What does a democracy need?
The final unit of The Academy is all about putting the power into the students’ hands. They have learned what a democracy is, how it functions, and how activism is a powerful tool for making change even if one does not have the right to vote. In lesson eight the students will take a step back and read some documents that point out that an informed and active citizenry is the most critical element for democracy to survive. Already, the students have taken steps to become informed themselves. Now it is their turn to share what they’ve learned, further bolstering the strength of democracy in the US.
Lessons nine and ten are deliberately sparse because we believe it is important for you, the educator, to have the leeway to create a culminating project that aligns with the needs of your students and your community. We strongly encourage allowing the students to have the opportunity to vote on some aspect of the final project, to put some of their learning into practice. Beyond that the final project can be a simple or grandiose as your circumstances (and personal bandwidth!) will allow. Just be sure, whatever the final elements end up being, that you take a moment at the very end to commend your students for their engagement and learning and encourage them to continue on the path they’ve started. After all, a democracy is only as strong as its citizens.
