Question/Problem 1: What have been the governmental and societal responses to major public problems since 1975?

Objectives

Description of lesson/activity

Resources

1. describe various policies used to address a public problem.

2. experience the roles citizens can play in the policy process as legislators, advocates, and administrators.

3. define a public problem.

4. gather information regarding the problem from a variety of resources.

5. compare the way different administrations addressed problems.

6. develop policies to address the problem.

7. defend their policies.

1. The period since 1975 has witnessed an explosion of public policy concerns. During this period, federal, state, and local governments have attempted to deal with these concerns in different ways. The teacher will need to provide students with resources that will provide the historical background and current policy responses to public problems used in this lesson.

   Examples of public problems include but are not limited to:

   • energy dependence
   • industrial pollution
   • waste disposal
   • greenhouse effect
   • homelessness
   • lack of affordable housing
   • substance abuse
   • unemployment
   • racial discrimination
   • gender discrimination
   • lack of affordable health care
   • domestic violence
   • AIDS
   • gun control

2. The teacher should define "policy" as a course of action to solve a problem. "Public policy" is the way a public institution (like a government) seeks to solve a public problem (i.e., a problem that involves individuals as members of civil society). That policy should involve other public institutions and a role for the citizenry. An "issue" is a disagreement between two or more sides over how to define or deal with a problem. Have students distinguish:
   (1) problems and issues and,
   (2) public and private problems, and
   (3) governmental and nongovernmental.

3. Divide the class into groups of three students and assign a public problem from the above list or elsewhere.

4. Students will first define the assigned problem in forty words or less. In limiting the length of their definition, students should be concise.

5. Students will research the historical background of the problem. On this chart they will compare the policy approaches of different levels of government and historical periods in dealing with problems. Students should use the Crossroads Resource "Historical Background" to gather information.

6. Students will decide upon three policy alternatives to deal with the problem giving both advantages and disadvantages of each alternative. Students need to know that there are a range of policy options open to government to deal with or address problems like the one they have been assigned. For example, government can help fund others to solve their own problems. It can make laws regulating certain kinds of actions. Government can provide services directly to those in need. It can be a coalition builder, stay out of the problem altogether, or s stimulate the private sector to respond. Students can brainstorm these and other options.

7. After the discussion on options, have groups complete the "Alternative Policies for the Problem" Crossroads Resource . They need to choose three viable alternatives to deal with the assigned problem. ("Viable" means that the option must be both feasible and sizable.) At least one alternative should include a role for individuals or the citizenry at large. For each alternative, groups need to identify advantages and disadvantages.

8. Groups will display each resource sheet individually on poster board, construction paper, oaktag, etc. Each page of the display should also include any newspaper headlines, cartoons, photos, etc. that illustrate that section of the display. Sheets should be taped together to form a triptych (a freestanding, hinged, three-panel display) to be used in their oral presentation and for display in the classroom. (See the following illustration.)

   
   Our Problem Is ................................................

   Definition

   Historical Background

   Alternative Policies

9. Students will orally present their findings to the class using the triptych. The time devoted to class discussion is left to the teacher. The accompanying "Public Oral Presentation Assessment Criteria" may be used to evaluate either group presentations individual participation.

10. This lesson can be taken one step further by having students defend and debate alternative recommendations for a public policy to deal with the issue. This may be done as a group or individual activity.

    Alternatively or as a next step, students can develop a strategy for convincing the public or a government to adopt a policy alternative. Their strategy would include at least three tactics such as letter writing, lobbying legislators, organizing supporters, holding public events, filing law suits, etc.

Resource 1: Chart for Information Gathering

Resource 2: Alternative Policies for the Problem

Resource 3: Public Problems Oral Presentation Assessment Criteria

This activity is adapted from The Center for Civic Education, The American Youth Citizenship Competition (Calabasas, CA: Center for Civic Education, 1993), p. 29.