2024 Social Science Standards Alignment

1.C.CE.5 - Identify rules and describe the responsibilities of leaders and team members when participating in rule-making and group activities.
4.C.CE.5 - Describe the importance of civic participation, including the ballot initiative process, in changing Oregon's laws and Constitution.
3.C.IR.4 - Explain how a community relies on active civic participation and identify opportunities for student participation in local and regional issues.
3.H.CC.3 - Describe how individuals and groups in the local community and region have functioned as changemakers for equity, equality, and freedom against bias, discrimination, racism, and oppression.

Helping students understand the impetus for and process of voting emphasizes another potential channel for civic engagement in our local, state and national organizations. To better understand Oregon’s Ballot Initiative Process for making or changing state law, visit this Make or Change State Law webpage. Even before engaging in the process of voting or making and changing state law, teachers can emphasize how students can actively participate in their local community and influence state legislation through advocacy.

Step 1: Read

Read through the following articles highlighting student advocacy:

Article - Mental Health Services Top Oregon’s Students List of Concerns
- Student advocacy that led to Oregon’s Transformative Social and Emotional Learning Standards.
Article - Learning About The Holocaust Could Soon Be Mandatory In Oregon Thanks To This Friendship
- Student advocacy that shaped Oregon social science content.

Step 2: Reflect

After you read the articles, consider the following guiding questions. Use your Journal Space to record your answers.

How have Oregon students utilized their rights to impact their community?
How can I use stories about national and local student advocacy to help my students take informed action?

Again, consider how the new information you learned helps you answer the essential question: How do the individual and collective responsibilities of citizens impact our collective rights?

Try It Out!

Consider how you could scaffold the process for identifying and helping students take informed action in their school or local community. What community concerns might your students identify?