:Good Citizen Award
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Approach: Team Level: Year 4 and year 8   
Focus: Characteristics of a good community member
Resources: Team answer sheet

Questions/instructions:
 The town council has decided to choose someone for a “Good Citizen” award. To help the council decide who should get the award, it needs a list of things that everyone would expect of a good community member. The council has asked you to make up the list.

Work together as a team to make up the list of the things that everyone would expect of a good citizen.

Write down as many things as you can think of. Think of the sort of person they would need to be, and the sorts of things they would be doing in the community. Make sure that everyone agrees with the things you write on your list.

Give the team answer sheet to the students. Allow time (around 5 minutes).
You’ve written quite a few things on your list. Now choose the four most important things from your list about a good citizen. When you have chosen the four things, put the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 beside them, in order of importance, with 1 being the most important. Everyone in the group needs to agree with your decisions. You also need to have good reasons for choosing these four things.

Allow time.
Now tell me the four things you have decided, and tell me why each one is important. Start with the most important thing. You can all help with explaining your ideas.



% responses
2001 ('97)
y4
y8
Feature 1
Category of feature:
personal skills & attitudes (such as honest, hard working, ethical)
27
47
interpersonal skills & attitudes (such as friendly, considerate, generous, modest, patient)
49
39
 
past help with community activities
12
11
past leadership of community activities
2
2
any other response
10
1
Argument for why feature is an important part of being a good citizen:    
 
strong relevant argument
8
22
moderately strong relevant argument
61
47
any other response
31
31
Feature 2      
Category of feature:
personal skills & attitudes (such as honest, hard working, ethical)
26
34
interpersonal skills & attitudes (such as friendly, considerate, generous, modest, patient)
41
47
 
past help with community activities
15
13
 
past leadership of community activities
2
3
 
any other response
16
3
Argument for why feature is an important part of being a good citizen:    
 
strong relevant argument
7
15
moderately strong relevant argument
53
56
any other response
40
29
Feature 3      
Category of feature:
personal skills & attitudes (such as honest, hard working, ethical)
23
28
 
interpersonal skills & attitudes (such as friendly, considerate, generous, modest, patient)
42
47
past help with community activities
20
20
past leadership of community activities
4
3
any other response
11
2
Argument for why feature is an important part of being a good citizen:    
 
strong relevant argument
4
16
moderately strong relevant argument
57
56
any other response
39
28
Feature 4      
Category of feature:
personal skills & attitudes (such as honest, hard working, ethical)
21
19
 
interpersonal skills & attitudes (such as friendly, considerate, generous, modest, patient)
40
44
past help with community activities
25
28
past leadership of community activities
1
3
any other response
13
6
Argument for why feature is an important part of being a good citizen:    
 
strong relevant argument
5
12
moderately strong relevant argument
54
47
any other response
41
41
Total score:
7–8
1
8
 
5–6
8
23
3–4
49
35
1–2
30
24
0
12
10
Commentary
Both year 4 and year 8 teams saw interpersonal skills and attitudes as the most important attributes of a good citizen. Personal skills and attitudes were the next most important, with past help with community activities a clear third. Very little importance was placed on past leadership of community activities. About 20 percent more year 8 than year 4 teams were able to argue well for their choices.
  
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