*At this point, the class has selected an impaired parameter or threat based on their monitoring and expert interviews. You have moved into step three of the six step process – Policy and Practice Research. As a class, make a list of all relevant public and private policies and practices that impact your chosen issue.
*Conduct research on the policies and practices that impact your issue. Visit the Earth Force Web Links for Students and Educators section on the Earth Force web site. These sites have been grouped by subject area and will provide a place to start.
*Through the research components of the process, divide the class into smaller groups that will contribute their findings to the entire class. The process will move more quickly this way.
*Be sure to explore different issue perspectives. Every viewpoint deserves to be taken into consideration.
*Create a grid of the positive and negative policies and practices that influence the chosen parameter. Page 53 in Protecting Our Watersheds will assist you with this process.
*Create a new set of criteria or use the old set from step two to assist the class in selecting one policy or practice. The action project will focus on this specific policy or practice.
*What should be taken into consideration when choosing a policy or practice? Example criteria include cost, feasibility of completing before school ends, addressing learning standard priorities of the teacher, class interest in the subject and impact on public safety.
*Using the criteria, choose one policy or practice as a class. YOU ARE NOT CHOOSING YOUR ACTION PROJECT AT THIS POINT. Do not jump ahead! Revisit Protecting Our Watersheds on pages 37-40 if a refresher is needed for classroom voting.
*Step three outcome: The students have analyzed their research and can articulate their goal statement as, "We want ___ to do ___."
*The class has identified the group of individuals whose actions they wish to impact and what specific result their work will have on the actions of the identified group.
*Stop and take a moment for the class to reflect on what has been completed thus far. Has the process progressed down a different path than was orginially expected? What pre-conceived notions have changed since the start of the process? What would you have done differently if you were to do this again? Reference page 78 of Protecting Our Watersheds for other ideas.
*Reflection exercises should be completed throughout the entire process, not just at the completion of the action project.
You have completed step three.*Make a list of possible project strategies that will enable the class to reach their goal. You may need to research what other groups have done to address your issue.
*Select the strategy as a class.
*Step four outcome: The students can articulate their strategy statement, "To get _____ to do ____, we will ______."
You hve completed step four.