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BUILD COMMUNITY

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Civic action research requires building trust and a sense of community in your classroom. Throughout the civic action research cycle, students will be working together closely, sharing ideas and experiences, doing new things, and putting their heads together to wrestle with challenging, authentic questions.

 

In Stage 1 of the research cycle, “Build Community,” students will participate in games, icebreakers, and other ways of sharing and learning about each other to build community and learn to work together. They will also develop listening skills and determine group norms. These activities will help students find commonalities and make new friendships. They help to create an inclusive environment in which students feel safe and welcome, and encourage youth-adult communication.

 

The resources below are scaffolded and differentiated to support you and your students in this process! You can also use these activities at any time throughout the research process to strengthen the bonds in your classroom.

Resources

Activity: Active Listening in Group Decision Making"

In this 90-minute lesson plan (adaptable from 45-90 minutes), students will learn how good listening skills are linked
to group decision making and to being a dependable leader.

Activity: Core Communication Skills

In this 60-minute lesson plan (adaptable from 30-60 minutes), students will understand what active listening is, why active listening is important, and the role of active listening in leadership.

Activity: Team Work

In this 90-minute lesson plan (adaptable from 45-90 minutes), students will begin to solidify as a group through team building activities that will inform the creation of a group contract.

Activity: Rights and Responsibilities

In this 90-minute lesson plan (adaptable from 45-90 minutes), students will understand why group agreements are important and agree on group rights and responsibilities.

Activity: Making Decisions

In this 60-minute lesson plan (adaptable from 30-60 minutes), students will understand different forms of decision making and agree on what form to use in this group or project.

Activity: Dream Tree Exercise

In this 50-minute lesson plan (adaptable from 30-50 minutes), students will brainstorm their ideas and hopes for their community, as they build community with each other.

Activity: Murder Mystery Mayhem

In this 60-minute lesson plan (adaptable from 30-60 minutes), students will learn the importance of organization and facilitation when trying to accomplish a group task.

Configuraciones del acuerdo: Establecimiento de derechos y responsabilidades - Ejemplo del facilitador (Agreement Settings: Facilitator Template)

Graphic organizer for facilitator (template): examples of rights and responsibilites with room to brainstorm consequences or rewards for meeting them.

Cambio de valores (Value Trading Activity)

Print-out of values, to use in an icebreaker called "Value Trading Activity".

Bolsa de sentimientos (Feelings Bag)

List of feelings, to use in an icebreaker called "Feelings Bag".

Actividad: Discusión de Fishbowl (Fishbowl discussion scenarios)

Scenarios and guiding questions for use in a Fishbowl Discussion. Can be used as an icebreaker or community builder.

Configuración del acuerdo: derechos y responsabilidades BLANCO (Agreement Settings: Rights and Responsibilities BLANK)

Graphic organizer for students: to fill out rights and responsabilities. Can be used during a group-building activity.

Formas de toma de decisiones BLANCO (Forms of Decision Making BLANK)

Graphic organizer for students: to fill out the pros and cons of each decision-making strategy. To use during group-building activities (see completed version as well).

Formas de toma de decisiones (Forms of Decision Making)

Graphic organizer about the pros and cons of each decision-making strategy. This version is filled out (see blank version as well). To use during group-building activities.

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