Taylor Scribner's Portfolio Page

About Me

My name is Taylor Scribner I graduated Granville Jr Sr High School in 2015. I then attended St. Lawrence University and graduated May 2019 with a bachelors degree in History and a double minor in Government, and Education. I am currently enrolled in UAlbany's Curriculum Development and Instructional Technology masters program. My specialization is in Secondary Social Studies.

Use this link to access lessons: Taylor Scribner Mini-Course

My Topic and Purpose

Intent: Using project-based learning to increase students civic engagement.

For my mini-course, the topic I have chosen is "What is community?" This course is for educators to use when teaching civic engagement. This mini-course offers best practices for teachers to enable students to explore their role within their community through civic participation. The focus is to keep topics and materials relevant to students. The purpose of this mini-course is to provide students with the skills and knowledge to be active members of society. In this mini-course, students will actively be engaging with one another, and understandings will are driven by student inquiry and student discussions (Larson & Lockee, 2020).

Scope of Learning Outcomes and Content

Unit One: What is a community?

Student will define community.
Students will examine the different communities they are apart-of.
Students will identify what makes their classroom a community.
Students will examine problems faced within their community.

Unit Two: Civic Duties

Students identify and explore forms of civic participation.
Student will understand why civic participation is important.
Students will explore what it means to be a good citizen.
Students will understand their impact on society.

Unit Three: Being an active community member.

Students will actively participate in their community.
Students will reflect on participation in their community.

Needs Assessment

Instructional Problem: This mini-course is aimed to increase civic participation and knowledge in students, while focusing on hands-on activities.

This mini-course is supported through NYS Social Studies Framework,

12.G3 RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND DUTIES OF CITIZENSHIP: Active, engaged, and informed citizens are critical to the success of the United States representative democracy. United States citizens have certain rights, responsibilities, and duties, the fulfillment of which help to maintain the healthy functioning of the national, state, and local communities.
- Conceptual Understanding:12.G3a Citizens should be informed about rights and freedoms, and committed to balancing personal liberties with a social responsibility to others.12.G3c Citizens have opportunities to both participate in and influence their communities and country. Citizens contribute to government processes through legal obligations such as obeying laws, paying taxes, serving on juries, and registering for selective service.
12.G4 POLITICAL AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION: There are numerous avenues for engagement in the political process, from exercising the power of the vote, to affiliating with political parties, to engaging in other forms of civic participation. Citizens leverage both electoral and non-electoral means to participate in the political process.
- Conceptual Understanding: 12.G4e Citizens participate in civic life through volunteerism and advocacy, including efforts such as contacting elected officials, signing/organizing petitions, protesting, canvassing, and participating in/organizing boycotts.

What will be learned: Students will learn what a community is, as well as their identity within their communities. Students will examine different forms of civic participation and how they can be an active citizen in democracy. Students will then apply what they have learned, and actively participate in their community.

Goals: The goal of this course is for educators to use best practices in order for educators to improve their teaching of project-based learning civics topics. The educator will provide hands on experiences for students to be able to understand civics and the importance of civic engagement.

Analysis of the Learner and Context

Analysis of Learners: Students should have a basic understanding of the United States government at the secondary level. This mini-course aims to provide students with hands-on experiences with their local community and government systems. Being involved in the community can help students become active citizens after graduation. Being involved creates an awareness of the community's needs and problems. Civic engagement of today's youth is decreasing. However, students participate in different ways, such as protesting and through technology (Dalton, 2018). This mini-course will expose students to the various forms of civic participation. There is flexibility in the types of civic participation students can do.

The context for Learning: This course has hands-on learning experiences for students to apply what they learn outside of the classroom. This course is learner-centered, and the teacher acts as a facilitator driving student inquiry. This course comprises three units that prepare students to complete the project. Each team builds upon each other to have students complete the project.

Exploring the Problem and Solution: Civics and government classes have become a back seat in today's education system. However, a basic understanding of government and how to actively participate in civics are vital skills for students in life after graduation.

Performance-Based Objectives

Prior to this course students should be able to..

explain how the American Government works.

By the end of this mini-course educators will be able to:

Provide students with hands-on learning experiences.
Use best practices to teach for civic engagement.

By the end of this mini-course students will be able to:

Participate in activities that focus on a classroom, school, community, state, or national issue or problem.
Participate in persuading, debating, negotiating, and compromising in the resolution of conflicts and differences.
Work to influence those in positions of power to strive for extensions of freedom, social justice, and human rights.
Fulfill social and political responsibilities associated with citizenship in a democratic society and interdependent global community by developing awareness of and/or engaging in the political process.

Curriculum Map

File:623.CurriculumMap.pdf - See file

References and Resources

Dalton, R. J. (2014). Citizen Politics Public Opinion and Political Parties in Advanced Industrial Democracies. Sage, 63-83.

Larson, M. B., & Lockee, B. B. (2019). Streamlined ID: A practical guide to instructional design (2nd ed.). Routledge.