This lesson has focused on how individuals and grassroots movements in the U.S. have been able to bring about change by influencing policy or changing government behavior. There are many more grassroots movements and groups today, partly because of the rise of social media as a widely used form of communication. Spend some time researching a movement that interest you. Identify the movement's primary goals and tactics, and analyze changes brought about by the movement. Then create a slide show presentation, a short video, or a video script describing the movement, its size and level of activity, its approach to seeking change, and its ability to make a difference in government policies.
Listed below are some examples of contemporary grassroots movements that have been working to influence political change. You are free to use one of these or find your own. Just remember, your topic should be a modern grassroots organization--one organized and run primarily by citizens.
- Americans for Prosperity
- Black Lives Matter
- MoveOn.org
- Showing up for Racial Justice
- VoteVets
- The BULLY Project (Anti-Cyber Bullying)
- LGBT Rights
- Occupy
- Tea Party
- Right to Life
Click the Activity button below to access a worksheet that can help guide your research. (You should only submit your final product, however.)
| Criterion | 5 - Superior | 3 - Meets Expectations | 1 - Meets Expectations |
| Background | You provided a complete and thorough history of the grassroots movement you chose, including its leaders. | You provided some information about the history of the grassroots movement you selected, including its leaders. | You provided little or no information about the history of the grassroot movement you selected. |
| Analysis | You included a careful and detailed analysis of the movement’s tactics and its methods for gaining public support. | You included a brief but accurate analysis of the movement’s tactics and methods for gathering support. | You included little or no analysis of the movement’s tactics or methods for gathering support. |
| Evaluation | You delivered a persuasive and well-supported assessment of the movement’s effectiveness in changing public policy. | You delivered an adequate assessment of the movement’s effectiveness in changing public policy. | You did not assess of the movement’s effectiveness in changing public policy. |
| Organization | Your final product is very well-organized and your ideas are easy to follow throughout. | Your final product is fairly well-organized and most of your ideas are easy to follow. | Your final product is not well-organized—it’s difficult to follow your ideas. |
| Images | All of the images you included work really well for helping your audience understand the nature and impact of the grassroots movement you chose. | You selected some images that support your ideas about the nature and impact of a grassroots movement. | You include no images, or your images were unrelated to the nature and impact of the grassroots movement you chose. |
