Author: lcatwilson
Last saved by: Richard Solomon

Critical Thinking Essay Assignment #3
Community and Civic Engagement

Due Tuesday, December 8; Late Day (and two point deduction) on Wednesday, December 9

There are four parts to this assignment as described in the instructions below; you must complete all four.  Refer to the Community and Civic Engagement Grading Rubric for information about expectations. 

Part 1.	Civic Contexts/ Civic Actions -  10 pts – (Short Essay – 2-4 paragraphs)
Read this article (March for our Lives) about how a national protest was organized by students in Parkland, Florida to advocate for stronger gun control legislation. For this short essay, imagine you want to hold a rally in your community to demand that Election Day be declared a federal holiday. Are there strategies identified in the article that you would use? What other strategies would you use?  Think about why you want to advocate for this change.  What individuals or groups do you want to benefit from this change?  What groups would you want to involve in the rally? How would you work collaboratively across and within your community to achieve your goal?  
Part 2.	Civic identity and Commitment:  5 points (Short Answer – 1-2 paragraphs)
 According to this Civic Engagement and Voting Guide, the term “civic engagement” means
 making a difference in our communities and developing a combination of knowledge, skills, values, and motivation needed to enact change. It includes formal and informal activities such as volunteering, voting, lobbying for a politician, community gardening, completing the census, coaching a community sports team, writing to a elected official, researching ballot initiatives, and more.   
Describe your involvement in a civic participation activity (including online activities) other than voting.  How and why did you get involved? What did you learn about your community by participating?  What did you learn about yourself and your commitment to that community?   How did your experience in this civic activity shape your attitude toward civic engagement? 
Part 3 - Diversity of Community – 5 points (Short Answer – 1-2 paragraphs)
Watch this video, (How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Discussing Race) in which the speaker talks about common reactions when there is a conversation about race.  While watching the video, did you recognize yourself or your friends or family in his descriptions of the reactions? Have you engaged in discussions about race, ethnicity, religion or cultural differences with your family, your social circle or your classmates? What were the reactions that you observed during the discussions? Did the discussions change your attitude or beliefs about cultures that were different from your own?  
Part 4 - Analysis of Knowledge – 5 points (Short Answer – 1-2 paragraphs)
 As mentioned, voting is a form of civic engagement. Based on the what you’ve learned this year about political socialization, voter turnout and the “typical” voter: (1) describe, using socioeconomic and demographic factors, the person who is most likely involved in civic activities; and (2) describe some of the barriers to civic engagement.  Are any of these factors or barriers relevant to your level of involvement in civic activities?