Voice of Witness (VOW) is developing programming around the theme Navigating Democracy: Resistance and Belonging through Storytelling. As part of this theme, we’ve created a curricular unit on democracy and civic engagement. The goal of these five lesson plans is to provide students with an accessible way to learn more about this topic through the lens of personal narrative from a range of voices.
These stories create a picture of democracy that goes beyond political parties or voting, making space for students to view it in relation to community power, voice, belonging, and resistance. The final lesson is a larger oral history project that centers student agency and civic engagement.
Students will explore the following questions:
- How do we define and recognize democracy?
- What role does community action play in democracy?
- What issues need amplifying or engagement in our communities?
Grades: Flexible and adaptable for middle and high school. Lessons can also be adapted for English language learners.
Objectives:
- Students will create a definition of democracy that deepens their understanding of the concept as an idea and institution.
- Students will be able to identify community action and its role within a democracy.
- Students will use oral history skills to engage with issues within their own communities.
