Democracy

www.nyhumanities.org/conversations

Thank yo u for hosting a Co mmunity Conversation for K ids!

Community Conversations provides an opportunity for people come together for thoughtful discussion and dialogue about their shared values as Americanspast, present, and future. Focused on central themes in American life such as service, freedom and democracy, Community Conversations allows New Yorkers to join in discussions that offer an alternative to received wisdom and provide the chance to take part in a shared national dialogue.
O ve rvi ew Community Conversations are stand-alone, text-based discussions led by a facilitator from the local community. Each toolkit includes a text that tackles an important aspect of American life and encourages community dialogue. Your Community Conversation should last between 60 and 90 minutes without interruption. Discussions should be guided by a facilitator and focused on the text and the theme. Hold your conversation in a room where a group of 10-30 participants can hear each other clearly. Use the tips sheets for host sites and facilitators included in this toolkit for ideas about how to encourage everyone to participate in the discussion. Faci litato r A good facilitator is the key to making a Community Conversation successful. The facilitator should be someone in your community who enjoys working with people, is interested in what others have to say, and believes in the merit of conversationbased programs. The facilitator does not need to be someone with an advanced degree in the humanities, but rather someone who has some experience leading open conversations and who is enthusiastic about learning how to facilitate. We encourage all prospective facilitators to attend one of the Councils free facilitation webinars* to learn more about best practices for guiding successful and meaningful discussions. *Facilitators at featured sites must attend a facilitation webinar. Democracy Texts Discussion Questions for I Could Do That! Discussion Questions for Pearl Moscowitzs Last Stand Discussion Questions for Sit-In Tips for Facilitating Tips for Hosting Sample Schedule Resources Participant Evaluation Keep the Conversation Going Partners page 3 page 4 page 5 page 6 page 7 page 8 page 9 page 10 page 11 page 12 page 13

Struc ture

In clu d ed in th is to ol ki t:

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Texts on Democ racy for Co mmunity Conversations for Kids

This Community Conversations for Kids toolkit focuses on democracy. There are three picture books that sites can choose from with sample questions available for each. These high-quality books are appropriate for 8- to 12-year-olds and should be available at your library or local bookstore. You can also purchase copies using your Community Conversation stipend. I Could Do That! Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote by Linda Arms White (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005. 40 pages)
Based on a true story, I Could Do That! follows the life of Esther Morris during 1800s America, when she helps women gain the right to vote in Wyoming. Esther not only becomes a wife and mother, but also a businesswoman, abolitionist, womens rights advocate, and the first woman in the United States to hold public office. Her story demonstrates how one individual can spark change in our democracy. Themes to explore: democracy, civic participation, equality, education, suffrage

Pearl Moscowitzs Last Stand by Arthur A. Levine (Tambourine, 1993. 32 pages)

Pearl Moscowitz lives on Gingko Street, named for the beautiful trees that line the block, and connects with several generations of neighbors in their diverse and changing community. But when the city decides to tear down buildings and cut down trees in the neighborhood, Pearl decides to take a stand to preserve Gingko Street. Themes to explore: democracy, community, peaceful protest

Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney (Little, Brown, 2010. 40 pages)
Sit-In tells the story of four young men who, inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr., decide to sit at the whites only counter at Woolworths in Greensboro, North Carolina in protest of segregation laws. As a result of their silent, non-violent determination, sit-ins quickly became a widespread effort to achieve integration. Sit-In demonstrates how quiet action can lead to equality for all. Themes to explore: democracy, justice, peaceful protest, equality

If none of these books are available in your community, please see the resources page at the end of this toolkit with further readings on democracy.
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Discussio n Questions for I Could Do That! Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote by Linda Ar ms White

Esther keeps repeating, I could do that! Why does she believe in herself so strongly? What kinds of things does Esther want to learn? Why does she want to learn these things? Why do you think that Esther practices sewing dolls clothes before she sews her fathers? What is the relationship between learning and doing? Can you give some examples of Esther using the skills shes learned? What does that tell you about her? How does Esther help get the right for women to vote in Wyoming? Why do you think that Esther is so interested in voting? Why do you think shes so passionate about it? Why do so many people tell her that she cant do things (voting, opening a business, owning land)? What is the relationship between abolition and women having the right to vote (suffrage)? (You may need to define each of these words.) Why was it so important to Esther that everyone was treated equally? Have there been times in your life when people werent treated equally? Are there ways that you can make sure that you treat people equally? Are there ways to show others how to treat people equally? Why does Esther learn to deliver babies? How did this help her community? Have you ever had to learn how to do something because it was needed? She says that she likes Wyoming because everyone is important. How is that true in this group? In your lives? In your classroom? In our community? Why do you think that Judge James Stillman resigned because women were given the right to vote? Why did Esthers sons think she would be right for a job as a judge? What is democracy? How did Esther practice democracy? Some people think that democracy is just about the right to vote. What do you think? Is there a way that kids can practice democracy?

New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

Discussio n Questions fo r Pe arl Moscowitzs Last Stand by Arthur A . Levine

Throughout the story, many trees on Pearls street fall or are cut down. Why do you think the author wants us to know this? Why is this important to the story? What kind of neighbor is Pearl? (How do you know?) How does Pearl participate in her community? What is her community? Gingko Street goes through a lot of changes over the years. The author especially points out the different last names of the people living there. Why do you think that their last names are important to this story? When the mayor declares that there will be no more slums and tears down houses and trees, Pearl doesnt do anything. Instead, she wishes that her mother were still alive. Why doesnt Pearl act? Look at the illustration on that page. What does her face tell you that shes feeling? Have you ever been in a situation where you wanted to do something but didnt? How did that make you feel? Pearls mother is her role model. What makes someone a role model? Do you have role models in your life? Pearl tries a lot of things to keep the electrician from cutting down the last tree. Why do you think she feels so strongly about saving that tree? Are there things in your community that you would fight to save? Why does Pearl lock herself to the tree? Would you have done that? How do Pearls neighbors support her? Why do they support her? What is a protest? How does Pearl protest? Are there other ways to protest? Is protesting part of democracy? Are there are things that you have protested? Does democracy require action? When the TV reporters come to interview Pearl, she says, I just want some justice. What does Pearl mean by justice? Why is justice important to her? Why is justice important in our communities? Why does the mayor call off cutting down the trees? How do Pearl and her neighbors convince him? Why do they rename the street Pearl Street? What is democracy? Some people think that democracy is just about the right to vote. What do you think? Is there a way that kids can practice democracy? Are there other ways to vote (or share your opinion) in everyday life?

New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

Discussio n Questions for Sit-in: How Four Friends Stood up by S itting Down by Andrea Dav is Pink ney

What does integration mean? What is a protest? The book tells the story of four friends who choose to ignore the law. When is it okay to ignore the law or other rules? Was it okay in this case? What made these four young men sit at the counter on February 1, 1960? Why did people join them the next day and over the next four years? What was it about this kind of protest made people want to join? When the first policeman comes to Woolworths, he decides not to take the four young men to jail. Why not? Why did some people think that they should be arrested? Why might someone who is protesting peacefully be arrested? Why did the students dress in their best clothes on the second day of the sit-in? Why did they work on their homework while sitting at the counter? What do you think they trying to show the storeowner? How did people react to the sit-ins? Why were some people angry? Why do you think the students continued to sit still, even when ketchup was poured on their heads? How do you think they were feeling? Why were people afraid of all those youngsters grouped together for a cause? Why did the police arrest them? How did the students continue to protest peacefully even in jail? The slogan of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was We are all leaders. Do you think thats true? How can you be a leader by being peaceful? When have you seen your friends be leaders? Have you ever been a leader? What role does Martin Luther King, Jr. play in this story? The author uses the theme of food and cooking throughout the book. What does cooking have to do with integration? On the last page of the book, the author includes a recipe for integration. Which of these steps can be used for other kinds of change? The students in this book were treated differently because of the color of their skin. Have you ever seen people treated unfairly? How can we stop unfair treatment in the future? Part of democracy is the ability to change laws. How did these students change the laws that were unfair to them? Are there laws or rules that are unfair now? How can those laws or rules change? How can communities work together to change laws or rules?

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Tips for Facilitating a Co mmunity Conversation for K ids

Community Conversations are simple gatherings that encourage thoughtful, engaged dialogue using a short reading to foster discussion. The goal is a comfortable, lively discussion free of bias and judgment. We hope the following suggestions will help you create an inviting environment for you and your community.
Pl an ni ng fo r th e Co nv e rsatio n
Expect a healthy conversation to last between 60 and 90 minutes. Read the text several times, paying attention to the parts that were difficult or that made you pause. These will be the places that generate the most conversation. Use the sample questions in this toolkit as a starting point for writing questions that will resonate with your group. Decide how you will begin the conversation. The first few questions will set the tone for the discussion, so think about what themes in the text you would like to explore. Prepare about three times as many questions as you think youll cover with the group. You wont get to everything, but extra planning will help you follow the natural progression of the conversation. Plan a closing question or exercise that signals the end of the formal discussion, but encourages the group to keep the conversation going at home or among friends.

Ge ttin g Starte d
Arrange chairs in a circle or semi-circle so that participants can easily see one another and be heard by all. Start by establishing some basic guidelines with the group. For example, be respectful, make sure that everyone has a turn to speak, and focus your comments on the reading. Introduce yourself at the beginning of the session and ask each participant to do the same. Keep introductions short. Begin by reading the whole text aloud together. This allows everyone to have the opportunity to hear a fluent reader and invites people with lower levels of literacy to actively participate. Plan an opening activity to help participants get comfortable: ask a discussion question and encourage participants to share their thoughts in pairs and report back to the group.

Aski ng Go o d Q u e stio ns
Ask short, open-ended questions that dont have a right or wrong answer. Invite the participants to interpret the text in their own ways. Focus on places where opinions may differ (not on facts that cannot be disputed). Look for ways to connect the subject matter to everyday life. Encourage participants to form their own questions. Prioritize keeping the conversation going over getting to all of your questions. Use the text as a neutral place if the conversation gets heated.

Li sten an d Le arn
Focus on listening, not teaching. Be flexible and let your questions follow the natural course of conversation. Dont feel that you need to ask every question youve prepared or in the order you planned. When the conversation in flowing, share your opinion last or not at all. Avoid answering your own questions. If there is a lull in the conversation, let people think about their answers before you move on. Look at the person speaking, and try not to cross your arms or legs. Address group members by their first names.

New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

Tips for Hosting a Co mmunity Conversation for K ids

Fin d in g a Facil itato r

Find a facilitator who is a good fit for your group. (The host-site coordinator and the facilitator can be the same person.) The success of your conversation is highly dependent on the skill of your facilitator. o Look for someone who is open, friendly, and enjoys working with people. Your facilitator should believe in the program and share your enthusiasm for doing it! o Look for someone who is interested in what others have to say. Keep in mind, the facilitator is not there to teach the text or lecture on the topic, but rather to ask questions and let the group do the talking. o Look for someone who is willing to learn how to be a facilitator and can commit to doing the training webinar (if you are a featured site).

Re crui tmen t
Plan to begin publicizing your discussion at least three weeks in advance. The Council provides templates for press releases, fliers, and Community Conversation logos on our website (link). For public conversations, make fliers and post them at local libraries, community centers, coffee houses, school campuses, churches, veterans or union halls, and store bulletin boards. Be sure to get permission to leave or post fliers. Make every effort to draw a diverse audience to your program so that a variety of perspectives are represented in the discussion. If your conversation is for a closed group (staff, club, etc.), consider including the discussion at a time when you already meet, such as at a staff meeting. You may consider including the conversation on the day of a planned service project, either to start or conclude the project. Consider making fliers with the time, date, and location on one side and the text on the other.

Ro om Set-U p
Be sure to choose a room with good acoustics so that everyone, including people who may be hard of hearing, can hear each other. Choose a room that is free of other distractions. Seat participants in a circle or semi-circle so everyone can make eye contact with each other. Create a welcome table with copies of the text near the entrance to the room. Provide nametags and ask participants to use their first names. You may also want to include other literature or pamphlets from your organization related to the theme of the discussion. Make more than enough copies of the text so that everyone has a copy. Invite participants to take an extra copy after the discussion and share it with a friend or family member. Its a great way to keep the conversation going! Test any audiovisual equipment ahead of time to make sure that the volume is loud enough for everyone to hear. Dont play off of built-in computer speakersits difficult to hear in large groups and people may feel uncomfortable saying so. Provide light refreshments like juice, coffee or tea, and cookies. You can use the stipend to cover the cost of drinks and snacks. Make sure the facilitator has a view of a clock or other time-keeping device. If you are not the facilitator, seat yourself across from him or her so that you can easily make eye-contact.

Wrap -U p
Decide whether you will ask participants to fill out an evaluation form. Have copies on hand to distribute after the discussion has concluded. The Council has included a short evaluation form in this toolkit that you can use, or you can design your own. Be sure to share participant feedback, formal and informal, on the host-site coordinator evaluation form (provide link). Keep accurate attendance data for your own records to report back to the Council. The Council does not require you to share names or contact information of attendees. If you are a featured site, complete the online evaluation for host-site coordinators within two weeks of the event.
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Sample Schedule fo r a Co mmunity Conversation for K ids

Planning Guidelines for Community Conversations

Get students thinking about the topic - 15 minutes

Activate prior knowledge: What is democracy? What do you know about democracy? Is democracy just about the right to vote? Is there a way that kids can practice democracy?

Read the text aloud - 10 minutes

Ask students to write down one or two surprising facts or quotes from the story as they listen.

Check comprehension - 5 minutes

Did everyone understand the vocabulary? Are there any phrases that need further clarification?

Discuss - 50 minutes

Use the discussion questions in the toolkit and add your own. Focus on questions that ask kids to interpret the actions and events in the texts and how they feel about what is going on.

Wrap-Up - 10 minutes

How did the characters in this story practice democracy? How can you practice democracy in your community? Is there anything we can do to get other kids to practice democracy?

Ne w Yor k State S tandards for Grades 6-12 Com mon Co re En glish Langu age Arts: Comprehension and Collaboration and Conventions of Standard English

New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

Resour ces fo r Co mmunity Conversations for Kids

Democracy

Disobedience to be civil must be sincere, respectful, restrained, never defiantand above all must have no hatred in it. Ghandi, The Story of My Experiments with Truth The heart and final guarantee of democracy is in free gatherings of neighbors on the street corner to discuss back and forth what is read in uncensored news of the day, and in gatherings of friends in the living rooms of houses and apartments to converse freely with one another. John Dewey, Creative Democracy The Task Before Us

Voting a nd the Fight for Suffrage

The Ballot Box Battle by Emily Arnold McCully (Dragonfly, 1996. Reading level: Ages 4-8, 32 pages) The Day Gogo Went to Vote by Elinor Batezat Sisulu, illustrated by Sharon Wilson (Little, Brown, 1999. Reading level: 4-8, 32 pages) Eliz ab eth Leads the Way by Tanya Lee Stone, illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon (Square Fish, 2010. Reading level: Ages 4-8, 32 pages) Granddaddys Gift by Margaree King Mitchell, illustrated by Larry Johnson (Scholastic, 1997. Reading level: Ages 4-8, 32 pages) I Could Do That! Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote by Linda Arms White, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005. Reading level: Ages 4-8, 40 pages) The Taxing Case of the Cows: A True Story About Suffrage by Iris Van Rynbach and Pegi Deitz Shea, illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully (Clarion, 2010. Reading level: Ages 4-8, 32 pages) Vote! by Eileen Christelow (Clarion Books, 2003. Reading level: Ages 4-8, 48 pages) Eleanor, Quiet No Mor e by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Gary Kelley (Hyperion, 2009. Reading level: Ages 8-12, 48 pages) Harve sting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Yuyi Morales (Houghton Mifflin, 2003. Reading level: Ages 4-8, 48 pages.) Ida B. Wells: Let the Truth Be Told by Walter Dean Myers, illustrated by Bonnie Christensen (Amistad, 2008. Reading level: Ages 8-12, 38 pages) Peaceful Protest: The Life of Nelson Mandela by Yona Zeldis McDonough, illustrated by Malcah Zeldis (Walker & Company, 2002. Reading level: Ages 4-8, 40 pages) Pearl Moscowitzs Last Stand by Arthur A. Levine, illustrated by Robert Roth (Tambourine/William Morrow, 1993. Reading level: 4-8, 32 pages) Sit-in: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrated by Brian Pinkney (Little, Brown and Company: 2010. Reading level: Ages 8-12, 40 pages)

Activism and Civic Participation

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Participant Evaluatio n

Name: ________________________________
Please answer the following questions about todays conversation on democracy.

Di d you l ea rn n e w th in gs abo ut de mo cracy d urin g tod ays co nv e rsatio n? Nothing new Not a lot Some new things A lot of new things

Di d you g et the ch an ce to share yo ur ide as on d emo cracy and th e bo ok ? No Not really A little bit Yes

Di d oth er ki ds ge t the c han ce to sh are th e ir i de as o n d emo cracy an d th e bo o k? No Not really A little bit Yes

Ho w mu ch di d yo u li ke th is co n ve rsatio n? Not at all Not very much A little bit A lot

Wo u ld you l ike to p artici pate in an o th e r co nv e rs atio n like thi s o n e? No Maybe Yes

Wi ll you sh are wh at yo u ta lked ab ou t to day w ith you r frie nd s o r famil y? No Maybe Yes

Wh at d id you l ike be st ab ou t to days co nv ersati on ?

Wh at wo u ld hav e mad e this co nv ersa ti on b e tte r?

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Keep the Conversation Going with Support from the New York Council for the Humanities

Explore more of what the Council has to offer! These grants and programs support conversation-based programming.

Conversations Bureau Discuss ideas based on a short text, led by a scholar-facilitator

www.nyhumanities.org/programs/cb

90-minute discussion guided by a scholar-facilitator. Centered on a short text, focused on American identity. Talk more about democracy with some of these Conversations: - Clear and Present Danger: Free Speech and the Constitution - American Dreamer: Immigration Politics of Hyphenation - The Need for Civility in Contentious Times

Rea ding & Discussion Progra ms for Adults Read and talk about books and ideas in a group setting
www.nyhumanities.org/adultrd

Series of thematically linked texts over the course of four, five, or six sessions. Themes include: Serving, Working, Making Sense of the Civil War, and Lincoln on the Civil War. Healing, Muslim Journeys, and Growing & Aging coming in 2013.

Tog ether a nd Unidos Family reading and discussion program for parents and kids
www.nyhumanities.org/together

A forum for parents and their 9- to 11-year old children to come together to talk about books and ideas. Six 90-minute sessions is co-facilitated by a librarian and a humanities scholar from the local community. Explore key themes in American life such as courage, freedom, and being American.

Project Gra nts Funding for projects using humanities to engage the public
www.nyhumanities.org/grants

Organizations may design their own series of conversation-based programming about important humanities ideas or texts. Grants of $300 $10,000 may be awarded.

Speakers in the Humanities and Spea kers in the Schools Lectures on humanities topics
www.nyhumanities.org/speakers

Over 200 humanities-based lectures on a wide variety of topics. Bring a lecture on democracy to your organization or school: - Matilda Joslyn Gage: Bringing Her Into History - Leadership in America - North Star Shining: New York States Freedom Trail An Illustrated Journey Along the Underground Railroad

Visit us at www.nyhumanities.org for all program information, guidelines, and application forms. Any not-for-profit organization in New York State is eligible to apply for Council grants and programs.

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Co mmunity Conversations Partners

Partners

A program of the New York State Bar Association

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