Got sidewalks? Parts of my neighborhood don't (as seen to the left... although that is from flickr and isn't me!). An image like that one to the left is going to be the opener for my CBA. As part of the guided release process we will do some visual discovery using 1-2 images from my neighborhood. From there we'll talk about questions we wonder about, and if there is an issue depicted. The natural progression should be: I see a place without sidewalks, the issue is whether all neighborhoods should have sidewalks. People need to be safe when walking around their neighborhood.
I really like the state CBA. It asks kids to ponder current issues by thinking about stakeholders, and how rights or the common good are impacted. The key is effective modelling. Kids need to see how to brainstorm different issues, research different points of view, and put it together in order to persuade others to see your position. We've worked at length regarding seeing multiple points of view, but it can be difficult applying it to a new setting that is more open-ended. I'll likely give lots of freedom, but enough structure that kids see where we are going. Graphic organizer? Yep, you need to use it. Presentation format? Yep, needs to be PowerPoint, brochure, or essay. Can you do any issue? Sure (although guns, death penalty, and drugs are out- those not school appropriate). Will some kids need more monitoring and guidance? Yep. You just need to know who those kids are.
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