Campaign for a Cause

Social Action is all the rage right now, and for a reason.  It's been a necessary and powerful movement for years. (If you can call it a movement? Maybe it's a lifestyle?)  As part of their 8th grade English class, our students take action for some very special local organizations.

While the goals of the unit were the same, the execution was a little different this year, thanks to the pandemic. 12 groups supporting 12 different organizations. From the 12 groups at the rally, the primaries narrow it down to six.  The convention today brought it down to three finalists.

My favorite part this year?  Totally selfish.  Because the Rally, Convention, and Election were via Zoom and I got to attend all of them.  (The Primaries were held in live individual classes.)

My second favorite part this year?  For the first time, the Election is open to 5th - 8th graders.  I particularly like this because being a Jewish Day School, all of the kids have to do a mitzvah project for their Bar or Bat Mitzvah.  By opening this to the younger grades, they will see some very worthy local organizations that they may very well choose to support when it's their turn to plan their mitzvah projects.

Not pictured: the 6 classrooms that Zoomed in, and the
dozen plus students learning from home who joined remotely!

Another favorite part this year?  I learned about faux green screens thanks to Flipgrid Frames!

The best part of this year?  That the kids learned about and highlighted very deserving local organizations!  This has been a very energizing week of campaigning!  I am excited to see who wins at tomorrow's election!