Making a Lasting Difference

Session Three

Introduce the critical task.

• Present the critical task for students to complete individually:
  Recommend a class project that would make a lasting contribution to the environment around our school or community.

Explain that students are to recommend one of the projects listed in Class Contributions for the class to complete. Distribute copies of My Recommendation and ask students to draw a picture of their choice, describe it in words and then explain why it meets the identified criteria. (A space is left for students to add a fourth criterion, if desired.)

Share recommendations.

• Direct students, if they have not already done so, to indicate on My Recommendation the previously assigned number of their proposed project. Post numbers around the room to represent the number of possible projects and ask students to display their drawing beneath the appropriate number. Invite students to discuss with those who share the same recommendation why their project should be adopted by the class. You may want to help students who are alone in their recommendation to formulate reasons why their choice is a good one. Invite a representative from each group to explain the reasons for its recommendation to the rest of the class. Discuss with the class how a final decision about the class project or projects should be made; e.g., majority vote, group consensus, blind pick from among the top contenders. Select a method and determine which project(s) the class will undertake.