Participate Civics: High School

Through this capstone Participate Civics course, CPS high school students will develop the critical knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to be active and engaged participants in our democracy.

High School Curriculum

Two Essential Questions provide the underpinnings of the course and curriculum as students explore the power of democracy, elections, policy, activism and media:

• Who has power in our democracy, why do they have it, and how do they use it?
• How can I exercise power by participating in our democracy?

Young people who can answer these Essential Questions will, we believe, have taken the first steps toward active and informed participation in our democracy. They will understand the significance of elections in a democracy and know how they can participate—by voting, running for office, campaigning, helping inform and register other voters, and more.

Participate Civics was written by synthesizing the input of teachers, students, and administrators to deepen the work established by the Global Citizenship Initiative (originally piloted in 2012). Participate was revised most recently during the 2018-2019 school year, incorporating feedback from Participate Civics teachers and students, resulting in the resource you have today where all CPS students are engaged in powerful civic learning experiences as part of their core course content.

Summative Assessment

What knowledge, skills, and dispositions (intention to act) do we need in order to be powerful civic actors in our democracy?

The Participate Civics course supports all students in identifying and sharing the skills, knowledge and dispositions they deem necessary to be powerful civic actors.

• Throughout the course, students investigate the course summative assessment. They engage in intergenerational discussions about what is needed to be civically powerful, and to share perspectives amongst youth and elected officials about the health and values for the future of our city. View Orr Academy High School's Jamboard with key takeaways from their meeting with Alderwoman Mitts.
• CPS and the Aspen Institute are working together to highlight Chicago students' perspectives and to demonstrate how students are translating their knowledge into action in their communities. Read the following blog posts by CPS students, speaking on What Every American Should Know:

Participate Civics in Action

The Power of Policy & City Government

Our partnership with the Office of the City Clerk provides an unprecedented opportunity for CPS students to experience city politics and government as part of their Participate Civics course experience. The learning opportunities and associated field trips advance students’ exploration of the Participate Civics Unit 3 Essential Questions:

• What is the power of public policy?
• Who has power to influence, make and create public policy?
• How will I participate in creating and changing public policy?

The SY21 partnership focused on policies designed to address systemic issues that have been further elevated or surfaced by the COVID-19 pandemic. See this year’s winning ordinance idea and an associative policy comparison between the students’ idea and other legislation that has recently passed.

Visit the timestamp where the Clerk raises the resolution at the May 26th City Council meeting here.