Encourage tinkering with ideas, relationships, connections. Set up situations where students have to find information not readily available in school texts. Provide opportunity for students to design open-ended explorations of the concept. Provide multiple options so students can plan a unique "proof" of learning.

Student Creation of Agencies

Objective: Students will think of problems that exist in their school or community, create an agency to solve that problem and plan a poster advertising their agency.

Activity: Have student pairs meet and brainstorm a list of problems in the community or the school. Tell them to choose one problem and create an agency to deal with that problem. They should create a plan for how their agency would work and who it would help. Once students have come up with the basic idea and outline for their agency have them plan a poster advertising their agency. Tell your students to make a preliminary sketch of a poster advertising the agency they have created. The poster should meet the following criteria:
1) Clearly state the agency or act being advertised.
2) Contain images that reflect the goals and activities of the act or agency.
3) Is original and creative