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Understanding Effectiveness

Grades: 
9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: 
Language Arts
Philanthropy
Social Studies
Keywords & Concepts: 
Activism
Advocacy
Analyze/Interpret
Animal Welfare
April
Biography
Caring/Sharing
Cause/Effect
Citizenship/Civic Engagement
Civic Responsibility/Virtue
Compare/Contrast
Contemporary Issues
Environment
Environmental Stewardship
Group Discussions
Helping
Humanitarian
Ideals/Reality
Kindness
Nonprofit
Opportunity Costs
Point of View
Reflection
Research
Respect
Responsibility
Rights/Responsibilities
Sensitivity
Social Action
Social/Cultural Issues
Values

Young people identify several advocacy strategies and draw conclusions as to their effectiveness. They research efforts in past advocacy campaigns to learn about people, styles, and effectiveness. 

Duration 
PrintOne 50-Minute Session
Objectives 

The learner will:

  • identify styles of advocacies being used as a call to action.
  • analyze historic examples of advocacy for lessons learned.
Materials 
  • Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech online
  • copies of handouts below
  • Types and Styles of Advocacy
  • Examples of Advocacy
  • Advocacy Worksheet
Related Resources 

Instructions

Print

  1. Anticipatory Set:

    Write these traits (from lesson one) of advocates on a chart:

    • fact finders
    • individualists
    • good listeners
    • people who persevere
    • reasonable
    • credible
    • passionate
    • communicators 

    Ask learners to listen for these styles of advocates as you play the audio for “I Have a Dream" speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Discuss their observations.

  2. Discuss what they learned about family members and friends about their advocacy interests. Discuss the types of issues that people are willing to step forward and advocate for.

  3. Working together, organize their responses into meaningful categories, such as war, environment, animals, health, and children. 

  4. Discuss the information on the handout Types and Styles of Advocacy. As you read through the styles of advocacy, discuss examples of the variety of forms and intensities that advocacy can take.

  5. Working in small groups, learners read the handouts Examples of Advocacy and Advocacy Worksheet. Selecting a historical example from the handout, the group researches the advocacy around that event. They fill in the worksheet and discuss whether the advocacy strategy used was effective or not for addressing the issue.

  6. Have each group report their findings to the whole group and share their assessment of the advocacy strategy used in their particular event.

  7. Facilitate a discussion about what they could learn from these examples about how to successfully advocate on behalf of a present-day issue, such as animal cruelty or childhood nutrition or fair housing.

Philanthropy Framework

  1. Strand PHIL.I Definitions of Philanthropy
    1. Standard DP 02. Roles of Government, Business, and Philanthropy
      1. Benchmark HS.6 Describe how the civil society sector is often the origin of new ideas, projects and innovation and social renewal.
  2. Strand PHIL.II Philanthropy and Civil Society
    1. Standard PCS 01. Self, citizenship, and society
      1. Benchmark HS.4 Describe and give examples of characteristics of someone who helps others.
    2. Standard PCS 05. Philanthropy and Government
      1. Benchmark HS.10 Discuss the results of private citizen voluntary action intended for the common good on public policy changes.
      2. Benchmark HS.9 Explain the role that public interest groups play in public policy formation.
    3. Standard PCS 06. Philanthropy in History
      1. Benchmark HS.1 Describe how the common good was served in an historical event as a result of action by a civil society sector organization.
      2. Benchmark HS.2 Give an example of individual philanthropic action that influenced national or world history.
      3. Benchmark HS.3 Describe important events in the growth and maturation of the civil-society sector in the nation and world.
    4. Standard PCS 07. Skills of Civic Engagement
      1. Benchmark HS.1 Utilize the persuasive power of written or oral communication as an instrument of change in the community, nation or the world.
  3. Strand PHIL.III Philanthropy and the Individual
    1. Standard PI 01. Reasons for Individual Philanthropy
      1. Benchmark HS.1 Define and give examples of motivations for giving and serving.