1. Opinion Paragraph Assignment
Welcome to Civics
What is Civics?
How are Decisions Made?
Types of Leaders
Decisions Assignment
Power
Are Humans Good or Evil?
A look at Society
Opinion Paragraph Assignment

2. What is Civics? Key Definitions
Civics - the study of the rights and duties of citizenship
Citizenship – the condition of being vested with the rights, duties, and responsibilities of a member of a state or nation
Society – a group of humans broadly distinguished from other groups by mutual interests, participation in characteristic relationships, shared institutions, and a common culture
**Remember – anything written in a different colour is important! This is testable material.

3. Why Study Civics? To become a better citizen
To learn about your rights and responsibilities
To learn about Canadian government and politics

4. How are decisions made?
There are different ways that decisions can be made.
You could make a:
democratic decision – where a group decides together, generally by voting (i.e. You vote to choose what movie you want to watch and select the film with the most votes)
Autocratic decision – one person decides for a group (i.e. Your teacher sets an assignment)
Consensual/Collaborative or “Laissez-faire” decision – everyone in the group must agree before a decision is made (i.e. You need a unanimous vote)
On the following slides are different types of leaders. The table explains the characteristics of the leaders, when they are effective and when they are not.

5. Types of Leaders Style Characteristics Effective When...
Ineffective When...
Autocratic
- Tells others what to do
- Limits discussion on ideas and new ways of doing things
- Group does not experience feeling of teamwork
- Time is limited
- Individuals/Group lack skill and knowledge
- Group does not know each other
- Developing a strong sense of team is goal
- Some degree of skill/knowledge is in members
- Group wants an element of spontaneity in their work
Democratic
- Involves group members in planning and carrying out activities
- Asks before tells
- Promotes the sense of teamwork
- Time is available
- Group is motivated and/or a sense of team exists
- Some degree of skill or knowledge among members of group
- Group is unmotivated
- No skill/knowledge is in members
- High degree of conflict present
“Laissez-Faire”
- Gives little or no direction to group/individuals
- Opinion is offered only when requested
- A person does not seem to be in charge
- High degree of skill and motivation
- Sense of team exists
- Routine is familiar to participants
- Low sense of team/interdependence
- Low degree of skill/knowledge is in members
- Group expects to be told what to do

6. How are decisions made – Assignment
This assignment has 2 parts (Part A and B). Read through the scenarios on the following slides. In Part A they are scenarios that a young person might have to face in his or her personal life. For each scenario, state which of the three leadership choices (i.e., Autocratic, Democratic, or Laissez-Faire) would be the best suited to address the given scenario and give at least two reasons for your choice. In Part B you will have to identify leadership styles employed by various forms of governments in relation to given political and social scenarios. 

7. Assignment – Part A
After reading over the background information, consider each of the six scenarios listed below. For each scenario, state which of the three leadership choices (i.e. Autocratic, Democratic, or Laissez-Faire) would be the best and give at least two reasons for your choice.
a) You find yourself in a group in a class that has to write and put together a dramatic presentation that will be filmed on video. There are people of all types of abilities in the group and most seem pretty keen on doing the project.
b) You are a camp counselor assigned with a group of rookie campers. You will be competing against other cabins in a scavenger hunt held in half an hour. The other cabins have older and more experienced kids, but your group would like to show them up.
c) Your boss is away in the hospital, but everyone has done the job before. Everyone really likes their job and the group is close - in fact, the employees often socialize after work as a group. A major crisis occurs that involves everyone, but you can't call the boss.
d) You find yourself in a group doing an assignment that nobody wants to do, including yourself. Unfortunately, this assignment will decide whether you and only a few others pass the course.
e) A committee is planning the annual Christmas party for employees and their families. Last year was one of the better parties and all of the people who are working this year had a job on last year's committee.
f) You have thirty minutes left to decorate your house for your best friend's surprise birthday party. Other friends have started decorating, but they keep asking you what to do.

8. Assignment – Part B
For this activity identify whether these scenarios are more likely to describe the response of a democratic or an authoritarian system of government. Be sure to provide an explanation for your answer. 
1. You and your friends are students at university. You have decided to organize a protest calling for the release of prisoners of conscience, arrested the year before for criticizing the government's policies. During the peaceful public protest the government sends in the army with tanks to break up the demonstration and to arrest your group.
2. People are complaining about a river that has begun to swell in size. They circulate a petition demanding that the government build a barrier wall.
3. You gather a group of people together to protest the forced draft of young people into the army. The police show up in riot gear, but allow the protest to continue.
4. You learn that there is an election. You arrive at the polling station and are told that you can vote in secret, or vote out in the open. Police are standing around. You decide to vote out in the open. You go to cast your vote and notice that there is only one name on the ballot.
5. The government leader has been convicted of taking bribes for special favours. Under pressure from the people he decides to resign.
6. A group of students complain that they are not allowed to gather together after curfew. They protest before the city hall. All of them are arrested and jailed after being clubbed by members of the army.

9. Power
Power is a natural part of being human. Some people have more power than others. We can use power to achieve personal goals and we can also use power to deny certain groups equal opportunities to meet their needs. The misuse of power can lead to discrimination and inequalities. Power can be very destructive in the wrong hands, but it can also be constructive if it is used to promote equality and improve lives.
Key definitions:
Power – the ability of an individual or group to get what it wants
Discrimination – the unfavourable or prejudiced treatment of an individual or group based on race, sex, appearance, income, etc.
Inequalities – a term often used to refer to the differences in our society where some people have more money, education, and other resources than other people; these differences may be the result of discrimination

10. Are Humans Good or Evil?
Thomas Hobbes, a famous British philosopher in the 1600s, felt that all people are born selfish and will seek only their own interests. This selfishness often leads to violence and war. Hobbes thought people should be taught obedience, enforced by a supreme ruler, in order to avoid chaos.
A hundred years later, French philosopher Jean- Jacques Rousseau disagreed with Hobbes’ ideas and argued instead that the natural state of humans was one of peace and harmony. He saw democracy as a reflection of our basic sense of fairness and equality.

11. Are Humans Good or Evil?
Do you agree with Hobbes or Rousseau? Why or why not?
What are 3 things you see in your life and in society that support either Hobbes or Rousseau?
Do you think it is possible for people to be both good and evil? Why or why not?

12. A look at Society
A society is a community of people who share basic needs and wants. Their psychological needs also need to be met.
Basic needs – things people need for physical survival (i.e. food, shelter, clothing)
Wants – goods or services that people desire but that are not necessary for survival
Psychological needs – things people need for emotional reasons (i.e. safety and security)
It is not easy for societies to work out how to meet the basic needs and wants of their citizens. How will a society balance the needs of its citizens with their wants?
In a democracy, people should uphold human dignity, respect the rights of others, work for the common good, and have a sense of responsibility for other people
Human dignity – the feeling that one is respected and valued in a society
Common good – what will make the most people, safe, secure, and happy

13. Body of Support Statements
Opinion Paragraph
Use the Hamburger Paragraph Model to help you write a proper paragraph.
Topic Sentence
(main idea or purpose)
Body of Support Statements
(arguments, explanation, facts, or examples that clearly relate to what you are trying to prove)
Conclusion
(sum up, or answer the question “What have I proved?”)

14. Opinion Paragraph – this will be submitted for marking!
Using the structure of the hamburger paragraph, write an opinion paragraph about ONE of the following statements. Remember – we live in a democratic country, you should present an opinion that is in the best interest of everyone!
Opinion topics:
School boards should be allowed to decide what students wear to school
The drinking age should be lowered from 19 to 16
The driving age should be raised from 16 to 18
Marijuana should be legalized for recreational use
Every person should have to spend 2 years in the military, immediately following their graduation from high school
Another topic of your choice – simply get it approved by Ms. Thompson