Delaney Graf

Technology in the Learning Environment

10/10/22

Digital Story Script Rough Draft: 10 Ways to be an Engaged Citizen for a Civics Classroom

Video will start with an image of an American Flag and the question “What is it to be a citizen?”

I will then say the definition to citizen:

We are all citizens of the country, state, and community that we are born into. According
to the Cornell Law Institute, “A citizen is a person who, by place of birth, nationality of one or
both parents, or naturalization is granted full rights and responsibilities as a member of a nation
or political community.” (Citizen Definition) As citizens, we are responsible for being involved
and engaged in the community around us. There are 10 strategies that we can use to maximize
our involvement. In this story, we are going to be looking into these 10 strategies.

Going to have an image and discuss each strategy: 10 Ways to be an Active Citizen

Strategy One: Staying up to Date on (Local) Politics

Image associated with this: Image of Vice President Kamala and her Husband.

I will say:
As a citizen, we need to be involved and understand what is going on in both local and
national politics. This means that we need to be actively looking and reading the news on a daily
basis instead of just not understanding the changes around us. However, as an engaged citizen
there needs to be an understanding regarding media literacy and understanding what is a good
source vs another.
Strategy Two: Volunteer in your Local Community

Image associated with this: Someone helping each other (cleaning up trash or something
associated with that)

I will say:
This strategy focuses on volunteer work and continued involvement in your local
community. We should always be searching to improve both our local and school communities
as a whole.

Strategy Three: Share your Ideas and Spark Debate

Image associated with conversation and disagreement

I will say:
The third strategy for being an engaged citizen is holding an open dialogue regarding
certain issues that may cause disagreement. The way for things to be changed and updated is
through discussion and disagreement. As human beings, we are unable to all agree on the same
thing, but compromise arrives through conversation and debates surrounding each issue.

Strategy Four: VOTE!!

Image with Voting booth and Sign

I will say:
The fourth and most important strategy that one can do to be an engaged and active
citizen in our country and community is by voting. If you want change at the both national and
local levels, the way that this can happen is through voting for people who represent those
interests. If you elect people into office that share your values, that is a way for your values to be
heard and seen.

Strategy Five: Create Space and Opportunity to Humble Your Privilege

Image of sitting down and open space

I will say;
The fifth aspect of being an engaged citizen is acknowledging your privilege and creating
a space to discuss it. This can be a challenging thing to do and can make some people
uncomfortable, but it allows you to be honest with yourself and the people around you.

Strategy Six: Engage with the Culture Around You

Image with the cultural diversity of a given place

I will say:
Our community is full of a variety of cultures and experiences that we should engage
with. One way to do this is by trying new foods and trying new experiences that may be different
from what you may be used to.

Strategy Seven: Settle Down and Take a Breath with a Book

Image with a book and a reading corner

I will say:
Sometimes it is hard to take time for yourself in the crazy world we live in. As citizens,
we need to take time for ourselves and allow us to learn more by reading and engaging in
challenging material. The more we read and engage in complex texts, the more we can allow for
us to understand certain things and challenge our preconceived notions.

Strategy Eight: Supporting Local Businesses

Image with a local Memphis or Houston store

I will say:
One way to spur support for the community is through shopping or eating at local
businesses. This can include shopping at stores, engaging on social media to promote a local
restaurant, or simply by being a loyal customer. This allows for the community and economy to
flourish.

Strategy Nine: Watch your Ecological Footprint

Image demonstrating Ecological Footprint

I will say:
Our world ecologically is struggling and it is becoming more and more evident. As
citizens, we need to be aware of our own ecological footprint. By this, I mean that (defs here)
(Ecological Foot). We can understand more at what we can do to allow that our world is there for
the future generations underneath us.

Strategy Ten: Taking On Issues that You are Passionate About

Image with an array of Social Issues going on in the United States
I will say:
The final way that we can become a more engaged citizen in our country is by standing
up for what we believe in and getting involved. The biggest way that people can do this is by
engaging in protests/marches in person or becoming more empowered in social media. I have
found that the more people can understand certain issues and become involved in them, the more
invested they are in creating change in their community.

Collage of the photos of the 10 strategies

Then say:

- By being more engaged citizens, we can have a larger impact on our communities. We all
need to work on these, which will allow us to become more active and involved in
creating change for the future generations to come.