Unit 1: Identity and Community (Step 1) - Analyze Identity, Examine Community and Build a Democratic Classroom

Our curricula follow an asset-based approach to community change, which means that we begin by taking stock of what assets already exist in the community so that students can leverage those strengths in bringing change.

In this unit, your students explore identity, power, privilege and community. They will begin to develop a working definition for the word community and examine how power, privilege and discrimination have shaped what issues may or may or not exist in their community. Once students have an idea what community means in general, they will be able to start thinking about the strengths of their community in particular. In order to better understand their community, students will create community maps and a civic footprint for themselves that identifies their representatives.

Students completing this unit have chosen a community where they will focus on their issue, and can:

• Articulate their social identities and discuss how different identities have power and privilege in the United States
• Define community
• Identify traits of their community, including assets and issues
• Describe ways to make their communities better