How Do People Change the World? THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING Official Book & Film Study Guide 36
Learning Objectives Students will: Describe the impact of citizens who have taken action to address various problems in society. Identify strategies used by citizens in a case study to come together, communicate their concerns, and work towards their goals. Consider local issues that may require action by members of the community. Evaluate the power of government, corporations, and citizens in shaping how society looks and runs. Themes Activism Civic Engagement Democracy Environment Materials Needed All materials are available for download at thischangeseverything.org/studyguide. Handout: o o eo le a e t e o ld o t i uide Film clip: Sayi o i G eece le t Clip Summary: Activists in Halkidiki, Greece come together to protest the treatment o a ello ote to a d t e o o ed e a io o a old mi e i t ei e io u by Eldorado Gold, a Canadian mining company. Local residents are concerned about t e lo te m e ect t at mi i acti itie ill a e o t ei la d a d ate ic i tu a ect a icultu e tou i m a d t e ealt o commu ity mem e Go e me t official a e committed to t e mi e e a io olice u e tea a a ai t t e ote to e ote t co ti ue a d t e mi e e a io i delayed t e e t mayo al election, the candidate supported by the protesters wins, and the mayor who favored the mine is voted out. THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING Official Book & Film Study Guide 37
Activities 1. Ask students to think about this question: How do people change the world? Give each student a copy of the handout and ask them to read the passage and respond to the questions. After a few minutes, have students compare their responses with a a t e a d t e i ite ai to a e a e am le o a t a o mati e mo eme t a d o t ey t i k ociety ould e di e e t i eo le ad ot oke u o take actio on that movement s issue. Emphasize how citizens can bring about important changes in society when they raise awareness about problems and get involved in social and political activities to address the issue. ell tude t t at t ey a e oi to atc a mode day e am le o o mem e of a community in Greece organized themselves around an issue of importance to t em to i t e o o ed e a io o a old mi e i t ei e io u y ldo ado Gold, a Canadian mining company. Then, show students the video clip, Saying No i G eece le t om t e This Changes Everything documentary. Focus student viewing by having them take notes on the strategies they observe citizens using to come together, communicate their concerns, and work towards their goals. 3. After watching the clip, discuss: y e e t e acti i t a ai t t e e a io o t e old mi e y e e t e government leaders for it? What strategies did citizens use to come together, communicate their concerns, and work towards their goals? How did the government and police respond to the protestors? What is your eactio to t ei e o e lai o did t e e i te ce a d u ity o t e ote to ay o i t e mayo al electio at ca you do to e u e t at you elected official ad ocate o t e needs of your community? at do tude t t i k ould a e a e ed i t e citi e o i t e lm ad not voiced their concerns and continued with their protests? Why? at e am le a e t e e i you commu ity o eo le eaki u a out i ue of importance to them? Are there local issues that students think require more action by members of the community? If so, what should be done and who should do it o ca t o e mo t a ected y t e i ue lay a ce t al ole 4. Who do you think are the most powerful forces in society? Government? Corporations? Citizens? Who decides how society looks and runs? Have students write an o i io iece o t i to ic t at u o t t ei o itio it eci c e ide ce om their studies. THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING Official Book & Film Study Guide 38
Go Further Discuss what is meant by change happening from the top down or from t e ottom u a e tude t ead e ce t om o a d i A People s History of the United States (1980) to e a e at e am le o eac ca you draw from history? How might popular pressure and grassroots activism have a ed mome t o c a e t at a e o te co ide ed to do am le o di cu io t e e eal a d t e ci il i t mo eme t y mi t di e e t groups of people choose to focus on one approach to political and social change o e t e ot e ic do you t i k i mo e e ecti e y a e om t e bottom up requires mass participation from everyday people. What do you think would motivate people in your community to challenge things as they are and work to build something better? What would motivate you? Ask students what an activist looks like. Do they consider themselves activists? Why or why not? B ai to m a d e ea c a iou ty e o ote t a d li t eac o it o i de ca d o ticky ote a e am le om t e e ite Beautiful Trouble: a Toolbox for Revolution http://beautifultrouble.org/tactic/ Stude t ai could a tici ate in several categorization rounds in which they discuss and move their cards or ticky ote u de la el uc a e al lle al t ical et ical ecti e ot ecti e Somet i ould a tici ate Somet i ould O a tici ate etc ac tude t could t e ocu o o e et o la el e ea c a eci c ote t i i to y o mode time a d u ti y i iti y t at ote t elo in one category versus the other. Have students apply one of the tactics to addressing an issue at school or in the community. THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING Official Book & Film Study Guide 39
Lesson 6 Handout t uctio ead t e e ce t om t e ook This Changes Everything below, then respond to the questions. ce t om This Changes Everything, by Naomi Klein:...There are certainly lessons to learn from the transformative mo eme t o t e a t O e uc le o i t at e ma o i t in the economic balance of power take place, they are invariably t e e ult o e t ao di a y le el o ocial mo ili atio t t o e u ctu e acti i m ecome omet i t at i ot e o med y a small tribe within a culture, whether a vanguard of radicals or a u cate o y o lick o e io al t ou eac lay t ei a t but becomes an entirely normal activity throughout society it s e t aye a ociatio ome au ilia ie a de i clu neighborhood assemblies, trade unions, professional groups, sports team yout lea ue a d o a d o u i e t ao di a y i to ical moments both world wars, the aftermath of the Great Depression, or the peak of the civil rights era the usual categories dividing activists and regular people became meaningless because the o ect o c a i ociety a o dee ly o e i to t e o ect o li e cti i t e e uite im ly e e yo e Questions: 1. What does transformative mean? THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING Official Book & Film Study Guide 40
How Do People Change The World? cco di to t e te t at i t e key to ucce o a y t a o mati e mo eme t 3. What is an activist? oo e a e am le o a t a o mati e mo eme t i e a olitio u a e la o i t ci il i t etc at would have happened if citizens had not chosen to speak up about issues of importance to them or to work to make things better in the community? THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING Official Book & Film Study Guide 41