Social Action Justifying the assignment Connect kids to the language of democratic principles Procedural Knowledge Selecting a relevant local topic How to gather Information JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

33. Comparing JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

34. How can we come up with our own data? JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

35. How do we gather information to answer our questions? Ask open-ended questions Look up statistics Read the newspaperCheck the Internet Look at all perspectives Solicit opposing points of view ? JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

36. A trip to the Oakley Firehouse JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

37. I spent all day on Monday, April 12, 2010, with the good people of Oakley for my monthly ‘Capital for a Day’ event. Every month I move the State capital city for one day to a different rural town in Idaho and get feedback from the citizens there during this civic event. In the morning we visited with students at Oakley Elementary School and then headed over to the fire house for the Capital for a Day event until 3 p.m. The people of this town were gracious hosts. They are evidence that the republic is alive and well, just as our Founding Fathers intended! JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

38. Capitol for a Day A. We feel that texting while driving falls under the existing law of inattentive driving. ---Governor Butch Otter Q. Why didn’t Idaho pass a texting and driving law in the last legislative session? JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

39. JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

40. Writing for Social Action Justifying the assignment Connect kids to the language of democratic principles Procedural Knowledge Selecting a relevant local topic How to gather Information Forming a justified opinion JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

41. Discuss the information you have found with friends and family.Listen to or participate in a debateLook at opposing points of viewList the pros and cons of each option How do you form A justified opinion? JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

42. How do you conduct a mini-debate? Round 3 Timeout 2 minutes A1 Summary 1 minute B1 Summary 1 minute Round 1 Team A Speaker 1 minute Team B Speaker 1 minute Timeout 1 minute Crossfire 1 minute Round 2 Team A Speaker 2 minutes Team B Speaker 2 minutes Timeout 1 minute Crossfire 2 minutes Round 4 Timeout 2 minutes A2 Last Shot 1 minute B2 Last Shot 1 minute Evaluation JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

43. State your claim • Support your claim with data • Warrants • Show how the data fits the claim • Responses to reservations JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

44. Consider all perspectives • Decide where you stand • Why you stand there • And why you do not endorse the other possible perspectives. JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

45. What product could you create for a real audience that would give your students an opportunity to express their opinions in an authentic way? Think, Pair, Share JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

46. An opportunity to learn a particular format • A business letter • A brochure • A sign or poster • A story JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

47. Why a letter? To acknowledge the receipt of letters is always proper to remove the doubt of their miscarriage. --George Washington To make yourself noticed. Most people communicate through phone or e-mail. Putting your thoughts in writing requires your legislator to give you a personal response. If each member of a group writes, the impact is increased. To fulfill a state education standard. JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

48. Can students warrant their opinions? • Make a claim • Support the claim with evidence • Explain how the data fits the claim • Acknowledge disagreement • Respond to disagreement • (Give participants chance to warrant their opinion ) JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

49. Writing for Social Action Justifying the assignment Connect kids to the language of democratic principles Procedural Knowledge Selecting a relevant local topic How to gather Information Forming a justified opinion Practice democratic process Awareness of conscience competence JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP

50. Help students participate in the democratic process. Negotiate a rubric Ask whether they want a written copy? Why or why not? JaNan Neilson, Teacher Consultant, BSWP