Critical Thinking: Social Programs: More, Fewer, or Just Right?

Critical Thinking: Social Programs: More, Fewer, or Just Right

A comprehensive teaching resource designed for high school students studying in grades 9-12: this lesson will help your students think about their society as it currently is and how they would like it to be in the future. This project is applicable to subjects such as English Language Arts, social studies, life studies including government, finance, and home economics.

This product provokes critical thought about social programs and their role in the community by exploring queries like:

• What are social programs?

• Have they been around a long time?

• Why are they needed?

• Who manages them?

• How are they funded?

• Why do some people dislike them?

After your students have learned these key facts from the one-page handout, they will complete research to determine which social programs exist in the region they live in (social programs might include pension, healthcare, parental leave, emergency services, education, etc.).

A two-page graphic organizer is included to help your students stay organized as they research which programs are available, what level of government manages each one, and where the funding is collected from. Three sample answers are included that you can show to your class before they start.

Finally, students are asked to use what they have learned to plan and write a persuasive essay about their thoughts on social programs. Should there be more of them, fewer, or is it just right? A one-page essay organizer is also included.

Grades to Use With:

This lesson is designed for students in high school classes (grades 9-12). Students need the ability to complete research online to find social programs in their region and they should know how to write a persuasive essay. This lesson could be applied in English Language Arts, Career and Personal Planning, Finance, Government, or Home Economics courses.

What's Included:

A total of 8 pages in PDF Format:

Title Page and Teacher Instructions

Student Handout

2-Page Graphic Organizer for Research

1-Page Essay Organizer

Sample Answers and Answer Key