our environment s t a n d u p ! toolkit s t a n d · 2019-05-14 · campaigning techniques and ways...

CulturalLearningResources

S T A N D

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S T A N D

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O U R E N V I R O N M E N T

A N I N T R O D U C T I O N T O C A M P A I G N I N G

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This toolkit has been developed to support citizenship teaching from KS2 to KS4. It contains background information for teachers, lesson plans and student worksheets, showing how to run an effective campaign for a cause of your choice. It links to our May Day resources as May Day has traditionally been associated with protests against authority as well as celebrating the changing seasons. Since 1886, May Day, has been known as Workers’ Day or International Workers’ Day, commemorating the historic struggles and gains made by workers and the labour movement. It is observed in many countries on 1st May.

This resource also links to the successful campaign to save Epping Forest from enclosure; see Epping Forest Cultural Learning Resources.

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S T A N D U P ! S T A N D F O R !

O U R E N V I R O N M E N T : S T A N D U P ! S T A N D F O R ! 0 2

CONTENTS

LESSON OUTLINES AND WORKSHEETS 03

TASK: CAUSES BALLOT 03

TASK: PROBLEM TREE 03

WORKSHEET: PROBLEM TREE 05

TASK: ACTION PLAN 06

WORKSHEET: ACTION PLAN 07

TASK: CAMPAIGN TECHNIQUES 08

WORKSHEET: CAMPAIGN TECHNIQUES 09

TASK: DECISION MAKERS 08

WORKSHEET: DECISION MAKERS 10

TASK: MEASURES OF SUCCESS 11

TASK: GATHERING EVIDENCE 11

WORKSHEET: MEASURES OF SUCCESS 12

HISTORIC CAMPAIGNS 13

CURRENT CAMPAIGNS 14

LINKS TO OTHER CONTEMPORARY CAMPAIGNS 14

Lesson Outlines and WorksheetsWhat is campaigning?You can start by asking students if they know what campaigning is? Why do people campaign? What issues do people campaign about?

Taking actionYou can’t campaign without an issue, so the first step is to choose one!

Ask students if they have heard of the term social action? Social action aims to enhance community life and involves groups of people working together, on a voluntary or not-for-profit basis. It is action that is principled, well-organised and done in consultation and collaboration with others in the community and those affected by the initiative. In order to identify an issue, think about a social development theme that has global resonance (an issue of relevance to communities across the world). Examples are:

• Youth empowerment • Gender equality • Advocacy for education • Conflict prevention and peace-building • Environmental protection

Structured choiceIt’s important that the students make the choice about the issue they are going to campaign on. However, unlimited choice can cause problems – for you and for them. It is more manageable to offer them structured choice i.e. choice within some fixed boundaries.

Task: Causes ballotStudents can choose their campaign issue in the following interactive way: • Write out a range of options on A3 paper and lay

them out on the floor and organise the students so that they are sitting in a circle around the options;

• Ask students to discuss their 3 favourite options with a partner for a minute and then try to persuade others that their options are the best choice;

• Ask students individually and privately to complete a ballot form indicating their 1st and 2nd choices.

Problem treeProblem trees are a simple way of showing causes and effects of a specific problem. Writing a problem tree breaks the problem down into manageable chunks and helps to identify possible areas for social action.

Task: Problem treeStudents can do the following: • Write the problem they have identified on a sticky

note and place it on the main trunk of the tree;• Write the causes of the problem and place them

around the roots of the tree;• Write the effects of the problem and place them

around the leaves of the tree.Remind students to consider how different groups within the community, i.e. adults and children, male and female, teachers and pupils, and other school users, may experience the problem differently.

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CampaignVerb: to work in an organised and active way towards a goal.

Example: People who campaigned against child labour…

Synonyms: crusade, fight, battle, work, push, press, strive, struggle, agitate.


The school pays more for commercial waste collection

Our school doesn’

recycle as much of

its waste as it could

More waste going

to landfill

Most of the sna

ck

items sold in

school

are non-recycl

ableThere aren’t

enough recycling bins

People don’t knowwhat items can and cannot be recycled

Recycling bins

are contaminated

with incorrect items

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Example of a Problem Tree



Problem tree

Effects

Main Problem

Causes

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Problem Tree

Effects

Main Problem

Causes


What needs to be done? Who is doing it? When by?

Write a questionnaire Sam 23.5. 2019

Interview the headteacher Bilal 11.5. 2019

Make posters Elle, Gem, Ilhan 15.6 . 2019

Update social media Lara Every day

Building up knowledgeEncourage students to become experts on their chosen issue. They should use a mixture of primary and secondary research methods to make their case for change.

Primary research, such as interviews and questionnaires, can be tailored to suit specific requirements i.e. they can ask exactly what they want to know, but it can be time consuming and the information will only be as good as their questionnaire design.

Secondary research can be quick and easy to find, but highlight the need to be wary of the quality of the research and point out that it may not answer their specific question.

Students need to consider the following:• What do they already know about the issue?• What additional information do they need to know?• Who can provide that additional information?

Overcoming obstaclesStudents should identify any possible opponents. Ask them to think about who might be against their campaign? What reasons might they have for objecting? What other obstacles might they face during their campaign and how are they going to overcome them?

PlanningSuccessful campaigns are well planned and everyone in the team should have a clear role.

Task: Action plan Ask students to create an action plan like the one below. Tasks need to be specific, small and achievable. See page 7 for an Action plan worksheet which students can fill in.

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Example of an Action plan



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What needs to be done? Who is doing it? When by?

Action Plan


Campaign techniquesWhat do we need to do in order to persuade people to support our ideas? There are many different campaigning techniques and ways of getting a message across.

Task: Campaign techniquesAsk students which campaigning techniques they already know. They could write them on a spider diagram. See page 9 for a Campaign Techniques worksheet, with a spider diagram students can fill in.

Examples of campaign techniques include:• Protest • Traditional media• Petition • Organise an event• Logo • Leaflets• Slogan • Badges• Poster • Banners• Lobby politicians • Placards• Social media • Film

They won’t be able to do all of these, so encourage them to think about the skills within their group and also the impact the different actions might have.

Decision makersAsk students who are the people in their lives who they see as being the decision makers? If they want something changed who would be the person who makes the decisions and can make that change happen? Show them examples of decision makers like politicians, high profile business people, teachers and parents.

Task: Decision makersStudents should think about the different stakeholders (people with an interest or concern in something) in their social action and complete a Power Flower diagram:

• They should put the main decision makers at the centre of the flower;

• They should put the influencers, both formal, such as advisors, and informal, such as the media, on the petals.

See below for an example of a Power Flower diagram and page 10 for a Decision Makers worksheet, with a Power Flower diagram which students can fill in.

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Example of a Power flower diagram


HeadteacherGovernors

Localpapers

Parents

Decision makers

1. Put the main decision makers in the centre.2. Put the influencers in the petals.


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Campaign Techniques


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Power Flower1. Put the main decision makers in the centre.2. Put the influencers in the petals.

Decision Makers


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Measures of successHow could students show that their campaign has been successful? Ask students to imagine they are detectives. How would they prove that a change has happened because of their campaign?

Task: Matching success measuresAsk students to match the following examples of social action with the measurable outcome. There is a worksheet of these examples for the students to fill in page 12.

Task: Gathering evidenceThen ask students to consider how they could measure the outcomes at the start and at the end of the campaign.

Explain that they should gather evidence at the beginning of the campaign and at the end because then they will have evidence of a change. For example:

‘At the beginning of the project the playground was dirty and a health hazard. After our campaign the playground was much cleaner and safer. Our evidence is this questionnaire used to consult playground users and these photographs taken before and after the campaign.’

If you only gather evidence at the end you can’t show that something has changed.


Increase equality in education (in particular in STEM subjects)

Reduce bullying in school

Improve road safety

Improved participation of young people in local decision making

Higher number of young people participating in local meetings,

being involved in local committees

More parity in the examination results

Fewer accidents on the road

Fewer reported incidents of bullying

Social action Measurable action


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Increase equality in education (in particular in STEM subjects)

Reduce bullying in school

Improve road safety

Improved participation of young people in local decision making

Higher number of young people participating in local meetings,

being involved in local committees

More parity in the examination results

Fewer accidents on the road

Fewer reported incidents of bullying

Social action Measurable action

Draw arrows to match up the boxes on the left to the boxes on the right.

Matching Success Measures


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Keys to successful campaigningWilliam Morris was a founder member of The Socialist League. Their motto was Educate, Agitate, Organise. These three words are keys to a successful campaign. For example, Morris’ campaign to preserve historic buildings led to the setting up of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Building (SPAB), which still actively protects buildings today.

You must:

Educate; so that people know what the issues are

Agitate; so that people take meaningful action

Organise; so that the support of other people is organised

Stay SafeRemind students to keep themselves and others safe whilst campaigning.

They must• Never give out personal information. • Not open emails, files, documents, images etc…

from someone they don’t know and trust.

• Never arrange to meet someone they have been speaking to online.

• Tell a parent, teacher, or other trusted adult if anything makes them feel worried, concerned or uncomfortable.

Historic CampaignsVotes for Women! Suffragettes carried out direct action such as chaining themselves to railings, setting fire to mailbox contents, smashing windows and on occasions setting off bombs. Many suffragettes were imprisoned and went on hunger strikes, during which they were restrained and forcibly fed.

Anti-apartheidNelson Mandela was one of the main people involved in this campaign and protested against the policy of apartheid (separateness) in South Africa. Under apartheid, black and white South Africans were forced to live separate lives, with many black communities being forced to leave their homes and settle in poor slums. South African campaigners protested through methods such as strikes, protest marches and rallies.

The masthead for the Socialist League, designed by Walter Crane, has: ‘Agitate, Educate, Organise’.



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Current CampaignsSchool strike for climate The School strike for climate (also known as Fridays for Future, Youth for Climate and Youth Strike 4 Climate) is an international movement of school students who are deciding not to attend classes and instead take part in demonstrations to demand action to prevent further global warming and climate change. Publicity and widespread organising began when the climate activist, Greta Thunberg, staged an action in August 2018 outside the Swedish parliament, holding a sign that read ‘Skolstrejk för klimatet’ (‘School strike for the climate’).

Climate activist Greta Thunberg

Greenpeace.org.ukLots of creative resources for kids who want to protect the environment.

Kidsagainstplastic.co.ukA fantastic environmental campaign set up by kids, for kids. Founded by Amy (15) and Ella (13) Meek.

https://bit.ly/2LHftGgFor more info on William Morris and campaigning.

Sendmyfriend.org.ukGlobal campaign for education. Great resources for all ages, plus downloadable teaching packs.

Endchildpoverty.org.ukDetailed site with lots of facts, statistics and info. Plus a simple-to-use toolkit for your local area.

Links to Other Contemporary Campaigns



https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/

https://sendmyfriend.org/

https://www.endchildpoverty.org.uk/

http://www.kidsagainstplastic.co.uk/

https://bit.ly/2LHftGg

our environment s t a n d u p ! toolkit s t a n d · 2019-05-14 · campaigning techniques and ways...

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