TALKING ABOUT TAKING ACTION and Civic engagement

This thematic book set focuses on understanding activism around issues of civic engagement and how even young children can take action about the things they believe are right. Children are often passionate about situations they perceive to be inequitable—especially regarding racism and sexism—and are eager to make them fair. Likewise, they are frequently invested in global topics that demand quick action such as climate change, the growing extinction of animal species, and other environmental concerns. Our youth yearn to take a stand when they see injustices in their world but are often unsure how to do so.

Reading and discussing this carefully selected set of books with your students will help them begin to understand how many children and teens have become effective activists around issues of civic engagement. In turn, this can help them think about what concrete actions they might take to start on a path to “be the change you want to see in the world.” The set is not designed to teach students about current issues of social justice, but rather to empower them to take action around the inequities and needs they observe. The discussions and activities in the chapter will help inspire children on the path of gaining self-confidence in their personal ability to create meaningful change in their communities and the greater world. 
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Along with focusing on social-emotional standards (The CASEL 5), this thematic book set embeds English language arts standards that include comparing various historical events across texts, using text evidence to make inferences, and evaluating the actions of main characters. Activities and discussion questions are suited for a 3rd through 6th-grade classroom audience and should be adjusted as appropriate for your grade level and students’ understanding.

To receive more information about the Talking About Taking Action book set and the activity guide, please click here.

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utah core standards for the civic engagement book set

Each of the book sets and its activities are aligned to specific standards within the Reading and Speaking & Listening strands of the Utah Core Language Arts Standards for grades 3-6 and specific CASEL's SEL Core Competencies for grades 3-6.
The Civic Engagement book set also aligns with some of the Utah Core Social Studies Standards for grades 3-6.​

see full list of standards by grade for this book set

social studies /english language arts
standards ​for grade 4

Social Studies Standard	Description
Standard 4.5.5	​After studying examples of individuals or groups making positive changes in Utah, propose positive steps individual students or groups of students can implement For example: raising awareness through digital media, energy and resource conservation, letter writing, or fundraising

ELA  ​Standard	Description
Speaking and Listening ​(4.SL.1)	Participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations Respectfully acknowledge and respond to comments and claims​
Reading ​(4.R.5)	Refer to details and evidence in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text
Reading (4.R.7)	​​Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text
Reading ​(4.R.9)	​​Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies
Reading ​(4.R.14)	​​Compare the treatment of similar themes and topics and patterns of events in stories, myths, and traditional literature from different cultures

casel 5 social-emotional
core competencies for grade 4

Social-Emotional ​Competency	Description
Self-Awareness	Identifying personal, cultural, and linguistic assets Experiencing self-efficacy Developing interests and a sense of purpose
Self-Management	Setting personal and collective goals Showing the courage to take initiative Demonstrating personal and collective agency
Social Awarness	​Taking others’ perspectives Demonstrating empathy and compassion​ Identifying diverse social norms, including unjust ones
Relationship Skills	​​Demonstrating cultural competency Practicing teamwork and collaborative problem-solving Standing up for the rights of others
Responsible ​Decision-Making	Identifying solutions for personal and social problems​ Reflecting on one’s role to promote personal, family, and community well-being Evaluating personal, interpersonal, community, and institutional impacts