Civics Projects Artifacts Library

Teacher's Name: Victoria Puglia

Haverhill | Grade 8 | Civics | Individual Model | Project Stage: 3, 4, 5, 6

Exemplary inclusive practices

This example resource is a unit packet to guide students through the full project process. This packet breaks the project down into actionable steps with specific skills laid out for students to ensure it is meaningful and accessible for English Learners and students on Individual Education Plan.

Teacher's Name: Amherst Regional Middle School Teachers

Amherst-Pelham | Grade 8 | Civics | Small Group Model | Project Stage: 4

Exemplary student-driven learning

This example resource is a lesson developed to support students working on similar issues across classrooms to collaboratively develop an action plan.

Teacher's Name: Andrew Swan

Newton | Grade 8 | Civics | Other Model | Project Stage: 1, 2, 3, 4

Adapted for remote learning

This example resource prompts students during the early stages of their civics project to think and write reflectively as they build civic awareness and prepare for engaging more deeply in their civics projects.

Teacher's Name: Julie Fox

Norwell | Grade 9-12 | History | Small Group Model | Project Stage: 2

Adapted for remote learning

This example resource is focused on helping students build consensus within small groups around an identified topic.

Teacher's Name: Kevin Keaveney

Nashoba | Grade 8 | Civics | Individual Model | Project Stage: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Exemplary student-driven learning

This example resource provides students with an outline of the entire project process, including key milestones and check-in points, helping to keep them focused and on track throughout all six stages.

Teacher's Name: Jennifer Groskin Spurling

Newburyport | Grade 8 | Civics | Small Group Model | Project Stage: 3

This project example is a Padet students created for a project about destigmatizing periods in school during the research phase. Students used Padlet to collect and share research materials for their project. As students working in this group were in various classes, this was a key tool for them to use to communicate and share information.

Teacher's Name: Kevin Keaveney

Nashoba | Grade 8 | Civics | Individual Model | Project Stage: 2

Exemplary student-driven learning

This example resource provides an overview of the civics project with a particular focus on supporting students in preparing to identify an issue by pitching an issue to their peers in advance of a whole-class vote.

Teacher's Name: Hannah Vidmar; Pauline Nassif

New Heights Charter School of Brockton (District) | Grade 8 | Civics | Individual Model | Project Stage: 1

Culturally responsive teaching

This example resource is a lesson that engages students in reflecting on concepts of diversity and inclusion in order to better understand their own civic identities. In this lesson, students can reflect individually and share with peers what they are comfortable discussing.

Teacher's Name: Hannah Vidmar; Pauline Nassif

New Heights Charter School of Brockton (District) | Grade 8 | Civics | Individual Model | Project Stage: 1

Culturally responsive teaching

This example resource is a lesson that engages students in reflecting on their own identities in order to better understand their own civic identities. In this lesson, students can reflect individually and share with peers what they are comfortable discussing.

Teacher's Name: Brian Gotsell

Easton | Grade 9-12 | History | Whole Class Model | Project Stage: 4, 5

Exemplary student-driven learning

This project example is a written memo to a state representative outlining bill proposal by the whole class for improving students' mental health. It utilizes their research from Stage 3.

Teacher's Name: Claire Cocco

Amherst-Pelham | Grade 8 | Civics | Small Group Model | Project Stage: 3

This example resource takes the idea of a Participatory Action Team from Generation Citizen and modifies it by adding scaffolds to support students at each step. This resource includes examples and templates.

Teacher's Name: Eva Urban Hughes

Wayland | Grade 9-12 | AP Government | Small Group Model | Project Stage: 4, 5, 6

Exemplary student-driven learning

This project example is a slide show presentation of a compilation of student work. It profiles various student-led actions aligned to project stages 4, 5, and 6. Project topics profiled include expanding voting rights and climate activism, and some of the profiled action steps include writing state government officials, launching a social media campaign, and making a speech at a town hall meeting.

Teacher's Name: Mary Foyle

Lunenburg | Grade 9-12 | ELA | Individual Model | Project Stage: 6

This example resource features guiding reflection questions to support students in deep reflection about their civics project and, ultimately, the presentation of these reflections to their peers.

Teacher's Name: Rob Powers

Plymouth | Grade 9-12 | History | Small Group Model | Project Stage: 6

Exemplary student-driven learning

This example resource provides students with guidance and an accompanying rubric for their presentation and an individual reflection.

Teacher's Name: Evan Cardullo

TEC Connections Academy Commonwealth Virtual School District | Grade 8 | Civics | Individual Model | Project Stage: 6

Culturally responsive teaching, Exemplary student-driven learning

This project example is a slide show presentation in which a student showcases their final project related to more accurately representing the culture and history of Native Americans in local public spaces. This student was able to raise awareness locally and to engage with the town manager, who put them in contact with local Native American groups to discuss the issue raised in their project.

Teacher's Name: Joan McWhorter

Manchester Essex Regional | Grade 8 | Civics | Small Group Model | Project Stage: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Culturally responsive teaching, Exemplary student-driven learning

This project example is a slide show presentation in which students are advocating for a more inclusive educational experience, specifically in support of LGBTQ+ students in their district. Students presented this slide show to the district's school committee during a public meeting.

Teacher's Name: Lisa DiBiasio

Bourne | Grade 8 | Civics | Other Model | Project Stage: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Exemplary student-driven learning

This project example is a slide show presentation of a compilation of student work. It profiles various student-led actions aligned to all six project stages. The profiled project topic is food waste. This presentation was shared with the local school committee.

Administrator's Name: Brian Patnaude

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical | Grade 9-12 | History | Small Group Model | Project Stage: 6

Exemplary student-driven learning

This project example is a slide show presentation in which students reflect on their work across all six stages of their project focused on improving students' mental wellness. This project was presented to and received favorably by administrators and others in the district.

Teacher's Name: Sarah Calla

Methuen | Grade 8 | Civics | Small Group Model | Project Stage: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Adapted for remote learning, Exemplary student-driven learning

This project example is a video of students showcasing their project about replacing school water fountains with water bottle fillers. In it, they share their research, executed action plan, and proposed change.

Teacher's Name: Julia Brotherton

Beverly | Grade 9-12 | History | Small Group Model | Project Stage: 2, 3, 4

Adapted for remote learning, Exemplary student-driven learning

This project example is a slide show presentation in which students identify a local community problem — Styrofoam pollution and its impact on wildlife — and then present their research and action plan.

Teacher's Name: Zac Bono

Chicopee | Grade 8 | Civics | Whole Class Model | Project Stage: 3

Adapted for remote learning, Exemplary student-driven learning

This project example is a slide show presentation in which students presented their research on bullying at their school and advocated for the passage of legislation related to suicide prevention.

Teacher's Name: Evan Cardullo

TEC Connections Academy Commonwealth Virtual School District | Grade 8 | Civics | Individual Model | Project Stage: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Exemplary student-driven learning

This example resource organizes the six stages of student-led civics projects into two manageable parts, each with check points for students. These check points can also guide teachers in assessing student progress.

Teacher's Name: Amherst Regional Middle School Teachers

Amherst-Pelham | Grade 8 | Civics | Small Group Model | Project Stage: 3

This example resource guides students through the investigation and research process, helping them to identify the root cause of their issue in order to create an action plan.

Teacher's Name: Annie Iannazzi

Westwood | Grade 8 | Civics | Small Group Model | Project Stage: 3

This example resource is a graphic organizer to help students engage with the research process is a systematic way. It provides three guiding questions, each with a subset of more targeted questions to guide students' exploration of their topic.

Teacher's Name: Heather Willinger

Scituate | Grade 9-12 | History | Individual Model | Project Stage: 1, 2

This example resource is a unit that takes students though the process of brainstorming, narrowing, and selecting a project topic in small groups. This unit includes various activities to support students in navigating the first few project stages.

Teacher's Name: Mary Foyle

| Grade 9-12 | History/ELA | Individual Model | Project Stage 1

In this classroom video clip, Mary Foyle, who teaches English and Civics and Community Engagement at Lunenberg High School, supports students as they move through Stage 1 of the Civics Project, Examining the Self and Civic Identity.

Teacher's Name: Lisa DiBiasio

| Grade 8 | Civics | Other Model | Project Stage 2

In this classroom video clip, Lisa DiBiasio, 8th grade History teacher at Bourne Middle School, supports students in working through Stage 2 of the Civics Project, Identifying an Issue. 

Teacher's Name: Mary Foyle

| Grade 9-12 | History/ELA | Individual Model | Project Stage 2

In this classroom video clip, Mary Foyle, who teaches English and Civics and Community Engagement at Lunenberg High School, guides students as they work on Identifying an Issue for Stage 2 of the Civics Project.

Teacher's Name: Lisa DiBiasio

| Grade 8 | Civics | Other Model | Project Stage 3

In this classroom video clip, Lisa DiBiasio, 8th grade History teacher at Bourne Middle School, prepares students for Stage 3 of the Civics Project, Researching and Investigating, by supporting them in sorting into groups based on project topic.

Teacher's Name: Jessica Lander

| Grade 9-12 | History | Small Group Model | Project Stage 3

In this classroom video clip, Jessica Lander, high school History and Civics teacher at Lowell High School, and her students, hear from guest speaker Macayla Cote of Mill City Grows as they prepare to dive into root causes for Stage 3 of the Civics Project, Researching and Investigating.

Teacher's Name: Mary Foyle

| Grade 9-12 | History/ELA | Individual Model | Project Stage 3

In this classroom video clip, Mary Foyle, who teaches English and Civics and Community Engagement at Lunenberg High School, works with her students on Stage 3 of the Civics Project, Researching and Investigating.

Teacher's Name: Lisa DiBiasio

| Grade 8 | Civics | Other Model | Project Stage 4

In this classroom video clip, Lisa DiBiasio, 8th grade History teacher at Bourne Middle School, guides students through beginning to develop their action plans for Stage 4 of the Civics Project, Developing an Action Plan.

Teacher's Name: Jessica Lander

| Grade 9-12 | History | Small Group Model | Project Stage 4

In this classroom video clip, Jessica Lander, high school History and Civics teacher at Lowell High School, works with students as they begin organizing for Stage 4 of the Civics Project, Developing an Action Plan.

Teacher's Name: Mary Foyle

| Grade 9-12 | History/ELA | Individual Model | Project Stage 4

In this classroom video clip, Mary Foyle, who teaches English and Civics and Community Engagement at Lunenberg High School, works with students as they move into Stage 4 of their Civics Projects, Developing an Action Plan.

Teacher's Name: Jessica Lander

| Grade 9-12 | History | Small Group Model | Project Stage 5

In this classroom video clip, Jessica Lander, high school History and Civics teacher at Lowell High School, supports students in working through Stage 5 of the Civics Project, Taking Action.

Teacher's Name: Scott Parker

Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical | Grade 9-12 | History | Individual Model | Project Stage: 5

Exemplary student-driven learning

This project example was created and used by a student to support their Stage 5 work. This student chose eating disorders as the theme of their project and worked directly with a local mental health organization to raise awareness and influence change.

Teacher's Name: James McNamara

Hanover | Grade 8 | Civics | Individual Model | Project Stage: 6

This example resource is an assignment to support students in considering and developing a written project reflection.

Teacher's Name: Jessica Lander

Lowell | Grade 9-12 | History | Individual Model | Project Stage: 6

Culturally responsive teaching, Exemplary student-driven learning

This project example is an op-ed written by a high school student about their project and project experience. The student's project topic was on gun violence, and the op-ed was published on WBUR's Cognoscenti.