Whenever there’s a positive change in society, we can thank activists. They work in every corner of the world on issues like racial injustice, gender discrimination, and the countless intersections of social issues. You can find activists lobbying their governments, calling for corporate accountability, and campaigning for equality. Visions and specific goals vary, but activists want a better world. Activists such as Martin Luther King Jr. or Mother Teresa made such amazing contributions to society and are so highly regarded that they hardly even seem like real people anymore. Sometimes we feel like we’ll never be able to live up to them, no matter how much we want to!

What if I told you that there are everyday kids and teens just like you that are doing BIG things to make a difference in the world around them? At the young age of 13, Mari Copeny has established herself as a prominent young activist. During the Flint, Michigan water crisis in 2016, Mari wrote a letter to President Barack Obama to raise awareness. This resulted in a presidential visit and a declaration of federal state of emergency. In 2018, she partnered with the Pack Your Back organization and raised over $50,000 to donate bottled water to residents. Today, Mari is the youngest delegate on the United States 65th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. What do activists have in common? 

This research project will guide you through the discovery of a growing number of teens taking matters into their own hands. Together we may discover that YOU can also become an activist? All it takes is an idea and the right combination of determination and willpower to effect change in your community. Anybody can start with one thing they’re passionate about, and find small, local ways to organize and find solutions to the problem.

Step One:  Read the article, Youth Activism Is On the Rise—Here’s How to Support Your Teen Activist and answer the questions provided on the CRAAP (Currency, Relevancy, Accuracy, Authority, Purpose) Worksheet. 

Watch the video below to  learn how to use the C.R.A.A.P test.

Step Two: You may find many articles and many teen activists that inspire you but begin by exploring the articles in the links below to familiarize yourself with young activists and their causes.

Step Three: Select a teen activist to research. Research, print and annotate at least TWO articles on a selected person AND ONE article about his/her cause. If there is a specific individual you wish to research, you MUST get approval from your ELA teacher before going ahead with this step. 

Below are a few suggested resources for your research: 

Databases, Podcasts, TED Talks & More….
Here’s how to “site” search:

  1. Click in the Google search bar or your address bar if you use Google Chrome.
  2. Type “site:” followed by the name of the credible website you’re searching.
  3. Follow the website name with a single space and then type the search phrase.
  4. Hit Enter or Return to begin the search.

Step Four: Annotating or article notes. When reading your articles, it is important to remember key information.  Annotate the articles, so finding the facts and important information is a bit easier when you begin the writing process. Watch the video below to gain a better understanding of what it means to annotate. 

 

Step Five:  Write a Claim/Thesis Statement that answers the question:  How does _(teen activist’s name)_address the problem and provide possible solutions?  

Sample Thesis:

By using her voice and making bold moves to demand the world’s attention, Greta Thunberg highlighted the need for updated global policies in order to combat climate change. 

THINK: How they did it + Who they are + What they want = CLAIM  (Any combination and order of these ideas will work!)

Step Six: Works Cited Page. A works cited page is an alphabetized list of your sources using the Modern Language Association (MLA) format.  A works cited page serves to show the reader where the information is from giving the source credit for the information and ideas. 

Use the following citation generator: Bibliogragphy.com Watch the video below to understand how Bibliography.com works.

Watch the video below to get a better understanding of why a works cited page is important.

Step 7: Outlining the information. Now is time to organize your research in a coherent manner. Using your annotated articles, fill in the outline. Make sure to note which article information is from.  Use the author’s last name or first word or two from the Works Cited page as your “signal” word. You will need to use this in your paper as well.

Please watch the video below titled, “What are in-text citations?

Step 8: Drafting your CANVA activist poster. You will be using all of your findings to create a poster with CANVA.  the rubric below will guide you in a clear, organized manner without missing anything. Follow the step by step approach and you will find success.The “Works Cited” page should be prominently displayed in the lower left-hand portion of your poster.

Should you decide to use media content outside of CANVA, please refer to this Guide toFinding Media for Classroom Projects.

Step 9: Always…Self edit and revise. A peer review is required.

Step 10: Check sharing permission before handing in your poster. The permissions should be to view, NOT EDIT. 

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