Life in a Democratic Society: A Primary School Civics Course for Poland.

This documf summarizes a civics course for primary schools in Poland, grades ,-8. The curriculum was developed as part of the Education for Democratic Citizenship in Poland Project, a cooperative effort of the Polish Ministry of National Education and the Mershon Center, The Ohio State University (United States). The project aims to help schools and teachers educate succeeding generations of Polish youth to be active, competent citizens committed to democratic values. The curriculum includes over 80 detailed lesson plans. The document is divided into two sections. The first consists of unit and lesson titles, and lesson abstracts. The second part is made up of sample lessons. The curriculum has five units: (1) local government, which includes fighting unemployment, different interest groups, water, garbage, influencing decisions, day care, budget decisions, neighborhood, local campaigns and elections, problem solving and responsibilities of local government; (2) principles of democracy including majority decisions, decision risks versus non-decision, compromise, conflicting values, everyday democratic principles, freedom of speech and artistic expression, democracy vs. dictatorship vs. anarchy, nation vs. state, and patriotism vs. nationalism; (3) human rights and freedom, including what they are and who is entitled to them, basic documents, children’s rights, extra-governmental protection of human rights, rights of ethnic minorities, citizen responsibilities, and Amnesty International; (4) institutions of the democratic state; (5) citizen participation and public opinion; (6) free market economy; and (7) Poland, Europe, world, and current problems. (DK) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. * ENGLISH TRANSLATION Materials from LIFE IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY: A Primary School Civics Course for Poland Developed by: Krystyna Brzakalik Jacek Kowalski Jacek Krolikowski Tomasz Masny Alicja Pacewicz Maciej Podbiclkowski Malgorzata Rutkowska-Paszta Elzbieta Suska Cezary n-utkowski 2 U S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Ott.ce of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Th.5 document has been reOrObubed as ece.ved from the person or organization inating it (2, Minor chtnges have been made to improve reproduction quality Points 01 view or opinions staled m thisdocu ment do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy “PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS M RIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY ‘ TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC).” Life in a Democratic Society: A Primary School Civics Course for Poland This is a translation from Polish to English summarizing a civics course for primary schools in Poland, grades 6-8. The curriculum was developed as part of the Education for Democratic Citizenship in Poland Project, a cooperative effort of the Polish Ministry of National Education and the Mershon Center, The Ohio State University. The Project aims to help schools and teachers educate succeeding generations of Polish youth to be active, competent citizens committed to democratic values. The curriculum represented by this summary builds upon a primary school curriculum guideline developed in Poland with the assistance of Mershon Center consultants and with funding from the National Endowment for Democracy. The curriculum includes over 80 detailed lesson plans, many of which were developed by a team of eight Polish educators in residence at the Mershon Center from September, 1992 February, 1993. During their visit, the educators reviewed educational materials and participated in a comprehensive series of workshops and field trips. Upon their return to Poland, the Polish team continued to refine the curriculum with the assistance of Mershon Center consultants and Polish