Educator edition
IB Diploma Programme: Global politics
IB Diploma Programme Global politics classes at SL and HL, mainly for engagement-project rehearsal and thematic-study practice.
11 cases
How to use this educator editionDP Global politics educator edition
- The student page, reduced, with the same page number as in the student edition.
- Sample answers are blue, italic and start with a key symbol.
- The educator column names the case, the page and this edition.
- Blocks for this page, always in the same order.
How to use this educator edition
Each sheet shows one student page on the left and notes for you on the right. Student pages keep their page numbers in this book. Each case starts with a Case plan sheet.
The educator column
Answers
A sample answer Each answer is a complete response a strong student could write. Your students’ wording will differ.
Heat check
- Low: most students can discuss this without personal stakes.
- Medium: the talk can turn personal. Use the cool-down.
- High: plan the cool-down before class.
Plan the courseDP Global politics educator edition
Plan the course
| Case | Task | Students make | Full chapter, min | One period, min | Code of ethics | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Who gets a say when a shared room changes? | Use the room decision to rehearse scoping an engagement project: define the political issue, map the actors and the power each holds, identify whose voices are missing and plan two ways to engage people directly. Then write a short proposal explaining how power and legitimacy shape the decision. | Engagement-project proposal, 500–700 words, with an actor map | 123 | 100 | ASPA Code of Ethics | Partial |
| 5 Why is my deposit smaller than what I earned? | Compare how Article 22 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights frames social security with how the United States funds Social Security and Medicare through payroll taxes. Then evaluate one argument about whether social insurance is best understood as a right or as a national policy choice. | Analytical response, 700–900 words | 129 | 100 | PayrollOrg Code of Ethics | Partial |
Plan the course, continuedDP Global politics educator edition
Plan the course, continued
| Case | Task | Students make | Full chapter, min | One period, min | Code of ethics | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Did one complaint get the novel banned? | Rehearse an engagement project on library governance: frame the political issue (who decides what stays on public school shelves, and by what process), map the actors (families on different sides, librarians, the school board, the state legislature, students, advocacy groups), plan ethical engagement with people who disagree with each other, and compare the local process with the freedom to seek and receive information in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. | Engagement-project proposal, 600–800 words, with an actor map | 133 | 100 | ALA Code of Ethics | Partial |
| 9 What is on your ballot, and where do you check? | Rehearse an engagement project on youth participation in local elections: frame a nonpartisan political issue, such as why young people vote less in local contests, map the actors (election office, schools, parties, youth organizations, candidates), plan ethical, nonpartisan engagement with an election office or youth civic group, and analyze how turnout affects the legitimacy of local decisions, comparing voting age or registration in one other country. | Engagement-project proposal, 600–800 words, with an actor map | 122 | 100 | SPJ Code of Ethics | Partial |
Plan the course, continuedDP Global politics educator edition
Plan the course, continued
| Case | Task | Students make | Full chapter, min | One period, min | Code of ethics | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Whose job is it to fix the blocked route? | Rehearse an engagement project on accessibility where you live: frame a political issue about who is responsible for accessible public routes, map the actors (city departments, contractors, the ADA coordinator, disability advocacy groups, residents), plan consent-based engagement that treats disabled residents as decision-makers, and compare the ADA’s approach at a general level with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which the United States has signed but not ratified. | Engagement-project proposal, 600–800 words, with an actor map | 122 | 100 | ASPA Code of Ethics | Partial |
| 11 Why are Jordy and Gia paid different rates? | Compare the statement of equal pay for equal work in Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with how U.S. federal law (the Equal Pay Act and Title VII) and one state or city pay-transparency law approach it. Then evaluate whether transparency laws change the balance of power between employers and workers like Jordy. | Analytical response, 700–900 words | 115 | 100 | SHRM Code of Ethics | Partial |
Plan the course, continuedDP Global politics educator edition
Plan the course, continued
| Case | Task | Students make | Full chapter, min | One period, min | Code of ethics | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 When can a school limit what students say? | Compare how the U.S. Tinker framework and Article 13 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child treat young people’s freedom of expression, noting that the United States has signed but not ratified the convention. Then evaluate the legitimacy of the school’s posting policy from the perspectives of students, staff and the district. | Analytical response, 700–900 words | 115 | 100 | ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct | Partial |
| 13 Can the crew cut waste before it reaches the bin? | Rehearse an engagement project on local waste policy: frame a political issue about who decides and who bears the costs of waste where you live (collection, landfill siting, recycling contracts), map the actors (sanitation department, council, contractors, residents, schools), plan ethical engagement with a sanitation or recycling office, and connect the issue to the development and sustainability thematic study. | Engagement-project proposal, 600–800 words, with an actor map | 115 | 100 | FTC Green Guides (16 CFR Part 260) | Partial |
Plan the course, continuedDP Global politics educator edition
Plan the course, continued
| Case | Task | Students make | Full chapter, min | One period, min | Code of ethics | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Who wrote the new building rule? | Rehearse an engagement project on local housing: frame a political issue about who makes and enforces rules in rental housing, map the actors (owners, managers, tenants, tenant associations, city agencies, HUD), plan how you would engage a tenant organization or housing agency ethically, and explain how power and legitimacy show up in Sami’s case. | Engagement-project proposal, 500–700 words, with an actor map | 119 | 100 | ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct | Partial |
| 18 Why is the theater curtain still falling apart? | Rehearse an engagement project on school funding: frame the political issue (who decides how facilities money is shared, and by what criteria), map the actors from the state legislature to the school board to student groups, plan an ethical way to engage a board member or budget office, and explain how power and legitimacy shape which requests get funded. | Engagement-project proposal, 500–700 words, with an actor map | 128 | 100 | ASPA Code of Ethics | Partial |
Plan the course, continuedDP Global politics educator edition
Plan the course, continued
| Case | Task | Students make | Full chapter, min | One period, min | Code of ethics | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 What should Gia say in her two-minute comment? | Carry out an engagement-project rehearsal on the court-lights item: frame the political issue, identify stakeholders (court users, nearby residents, the parks committee, the full council), hold one consented conversation with a park user or neighbor or observe a real public meeting with a trusted adult, and write a report on how power and legitimacy shape the decision, including whose voices are missing. | Engagement report, 800–1,000 words, with a stakeholder map and engagement log | 165 | 150 | ASPA Code of Ethics | Strong |
Standards in this editionDP Global politics educator edition
Standards in this edition
Common Core codes come from our standards map for this grade band. Each code links to its official page.
Environmental systems and societies — subtopic 7.3: Solid waste IB Diploma Programme. A subtopic of the course: how solid waste is produced, classified and managed, including reducing, reusing and recycling. Lesson 13
Global politics — key concept: interdependence; thematic study: Development and sustainability IB Diploma Programme. Uses the course’s key concept of interdependence within its Development and sustainability thematic study to examine a political issue. Lesson 13
Global politics — key concept: power IB Diploma Programme. Uses the course’s key concept of power to examine a political issue. Lesson 18
Global politics — key concept: power; thematic study: Rights and justice IB Diploma Programme. Uses the course’s key concept of power within its Rights and justice thematic study to examine a political issue. Lesson 10
Global politics — key concepts: legitimacy and interdependence; thematic study: Rights and justice IB Diploma Programme. Uses the course’s key concepts of legitimacy and interdependence within its Rights and justice thematic study to examine a political issue. Lesson 5
Global politics — key concepts: power and legitimacy IB Diploma Programme. Uses the course’s key concepts of power and legitimacy to examine a political issue. Lessons 4, 9 and 19
Global politics — key concepts: power and legitimacy; thematic study: Rights and justice IB Diploma Programme. Uses the course’s key concepts of power and legitimacy within its Rights and justice thematic study to examine a political issue. Lessons 7, 12 and 16
Global politics — thematic study: Rights and justice IB Diploma Programme. Uses the course’s Rights and justice thematic study to examine a political issue. Lesson 11
Language A: language and literature — Readers, writers and texts IB Diploma Programme. An area of exploration in the course: how readers, writers and texts interact to make meaning. Lessons 7, 16 and 19
Language A: language and literature — Time and space IB Diploma Programme. An area of exploration in the course: how the time and place a text comes from, and is read in, shape its meaning. Lesson 4
Theory of Knowledge — Knowledge and politics (optional theme) IB Diploma Programme. An optional theme of the course: how political power and processes affect what counts as knowledge. Lessons 9, 12 and 18
Theory of Knowledge — Knowledge and the knower (core theme) IB Diploma Programme. The core theme of the course: how each person’s perspective shapes what they know. Lessons 5, 10 and 11
Professional standards in this editionDP Global politics educator edition
Professional standards in this edition
A code of ethics is a standard a profession sets for its own members. Codes for journalists and public relations are voluntary. The rules of professional conduct for lawyers are adopted in each state and can lead to discipline. The FTC guides are law-related guidance, not ethics codes.
ASPA Code of Ethics, American Society for Public Administration (ASPA). Professional code.
Revised 2013. ASPA has promoted ethical standards for public servants since 1984.
Who it binds: ASPA members, who “may be sanctioned” for failing to uphold it. ASPA also aims to raise awareness among “all those who work in public service in all sectors.”
5. Fully Inform and Advise.: Lessons 4 and 18
3. Promote democratic participation.: Lessons 4, 10 and 19
aspanet.org/
ALA Code of Ethics, American Library Association (ALA). Professional code.
Adopted in 1939; amended June 30, 1981; June 28, 1995; January 22, 2008; and June 29, 2021.
Who it binds: Librarians, library trustees and library staff, as a framework. ALA says the principles “cannot and do not dictate conduct to cover particular situations.”
Principle 1 (of 9): Lesson 4
Principle 2 (of 9): Lesson 7
PayrollOrg Code of Ethics, PayrollOrg. Professional code.
No date shown on the document.
Who it binds: Payroll professionals who belong to PayrollOrg. It is not a law; tax and wage laws are separate.
Item 2: Lesson 5
Item 5: Lesson 5
Professional standards in this edition, continuedDP Global politics educator edition
Professional standards in this edition, continued
IABC Code of Ethics for Professional Communicators, International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). Professional code.
No date shown on the page.
Who it binds: IABC members, who must agree to the code when they apply and renew. IABC can end the membership of anyone found to have violated it.
“I communicate accurate information”: Lesson 5
“I protect confidential information”: Lesson 11
“I do not guarantee results”: Lesson 13
Code of Ethics of the Education Profession, National Education Association (NEA). Professional code.
Adopted by the 1975 NEA Representative Assembly. NEA's web page, titled “Code of Ethics for Educators,” was published September 14, 2020.
Who it binds: Educators, including education support professionals. NEA says the code states “the aspiration of all educators” and that only NEA and its affiliates set remedies for violations. It is not a state licensing rule or a law.
Principle I: Commitment to the Student, item 2: Lesson 7
Credo for Ethical Communication, National Communication Association (NCA). Professional code.
Approved by the NCA Legislative Council in 1999; reaffirmed in 2011; reaffirmed with edits in 2017 and 2024.
Who it binds: NCA members, who “endorse and are committed to practicing” its nine principles. It is a statement of values with no enforcement process.
“We strive to understand and respect other communicators' intent…” (one of nine unnumbered principles): Lessons 7 and 16
“We advocate sharing information, opinions, and feelings…” (one of nine unnumbered principles): Lesson 9
“We advocate truthfulness, accuracy, honesty, and reason…” (one of nine unnumbered principles): Lesson 18
“We endorse freedom of expression, diversity of perspective, and acknowledgement of dissent…” (one of nine unnumbered principles): Lesson 19
natcom.org/
Professional standards in this edition, continuedDP Global politics educator edition
Professional standards in this edition, continued
SPJ Code of Ethics, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). Professional code.
Revised September 6, 2014, at SPJ's National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.
Who it binds: No one is legally bound. SPJ calls the code “not a set of rules” and says it is not legally enforceable under the First Amendment. SPJ encourages its use “by all people in all media.”
Seek Truth and Report It: Lessons 9 and 18
Minimize Harm: Lesson 19
RTDNA Code of Ethics, Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA). Professional code.
Revised code adopted June 11, 2015.
Who it binds: Journalists in broadcast and digital news, as guidance. RTDNA says the code “does not dictate what journalists should do in every ethical predicament.” It is not a law.
Opening statement (before the guiding principles): Lesson 9
NPPA Code of Ethics for Visual Journalists, National Press Photographers Association (NPPA). Professional code.
No revision date shown on the page.
Who it binds: Visual journalists (news photographers and video journalists) and the people who manage visual news. The code says they “are accountable for upholding” its ten standards. It is not a law.
Code of Ethics, standard 3: Lesson 10
ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, American Bar Association (ABA), Center for Professional Responsibility. Professional code.
Adopted by the ABA House of Delegates in 1983 and amended since.
Who it binds: Lawyers. The ABA writes the Model Rules as a model. Each state adopts its own rules of professional conduct, most based on this model, and those rules bind the lawyers it licenses. Lawyers can be disciplined for breaking them. The rules do not bind people who are not lawyers.
Rule 3.1 Meritorious Claims and Contentions: Lessons 10 and 16
Rule 2.1 Advisor: Lesson 12
americanbar.org/
Professional standards in this edition, continuedDP Global politics educator edition
Professional standards in this edition, continued
SHRM Code of Ethics, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Professional code.
As amended April 24, 2023.
Who it binds: SHRM members (human resources professionals). SHRM's bylaws set disciplinary procedures for violations.
Fairness and Justice: Lesson 11
Use of Information: Lesson 11
PRSA Code of Ethics, Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Professional code.
First developed in 1950. The current code was adopted by PRSA members in October 2000, according to PRSA's Board of Ethics and Professional Standards handbook. The page shows no later revision date.
Who it binds: PRSA members. PRSA says the code “applies to PRSA members.” It is voluntary: PRSA says it has no legislative or government power to enforce it, though its board can bar or expel members sanctioned by a government agency or convicted in court for conduct that breaks the code.
Disclosure of Information: Lesson 12
AIGA Standards of Professional Practice, AIGA, the professional association for design. Professional code.
Text read in AIGA's Design Business + Ethics (2009 edition). AIGA's current web page for the standards could not be opened.
Who it binds: AIGA members. AIGA says the standards “represent the distinction of an AIGA member in the practice of design.”
The designer’s responsibility to the public: Lesson 12
The designer’s responsibility to society and the environment: Lesson 13
FTC Green Guides (16 CFR Part 260), Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Law or regulation.
October 11, 2012 (77 FR 62124), current text read on the eCFR.
Who it binds: Marketers who make environmental claims, such as calling a product “recyclable.” The Guides say they “do not operate to bind the FTC or the public,” but the FTC can act under Section 5 of the FTC Act against claims that are deceptive. They are law-related guidance, not an ethics code.
§ 260.12 Recyclable claims: Lesson 13
Access, language and discussionDP Global politics educator edition
Access, language and discussion
Supports in this edition
- Vocabulary: Keep the four key concepts and the thematic-study titles visible, with students’ own working definitions.
- Read aloud: Read international instruments aloud with a plain-language paraphrase beside them.
- Bilingual planning: Allow engagement conversations and notes in the language the participants use, documented and translated for the report. Never ask a student to disclose a disability, immigration status, family finances or private records to take part.
- Oral rehearsal: Rehearse engagement conversations, including consent scripts, with peers before contacting anyone.
- Other ways to respond: Accept actor maps, engagement logs and recorded reflections as evidence alongside written proposals.
Cognates
The terms and evidence sheets list English and Spanish cognates in the Support block, such as context (contexto). Point them out before reading. A fluent Spanish reader checks every list before release.
Heat check
Every sheet rates how likely the page is to start a hard conversation.
- Low: most students can discuss it without personal stakes.
- Medium: use the cool-down if talk turns personal.
- High: plan the cool-down before class.
No one has to share
No student needs to share private experiences, create a social media account or post publicly. Students can answer every question with the evidence on the page.
How this book works
Each case is a short chapter. The pages follow the same order in every case, so you learn the layout once.
What happened Read the story and the question you will answer.
Key terms Learn the words the case needs, each with its Spanish word.
Reading passage Read a longer passage about the case. Stop and think at each question.
Look at the evidence Read each document. Write what it shows and what it leaves out.
Key idea and In the news Read the idea behind the case, a code of ethics and two real news stories.
Sort the evidence Decide which evidence supports each claim and whose view is missing.
Practice Choose the best response and fix two phrases in a student’s draft.
Your task Follow the numbered steps, plan in the boxes and write your draft.
Check your work Answer yes-or-no questions and mark your level in the rubric.
Questions to discuss Write short answers, then finish My take.
Talk about this case at home Take home a page of questions for your family.
Labels on the page
Evidence AGroup-chat post
A document from the case. Read it closely and compare it with the other documents.
Real sourcePublisherDate
A real news story, code or study. Scan its code to read the original.
Directions on each page
On your ownA short direction under a heading tells you what to do if you work without a teacher, and about how long it takes.
When a page continues
Some sections run onto a second page. Its heading says “continued,” and it keeps the next page number.
Filling in this book
- Fill it in on paper or in a PDF app. Save a copy before you type.
- What you type stays on your device. Nothing is sent to us.
- Do not write private information about yourself or other people.
Contents
- 4 Who gets a say when a shared room changes?3
- 5 Why is my deposit smaller than what I earned?23
- 7 Did one complaint get the novel banned?43
- 9 What is on your ballot, and where do you check?63
- 10 Whose job is it to fix the blocked route?84
- 11 Why are Jordy and Gia paid different rates?104
- 12 When can a school limit what students say?124
- 13 Can the crew cut waste before it reaches the bin?144
- 16 Who wrote the new building rule?165
- 18 Why is the theater curtain still falling apart?186
- 19 What should Gia say in her two-minute comment?206
Lesson 4Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 4: Who gets a say when a shared room changes?
Overview
Students read a short story about the Common Room, where a nonprofit board is considering paid evening rentals. The rentals would help close a $200 weekly budget gap. Students read the board agenda, a budget note and listening notes from evening users, then map who might miss the meeting. They write a note or a spoken comment with a budget question and an access question.
Before this case
Students should already be able to:
- define power and legitimacy
- map the actors in a local decision
- plan a respectful way to ask people for their views
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- frame a political issue about power over a shared resource
- map actors and the sources of their power accurately
- plan ethical, feasible engagement with the people involved
- use power and legitimacy precisely
Materials
- This chapter, one copy per student
Materials, continued
- Evidence A, B and C
- The actor map and the engagement plan template
- One real local example each student identifies, such as a library, recreation-center or community-board decision
The task in this edition
Task: Use the room decision to rehearse scoping an engagement project: define the political issue, map the actors and the power each holds, identify whose voices are missing and plan two ways to engage people directly. Then write a short proposal explaining how power and legitimacy shape the decision.
Students make: Engagement-project proposal, 500–700 words, with an actor map
Fit: partial. The decision raises the key concepts of power and legitimacy in a local setting and can model how to scope an engagement project, but it is a nonprofit’s internal budget choice with no clear link to the thematic studies, so use it only as engagement-project rehearsal.
Pacing
Opener (page 3): 6 min. Short on time: 5 min. Read What happened aloud. Skip the opening question.
Pacing, continued
Key terms (pages 4 and 5): 6 min. Short on time: 4 min. Read the key terms aloud. Skip Who is involved.
Look at the evidence (page 9): 12 min. Short on time: 12 min.
Look at the evidence (page 10): 6 min. Short on time: 6 min.
Key idea (pages 11 and 12): 12 min. Short on time: 10 min. Skip the code of ethics card.
Sort the evidence (page 13): 10 min. Short on time: 8 min. Do the Option B row together.
Practice (page 14): 6 min. Short on time: skip.
Your task (pages 15 and 16): 15 min. Short on time: 15 min.
Your draft (page 17): 30 min. Short on time: 30 min.
Check your work (pages 18 and 19): 10 min. Short on time: 4 min. Skip the rubric boxes.
Questions to discuss (pages 20 and 21): 10 min. Short on time: 6 min. Discuss question 4 only.
Talk about this case at home (page 22): at home.
Periods: full chapter 123 minutes; one period 100 minutes.
Lesson 4Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 4 plan, continued
Standards
Global politics — key concepts: power and legitimacy Uses the course’s key concepts of power and legitimacy to examine a political issue. In this case: Students analyze who holds decision-making power over a shared space and who bears the costs.
Language A: language and literature — Time and space An area of exploration in the course: how the time and place a text comes from, and is read in, shape its meaning. In this case: Students consider how the same room means different things to people in different circumstances.
Codes of ethics
- ASPA Code of Ethics: 5. Fully Inform and Advise.
- ASPA Code of Ethics: 3. Promote democratic participation.
- ALA Code of Ethics: Principle 1 (of 9)
Heat map
Opener (page 3): Low
Key terms (pages 4 and 5): Low
Look at the evidence (page 9): Low
Look at the evidence (page 10): Low
Key idea (pages 11 and 12): Low
Sort the evidence (page 13): Medium
Practice (page 14): Low
Heat map, continued
Check your work (pages 18 and 19): Low
Try it at your school
Find the room where your community’s decisions happen.
- With a trusted adult, look up an upcoming library board, school committee or rec-center meeting agenda
- Identify which body decides and whether the item is for discussion or a vote
- Write one question about who uses the space and when
- Check whether written comments are accepted if you can’t attend
Who to ask: Library staff, a rec-center manager, the school board clerk or a student council advisor
Safety: Go to public meetings with a trusted adult. Check whether comments and names become part of the public record before submitting.
Sources
- New York City Council, “NYC Council, Library Leaders, and New Yorkers Celebrate Library Budget Restorations to Restore Full Service, as Branches Reopen and Reinstate Services on Sunday for First Time in Months,” July 14, 2024
Sources, continued
- NYC Mayor’s Office, “Mayor Adams Celebrates $58.3 Million Investment in City’s Three Library Systems,” July 1, 2024
- NY1, “Public libraries over the next two weeks to begin closing on Sundays,” November 17, 2023
- PIX11 News, “Last Sunday service held at Brooklyn Public Library,” December 17, 2023
- Carol Bacchi, “What’s the problem represented to be?,” No date listed
- NYC.gov, Brooklyn Community Board 13, “About community boards,” No date listed
- Design Council, “The Double Diamond,” No date listed
Lesson 4: Who gets a say when a shared room changes?
The Common Room’s board is weighing paid rentals on two free evenings, so the crew prepares a comment before the meeting.
On your ownRead What happened. Underline who decides and what the board is considering. About 6 minutes.
Your role: You’re the one who checks the budget figures before the crew speaks to the board. New skill: Weigh the trade-offs of each option.
What happened
It is the Friday after the crew’s first screening, and the board meeting is coming up. A small neighborhood nonprofit runs the Common Room alongside the bookshop. The nonprofit’s board is considering paid rentals on two evenings a week to help cover staffing. No vote has happened yet.
Mari, 19, works the bookshop counter and closes the shop. She knows that “just keep it free” does not pay the evening staff. Sami runs a print workshop in the room after her afternoon shift. It is one of the few step-free rooms nearby.
Caio, 24, runs the crew’s Tuesday film night. Tuesday is one of the evenings Option B would rent out. Mateo already has a headline for a petition. The crew agrees the room matters, but they do not agree on the best schedule.
Your question: Which option should the crew support, and what should they ask the board?
Key terms
On your ownRead each key term and its example. Then write your first guess in the box. About 6 minutes.
Proposal A proposal is a change that someone suggests and that has not been approved yet.
En español: propuesta
In this case: Option B is a proposal on the board’s agenda. No vote has been taken, so it is not a decision yet.
Trade-off A trade-off is a choice where getting one benefit means accepting a cost or giving something up.
En español: compensación entre opciones
In this case: Paid rentals help close the $200 weekly gap but take away free evenings Sami and Dec use.
Decision-maker A decision-maker is the person or group with the power to make a particular choice.
En español: quien toma la decisión
In this case: The nonprofit board decides, not a city community board and not the crew.
Who is involved
Mari
Closes the bookshop, then stays for zine night
“I’m the one they pay to lock up, and I’m also one of the people using this room after. I can’t pretend either half away.”
Sami
Runs a print workshop in the room
“We keep deciding what the evening people need. Has anyone asked them yet?”
Your first guess
Before you look at the evidence, what do you think the crew should ask the board for?
My first guess is ___, because ___.
Notes
Reading passage
What is the problem represented to be?
On your ownRead the passage. At each Stop and think box, pause and answer the question in your head or with a partner. About 5 minutes.
Words to know
- Proposal: A proposal is a change that someone suggests and that has not been approved yet.
- Trade-off: A trade-off is a choice where getting one benefit means accepting a cost or giving something up.
- Decision-maker: A decision-maker is the person or group with the power to make a particular choice.
- Framing: Framing is choosing which parts of a situation a message brings forward.
The story: The meeting nobody can attend
The Common Room’s board meets Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. The small nonprofit that runs the room alongside the bookshop is weighing paid evening rentals to help cover staffing. The agenda item is marked “for discussion,” and no vote has been taken. By Friday, the crew’s group chat has split along predictable lines. Mateo, who likes turning “we should” into a plan, has drafted a petition headline. Others are less sure a petition is the right tool.
Mari holds both sides of the problem in one job. She is paid to lock up the bookshop and then stays for zine night with her friends. She wants the free time protected, but she knows the bookshop has costs, and she proposes asking which hours earn money and testing a different arrangement. Sami raises a procedural objection. The crew keeps speaking for evening users without asking them. For her own part, she wants three things from the meeting: the actual proposal, a way to give input without speaking on the spot and a clear answer about what that input can change.
Caio, 24, runs the crew’s Tuesday film night, one of the evenings Option B would rent out. Dec rehearses on Thursdays. The proposed meeting time overlaps several people’s shifts. The people most affected by the decision are among those least able to attend it.
Stop and think. Sami wants to know what her input can change. Why does that question matter before anyone speaks?
Reading an agenda like an analyst
The documents lay out the choice. Option A keeps the current free evenings and leaves the funding gap. Option B replaces Tuesday and Thursday evenings with paid rentals. Option C pilots one rental evening for six weeks while seeking additional funding. Each is a proposal, a change that someone suggests and that has not been approved yet. The budget note puts evening staffing and utilities at $600 a week against $400 in grants and donations. Each rental is projected to add $120 after costs, so two would cover the $200 gap and one would leave $80. The note adds a caution the headline would never carry: demand is uncertain.
A trade-off is a choice where getting one benefit means accepting a cost or giving something up. Every option has one. Option A protects the evenings and leaves the deficit. Option B closes the deficit on paper and ends two free nights. Option C limits the loss and leaves a smaller gap. It also leaves open what the board will do if the pilot falls short.
The policy scholar Carol Bacchi offers a sharper tool. Her approach asks what a proposed solution assumes the problem is (Carol Bacchi, “What’s the problem represented to be?”, November 1, 2017). Option B represents the problem as a $200 gap and treats two free evenings as the price. That representation is a form of framing, the Lesson 1 idea of choosing which parts of a situation a message brings forward. It brings the budget forward and pushes Sami, Dec, Mari and Caio into the background. Bacchi’s question applies to the crew’s own preferences too. A petition to “keep it free” represents the problem as a threat to free space and leaves the staffing cost out of view.
Stop and think. Apply Bacchi’s question to Option C. What does it assume the problem is?
Decision-makers and public participation
A decision-maker is the person or group with the power to make a particular choice. The board controls its own schedule, so a strong comment names the proposal, explains one effect with evidence and asks for something the board can decide. Public agencies follow different rules. New York’s community boards, for example, have advisory authority (NYC.gov, Brooklyn Community Board 13, no date listed).
New York’s libraries show how funding decisions reach ordinary schedules. City budget cuts ended Sunday hours at every branch that still had them, and Brooklyn’s last Sunday was December 17, 2023 (NY1, November 17, 2023). Restored funding, part of a $58.3 million investment, brought Sunday service back starting July 14, 2024 (NYC Mayor’s Office, July 1, 2024). Council members thanked residents who called and wrote (New York City Council, July 14, 2024).
Professional codes speak to the board’s side of the table. The American Society for Public Administration asks public servants to “inform the public and encourage active engagement in governance” (ASPA Code of Ethics, 2013). The crew’s plan puts that into practice.
Decision-makers and public participation, continued
It sends the board a joint question that leaves room for disagreement. Mari checks the figures, Sami proposes a way to send written feedback and Mateo rewrites the petition as a request the board can answer. Your role is to check the budget figures before the crew speaks to the board.
Stop and think. A petition to keep the room free is also a frame. What does it bring forward, and what does it leave out?
Sources
Real sourceCarol BacchiNovember 1, 2017
What’s the problem represented to be?
Real sourceNYC.gov, Brooklyn Community Board 13No date listed
About community boards
Real sourceNY1November 17, 2023
Public libraries over the next two weeks to begin closing on Sundays
Real sourceNYC Mayor’s OfficeJuly 1, 2024
Mayor Adams Celebrates $58.3 Million Investment in City’s Three Library Systems
Real sourceNew York City CouncilJuly 14, 2024
NYC Council, Library Leaders, and New Yorkers Celebrate Library Budget Restorations to Restore Full Service, as Branches Reopen and Reinstate Services on Sunday for First Time in Months
Real sourceAmerican Society for Public Administration (ASPA)2013
ASPA Code of Ethics
Notes
Look at the evidence
On your ownRead each document. For each one, write what it shows and what it leaves out. About 12 minutes.
Evidence ABoard agenda, Wednesday 6:30 p.m. meeting
The proposal
Evening rentals, for discussion. Option A: keep the current free evenings; the funding gap remains. Option B: replace Tuesday and Thursday evenings with paid rentals. Option C: pilot one rental evening for six weeks while seeking additional funding. No vote has been taken.
Look closely: Is this a vote or a discussion? Which words tell you?
What it shows
What it leaves out
Evidence BWeekly budget note for the board
The budget note
Evening staffing and utilities: $600. Current grants and donations: $400. Each paid rental is projected to add $120 after its extra costs. Two bookings would add $240; one would add $120. Demand is uncertain.
Look closely: Which number is a guess, and what could change it?
What it shows
What it leaves out
Look at the evidence, continued
Evidence CListening notes from evening users
The missing voices
Sami works afternoons. Dec rehearses on Thursdays. Mari closes the shop. A nearby resident worries about late noise. The proposed meeting time overlaps with several shifts.
Look closely: Whose voice is missing from these four notes?
What it shows
What it leaves out
What is still missing from the evidence?
Notes
Key idea: trade-offs
On your ownRead the key idea and the code of ethics. Then answer the question in the box. About 12 minutes.
The board is weighing a proposal about the free evenings. A proposal is a change that someone suggests and that has not been approved yet. Option B would help close the $200 weekly gap, but it would end the free Tuesday and Thursday evenings. A trade-off is a choice where getting one benefit means accepting a cost or giving something up. Every option on the agenda has one, including the one you prefer.
Carol Bacchi’s policy-analysis approach asks what a proposed solution assumes the problem is. Option B treats the $200 gap as the problem and two free evenings as the price. That leaves two questions open: who loses those evenings, and what happens if bookings come in lower than projected? Ask the same questions about your own favorite option.
A decision-maker is the person or group with the power to make a particular choice. Here, the nonprofit’s board controls its own schedule. A community board or a city agency would follow other rules. A strong comment names the proposal, explains one effect with evidence and asks for a decision the board can make. The board can still choose an option the crew did not ask for.
Professional standards
Real sourceAmerican Society for Public Administration (ASPA)
ASPA Code of Ethics: 5. Fully Inform and Advise
“Provide accurate, honest, comprehensive, and timely information and advice to elected and appointed officials and governing board members”
In plain words: ASPA members agree to give decision-makers, such as board members, accurate and complete information.
Question: The budget note projects $120 more per rental. What should it also tell the board about how certain that is?
Your answer
The note should also say ___, because ___.
In the news
Real sourceEducation WeekFebruary 6, 2023
Letting Students Decide Where Money Should Go: How One District Did It
A real district let students propose and vote on how shared school spaces and money would change.
Real sourceFirst Alert 4 (KMOV)June 4, 2026
St. Louis shuts down streets to cars, hands them over to neighbors
A city pilot that changes a shared space for a trial run, so neighbors can test trade-offs before anything is permanent.
Notes
Sort the evidence
On your ownFollow each option to its consequences. Mark the consequences that depend on a projection. About 10 minutes.
Follow each option to its consequences. Which consequences depend on a projection, and who carries the cost if it misses?
Option B: paid rentals replace Tuesday and Thursday evenings
A projected $240 would cover the $200 gap if both evenings book
Who is affected
Check: What happens if bookings fall short of the projection?
Dec loses Thursday rehearsals and Mari’s late evenings stop being usable
Who is affected
Evening users, including people who cannot attend the meeting
Option C: one rental evening piloted for six weeks
A projected $80 gap remains while the board seeks funding and reviews the pilot
Who is affected
Check: What happens if bookings fall short of the projection?
Whose perspective is missing?
Whose view is missing from these documents? What would you ask them?
The view that is missing is ___. I would ask ___.
Practice: choose a response
On your ownChoose what the crew should ask for first and explain why. Then fix the two marked lines. About 6 minutes.
What should the crew ask the board for first?
A Post that the board is taking away the free nights.
B Ask for the budget assumptions, who uses each evening and a way to comment without attending.
C Support whichever option brings in the most money.
Why I chose it
Improve a draft
A student’s first draft
1 The board should not take away our free nights. The Common Room is important to the community and a lot of people use it. I have been coming here for movie nights since it opened and it’s one of the only places we can all hang out without paying. Renting it out just shows 2 the board cares more about money than people. Sami and Dec would lose their spot and that is not fair. Please keep it free for everyone. Thank you for listening.
Rewrite each marked phrase so it says only what the evidence supports.
Rewrite phrase 1
Rewrite phrase 2
DP Global politics
Your task
On your ownRead the steps. Fill in the planner boxes before you start your draft. About 15 minutes.
Use the room decision to rehearse scoping an engagement project: define the political issue, map the actors and the power each holds, identify whose voices are missing and plan two ways to engage people directly. Then write a short proposal explaining how power and legitimacy shape the decision.
- Write the political issue in one sentence.
- Map the actors: formal authority, resources, influence and voice.
- Mark whose voices are missing.
- Plan two ways to engage people directly, with consent and safety.
- Draft the proposal’s opening and legitimacy section on the Your draft page.
- Finish the proposal, 500 to 700 words, in the online workspace.
Prefer typing? Scan to open the online workspace.
The political issue
Formal authority
Resources
Your task, continued
Voice, and who lacks it
Two ways to engage people directly
Notes
Your draft
On your ownWrite your draft in the boxes. Use your planner from the page before. About 30 minutes.
Your proposal’s opening
Your legitimacy section
Check your work
On your ownAnswer the Check your work questions and mark your level in each rubric row. Then write one change you made. About 10 minutes.
Does your issue concern power over a shared resource?
YesNoDo you map the actors and their sources of power accurately?
YesNoIs your engagement plan ethical and feasible?
YesNoDo you use power and legitimacy precisely?
YesNo
How your work is scored
Mark one box in each row.
| Skill | Beginning | Developing | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | No figures or perspectives. | Mentions money or people vaguely. | Uses one figure and one affected perspective accurately. | Uses figures conditionally and names an uncertainty. |
| Reasoning | Assigns bad motives to the board. | States a preference without addressing the gap. | Recommends an option and addresses the gap. | Weighs trade-offs across options and explains the choice. |
| Audience & purpose | Speaks to the wrong decision | Addresses the board but asks for nothing specific. | Makes a request the board can act on. | Requests a process that includes people who can’t attend. |
| Revision | No change. | Tone edits only. | Replaces a motive claim with evidence. | Adds a figure, a perspective and a follow-up request. |
Check your work, continued
My real local example
One change I made after feedback
I changed ___ because ___.
Notes
Questions to discuss
On your ownWrite a short answer to each question. Then finish My take. About 10 minutes.
1 Option B treats the $200 gap as the problem. What does that way of stating the problem leave out?
2 Mari is paid to close the shop and also uses the room at night. How does that shape what she asks for?
3 How is the Common Room’s board different from the City Council that helped restore library Sundays?
My take
My claim: ___.
The best evidence is ___, because ___.
My take, continued
Someone who disagrees might say ___.
The limit of the evidence is ___.
I would change my mind if ___.
Notes
Talk about this case at home
Lesson 4: Who gets a say when a shared room changes?
In this case, a community room’s board is weighing whether to rent out two free evenings to cover its costs. Your student used a budget note and notes from evening users to write a comment the board could act on.
Questions to talk about
- Who decides the hours at a public library or community center?
- What should a group know before it asks a board for a change?
- How can people give input if they cannot attend a meeting?
Nobody needs to share personal stories or private information to talk about this case.
See the case online.
Lesson 5Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 5: Why is my deposit smaller than what I earned?
Content note
This case explains general rules. It is not legal advice for your situation.
Overview
Students read a short story in which Gia’s bank deposit is smaller than she expected after 18 hours of café shifts. They read her pay statement and shift log, label gross pay, FICA, withholding and net pay, and find out why three hours are missing. They then write a private question to payroll about any line they cannot explain.
Before this case
Students should already be able to:
- explain the difference between a declaration and a law
- use the core concepts of sovereignty, legitimacy and interdependence
- evaluate an argument from more than one perspective
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- explain how the United States funds Social Security and Medicare through payroll taxes
- distinguish a right declared internationally from a program a state funds
Objectives, continued
- evaluate whether social insurance is best understood as a right or as a national policy choice
- use sovereignty, legitimacy and interdependence precisely
Materials
- This chapter, one copy per student
- Evidence A
- The text of Article 22 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- One source on social insurance in another country, chosen by you
The task in this edition
Task: Compare how Article 22 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights frames social security with how the United States funds Social Security and Medicare through payroll taxes. Then evaluate one argument about whether social insurance is best understood as a right or as a national policy choice.
Students make: Analytical response, 700–900 words
Fit: partial. Social insurance connects to economic and social rights and to questions of development, but the case is a single domestic pay statement, so students must bring in comparative and international material before it becomes global politics.
Pacing
Opener (page 23): 5 min. Short on time: 3 min. Read What happened aloud.
Key terms (pages 24 and 25): 5 min. Short on time: 3 min. Read the key terms aloud. Skip Who is involved.
Look at the evidence (pages 29 and 30): 8 min. Short on time: 6 min. Students fill in the Evidence A boxes only.
Key idea (pages 31 and 32): 10 min. Short on time: 8 min. Skip In the news.
Sort the evidence (page 33): 6 min. Short on time: skip.
Practice (page 34): 5 min. Short on time: skip.
Your task (pages 35 and 36): 25 min. Short on time: 25 min.
Your draft (page 37): 45 min. Short on time: 45 min.
Check your work (pages 38 and 39): 8 min. Short on time: 5 min. Students answer the Check your work questions. Give practice feedback yourself.
Questions to discuss (pages 40 and 41): 12 min. Short on time: 5 min. Use question 2 only.
Talk about this case at home (page 42): at home.
Periods: full chapter 129 minutes; one period 100 minutes.
Lesson 5Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 5 plan, continued
Standards
Global politics — key concepts: legitimacy and interdependence; thematic study: Rights and justice Uses the course’s key concepts of legitimacy and interdependence within its Rights and justice thematic study to examine a political issue. In this case: Students examine social insurance as a way societies share risk.
Theory of Knowledge — Knowledge and the knower (core theme) The core theme of the course: how each person’s perspective shapes what they know. In this case: Students ask why a single number, the deposit, feels like the whole truth.
Codes of ethics
- PayrollOrg Code of Ethics: Item 2
- PayrollOrg Code of Ethics: Item 5
- IABC Code of Ethics for Professional Communicators: “I communicate accurate information”
Heat map
Opener (page 23): Low
Key terms (pages 24 and 25): Low
Look at the evidence (pages 29 and 30): Low
Key idea (pages 31 and 32): Low
Sort the evidence (page 33): Low
Practice (page 34): Medium
Heat map, continued
Your task (pages 35 and 36): Medium
Check your work (pages 38 and 39): Low
Try it at your school
Know how to read your first pay statement.
- Before a first job, ask how and when you’ll be paid and where to see your pay statement
- Keep your own log of hours and shifts
- Look up your state’s minimum wage on its labor department site
- Bring pay questions to a supervisor or payroll, in writing
Who to ask: School counselor or career office, a work-permit issuing officer if your state uses them, your supervisor or payroll office
Safety: Never post pay statements, Social Security numbers or bank details online. Workers under 18 have limits on hours and jobs; ask a trusted adult to help check them.
Sources
- Internal Revenue Service, “Understanding Taxes: gross pay and net pay,” No date listed
- Internal Revenue Service, “Understanding employment taxes,” No date listed
Sources, continued
- Internal Revenue Service, “Tax Withholding Estimator,” No date listed
- TBS, “Rachel Gets Her First Paycheck from Central Perk,” No date listed
Lesson 5: Why is my deposit smaller than what I earned?
Gia’s bank deposit is smaller than the pay she worked out, so she reads her pay statement line by line before asking payroll.
On your ownRead What happened and underline the two hour totals that do not match. About 5 minutes.
Your role: You’re the one who adds up Gia’s hours before she writes to payroll. New skill: Read a pay statement line by line.
What happened
It is Thursday evening, and it is payday for Gia. She works café shifts around her college classes. She checks her bank account and sees a deposit that is smaller than the pay she worked out. Gia keeps a shift log in her notes app. The log says 18 hours, but her pay statement says 15.
Jordy works event shifts, and their deposit looks different too. Jordy’s shifts fall on different dates and hours, so their pay cannot explain Gia’s. Jordy asks Gia to name the line that worries her instead of posting her whole statement.
Gia’s pay statement lists her hours, her hourly rate and four tax lines. She expected the lines for Social Security and Medicare. She does not understand the line for federal income tax. Before she writes to payroll, she wants to know what her own records show.
Your question: Why is Gia’s deposit smaller than her own count, and what should she ask payroll?
Key terms
On your ownRead each key term and its example, then write your first guess in the box. About 5 minutes.
Gross pay Gross pay is the money you earn before any taxes or other deductions are taken out.
En español: salario bruto
In this case: Gia’s statement pays 15 hours at $17.00 an hour, so her gross pay is $255.00.
Net pay Net pay is the money left after taxes and other deductions, often called take-home pay.
En español: salario neto
In this case: The $220.99 that reached Gia’s bank account is her net pay, not the amount she earned.
FICA FICA is the federal payroll tax that funds Social Security and Medicare.
En español: FICA (Seguro Social y Medicare)
In this case: On Gia’s statement, FICA appears as two lines: Social Security tax, $15.81, and Medicare tax, $3.70.
Withholding Withholding is money an employer takes out of each paycheck to pay taxes or other costs for the worker.
En español: retención
In this case: Federal income tax withheld, $8.40, is a separate line from FICA. The IRS says its amount depends partly on the W-4.
Who is involved
Gia
Works café shifts and keeps her own shift log
“My notes say 18 hours. The statement says 15. I counted twice, so where did three hours go?”
Jordy
Works event shifts on different dates
“Mine is event work. Different dates, different hours. My deposit can’t tell Gia anything about hers.”
Your first guess
Before you look at the evidence, why do you think Gia’s deposit is smaller than she expected?
My first guess is ___, because ___.
Notes
Reading passage
Reading the document behind the deposit
On your ownRead the passage. At each Stop and think box, pause and answer the question in your head or with a partner. About 5 minutes.
Words to know
- Gross pay: Gross pay is the money you earn before any taxes or other deductions are taken out.
- Net pay: Net pay is the money left after taxes and other deductions, often called take-home pay.
- FICA: FICA is the federal payroll tax that funds Social Security and Medicare.
- Withholding: Withholding is money an employer takes out of each paycheck to pay taxes or other costs for the worker.
- Claim: A claim is a statement that something is true. You can check a claim with evidence.
The story: Eighteen hours or fifteen
Gia works café shifts around her college classes, and like many students with jobs, she checks her pay the way most people check the weather: quickly, on her phone, expecting nothing unusual. On this Thursday, the deposit is smaller than the number in her head. She does not guess. She opens the shift log she keeps in her notes app. Five shifts, 18 hours. Then she opens her pay statement. Fifteen hours.
She posts in the group chat that her deposit is much lower than expected. Jordy, who works event shifts, notices their own deposit looks different too, and then immediately sees why that comparison is useless. Their shifts fall on different dates and hours. Two deposits cannot explain each other. Jordy’s next message sets a boundary that protects them both. Gia should not post her whole statement. She should name the line that worries her. Jordy also does not want Gia mentioning their pay to her payroll office. It proves nothing about Gia’s pay and puts Jordy’s pay in front of Gia’s payroll office.
Your role is to add up Gia’s hours before she writes to payroll. That sounds simple. It is also the step most people skip.
Stop and think. Why does Jordy not want Gia to mention Jordy’s pay in her message?
A statement is an argument you can check
Gia’s working theory is that payroll shorted her.
A statement is an argument you can check, continued
That is a claim, a statement that something is true that can be checked with evidence. Lesson 1 taught you to test a claim against the original source, and Lesson 4 taught you to read dollar figures carefully, as Mari did with the board’s budget note. A pay statement combines both skills. It is the employer’s account of how it got from your work to your deposit, and each line can be checked.
The statement covers the pay period ending Friday the 12th, paid the following Thursday. It lists 15 hours at $17.00, for $255.00 in gross pay, the money you earn before any taxes or other deductions are taken out. Gia’s log explains the difference in hours. Her shifts on the 8th, 10th, 11th and 12th total 15 hours. Her 3-hour Saturday shift on the 13th fell after the period closed. The likely answer is that those hours will appear on the next statement. A likely answer is not a confirmed one, so Gia still plans to ask.
The rest of the gap is taxes. Social Security tax of $15.81 and Medicare tax of $3.70 together form FICA, the federal payroll tax that funds Social Security and Medicare. Federal income tax withheld, $8.40, is a separate line, as is state and local income tax, $6.10. Withholding is money an employer takes out of each paycheck to pay taxes or other costs for the worker. The total left, $220.99, is Gia’s net pay, the money left after taxes and other deductions, often called take-home pay.
Stop and think. What is the difference between a likely answer and a confirmed one, and why does Gia still write to payroll?
The system behind the lines
The IRS explains that the federal taxes an employer withholds include income tax, Social Security and Medicare. It says income-tax withholding depends partly on the worker’s Form W-4 (Internal Revenue Service, updated May 1, 2026). Federal income tax taken from each paycheck counts toward what a worker owes for the whole year, so one paycheck cannot show that yearly total. The IRS Tax Withholding Estimator is the official tool for checking whether withholding is on track (Internal Revenue Service, updated June 27, 2026). The IRS has also written directly to teens starting a first job, explaining withholding and the W-4 (IRS Tax Tip 2019-62, May 20, 2019).
FICA can feel abstract until you ask what it funds. The Peter G. Peterson Foundation explains where the Social Security and Medicare money taken from a paycheck goes (Peter G. Peterson Foundation, May 26, 2026). NPR’s The Indicator devoted an episode to the Social Security portion and why it comes out of nearly every check (NPR, June 6, 2018).
Gross pay has its own rules. Many states set a minimum wage above the federal one, and 19 states raised theirs in January 2026 (Money, January 1, 2026). Payroll professionals hold themselves to a standard, too. The PayrollOrg code asks members “to strive for perfect compliance, accuracy, and timeliness of all payroll activities” (PayrollOrg Code of Ethics, no date listed).
The system behind the lines, continued
A worker who can read the statement is the best check on that promise.
Stop and think. Why can one paycheck not show how much federal income tax a worker will owe for the year?
Sources
Real sourceInternal Revenue ServiceMay 1, 2026
Understanding employment taxes
Real sourceInternal Revenue ServiceJune 27, 2026
Tax Withholding Estimator
Real sourceInternal Revenue ServiceMay 20, 2019
It’s summertime… and these tips can help make livin’ easy for teens with jobs (IRS Tax Tip 2019-62)
Real sourcePeter G. Peterson FoundationMay 26, 2026
Payroll Taxes: What Are They and What Do They Fund?
Real sourceNPR, The Indicator from Planet MoneyJune 6, 2018
Social Insecurity
Real sourceMoneyJanuary 1, 2026
Minimum-Wage Workers in These 19 States Just Got a Raise
Real sourcePayrollOrgNo date listed
PayrollOrg Code of Ethics
Notes
Look at the evidence
On your ownRead the pay statement and the shift log, and fill in both boxes for each one. About 8 minutes.
Evidence APay statement
Gia’s pay statement
Pay period ending Friday the 12th, paid the following Thursday. Hours: 15.00 at $17.00. Gross pay: $255.00. Social Security tax: $15.81. Medicare tax: $3.70. Federal income tax withheld: $8.40. State and local income tax withheld: $6.10. Net pay: $220.99.
Look closely: Which line shows gross pay? Which two lines together make up FICA?
What it shows
What it leaves out
Evidence BNotes app
Gia’s shift log for the last two weeks
Mon the 8th: 4 hrs. Wed the 10th: 4 hrs. Thu the 11th: 3 hrs. Fri the 12th: 4 hrs. Sat the 13th: 3 hrs. My total: 18 hrs.
Look closely: Which shift falls outside the pay period? Add the hours inside it.
What it shows
What it leaves out
Look at the evidence, continued
What is still missing from the evidence?
Notes
Key idea: gross pay and net pay
On your ownRead the key idea and the code of ethics, then answer the question in the box. About 10 minutes.
A bank deposit shows how much money arrived, but the pay statement shows how the employer figured it. Gross pay is the money you earn before any taxes or other deductions are taken out. For an hourly worker, gross pay is the hours worked times the hourly rate, plus any other earnings. Net pay is the money left after taxes and other deductions, often called take-home pay. Gia’s deposit is her net pay.
Deductions are the lines between those two totals. FICA is the federal payroll tax that funds Social Security and Medicare. On Gia’s statement, FICA appears as two lines: Social Security tax and Medicare tax. Withholding is money an employer takes out of each paycheck to pay taxes or other costs for the worker. Federal income-tax withholding is a separate line from FICA, and the IRS says its amount depends partly on the worker’s Form W-4.
A statement can also list other deductions, such as benefit contributions, so read each line’s name before you decide it is income tax. The federal income tax taken from each paycheck counts toward the tax a worker owes for the whole year. One paycheck cannot show what that yearly total will be. This explanation covers employees in the United States. Self-employed workers follow a different tax process.
Professional standards
Real sourcePayrollOrg
PayrollOrg Code of Ethics: Item 2
“To strive for perfect compliance, accuracy, and timeliness of all payroll activities.”
In plain words: Payroll professionals who belong to PayrollOrg aim to pay people correctly and on time.
Question: Gia worked Saturday the 13th, after the pay period ended. What should payroll confirm about when she gets paid?
Professional standards, continued
Your answer
Payroll should confirm ___. Item 2 matters here because ___.
In the news
Real sourceTwo Cents, PBS (YouTube)April 10, 2019
How Do Your Tax Dollars Get Spent?
Starts with a first paycheck that’s smaller than expected and explains FICA and income tax withholding.
Real sourceNPR, The Indicator from Planet MoneyJune 6, 2018
Social Insecurity
A short episode on the Social Security part of FICA and why it comes out of nearly every paycheck.
Notes
Sort the evidence
On your ownCompare each piece of evidence with each claim and write supports, challenges or neither in each box. About 6 minutes.
Before calling it an error, sort the evidence. Which facts explain the smaller deposit, and which question is still worth asking payroll?
| Evidence | Claim 1Payroll shorted Gia’s pay. | Claim 2The missing 3 hours belong on the next statement. |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Shift log shows 18 hours; the statement shows 15 | Supports | Neither |
| 2 The period ended Friday the 12th; the 3-hour shift was Saturday the 13th | Challenges | Supports |
| 3 Gross pay of $255.00 matches 15 × $17.00 | Challenges | Neither |
| 4 FICA and withholding lines account for the gap between gross and net | Challenges | Neither |
Still open
- Will the Saturday shift actually appear next time? Ask payroll.
Whose perspective is missing?
Whose view is missing from these documents? What would you ask them?
The view that is missing is ___. I would ask ___.
Practice: choose a response
On your ownChoose what Gia should do first and explain why, then fix the two marked lines. About 5 minutes.
Gia’s deposit is smaller than the pay she worked out. What should she do first?
A Compare her deposit with Jordy’s.
B Check her hours and the pay period, then read each line of her statement.
C Treat the whole gap as taxes and let it go.
Why I chose it
Improve a draft
A student’s first draft
Hi, my paycheck is wrong. 1 I worked way more hours than what I got paid for and also a lot of money was taken out for taxes which doesn’t seem right. I’ve been working really hard and picking up extra shifts so this is really frustrating. My friend Jordy works similar hours and got more than me. Can you fix it? 2 My account number is 4471-xxxx if you need it. Please let me know as soon as possible because I have bills. Thanks, Gia
Rewrite each marked phrase so it says only what the evidence supports.
Rewrite phrase 1
Rewrite phrase 2
DP Global politics
Your task
On your ownRead the steps and fill in the planner boxes before you start your draft. About 25 minutes.
Compare how Article 22 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights frames social security with how the United States funds Social Security and Medicare through payroll taxes. Then evaluate one argument about whether social insurance is best understood as a right or as a national policy choice.
- Find the two FICA lines in Evidence A and note what they fund.
- Read Article 22 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- Fill in the grid: what the declaration states and what the U.S. program funds.
- Fill in the perspective table: young worker, retiree, employer and government.
- Draft your opening and your evaluation in the Your draft boxes.
- Finish the response on lined paper, 700 to 900 words.
Prefer typing? Scan to open the online workspace.
How the U.S. funds the programs
Your task, continued
A declared right and a funded program
A declared right ___. A funded program ___.
Two perspectives
Notes
Your draft
On your ownWrite your draft in the boxes, using your planner from the page before. About 45 minutes.
Opening paragraph
Evaluation paragraph
Check your work
On your ownAnswer the Check your work questions, mark your level in each rubric row and write one change you made. About 8 minutes.
Do you describe the declaration’s article and the U.S. funding method accurately?
YesNoDo you distinguish a declared right from a funded program?
YesNoDo you evaluate at least two perspectives fairly?
YesNoDo you use sovereignty, legitimacy and interdependence precisely?
YesNo
How your work is scored
Mark one box in each row.
| Skill | Beginning | Developing | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | No specific numbers. | Mentions hours but no period. | Names hours, period and the line in question. | Cites own records and the statement side by side. |
| Reasoning | Assumes an error or theft. | Assumes all difference is tax. | Separates hours, deductions and period timing. | Explains which differences are expected and which need checking. |
| Audience & purpose | Shares private details or demands. | Polite but vague. | Clear question payroll can answer. | Clear, private, and offers the right document. |
| Revision | No change. | Removes one issue. | Adds period and line, removes private data. | Explains why each change helps payroll respond. |
Check your work, continued
One change I made after feedback
I changed ___ because ___.
Notes
Questions to discuss
On your ownWrite a short answer to each question, then complete the sentence frames below. About 12 minutes.
1 What would Gia’s statement need to show for the missing hours to be a payroll mistake?
2 Why might a new worker think that every missing dollar went to taxes?
3 Before a first job, what would you want to know about how and when you will be paid?
My take
My claim: ___.
The best evidence is ___, because ___.
My take, continued
Someone who disagrees might say ___.
The limit of the evidence is ___.
I would change my mind if ___.
Notes
Talk about this case at home
Lesson 5: Why is my deposit smaller than what I earned?
In this case, Gia’s bank deposit is smaller than the pay she expected. Your student read a practice pay statement line by line and explained where the money went.
Questions to talk about
- What is the difference between gross pay and net pay?
- Why might a bank deposit be less than the hours worked times the hourly rate?
- Who at a workplace can answer questions about a pay statement?
Nobody needs to share personal stories or private information to talk about this case.
See the case online.
Lesson 7Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 7: Did one complaint get the novel banned?
Overview
Students read a short story in which a group chat claims that one parent’s complaint got a novel “banned” from Anika’s school library. They compare the claim with the district’s reconsideration notice, the committee input form and the ALA’s example procedure. They map where the novel is in the review. They then write input to the review committee that is tied to the selection criteria.
Before this case
Students should already be able to:
- identify the actors in a political issue and their sources of power
- explain legitimacy as a core concept
- plan how to talk with people who disagree
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- frame a political issue about authority over shared public resources
- map actors on different sides fairly
- plan ethical engagement across disagreement
- use power, legitimacy and rights precisely
Materials
- This chapter, one copy per student
- Evidence A and B
Materials, continued
- The text of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and one state or district policy
- An actor map template
The task in this edition
Task: Rehearse an engagement project on library governance: frame the political issue (who decides what stays on public school shelves, and by what process), map the actors (families on different sides, librarians, the school board, the state legislature, students, advocacy groups), plan ethical engagement with people who disagree with each other, and compare the local process with the freedom to seek and receive information in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Students make: Engagement-project proposal, 600–800 words, with an actor map
Fit: partial. Who holds legitimate authority over a public school library raises legitimacy, rights and liberty, and book challenges are a live local political issue suited to engagement-project rehearsal, but the case is one U.S. district process and needs comparative or international material to reach the thematic studies.
Pacing
Opener (page 43): 5 min. Short on time: 3 min. Read What happened aloud.
Key terms (pages 44 and 45): 5 min. Short on time: 3 min. Read the key terms aloud. Skip Who is involved.
Look at the evidence (pages 49 and 50): 8 min. Short on time: 6 min. Students fill in the What it shows boxes only.
Key idea (pages 51 and 52): 10 min. Short on time: 8 min. Skip In the news.
Sort the evidence (page 53): 10 min. Short on time: 5 min. Do the deciders column only.
Practice (page 54): 5 min. Short on time: skip.
Your task (pages 55 and 56): 25 min. Short on time: 25 min.
Your draft (page 57): 45 min. Short on time: 40 min. Students draft the framing and actor sections in class and finish at home.
Check your work (pages 58 and 59): 8 min. Short on time: 5 min. Students answer the Check your work questions. Give practice feedback yourself.
Questions to discuss (pages 60 and 61): 12 min. Short on time: 5 min. Use question 2 only.
Talk about this case at home (page 62): at home.
Periods: full chapter 133 minutes; one period 100 minutes.
Lesson 7Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 7 plan, continued
Standards
Language A: language and literature — Readers, writers and texts An area of exploration in the course: how readers, writers and texts interact to make meaning. In this case: Students examine how different readers find different meanings in the same book.
Global politics — key concepts: power and legitimacy; thematic study: Rights and justice Uses the course’s key concepts of power and legitimacy within its Rights and justice thematic study to examine a political issue. In this case: Students analyze who holds legitimate authority over school library collections.
Codes of ethics
- ALA Code of Ethics: Principle 2 (of 9)
- Code of Ethics of the Education Profession: Principle I: Commitment to the Student, item 2
- Credo for Ethical Communication: “We strive to understand and respect other communicators' intent…” (one of nine unnumbered principles)
Heat map
Opener (page 43): Medium
Key terms (pages 44 and 45): Low
Look at the evidence (pages 49 and 50): Low
Heat map, continued
Key idea (pages 51 and 52): Medium
Sort the evidence (page 53): Medium
Practice (page 54): Low
Your task (pages 55 and 56): Medium
Check your work (pages 58 and 59): Low
Try it at your school
Find your library’s reconsideration policy.
- Ask your school librarian how book challenges are handled
- Find the written policy on the district website
- Learn whether students can give input during a review
- If a review is happening, read the whole book before commenting
Who to ask: School librarian or media specialist, public library staff, school board clerk
Safety: Don’t post names of people who filed a challenge or who spoke at a meeting. Disagree with ideas, not individuals.
Sources
- Penguin, “Matilda by Roald Dahl: authorized extract,” No date listed
Sources, continued
- American Library Association, “Selection and Reconsideration Policy Toolkit: formal reconsideration,” No date listed
- American Library Association, “Selection and Reconsideration Policy Toolkit: selection criteria,” No date listed
Lesson 7: Did one complaint get the novel banned?
A group chat says one parent’s complaint got a novel banned, so Mari and Gia check what the school library’s notice says.
On your ownRead What happened and underline the word in the group chat that may go too far. About 5 minutes.
Your role: You’re the one who reads the library notice before anyone replies “banned.” New skill: Find what stage a process has reached.
What happened
On Thursday night, a message about a novel in the library at Anika’s high school appears in a group chat. The message says one parent complained, so the novel is now banned and gone from the library. Gia replies that this is censorship.
On Friday, the school library posts a notice about the novel. Mari reads it and compares it with the group chat. Gia deletes her first reply, because she had not read the notice or the novel.
Mari works the counter at the neighborhood bookshop. She switches between print and audio, and she is halfway through the novel on audio. Gia is planning a discussion at the bookshop. First, both of them want to know what stage the library’s process has reached.
Your question: Is the novel really banned, and what can people who care about it do next?
Key terms
On your ownRead each key term and its example, then write your first guess in the box. About 5 minutes.
Challenge A challenge is a formal request to remove or restrict a book or other library material.
En español: impugnación
In this case: A parent’s request about a novel at Anika’s school started a review. The novel stays available while the committee reads it.
Reconsideration policy A reconsideration policy is a library's written process for reviewing a challenge to a book.
En español: política de reconsideración
In this case: The library’s notice follows district policy: a committee review, the selection criteria, written input by the 15th and an appeal.
Selection criteria Selection criteria are the written standards a library uses to decide which materials to include.
En español: criterios de selección
In this case: The committee judges the whole novel against the district’s selection criteria. The input form asks which criteria your comment addresses.
Who is involved
Mari
Works the bookshop counter
“The chat says the book is gone from the library. The notice says it stays available during the review. Those can’t both be true.”
Gia
Planning a book discussion at the bookshop
“I called it censorship before I’d read the notice. Now I’m planning a discussion at the bookshop, so I’d better get this right.”
Your first guess
Before you look at the evidence, what do you think happened to the novel?
My first guess is ___, because ___.
Notes
Reading passage
Where is the book in the process?
On your ownRead the passage. At each Stop and think box, pause and answer the question in your head or with a partner. About 5 minutes.
Words to know
- Challenge: A challenge is a formal request to remove or restrict a book or other library material.
- Reconsideration policy: A reconsideration policy is a library's written process for reviewing a challenge to a book.
- Selection criteria: Selection criteria are the written standards a library uses to decide which materials to include.
- Claim: A claim is a statement that something is true. You can check a claim with evidence.
- Correction: A correction is a public statement that replaces wrong information with accurate information.
The story: Two messages, two days
On Thursday night, a claim about a novel in the library at Anika’s high school moves through a group chat. One parent complained, it says, so the novel has been banned and removed. Gia answers with the certainty of someone who cares about the freedom to read: “censorship, full stop.” The reply fits her values. It does not fit the evidence, because there is no evidence in the chat yet.
The evidence arrives Friday, when the school library posts a notice. Mari, who works the bookshop counter, reads it against the chat. She is dyslexic and moves between print and audiobooks, and she is halfway through this novel on audio. She points out the contradiction plainly. The chat says the book is gone. The notice says it remains available during the review. Both cannot be true.
Gia deletes her first reply. She had not read the notice or the book. She is now organizing a discussion at the bookshop and wants it to be useful, which means getting people to the input form before the 15th with something to say. She also sets a boundary that many online arguments skip. Nobody goes after the parent who asked for the review, because that parent used the process too.
Your role is to read the library notice before anyone replies “banned.”
Stop and think. The chat collapsed a complaint, a temporary change and a final decision into one word. Why is that collapse so common?
Stages, not verdicts
The new skill in this case is finding what stage a process has reached. It depends on two earlier ones. From Lesson 1, you go to the original source, here the library’s notice. From Lesson 3, you know that a correction replaces wrong information with accurate information where people saw the mistake.
The notice describes a sequence. A request for reconsideration has been received. The title remains available during the review. A committee will read the full work and evaluate it against the district’s selection criteria. Written input is due by the 15th. The committee’s decision may be appealed. A challenge is a formal request to remove or restrict a book or other library material. It opens that sequence, but it does not end it. A reconsideration policy is a library’s written process for reviewing a challenge to a book, and selection criteria are the written standards a library uses to decide which materials to include.
With the sequence in view, the chat’s claim can be judged precisely. It collapses three different events into one: a complaint, a possible temporary change and a final decision. Only the first has happened. The notice also has gaps. It does not name the novel, list the committee members or quote the criteria, so a careful reply should not fill those in.
Mari’s approach to the input form shows how to join the process rather than just comment on it. The form asks whether you have read the entire work and which criteria your input addresses, with a 300-word limit. She is finishing the book first. Her experience with books like this explains why she cares, but it is not the policy, so she plans to connect the two.
Stop and think. What should a careful correction leave out, given what the notice does not say?
Professional guidance, state law and the courts
The American Library Association recommends that libraries adopt a formal reconsideration policy, and its model process has a committee read the whole work (American Library Association, updated January 2018). Its separate guidance on selection criteria explains how libraries evaluate resources (American Library Association, updated January 2018). That guidance is professional advice. Districts adopt their own policies, and states write their own laws. Colorado legislators advanced a bill to require clear reconsideration policies (Chalkbeat Colorado, February 10, 2025). In Tennessee, reporters found that a revised state law changed the review steps and that some books quietly left shelves (Chalkbeat Tennessee, September 17, 2024).
The constitutional question remains unsettled. A law-firm analysis explains that the Fifth Circuit treated public library book removals as government speech, creating a split with the Eighth Circuit (Cahill Gordon and Reindel, September 22, 2025). The answer to whether a removal is legal can depend on where you live.
Professional guidance, state law and the courts, continued
Professional codes sit on both sides of Gia’s evolving view. The ALA code says, “We uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources” (ALA Code of Ethics, 2021). The NCA credo asks communicators to “understand and respect other communicators’ intent before evaluating and responding to their messages” (NCA Credo for Ethical Communication, 2024). Holding both is the discipline this case asks for.
Stop and think. How can someone oppose removing a book and still respect the parent who filed the challenge?
Sources
Real sourceAmerican Library AssociationJanuary 2018
Selection and Reconsideration Policy Toolkit: formal reconsideration
Real sourceAmerican Library AssociationJanuary 2018
Selection and Reconsideration Policy Toolkit: selection criteria
Real sourceChalkbeat ColoradoFebruary 10, 2025
Colorado bill to curb school library book challenges clears first legislative hurdle
Real sourceChalkbeat TennesseeSeptember 17, 2024
Under stricter Tennessee law, some school library books quietly disappear
Real sourceCahill Gordon & Reindel LLP (law-firm client alert)September 22, 2025
Fifth Circuit Holds That Government Speech Doctrine Applies to Public Library Book Removals, Creating Circuit Split With Eighth Circuit
Real sourceAmerican Library Association (ALA)2021
ALA Code of Ethics
Real sourceNational Communication Association (NCA)2024
Credo for Ethical Communication
Look at the evidence
On your ownRead the notice and the input form, and fill in both boxes for each one. About 8 minutes.
Evidence ALibrary notice
Reconsideration notice, posted Friday by the school library
A request for reconsideration has been received for one title in the library collection. Under district policy, the title remains available during the review. A review committee will read the full work and evaluate it against the district’s selection criteria. Written input may be submitted by the 15th. The committee’s decision may be appealed.
Look closely: Which sentence tells you where the book is right now? Underline it.
What it shows
What it leaves out
Evidence BInput form
Review committee input form, due the 15th
Name and role (student, parent, staff or community member). Have you read the entire work? Yes or No. Which selection criteria does your input address? Comments, 300 words maximum.
Look closely: Who can send input? What does the form ask before your comments?
What it shows
What it leaves out
Look at the evidence, continued
What is still missing from the evidence?
Notes
Key idea: book challenges
On your ownRead the key idea and the code of ethics, then answer the question in the box. About 10 minutes.
A challenge is a formal request to remove or restrict a book or other library material. A challenge starts a review. On its own, it does not remove a book. A complaint, a temporary change and a final decision can happen at different times. Check which stage a process has reached before you repeat a claim.
A reconsideration policy is a library's written process for reviewing a challenge to a book. The American Library Association (ALA) recommends that libraries adopt one, and its example has a committee read the whole work. Selection criteria are the written standards a library uses to decide which materials to include. ALA’s guidance is a professional recommendation, not a law. Each district’s adopted policy and the applicable law govern its own process.
Whether removing a book breaks the law is a harder question. Federal courts disagree about how the First Amendment applies when a library removes a book. The answer can depend on where you live. Right now, the notice at Anika’s school describes a review, and the novel is still available.
Professional standards
Real sourceAmerican Library Association (ALA)
ALA Code of Ethics: Principle 2 (of 9)
“We uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources.”
In plain words: Library workers who follow the ALA code support people's freedom to read and oppose censorship of library materials.
Question: The district notice says the title stays available during review. Does that match the group chat's claim that it's “gone”?
Your answer
The notice says ___, so ___.
In the news
Real sourceChalkbeat ColoradoFebruary 10, 2025
Colorado bill to curb school library book challenges clears first legislative hurdle
A state debated requiring clear reconsideration policies, showing a challenge is a process, not an instant ban.
Real sourceChalkbeat TennesseeSeptember 17, 2024
Under stricter Tennessee law, some school library books quietly disappear
A state law changed the review steps, so you have to check which rules and stage actually applied.
Notes
Sort the evidence
On your ownFill in the diagram to show who decides at each stage, which rules apply and where input goes. About 10 minutes.
Replace “banned” with the real chain of decisions. Who decides at each stage, which rules bind them, and where can a student’s input land?
Keep, restrict or remove the novel after review
The school review committee, which reads the whole work and votes
District-level appeal and, finally, the school board
District reconsideration policy and selection criteria
State law and unsettled First Amendment case law (Pico had no majority opinion)
Whose perspective is missing?
Whose view is missing from these documents? What would you ask them?
The view that is missing is ___. I would ask ___.
Practice: choose a response
On your ownChoose what to check first and explain why, then fix the two marked lines. About 5 minutes.
A group chat says, “One parent complained, so that novel is banned.” What should you check first?
A Find the library’s policy and where the review stands.
B Ask everyone in the chat whether they like the book.
C Read the passage people are upset about, then decide.
Why I chose it
Improve a draft
A student’s first draft
This is so messed up. One parent complains and 1 now the whole school can’t read the book?? That’s literally censorship and it’s illegal because of the First Amendment. 2 Whoever complained is a terrible person and should mind their own business. Everyone should go to the board meeting and yell at them until they put it back. Books like this are the only ones some of us actually finish. I read part of it last year and it was actually really good. I’m so done with this school honestly.
Rewrite each marked phrase so it says only what the evidence supports.
Rewrite phrase 1
Rewrite phrase 2
DP Global politics
Your task
On your ownRead the steps and fill in the planner boxes before you start your draft. About 25 minutes.
Rehearse an engagement project on library governance: frame the political issue (who decides what stays on public school shelves, and by what process), map the actors (families on different sides, librarians, the school board, the state legislature, students, advocacy groups), plan ethical engagement with people who disagree with each other, and compare the local process with the freedom to seek and receive information in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- Frame the issue as one question in the planner.
- Map the actors: families on different sides, librarians, the board, the legislature, students and advocacy groups.
- Note each actor’s formal authority, resources, influence and voice.
- Plan how you would talk with at least two actors who disagree.
- Compare the district process with Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- Draft your proposal’s three core sections in the Your draft boxes.
- Finish the proposal on lined paper, 600 to 800 words, with the actor map.
Prefer typing? Scan to open the online workspace.
The issue in one question
Your task, continued
Who holds formal authority
How I will engage people who disagree
Notes
Your draft
On your ownWrite your draft in the boxes, using your planner from the page before. About 45 minutes.
Framing the issue
The actors
The local process and Article 19
Check your work
On your ownAnswer the Check your work questions, mark your level in each rubric row and write one change you made. About 8 minutes.
Do you frame a political issue about authority over shared public resources?
YesNoDo you map actors on different sides fairly?
YesNoDo you plan ethical engagement across disagreement?
YesNoDo you use power, legitimacy and rights precisely?
YesNo
How your work is scored
Mark one box in each row.
| Skill | Beginning | Developing | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | Repeats “banned.” | Mentions a complaint without stage. | States the current stage from the policy. | States stage, next steps and input route. |
| Reasoning | Declares a legal verdict. | Treats outrage as the argument. | Separates complaint, review and decision. | Connects input to criteria and notes legal uncertainty. |
| Audience & purpose | Attacks people. | Rallies without direction. | Gives a useful participation route. | Invites participation while respecting other readers and the parent. |
| Revision | No change. | Tone only. | Corrects the stage and removes attacks. | Explains how each change helps the chat act accurately. |
Check your work, continued
One change I made after feedback
I changed ___ because ___.
Notes
Questions to discuss
On your ownWrite a short answer to each question, then complete the sentence frames below. About 12 minutes.
1 Whose reading experience is missing from the crew’s discussion of the novel?
2 Gia says nobody should go after the parent who asked for the review. Why might that matter for her bookshop discussion?
3 How does calling the same action a “review,” a “restriction” or a “ban” change what people think happened?
My take
My claim: ___.
The best evidence is ___, because ___.
My take, continued
Someone who disagrees might say ___.
The limit of the evidence is ___.
I would change my mind if ___.
Notes
Talk about this case at home
Lesson 7: Did one complaint get the novel banned?
In this case, a group chat claims one parent’s complaint got a novel banned from a school library. Your student compared that claim with the library’s notice and learned how a book review works.
Questions to talk about
- What is the difference between a book being reviewed and a book being removed?
- Where could someone find out how a library decides which books to keep?
- How can people disagree about a book without attacking each other?
Nobody needs to share personal stories or private information to talk about this case.
See the case online.
Lesson 9Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 9: What is on your ballot, and where do you check?
Content note
This case explains general rules. It is not legal advice for your situation.
Overview
Students read a story in which Dec, who turns 18 in October, looks past the headline race on his sample ballot. He finds a school board race, a city council race and a transit bond. They compare the ballot with a creator’s voter guide that mixes facts with picks, and they read Vote.gov’s guidance for people 18 and under. They then write a personal checklist of official sources for registration, deadlines and their own sample ballot.
Before this case
Students should already be able to:
- define power and legitimacy in the course’s terms
- map actors by their sources of power
- plan contact with an organization ethically
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- frame a nonpartisan political issue about youth participation in local elections
- map the actors and their sources of power accurately
- plan ethical, nonpartisan engagement with an election office or youth civic group
Objectives, continued
- use two definitions of legitimacy and plan a fair comparison with one other country
Materials
- This chapter, one copy per student
- Evidence A, B, C and D
- One source on local turnout and one official source on voting rules in another country
- An actor map and a nonpartisan engagement plan template
The task in this edition
Task: Rehearse an engagement project on youth participation in local elections: frame a nonpartisan political issue, such as why young people vote less in local contests, map the actors (election office, schools, parties, youth organizations, candidates), plan ethical, nonpartisan engagement with an election office or youth civic group, and analyze how turnout affects the legitimacy of local decisions, comparing voting age or registration in one other country.
Students make: Engagement-project proposal, 600–800 words, with an actor map
The task in this edition, continued
Fit: partial. Elections confer legitimacy, and low local turnout raises questions of power and participation that suit engagement-project rehearsal, but the case is a U.S. ballot-information task and needs comparative material to reach the thematic studies.
Pacing
Opener (page 63): 5 min. Short on time: 4 min. Students read What happened on their own.
Key terms (pages 64 and 65): 5 min. Short on time: 3 min. Read the key terms aloud. Skip Who is involved.
Look at the evidence (page 69): 8 min. Short on time: 7 min. Students fill in only the What it shows boxes.
Look at the evidence (page 70): 5 min. Short on time: 4 min. Read Evidence D aloud; skip its boxes.
Key idea (pages 71 and 72): 12 min. Short on time: 10 min. Skip In the news.
Sort the evidence (pages 73 and 74): 8 min. Short on time: 5 min. Complete the diagram only; skip the missing-perspective box.
Practice (page 75): 6 min. Short on time: skip.
Your task (pages 76 and 77): 25 min. Short on time: 25 min.
Lesson 9Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 9 plan, continued
Pacing, continued
Your draft (page 78): 30 min. Short on time: 30 min.
Check your work (pages 79 and 80): 8 min. Short on time: 5 min. Skip the rubric self-score.
Questions to discuss (pages 81 and 82): 10 min. Short on time: 7 min. Discuss questions 3 and 4 only.
Talk about this case at home (page 83): at home.
Periods: full chapter 122 minutes; one period 100 minutes.
Standards
Global politics — key concepts: power and legitimacy Uses the course’s key concepts of power and legitimacy to examine a political issue. In this case: Students analyze how local elections confer authority.
Theory of Knowledge — Knowledge and politics (optional theme) An optional theme of the course: how political power and processes affect what counts as knowledge. In this case: Students ask how we know what a candidate or measure will do.
Codes of ethics
- SPJ Code of Ethics: Seek Truth and Report It
- RTDNA Code of Ethics: Opening statement (before the guiding principles)
Codes of ethics, continued
- Credo for Ethical Communication: “We advocate sharing information, opinions, and feelings…” (one of nine unnumbered principles)
Heat map
Opener (page 63): Low
Key terms (pages 64 and 65): Low
Look at the evidence (page 69): Low
Look at the evidence (page 70): Low
Key idea (pages 71 and 72): Low
Sort the evidence (pages 73 and 74): Medium
Practice (page 75): Low
Your task (pages 76 and 77): Medium
Your draft (page 78): Medium
Check your work (pages 79 and 80): Low
Try it at your school
Find your official election information.
- With a trusted adult, visit vote.gov and choose your state or territory
- Check eligibility, preregistration and registration rules for your age
- Find a sample ballot for your address and circle one local office
Try it at your school, continued
- Learn what that office does before researching candidates
Who to ask: Your county or local election office, a civics teacher, a school librarian
Safety: Never share your address, birthdate or voter information in group chats. Use official government sites (.gov) for registration.
Sources
- Vote.gov, “Your state or territory’s voting information,” No date listed
- Vote.gov, “Preparing to vote: age 18 and under,” No date listed
- USAGov, “Sample ballots and voter guides,” No date listed
- National Constitution Center, “The 26th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution,” No date listed
Lesson 9: What is on your ballot, and where do you check?
Dec turns 18 before the election on November 3, 2026, and his feed covers only one race on his ballot.
On your ownRead What happened. Underline the contests Mateo finds below the big race. About 5 minutes.
Your role: You’re the one who finds Dec’s official sample ballot before anyone tells him how to vote. New skill: Check an official source for your own area.
What happened
It is Sunday at the library desk. Dec turns 18 in October, before the general election on November 3, 2026. His feed is full of posts about one big race. Mateo and Gia are helping him find out what else is on his ballot.
They look at a sample ballot for the November election. The front shows the big race from Dec’s feed. The second page has more: a school board race, a city council seat and Measure T, a transit bond. Mateo notices that nobody is posting about Measure T.
A creator’s voter guide is also going around. It says registration closes “the 14th,” but it never names a state. It also tells people how to vote on the school board race and Measure T. Gia is writing a reminder for the group chat.
Mateo has his own problem. He may still be registered at his mom’s address in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Dec says he does not need anyone to pick for him. He needs to know what is on his ballot and whether he is registered in time.
Your question: What is on Dec’s ballot, and where should he check his own information?
Key terms
On your ownRead each key term and its example. Then write your first guess in the box. About 5 minutes.
Sample ballot A sample ballot is a preview of the contests and measures that will appear on your ballot.
En español: boleta de muestra
In this case: Dec’s sample ballot lists a school board race, a city council seat and Measure T below the big race from his feed.
Voter guide A voter guide is a document that explains or recommends choices in an election.
En español: guía para votantes
In this case: A creator’s voter guide mixes one deadline with two picks: “vote Candidate B” and “Measure T: yes, obviously.”
Registration Registration is signing up with your election office so that you are on the list of people who can vote.
En español: inscripción electoral
In this case: Dec turns 18 in October and needs to know whether he is registered in time. The guide’s deadline names no state.
Jurisdiction A jurisdiction is the place or area where a particular government or rule has authority.
En español: jurisdicción
In this case: Mateo may still be registered in New Bedford, Massachusetts. A different place can mean a different ballot and a different deadline.
Who is involved
Mateo
Helping Dec read the sample ballot
“Dec’s feed is all the big race. Then you flip the sample ballot: school board, city council, a transit bond. Nobody’s posting about Measure T.”
Gia
Writing the group-chat reminder
“The creator’s guide says ‘registration closes the 14th.’ Whose 14th? It doesn’t even say which state.”
Your first guess
Before you look at the evidence, what do you think is on Dec’s ballot?
My first guess is ___, because ___.
Notes
Reading passage
Down the ballot and back to the source
On your ownRead the passage. At each Stop and think box, pause and answer the question in your head or with a partner. About 6 minutes.
Words to know
- Sample ballot: A sample ballot is a preview of the contests and measures that will appear on your ballot.
- Voter guide: A voter guide is a document that explains or recommends choices in an election.
- Registration: Registration is signing up with your election office so that you are on the list of people who can vote.
- Jurisdiction: A jurisdiction is the place or area where a particular government or rule has authority.
- Claim: A claim is a statement that something is true. You can check a claim with evidence.
- Material connection: A material connection is a relationship with a brand, like payment or a free product, that viewers might not expect.
The story: One race in the feed, five on the ballot
Dec, a high school senior who drums on weekends and helps build theater sets, turns 18 in October. The general election is November 3, 2026. His social feed treats it as a single contest, one big race covered from every angle. On Sunday, at the library desk, Mateo and Gia help him find out what the feed leaves out.
The sample ballot for November is organized by level of government. Federal: U.S. Representative. State: State Senator and a Superior Court judge up for retention. Local: two seats on the Board of Education in District 3 and a City Council seat in Ward 5. And one measure: Measure T, a transit improvements bond. Mateo notices that the lower half of the ballot has almost no online presence. Nobody is posting about Measure T.
What is circulating instead is a creator’s voter guide. It promises “all you need for November,” announces that registration closes “the 14th” and tells readers to vote for Candidate B for school board and “yes, obviously” on Measure T. Dec’s response sets the terms for the case. He does not need anyone picking for him. He needs to know what is on his ballot and whether he is registered in time.
Mateo has a problem of his own. He moved from New Bedford, Massachusetts, for college and may still be registered at his mom’s address there. Different state, different ballot, different deadline. Your role is to find Dec’s official sample ballot before anyone tells him how to vote.
Stop and think. Why does the lower half of a ballot get so little attention online?
Separating information from advocacy
A sample ballot is a preview of the contests and measures that will appear on your ballot. A voter guide is a document that explains or recommends choices in an election. The distinction matters because the two serve different purposes. The sample ballot tells you what you will decide. A guide tells you what someone thinks you should decide, and sometimes also what the choices mean.
The new skill here builds on two earlier ones. From Lesson 1, you go to the original source and treat each statement as a claim that can be checked. The guide’s deadline is a claim with no jurisdiction attached, so it cannot be verified and should not be repeated. From Lesson 8, you ask about a material connection, a relationship with a brand, like payment or a free product, that viewers might not expect. Here, the guide leaves out who wrote and who funds it. That missing information does not make its picks wrong. It does mean they should be read as advocacy from an unnamed source.
A jurisdiction is the place or area where a particular government or rule has authority. Your address determines which contests appear on your ballot, which is why Mateo cannot assume his ballot matches Dec’s. Jurisdiction also shapes research. A school board and a city council have different powers, so a voter who cares about buses should learn which body runs them before comparing candidates. Mateo starts Measure T with two questions: what it would pay for, and who runs the buses.
Registration is signing up with your election office so that you are on the list of people who can vote. Because rules and deadlines vary by state, Gia’s group-chat reminder deliberately contains no deadline. It sends everyone to Vote.gov for their own registration and sample ballot, and it asks people not to post their addresses.
Stop and think. The guide’s picks are not labeled as advocacy. How would labeling them change how Dec reads the guide?
The constitutional floor and the state rules
The Twenty-Sixth Amendment protects the right of citizens 18 and older to vote (National Constitution Center, no date listed). The National WWII Museum traces its origins to the wartime argument that people old enough to fight were old enough to vote (The National WWII Museum, October 27, 2020). Above that floor, states set the details. Most allow preregistration before 18, and some let 17-year-olds vote in primaries if they will be 18 by the general election (Ballotpedia News, September 26, 2025). NPR has reported on state efforts to raise youth registration, including preregistration (NPR, August 6, 2023).
Turnout data show both engagement and variation. CIRCLE estimates that about 47 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds voted in 2024, with large differences by state (CIRCLE, April 14, 2025).
The constitutional floor and the state rules, continued
Journalism codes draw the same line the case draws. The SPJ code tells journalists to “label advocacy and commentary” (SPJ Code of Ethics, September 6, 2014). The RTDNA code says journalism “empowers viewers, listeners and readers to make more informed decisions for themselves; it does not tell people what to believe or how to feel” (RTDNA Code of Ethics, June 11, 2015). A nonpartisan guide for Dec should meet that second standard.
Stop and think. Anika is 16. How can she take part in this election before she can vote?
Sources
Real sourceVote.govNo date listed
Your state or territory’s voting information
Real sourceNational Constitution CenterNo date listed
The 26th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
Real sourceThe National WWII MuseumOctober 27, 2020
“Old Enough to Fight, Old Enough to Vote”: The WWII Roots of the 26th Amendment
Real sourceBallotpedia NewsSeptember 26, 2025
Most states allow teenagers to pre-register to vote before turning 18, and some let them vote in primaries
Real sourceNPRAugust 6, 2023
Some states are trying to boost youth voter registration. Here's what they're doing
Real sourceCIRCLE (Tufts University)April 14, 2025
New Data: Nearly Half of Youth Voted in 2024
Real sourceSociety of Professional Journalists (SPJ)2014
SPJ Code of Ethics
Real sourceRadio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA)2015
RTDNA Code of Ethics
Look at the evidence
On your ownRead each document. For each one, write what it shows and what it leaves out. About 8 minutes.
Evidence ASample ballot
Sample ballot for the November general election
Federal: U.S. Representative. State: State Senator; Superior Court judge (retention). Local: Board of Education, District 3 (vote for two); City Council, Ward 5. Measures: Measure T, transit improvements bond.
Look closely: Which contests sit below the big race, and which one touches Dec’s school?
What it shows
What it leaves out
Evidence BVoter guide post
A creator’s voter guide
All you need for November!! Registration closes the 14th. School board: vote Candidate B, the only one who cares about students. Measure T: yes, obviously.
Look closely: Which line could you check, and which lines tell you how to vote?
What it shows
What it leaves out
Look at the evidence, continued
Evidence CGroup-chat draft
Gia’s reminder
Check your registration and your own sample ballot at vote.gov. Deadlines depend on your state. Please don’t post your address here.
Look closely: What does Gia share, and what does she ask friends to keep private?
What it shows
What it leaves out
Evidence DStatement
What Dec needs
“I turn 18 in October. I don’t need someone picking for me. I need to know what’s on my ballot and whether I’m registered in time for November.”
Look closely: What two questions does Dec need answered, and which source answers each?
What it shows
What it leaves out
What is still missing from the evidence?
Key idea: sample ballots
On your ownRead the key idea and the code of ethics. Then answer the question in the box. About 12 minutes.
A sample ballot is a preview of the contests and measures that will appear on your ballot. A measure is a question that voters decide directly, such as Measure T. A voter guide is a document that explains or recommends choices in an election. The two have different purposes. Start with the ballot for your address, and then check a guide’s facts apart from its picks.
Your address decides which contests appear on your ballot. A jurisdiction is the place or area where a particular government or rule has authority. A friend two districts over may see different local races. A school board and a city council have different jobs, so each one makes different decisions. Before you research candidates, find out which office has power over the issue you care about.
Registration is signing up with your election office so that you are on the list of people who can vote. Rules and deadlines vary by state, so do not copy a friend’s deadline. The Twenty-Sixth Amendment protects the right to vote for citizens 18 and older. Most states let people preregister before they turn 18. Several states let 17-year-olds vote in a primary if they will be 18 by the general election.
Professional standards
Real sourceSociety of Professional Journalists (SPJ)
SPJ Code of Ethics: Seek Truth and Report It
“Label advocacy and commentary.”
In plain words: Journalists who follow the SPJ code mark opinions and recommendations so readers can tell them apart from facts.
Question: The creator's guide mixes a registration deadline with “vote Candidate B.” Which lines are checkable facts, and which are picks?
Your answer
The checkable fact is ___; the picks are ___.
In the news
Real sourceNPRAugust 6, 2023
Some states are trying to boost youth voter registration. Here's what they're doing
Explains preregistration and other state steps that let teens sign up before they turn 18.
Real sourceBallotpedia NewsSeptember 26, 2025
Most states allow teenagers to pre-register to vote before turning 18, and some let them vote in primaries
Rules differ by state, so where you live decides when you can register and what you vote on.
Notes
Sort the evidence
On your ownMatch each of Dec’s questions to the rule or office that answers it. Then write whose view is missing. About 8 minutes.
Separate the two questions Dec has: what is on his ballot, and can he vote. Which rules and offices answer each, and which source should he check first?
Which contests and measures appear on Dec’s ballot
His address and district lines, drawn through redistricting
Whether Dec can register and vote in November
Twenty-Sixth Amendment: the vote at 18 cannot be denied on account of age
State rules on preregistration, deadlines and 17-year-old primary voting
Whose perspective is missing?
Whose view is missing from these documents? What would you ask them?
The view that is missing is ___. I would ask ___.
Notes
Practice: choose a response
On your ownChoose what you would do with a friend’s sample ballot. Then fix the two marked phrases. About 6 minutes.
You live at a new address. A friend sends their sample ballot and says, “Just use this one.” What should you do?
A Use it, because you and your friend live in the same state.
B Check your registration and find the official sample ballot for your address.
C Use a creator’s voter guide instead, since it covers the whole election.
Why I chose it
Improve a draft
A student’s first draft
Guys the election is coming up and it’s a big one!! 1 Registration closes on the 14th so do it now. Here’s the voter guide I use, it tells you exactly who to vote for so you don’t have to research. Also 2 drop your addresses and I’ll check if you’re registered for you. Only the big race really matters anyway, the rest is small stuff. My cousin in another state said the same deadline works for her too, so just use mine. Let’s go vote!!
Rewrite each marked phrase so it says only what the evidence supports.
Rewrite phrase 1
Rewrite phrase 2
DP Global politics
Your task
On your ownRead the steps. Fill in the planner boxes before you start your draft. About 25 minutes.
Rehearse an engagement project on youth participation in local elections: frame a nonpartisan political issue, such as why young people vote less in local contests, map the actors (election office, schools, parties, youth organizations, candidates), plan ethical, nonpartisan engagement with an election office or youth civic group, and analyze how turnout affects the legitimacy of local decisions, comparing voting age or registration in one other country.
- Frame a nonpartisan issue about young people and local elections.
- Map the actors: election office, schools, parties, youth groups and candidates.
- Plan one contact with an election office or youth civic group, with consent and safety notes.
- Explain legitimacy two ways: by procedure and by participation.
- Plan how you will compare voting age or registration in one other country.
- Write your proposal of 600 to 800 words, starting on the Your draft page.
Prefer typing? Scan to open the online workspace.
Political issue
Your task, continued
Actor map
Engagement plan
Two views of legitimacy
Notes
Your draft
On your ownWrite your draft in the boxes. Use your planner from the page before. About 30 minutes.
Proposal: issue, actors and engagement
Legitimacy and the comparison
Check your work
On your ownAnswer the Check your work questions and mark your level in each rubric row. Then write one change you made. About 8 minutes.
Is your issue political and nonpartisan?
YesNoDoes your actor map show each actor’s source of power accurately?
YesNoIs your engagement plan ethical, with consent and no collection of personal information?
YesNoDo you use legitimacy in two precise senses?
YesNo
How your work is scored
Mark one box in each row.
| Skill | Beginning | Developing | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | Copies one person’s deadlines. | Mentions official sources vaguely. | Points to official sources for each person’s state. | Points to official sources and explains why rules differ. |
| Reasoning | Treats a guide as the ballot. | Mentions the ballot but not local contests. | Separates ballot, guide and registration. | Explains why local offices matter to the audience. |
| Audience & purpose | Collects private info. | Generic hype. | Useful, private, nonpartisan. | Includes people not yet eligible. |
| Revision | No change. | Adds a link. | Replaces copied deadlines with official routes. | Explains how each change helps friends in different situations. |
Check your work, continued
One change I made after feedback
I changed ___ because ___.
Notes
Questions to discuss
On your ownWrite a short answer to each question. Then finish My take. About 10 minutes.
1 Which contest on the sample ballot could affect Dec’s school or his bus?
2 Mateo may still be registered in New Bedford. Why might his ballot differ from Dec’s?
3 Anika is 16. How can she be part of this election before she can vote?
4 When could a voter guide that recommends choices help a first-time voter?
My take
My claim: ___.
My take, continued
The best evidence is ___, because ___.
Someone who disagrees might say ___.
The limit of the evidence is ___.
I would change my mind if ___.
Notes
Talk about this case at home
Lesson 9: What is on your ballot, and where do you check?
In this case, a teen about to turn 18 finds local races on his ballot that his feed never mentions. Your student compared a sample ballot with a voter guide, then wrote a guide that points to official sources without telling anyone how to vote.
Questions to talk about
- What offices appear on a local ballot, besides the big races?
- Where can someone find official information about registering to vote?
- How can you tell a fact in a voter guide from a recommendation?
Nobody needs to share personal stories or private information to talk about this case.
See the case online.
Lesson 10Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 10: Whose job is it to fix the blocked route?
Content note
This case involves disability access on a city route. No student should share their own disability or health information, so keep the discussion on Sami’s trip.
This case explains general rules. It is not legal advice for your situation.
Overview
Students read a story in which construction blocks the curb ramp on Sami’s route to a city workshop, and the detour points to stairs. They examine the sign, the route map and the workshop flyer. They use the Department of Justice’s Title II guide to see which part of the ADA applies. They then audit the whole trip and write a message to the city’s ADA coordinator.
Before this case
Students should already be able to:
- define power, sovereignty and legitimacy in the course’s terms
- map actors by their sources of power
- plan contact with an organization ethically
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- frame a political issue about responsibility for accessible public routes
Objectives, continued
- map the actors and their sources of power accurately
- plan consent-based engagement that treats disabled residents as decision-makers
- compare the ADA with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at a general level
Materials
- This chapter, one copy per student
- Evidence A, B and C
- The Department of Justice page, the text of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and one local accessibility page
- An actor map and a consent-based engagement plan template
The task in this edition
Task: Rehearse an engagement project on accessibility where you live: frame a political issue about who is responsible for accessible public routes, map the actors (city departments, contractors, the ADA coordinator, disability advocacy groups, residents), plan consent-based engagement that treats disabled residents as decision-makers, and compare the ADA’s approach at a general level with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which the United States has signed but not ratified.
Students make: Engagement-project proposal, 600–800 words, with an actor map
Fit: partial. Disability access raises rights, equality and the power of public bodies, and a local accessibility issue is a realistic engagement project, but the case is one domestic route and needs international and comparative material to reach the thematic studies.
Pacing
Opener (page 84): 4 min. Short on time: 3 min. Students read What happened on their own.
Key terms (pages 85 and 86): 5 min. Short on time: 3 min. Read the key terms aloud. Skip Who is involved.
Lesson 10Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 10 plan, continued
Pacing, continued
Look at the evidence (page 90): 8 min. Short on time: 7 min. Students fill in only the What it shows boxes.
Look at the evidence (page 91): 4 min. Short on time: 3 min. Read the flyer aloud; skip its boxes.
Key idea (pages 92 and 93): 10 min. Short on time: 8 min. Skip In the news.
Sort the evidence (page 94): 8 min. Short on time: 6 min. Complete the diagram only; skip the missing-perspective box.
Practice (page 95): 5 min. Short on time: skip.
Your task (pages 96 and 97): 25 min. Short on time: 24 min. Map one actor together, then students finish the map.
Your draft (page 98): 35 min. Short on time: 34 min. Students finish the comparison paragraph at home.
Check your work (pages 99 and 100): 8 min. Short on time: 6 min. Skip the rubric self-score.
Questions to discuss (pages 101 and 102): 10 min. Short on time: 6 min. Discuss question 3 only.
Talk about this case at home (page 103): at home.
Periods: full chapter 122 minutes; one period 100 minutes.
Standards
Global politics — key concept: power; thematic study: Rights and justice Uses the course’s key concept of power within its Rights and justice thematic study to examine a political issue. In this case: Students analyze disability rights as claims on public institutions.
Theory of Knowledge — Knowledge and the knower (core theme) The core theme of the course: how each person’s perspective shapes what they know. In this case: Students ask whose experience counts as evidence about a city.
Codes of ethics
- ASPA Code of Ethics: 3. Promote democratic participation.
- NPPA Code of Ethics for Visual Journalists: Code of Ethics, standard 3
- ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct: Rule 3.1 Meritorious Claims and Contentions
Heat map
Opener (page 84): Medium
Key terms (pages 85 and 86): Low
Look at the evidence (page 90): Low
Look at the evidence (page 91): Low
Key idea (pages 92 and 93): Low
Sort the evidence (page 94): Medium
Practice (page 95): Medium
Heat map, continued
Your task (pages 96 and 97): Low
Your draft (page 98): Low
Check your work (pages 99 and 100): Low
Try it at your school
Find your city’s ADA contact.
- With a trusted adult, search your city’s website for “ADA coordinator” or “accessibility”
- Save how to report a blocked sidewalk or curb ramp (often 311 or a public works page)
- If you notice a barrier, note the location, date and time
- Ask the person affected what they want before reporting on their behalf
Who to ask: City ADA coordinator, 311 or public works, school transportation office for school routes
Safety: Don’t film or post people with disabilities without clear permission. Stay out of construction zones.
Sources
- HISTORY, “When the ‘Capitol Crawl’ Dramatized the Need for Americans with Disabilities Act,” July 24, 2020
Lesson 10Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 10 plan, continued
Sources, continued
- Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, “The Capitol Crawl,” No date listed
- U.S. Department of Justice, “The ADA and City Governments,” No date listed
Lesson 10: Whose job is it to fix the blocked route?
A construction detour sends Sami toward stairs on her way to a city workshop, and her bus comes in 12 minutes.
On your ownRead What happened. Underline where the detour sign points. About 4 minutes.
Your role: You’re the one who writes down the corner, the time and the sign before Mateo posts. New skill: Report a problem to the office responsible.
What happened
It is Tuesday, 4:05 p.m., at the corner of Elm Street and 4th Avenue. Sami is on her way to a free community workshop run by the city’s parks department. It starts at 5. Sami uses a manual wheelchair, and her bus comes in 12 minutes. Mateo is with her.
The curb ramp on the northeast corner is blocked by construction fencing. A sign reads “SIDEWALK CLOSED AHEAD. PEDESTRIAN DETOUR.” Its arrow points to a path that begins with a flight of stairs. That detour does not work for Sami.
Mateo already has the sign on video, and his first idea is to post it. Sami asks whether the video gets her on the bus. It does not, so Mateo puts the camera down. He checks the other corners for a ramp while Sami looks up the next bus stop.
Later, they want to report the corner to the city. Mateo wonders whether the city is breaking the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). First, they need to know what one video can show and which office is responsible.
Your question: Whose job is it to fix the blocked route, and what should Sami and Mateo tell the city?
Key terms
On your ownRead each key term and its example. Then write your first guess in the box. About 5 minutes.
Program access Program access is an ADA rule that a city's services, taken as a whole, must be usable by people with disabilities.
En español: acceso a los programas
In this case: The city runs the workshop. Program access asks whether Sami can reach and join the workshop, not only whether one ramp is open.
Barrier A barrier is something that blocks or limits a person from taking part.
En español: barrera
In this case: Fencing blocks the curb ramp at Elm Street and 4th Avenue, and the detour points to stairs. The flyer gives no way to request access.
ADA coordinator An ADA coordinator is the staff member a government names to handle disability access questions and complaints.
En español: coordinador de la ADA
In this case: Mateo plans to send the city’s ADA coordinator the corner, the time, the sign and one question, if Sami agrees.
Who is involved
Sami
Trying to catch her bus to the workshop
“The sign says detour. The detour starts with stairs. So, no. Twelve minutes.”
Mateo
Filmed the detour sign
“I had the sign on video before I even thought about it. Sami asked if that gets her on the bus. Fair. Camera down.”
Your first guess
Before you look at the evidence, whose job do you think it is to fix Sami’s route?
My first guess is ___, because ___.
Notes
Reading passage
A barrier, a bus and the right office
On your ownRead the passage. At each Stop and think box, pause and answer the question in your head or with a partner. About 6 minutes.
Words to know
- Program access: Program access is an ADA rule that a city's services, taken as a whole, must be usable by people with disabilities.
- Barrier: A barrier is something that blocks or limits a person from taking part.
- ADA coordinator: An ADA coordinator is the staff member a government names to handle disability access questions and complaints.
- Claim: A claim is a statement that something is true. You can check a claim with evidence.
- Jurisdiction: A jurisdiction is the place or area where a particular government or rule has authority.
The story: The next twelve minutes
Sami studies design and photographs things most people walk past. She also uses a manual wheelchair and wants access planned before an event, not offered as an apology afterward. At 4:05 p.m. on a Tuesday, at the corner of Elm Street and 4th Avenue, she is on her way to a free parks department workshop that starts at 5. Her bus comes in 12 minutes.
The northeast curb ramp is fenced off for construction. The posted detour, “SIDEWALK CLOSED AHEAD. PEDESTRIAN DETOUR,” points to a path that begins with stairs. Sami says it without drama. The sign says detour, the detour starts with stairs, so no.
Mateo is with Sami, and his reflex is a filmmaker’s. He has the sign on video before he has thought about what the video is for. When he offers to post it, Sami asks whether that gets her on the bus. It does not. Mateo puts the camera down and checks the other corners for a ramp while Sami looks up the next stop. The order of priorities is the first lesson of the case. The person facing the barrier decides what the moment needs and what gets said about her. The report can wait an hour.
Your role is to write down the corner, the time and the sign before anyone posts, so that the later report rests on a clean record.
Stop and think. Why does the case put Sami’s bus ahead of Mateo’s video?
Evidence, barriers and program access
Mateo’s next question is whether the city is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. That is a claim, a statement that something is true that can be checked with evidence, and Lesson 1 taught you to match a claim to what the evidence can support. Mateo draws the limit himself. His video shows one fenced ramp and one sign at 4:05. It cannot show whether another way around exists, so he cannot call the whole route illegal.
The route map widens the frame. Sami’s trip has five stages: home to the corner, the northeast ramp, the bus stop, the ride to the parks department building and the workshop entrance and room. The last stage has not been checked. The flyer adds a different kind of gap. It invites everyone, lists a front desk number and says nothing about accessible entrances or how to request access.
A barrier is something that blocks or limits a person from taking part. The fenced ramp is a physical barrier. The flyer’s silence may be an informational one. Program access is an ADA rule that a city’s services, taken as a whole, must be usable by people with disabilities. The standard applies to the program, not to each building separately. It generally does not require every older building to be accessible, and a city can relocate a service to an accessible place. Existing buildings and new construction have different requirements. Access still covers the whole visit: finding the information, getting there, going in, taking part and leaving.
The last question is who can fix it. Lesson 9’s term jurisdiction, the place or area where a particular government or rule has authority, points to the city, which both runs the workshop and manages the street. An ADA coordinator is the staff member a government names to handle disability access questions and complaints. Mateo’s planned report is short: the corner, the time, the sign and one question. Is there an accessible detour, and how long will the ramp be blocked? It goes out only if Sami agrees.
Stop and think. Program access applies to the program as a whole. How does that change what a report should ask?
The law’s origins and its limits
The Justice Department’s guide for cities explains that Title II of the ADA covers state and local programs, including keeping curb ramps usable during street work (U.S. Department of Justice, updated February 24, 2020). The law’s history explains its focus on steps and routes. On March 12, 1990, activists climbed the Capitol steps to show what stairs do to access, and the ADA was signed that July (HISTORY, July 24, 2020). Minnesota’s disability council notes that the protest involved ADAPT, which began as Americans Disabled for Accessible Public Transit (Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, March 1, 2015).
The law’s origins and its limits, continued
Enforcement is uneven. In New York, a North Bronx subway station is set to get elevators nearly a decade after an ADA lawsuit (THE CITY, October 3, 2025). Federal auditors found gaps in checking whether paratransit services for disabled riders actually work (GAO, November 15, 2012).
Professional codes speak to both people at the corner. The ASPA code asks public servants to “respect and assist all persons in their dealings with public organizations” (ASPA Code of Ethics, 2013). The NPPA code asks visual journalists to “be complete and provide context when photographing or recording subjects” (NPPA Code of Ethics, no date listed).
Stop and think. What is the difference between recording a barrier and making Sami the content?
Sources
Real sourceU.S. Department of JusticeFebruary 24, 2020
The ADA and City Governments
Real sourceHISTORYJuly 24, 2020
When the ‘Capitol Crawl’ Dramatized the Need for Americans with Disabilities Act
Real sourceMinnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental DisabilitiesMarch 1, 2015
The Capitol Crawl
Real sourceTHE CITYOctober 3, 2025
North Bronx Subway Station to Get Elevators, Nearly a Decade After ADA Lawsuit
Real sourceU.S. Government Accountability OfficeNovember 15, 2012
ADA Paratransit Services: Demand Has Increased, but Little Is Known About Compliance (GAO-13-17)
Real sourceAmerican Society for Public Administration (ASPA)2013
ASPA Code of Ethics
Real sourceNational Press Photographers Association (NPPA)No date listed
NPPA Code of Ethics for Visual Journalists
Look at the evidence
On your ownRead each document. For each one, write what it shows and what it leaves out. About 8 minutes.
Evidence AConstruction sign
The detour sign
The sign reads “SIDEWALK CLOSED AHEAD. PEDESTRIAN DETOUR.” Its arrow points to a path that begins with a flight of stairs. The sign went up on Monday. Mateo recorded it on Tuesday at 4:05 p.m.
Look closely: Where does the arrow point? Who could not use that path?
What it shows
What it leaves out
Evidence BRoute map
Sami and Mateo’s route map
1. Home to the corner of Elm Street and 4th Avenue: sidewalk clear. 2. Northeast curb ramp: blocked by construction fencing. 3. Bus stop: next bus in 12 minutes. 4. Bus to the parks department building. 5. Workshop entrance and room: not yet checked.
Look closely: Which stage is blocked, and which stage has nobody checked?
What it shows
What it leaves out
Look at the evidence, continued
Evidence CFlyer
The workshop flyer
The flyer reads “Free Community Workshop Series. Tuesdays, 5–7 p.m., Parks Department Annex. All welcome! Questions? Call the front desk.” It gives no information about accessible entrances or how to request access.
Look closely: What does the flyer tell someone who needs to request access?
What it shows
What it leaves out
What is still missing from the evidence?
Notes
Key idea: program access
On your ownRead the key idea and the code of ethics. Then answer the question in the box. About 10 minutes.
Program access is an ADA rule that a city's services, taken as a whole, must be usable by people with disabilities. The U.S. Department of Justice explains that Title II of the ADA covers state and local government programs and services. Program access generally does not require every older building to be accessible. For example, a city can relocate a service to an accessible place. Existing buildings and new construction have different requirements.
Access covers the whole visit: finding the information, getting there, going in, taking part and leaving. A barrier is something that blocks or limits a person from taking part. Sami meets one barrier at the curb ramp. The workshop flyer could be another, because it gives no way to request access. The Justice Department’s guide for cities also covers curb ramps during street work.
One video of one corner cannot show whether a city is following the law. It can show what happened, where and when. An ADA coordinator is the staff member a government names to handle disability access questions and complaints. That office can say whether an accessible detour exists. Before you report a barrier someone else faces, ask them what they want said.
Professional standards
Real sourceAmerican Society for Public Administration (ASPA)
ASPA Code of Ethics: 3. Promote democratic participation
“respect and assist all persons in their dealings with public organizations”
In plain words: ASPA members in public service agree to help every person use public programs and services.
Question: The parks flyer says “All welcome!” with no access information. What should it add so Sami can request access?
Your answer
The flyer should add ___, so that ___.
In the news
Real sourceHISTORYJuly 24, 2020
When the ‘Capitol Crawl’ Dramatized the Need for Americans with Disabilities Act
A throwback to March 12, 1990, when activists climbed the Capitol steps to show what stairs do to access. The ADA was signed that July.
Real sourceTHE CITYOctober 3, 2025
North Bronx Subway Station to Get Elevators, Nearly a Decade After ADA Lawsuit
A lawsuit pushed a transit agency to add elevators, showing how the ADA makes access a public duty.
Notes
Sort the evidence
On your ownMark whether each piece of evidence supports or narrows each claim. Then write whose view is missing. About 8 minutes.
Sort what the evidence supports. Which claim can you make today, which one needs more facts, and who can supply them?
| Evidence | Claim 1The city is breaking the ADA. | Claim 2On Tuesday, the posted detour did not work for a wheelchair user. |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Photo: the northeast curb ramp blocked by fencing on Tuesday at 4:05 p.m. | Narrows | Supports |
| 2 Detour sign points to a path that starts with stairs | Neither | Supports |
| 3 DOJ: Title II requires program access, not every facility to be accessible | Narrows | Neither |
Still open
- Is there another accessible route to the bus and the workshop? Ask the ADA coordinator.
Whose perspective is missing?
Whose view is missing from these documents? What would you ask them?
The view that is missing is ___. I would ask ___.
Practice: choose a response
On your ownChoose what Mateo should do and explain why. Then fix the two marked phrases. About 5 minutes.
Mateo wants people to know about the blocked corner. What should he do?
A Post the video with a caption saying the city is breaking the ADA.
B Send the ADA coordinator the corner, the time, the detour sign and one question, if Sami agrees.
C Skip the report if Sami finds another bus stop that works today.
Why I chose it
Improve a draft
A student’s first draft
1 The city is breaking the ADA. There is construction blocking the ramp and a wheelchair user I know couldn’t get to the bus. We were standing there for like ten minutes trying to figure out another way and the sign just pointed to stairs. My friend almost missed her workshop because of it. This is discrimination and completely illegal. Nobody even cares about this. You need to 2 fix every ramp in the neighborhood right away or we will post the photos everywhere.
Rewrite each marked phrase so it says only what the evidence supports.
Rewrite phrase 1
Rewrite phrase 2
DP Global politics
Your task
On your ownRead the steps. Fill in the planner boxes before you start your draft. About 25 minutes.
Rehearse an engagement project on accessibility where you live: frame a political issue about who is responsible for accessible public routes, map the actors (city departments, contractors, the ADA coordinator, disability advocacy groups, residents), plan consent-based engagement that treats disabled residents as decision-makers, and compare the ADA’s approach at a general level with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which the United States has signed but not ratified.
- Frame a political issue about who keeps public routes accessible where you live.
- Map the actors: city departments, contractors, the ADA coordinator, advocacy groups and residents.
- Plan one contact that treats disabled residents as decision-makers, with consent.
- Compare the ADA and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the grid.
- Explain what signing without ratifying means for a resident on a blocked sidewalk.
- Write your proposal of 600 to 800 words, starting on the Your draft page.
Prefer typing? Scan to open the online workspace.
Political issue
Your task, continued
Actor map
Engagement plan
The ADA and the UN Convention
Notes
Your draft
On your ownWrite your draft in the boxes. Use your planner from the page before. About 35 minutes.
Proposal: issue, actors and engagement
The ADA and the UN Convention
Check your work
On your ownAnswer the Check your work questions and mark your level in each rubric row. Then write one change you made. About 8 minutes.
Is your issue political and clearly framed?
YesNoDoes your actor map show each actor’s source of power accurately?
YesNoDoes your engagement plan treat disabled residents as decision-makers, with consent?
YesNoDo you compare the ADA and the UN Convention accurately?
YesNo
How your work is scored
Mark one box in each row.
| Skill | Beginning | Developing | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | No location or time. | General description. | Specific location, time and observation. | Specific observation plus what remains unknown. |
| Reasoning | Declares a violation. | Mixes observation and conclusion. | Separates observation from legal question. | Connects observation to program access and asks the right office. |
| Audience & purpose | Threatening or vague. | Polite but no clear request. | Specific, answerable request to the right office. | Request plus how to report future issues. |
How your work is scored, continued
| Skill | Beginning | Developing | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revision | No change. | Tone only. | Adds specifics and removes the legal conclusion. | Explains how each change helps the city act and respects Sami. |
One change I made after feedback
I changed ___ because ___.
Notes
Questions to discuss
On your ownWrite a short answer to each question. Then finish My take. About 10 minutes.
1 Which barrier on Sami’s trip would a photo miss?
2 What is the difference between recording a barrier and making Sami the content?
3 Construction is temporary, but the detour affects people now. What should a city do to keep routes usable during repairs?
My take
My claim: ___.
The best evidence is ___, because ___.
My take, continued
Someone who disagrees might say ___.
The limit of the evidence is ___.
I would change my mind if ___.
Notes
Talk about this case at home
Lesson 10: Whose job is it to fix the blocked route?
In this case, construction blocks a curb ramp on a young woman’s route to a city workshop, and the detour points to stairs. Your student studied what one video can show, then wrote a question for the city office responsible for access.
Questions to talk about
- Who in our town takes care of sidewalks and curb ramps?
- What details make a report to the city easy to act on?
- Why should you ask someone before you post a video of them?
Nobody needs to share personal stories or private information to talk about this case.
See the case online.
Lesson 11Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 11: Why are Jordy and Gia paid different rates?
Content note
This case explains general rules. It is not legal advice for your situation.
Overview
Students read a story in which Jordy and Gia work the same Saturday event. Jordy is paid $16.50 an hour, and Gia is paid $18.00. They compare the pay statements and the crew schedule, which lists Gia as shift lead, with federal pages on pay discrimination and on discussing wages. They then draft Jordy’s message to the supervisor asking how the rates were set.
Before this case
Students should already be able to:
- explain the difference between a stated right and a law that enforces it
- use power and legitimacy as analytical concepts
- evaluate a policy from more than one perspective
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- compare Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with the Equal Pay Act and Title VII
- analyze information as a source of power between employers and workers
Objectives, continued
- evaluate whether one pay-transparency law changes that balance
- explain why a widely recognized right can be hard for one worker to use
Materials
- This chapter, one copy per student
- The text of Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- The EEOC and NLRB pages
- One state or city pay-transparency law chosen with the educator
The task in this edition
Task: Compare the statement of equal pay for equal work in Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with how U.S. federal law (the Equal Pay Act and Title VII) and one state or city pay-transparency law approach it. Then evaluate whether transparency laws change the balance of power between employers and workers like Jordy.
Students make: Analytical response, 700–900 words
The task in this edition, continued
Fit: partial. Equal pay for equal work is a recognized right in international instruments and a live political issue, but the case is one workplace question whose cause is unknown, so a Global Politics task must bring in comparative material and use the case only as an entry point.
Pacing
Opener (page 104): 4 min. Short on time: 4 min.
Key terms (pages 105 and 106): 4 min. Short on time: skip.
Look at the evidence (page 110): 6 min. Short on time: 6 min.
Look at the evidence (page 111): 3 min. Short on time: 3 min.
Key idea (pages 112 and 113): 10 min. Short on time: 8 min. Skip In the news.
Sort the evidence (page 114): 6 min. Short on time: 6 min.
Practice (page 115): 4 min. Short on time: skip.
Your task (pages 116 and 117): 20 min. Short on time: 20 min.
Your draft (page 118): 40 min. Short on time: 40 min.
Check your work (pages 119 and 120): 8 min. Short on time: 8 min.
Lesson 11Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 11 plan, continued
Pacing, continued
Questions to discuss (pages 121 and 122): 10 min. Short on time: 5 min. Use question 4 only.
Talk about this case at home (page 123): at home.
Periods: full chapter 115 minutes; one period 100 minutes.
Standards
Global politics — thematic study: Rights and justice Uses the course’s Rights and justice thematic study to examine a political issue. In this case: Students analyze how law addresses unequal pay.
Theory of Knowledge — Knowledge and the knower (core theme) The core theme of the course: how each person’s perspective shapes what they know. In this case: Students ask what a worker can know about pay decisions from their position.
Codes of ethics
- SHRM Code of Ethics: Fairness and Justice
- SHRM Code of Ethics: Use of Information
- IABC Code of Ethics for Professional Communicators: “I protect confidential information”
Heat map
Opener (page 104): Medium
Key terms (pages 105 and 106): Low
Heat map, continued
Look at the evidence (page 110): Low
Look at the evidence (page 111): Low
Key idea (pages 112 and 113): Low
Sort the evidence (page 114): Low
Practice (page 115): Medium
Your task (pages 116 and 117): Low
Check your work (pages 119 and 120): Low
Try it at your school
Know how pay decisions are made where you work.
- Ask for your pay rate and how it’s set in writing when you start a job
- Keep your own record of hours and duties
- Talk with a trusted adult or counselor if something seems off
- Look up your state labor department’s pay-equity page
Who to ask: Supervisor or HR, school counselor, state labor department, the EEOC’s public information line
Safety: Don’t share coworkers’ pay information without their permission. Deadlines apply to formal complaints, so ask a qualified adviser early if you think there’s a legal issue.
Sources
- NPR, “The U.S. national women’s soccer team wins $24 million in equal pay settlement,” February 22, 2022
- NPR, “Federal Judge Dismisses U.S. Women’s Soccer Team’s Equal Pay Claim,” May 2, 2020
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), “Pay Discrimination,” No date listed
- National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), “Your Right to Discuss Wages,” No date listed
Lesson 11: Why are Jordy and Gia paid different rates?
Jordy and Gia worked the same Saturday event, but Gia’s pay rate is $1.50 an hour higher, and Jordy wants to know why.
On your ownRead What happened. Underline the two pay rates and the job title on the schedule. About 4 minutes.
Your role: You’re the one who lines up both shifts side by side before Jordy writes to Dana. New skill: Compare two cases on the same terms.
What happened
Jordy and Gia work event shifts for the same company. They both worked a Saturday event from 3 to 11 p.m. Both helped with setup and closing, and Jordy also ran the caption and audio check.
They were paid the following Friday. On Sunday afternoon, Jordy and Gia compare pay statements. Jordy’s lists eight hours at $16.50 an hour. Gia’s lists $18.00 an hour for the same event.
The crew schedule lists Gia as “shift lead,” but it does not say what that job includes. That day, Gia opened up and handled one guest issue. She does not know if that explains the $1.50 difference. Gia is fine with Jordy knowing her rate. But she does not want her statement posted.
Jordy wants to ask Dana, the supervisor, how rates are set. Jordy will not post anything before Dana answers.
Your question: Why is Gia paid more than Jordy for the same event, and how should Jordy ask about it?
Key terms
On your ownRead each key term and its example. Then write your first guess about the pay difference. About 4 minutes.
Compensation Compensation is all the pay and benefits a worker receives, including hourly rates, bonuses and overtime.
En español: compensación
In this case: Jordy’s statement shows eight hours at $16.50 an hour, and Gia’s shows $18.00. The statements show the rates but not how they were set.
Equal Pay Act The Equal Pay Act is a federal law from 1963 that requires equal pay for men and women who do equal work.
En español: Ley de Igualdad Salarial
In this case: The Equal Pay Act covers pay differences based on sex, not every difference. Different job duties, such as a real shift-lead role, can be a lawful reason.
Title VII Title VII is part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It bans job discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin.
En español: Título VII
In this case: Title VII covers pay decisions based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. No document shows how Jordy’s rate was set.
Who is involved
Jordy
Worked setup through close
“Three to eleven, setup to close, and I ran the caption and audio check. $16.50 an hour. Gia’s says $18.00.”
Gia
Listed as shift lead
“I only found out I make more because Jordy showed me theirs. The schedule calls me shift lead. Nobody told me what that pays for.”
Your first guess
Before you look at the evidence, why do you think Gia is paid more than Jordy?
My first guess is ___, because ___.
Notes
Reading passage
A pay gap is a question, not a finding
On your ownRead the passage. At each Stop and think box, pause and answer the question in your head or with a partner. About 5 minutes.
Words to know
- Compensation: Compensation is all the pay and benefits a worker receives, including hourly rates, bonuses and overtime.
- Equal Pay Act: The Equal Pay Act is a federal law from 1963 that requires equal pay for men and women who do equal work.
- Title VII: Title VII is part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It bans job discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin.
- Gross pay: Gross pay is the money you earn before any taxes or other deductions are taken out.
The story: Two statements on a Sunday
Jordy is Black, nonbinary and hard of hearing, studies part time and works event shifts. Gia studies communication and works café shifts, and she also picks up event work for the same company as Jordy. On Saturday, they both worked a 3 to 11 p.m. event. The crew schedule shows the division of labor. Everyone did setup from 3 to 5 and closing from 10 to 11. Jordy ran the caption and audio check. Gia is listed as “shift lead,” with no description of what that means.
On Sunday, Jordy shares a pay statement with Gia: eight hours at $16.50. Gia’s says $18.00. Her first reaction is a guess, that the difference must be the shift lead title. Her second is honesty. She opened up and handled one guest issue, and she does not know whether that is why she is paid $1.50 more. Gia only found out because Jordy showed her.
The friends agree on the facts and on a boundary. Gia is fine with Jordy knowing her rate but does not want her statement posted. Jordy will not post anything before asking Dana, the supervisor, how rates are set. Asked whether this is discrimination, Gia says she does not know yet. Maybe shift lead pays more. Ask Dana what it covers first.
Your role is to line up both shifts side by side before Jordy writes to Dana.
Stop and think. Gia’s first guess and her honest answer differ. Why is the honest answer more useful to Jordy?
Comparing on the same terms
The skill in this case is comparing two situations on the same terms before calling a difference unfair. It builds on Lesson 5, where you read a pay statement line by line. Jordy’s statement shows 8.0 hours at $16.50 and gross pay of $132.00, the money earned before any taxes or other deductions are taken out.
A fair comparison lists every dimension the evidence covers. Hours, setup and closing are identical. Jordy had a technical duty, the caption and audio check. Gia had a title and two tasks attached to it. The documents leave three things unknown: what “shift lead” formally includes, whether it carries a set rate and how rates are set in general. Compensation is all the pay and benefits a worker receives, including hourly rates, bonuses and overtime. A job title, extra duties or more experience can lawfully explain a difference. So can a mistake. The comparison does not reveal which.
That is why the case turns on a question rather than a verdict. Lesson 10’s skill, reporting to the office responsible, points to Dana, who sets rates. Jordy’s message can state the observation, list what Jordy knows for sure and ask what shift lead includes and how rates are set. It does not need to name Gia’s rate. Jordy keeps the next decision too. If the answer does not make sense, Jordy decides what to do.
Stop and think. The judge and the players disagreed about what to compare. How would each approach apply to Jordy and Gia?
The legal frame and the soccer comparison
Two federal laws limit the reasons employers can use to set pay. The Equal Pay Act is a federal law from 1963 that requires equal pay for men and women who do equal work. Title VII is part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It bans job discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. The EEOC enforces both. Its youth pages list the kinds of compensation the laws cover and the ban on retaliation (EEOC, no date listed). The NLRB adds that most private-sector workers may discuss pay with coworkers, with or without a union (NLRB, no date listed). That right does not make Gia’s statement Jordy’s to share.
The U.S. women’s national soccer team’s case shows how much depends on the comparison. In 2020, a federal judge dismissed their equal pay claim, pointing to differences in contract structure (NPR, May 2, 2020). The players appealed, arguing that he had not compared rates of pay. In February 2022, they settled for $24 million with a promise of equal pay rates (NPR, February 22, 2022), and the new terms were later written into signed contracts (PBS NewsHour, September 6, 2022). The settlement was an agreement between the parties, not a court finding.
Policy is moving toward more visible pay. New salary transparency laws put pay ranges in job ads, which makes differences easier to notice and ask about (NPR, January 3, 2023). HR professionals have their own standard.
The legal frame and the soccer comparison, continued
The SHRM code asks members to “foster fair, consistent and equitable treatment for all” (SHRM Code of Ethics, April 24, 2023).
Stop and think. Why does the case treat Jordy’s choice to wait for Dana as belonging to Jordy alone?
Sources
Real sourceU.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)No date listed
Pay Discrimination
Real sourceNational Labor Relations Board (NLRB)No date listed
Your Right to Discuss Wages
Real sourceNPRMay 2, 2020
Federal Judge Dismisses U.S. Women’s Soccer Team’s Equal Pay Claim
Real sourceNPRFebruary 22, 2022
The U.S. national women’s soccer team wins $24 million in equal pay settlement
Real sourcePBS NewsHour (Associated Press)September 6, 2022
U.S. men's and women's soccer teams formally sign equal pay agreements
Real sourceNPRJanuary 3, 2023
The impact that new salary transparency laws could have
Real sourceSociety for Human Resource Management (SHRM)2023
SHRM Code of Ethics
Notes
Look at the evidence
On your ownRead each document. For each one, fill in both boxes. About 6 minutes.
Evidence APay statement
Jordy’s pay statement
Event crew, Saturday. Hours: 8.0 at $16.50. Gross pay for the event: $132.00.
Look closely: Multiply the hours by the rate. Does it match the gross pay?
What it shows
What it leaves out
Evidence BWork schedule
The crew schedule
Saturday event, 3:00–11:00 p.m. Crew: Gia (shift lead), Jordy and two other crew members. Setup, 3:00–5:00: all crew. Caption and audio check: Jordy. Closing, 10:00–11:00: all crew.
Look closely: Circle “shift lead.” Does the schedule say what that job includes?
What it shows
What it leaves out
Look at the evidence, continued
Evidence CText messages
Jordy and Gia compare notes
Sunday, 1:15 p.m.
Gia: I’m fine with you knowing my rate. I just don’t want my statement posted anywhere.
Jordy: Got it. Did you do anything different as shift lead?
Gia: I opened up and handled one guest issue. Honestly, I don’t know if that’s why. Let’s ask Dana.
Look closely: What does Gia agree to share, and what does she ask Jordy not to do?
What it shows
What it leaves out
What is still missing from the evidence?
Key idea: equal pay
On your ownRead the key idea and the code of ethics. Then answer the question in the box. About 10 minutes.
Before you can say why Jordy is paid less, you need to know what each job included. Compensation is all the pay and benefits a worker receives, including hourly rates, bonuses and overtime. A job title, extra duties or more experience can explain a pay difference. So can a mistake. The pay statements show the rates, but they do not show how the rates were set.
Federal laws limit the reasons an employer can use to set pay. The Equal Pay Act is a federal law from 1963 that requires equal pay for men and women who do equal work. Title VII is part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It bans job discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Both laws apply to covered employers, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces them. A legitimate reason, such as different job duties, can lawfully explain a pay difference.
Talking about pay is protected too. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) says most private-sector workers have a right to discuss pay with coworkers. That right holds with or without a union. It does not make Gia’s pay statement Jordy’s to share. Jordy can ask Dana how rates are set without naming Gia’s rate.
Professional standards
Real sourceSociety for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
SHRM Code of Ethics: Fairness and Justice
“Develop, administer, and advocate policies and procedures that foster fair, consistent and equitable treatment for all.”
In plain words: HR professionals who belong to SHRM agree to use workplace policies that treat workers fairly and consistently.
Question: The schedule lists Gia as shift lead. What written policy would show whether that title explains the higher rate?
Your answer
The policy would need to state ___, so that ___.
In the news
Real sourceNPRFebruary 22, 2022
The U.S. national women's soccer team wins $24 million in equal pay settlement
A real ‘same work, different pay’ dispute that ended in a settlement and a promise of equal rates.
Real sourceNPRMay 2, 2020
Federal Judge Dismisses U.S. Women’s Soccer Team’s Equal Pay Claim
Why the claim was first dismissed: the judge compared how the contracts were structured. What you compare shapes the answer.
Notes
Sort the evidence
On your ownLine up the accounts in the diagram. Then name one view that is missing. About 6 minutes.
Line up the accounts. Where do they agree, where do they differ, and which difference could be a legitimate factor? What would you need to find out before calling it unfair?
Account 1
Jordy’s record: 8 hours, setup, caption and audio check, closing, $16.50
Account 2
Gia’s account: same hours, setup and closing, opened up and handled one guest issue, $18.00
Account 3
The schedule: Gia listed as shift lead, with no description of the role
Where they agree
Where they differ
Check: Ask the supervisor how rates are set and what the shift-lead role requires
Whose perspective is missing?
Whose view is missing from these documents? What would you ask them?
The view that is missing is ___. I would ask ___.
Practice: choose a response
On your ownChoose what Jordy should do first and explain why. Then fix the two marked lines. About 4 minutes.
Jordy’s statement shows $16.50 an hour. Gia’s shows $18.00 for the same Saturday event, and the schedule lists her as “shift lead.” What should Jordy do first?
A Tell the rest of the crew that Gia is paid more for the same work.
B Compare what each of them did, find out what “shift lead” means and ask Dana how rates are set.
C Let it go, because an employer can set any pay rate it chooses.
Why I chose it
Improve a draft
A student’s first draft
Hi, I found out Gia makes more than me and we did the exact same work so 1 this is discrimination. I know it’s because of who I am. I want the same rate as her starting now or I’m going to post about it everywhere so people know how this company treats workers. 2 I have her pay stub as proof. I’ve worked here longer than some people and I always show up on time. Let me know by tomorrow. Jordy
Rewrite each marked phrase so it says only what the evidence supports.
Rewrite phrase 1
Rewrite phrase 2
DP Global politics
Your task
On your ownRead the steps. Fill in the planner boxes before you start your draft. About 20 minutes.
Compare the statement of equal pay for equal work in Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with how U.S. federal law (the Equal Pay Act and Title VII) and one state or city pay-transparency law approach it. Then evaluate whether transparency laws change the balance of power between employers and workers like Jordy.
- Read Article 23 and the EEOC page. Note who states each right and who enforces it.
- Fill in the rights-versus-law grid for Article 23, the two federal laws and your chosen law.
- Answer the power prompts: who holds pay information in Jordy’s case, and who can act on it?
- Draft your evaluation of the transparency law on the Your draft page.
- Write the full 700- to 900-word response on lined paper or in the online workspace.
- Evaluate at least two perspectives fairly: worker, employer or regulator.
Prefer typing? Scan to open the online workspace.
Article 23: who states the right
Your task, continued
Equal Pay Act and Title VII: who enforces them
Who holds pay information, and who can act on it
Notes
Your draft
On your ownWrite your draft in the boxes. Use your planner from the page before. About 40 minutes.
Evaluation: does the law change the balance of power? About 150 words
A second perspective, about 40 words
Check your work
On your ownAnswer the Check your work questions and mark your level in each rubric row. Then write one change you made. About 8 minutes.
Do you explain Article 23 and U.S. federal law accurately?
YesNoDo you analyze information as a source of power?
YesNoDo you evaluate at least two perspectives fairly?
YesNoDo you use power and legitimacy precisely?
YesNo
How your work is scored
Mark one box in each row.
| Skill | Beginning | Developing | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | Relies on assumption. | Mentions the gap only. | Cites duties, hours and rate. | Cites records and acknowledges what isn’t known. |
| Reasoning | Declares discrimination. | Assumes the reason. | Asks for criteria before concluding. | Identifies possible legitimate factors to test. |
| Audience & purpose | Threatens or exposes coworkers. | Polite but vague. | Specific question to the right person. | Specific question that protects coworkers’ privacy. |
| Revision | No change. | Tone only. | Replaces conclusion with a question. | Explains how changes protect Jordy and get an answer. |
Check your work, continued
One change I made after feedback
I changed ___ because ___.
Notes
Questions to discuss
On your ownWrite a short answer to each question. Then complete each sentence frame below the questions. About 10 minutes.
1 What information could explain the $1.50 difference, and what might challenge that explanation?
2 Whose choice is it to make Jordy’s pay public, and why?
3 What answer from Dana would satisfy Jordy, and what answer would not?
4 In the soccer case, the judge looked at contract structures, and the players wanted him to compare rates of pay. Why does that choice matter?
My take
My claim: ___.
The best evidence is ___, because ___.
Someone who disagrees might say ___.
The limit of the evidence is ___.
I would change my mind if ___.
Notes
Talk about this case at home
Lesson 11: Why are Jordy and Gia paid different rates?
In this case, two friends who worked the same event find out one is paid $1.50 more an hour. Your student compared their records and wrote a respectful message asking a supervisor how pay rates are set.
Questions to talk about
- What questions could someone ask about pay when starting a new job?
- Why might a person want to keep their pay private?
- What makes a question to a boss sound respectful?
Nobody needs to share personal stories or private information to talk about this case.
See the case online.
Lesson 12Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 12: When can a school limit what students say?
Content note
The news sources include 2026 student walkouts against federal immigration enforcement, which grew after federal agents fatally shot two people in Minneapolis. Preview them, and keep discussion on the legal questions in Anika’s case.
This case explains general rules. It is not legal advice for your situation.
Overview
Students read about Anika, a high school junior whose poster asks students to wear blue Thursday to keep the library open at lunch. They compare her poster, a posting policy and a group chat about a walkout with a summary of Tinker v. Des Moines (1969). They then compare the fact patterns and write two questions for a school contact about the posting policy.
Before this case
Students should already be able to:
- explain the difference between an international rights instrument and domestic law
- use legitimacy, power and sovereignty as analytical concepts
- evaluate a rule from several perspectives
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- compare the Tinker framework with Article 13 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
- explain what it means that the United States has signed but not ratified the convention
- evaluate the legitimacy of the posting policy from the perspectives of students, staff and the district
- link the local case to rights and justice without overstating it
Materials
- This chapter, one copy per student
- The text of Article 13 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
- The Tinker summary, Evidence B and Evidence C
- A rights comparison grid and a perspective table
The task in this edition
Task: Compare how the U.S. Tinker framework and Article 13 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child treat young people’s freedom of expression, noting that the United States has signed but not ratified the convention. Then evaluate the legitimacy of the school’s posting policy from the perspectives of students, staff and the district.
The task in this edition, continued
Students make: Analytical response, 700–900 words
Fit: partial. Student expression raises rights, liberty and the legitimacy of school authority, which connect to the rights and justice thematic study, but the case rests on U.S. constitutional doctrine and needs an international-rights comparison to become global politics.
Pacing
Opener (page 124): 4 min. Short on time: 4 min.
Key terms (pages 125 and 126): 4 min. Short on time: skip.
Look at the evidence (page 130): 6 min. Short on time: 6 min.
Look at the evidence (page 131): 3 min. Short on time: 3 min.
Key idea (pages 132 and 133): 10 min. Short on time: 8 min. Skip the code of ethics.
Sort the evidence (page 134): 6 min. Short on time: 6 min.
Practice (page 135): 4 min. Short on time: skip.
Your task (pages 136 and 137): 20 min. Short on time: 20 min.
Your draft (page 138): 40 min. Short on time: 40 min.
Lesson 12Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 12 plan, continued
Pacing, continued
Check your work (pages 139 and 140): 8 min. Short on time: 8 min.
Questions to discuss (pages 141 and 142): 10 min. Short on time: 5 min. Use question 2 only.
Talk about this case at home (page 143): at home.
Periods: full chapter 115 minutes; one period 100 minutes.
Standards
Global politics — key concepts: power and legitimacy; thematic study: Rights and justice Uses the course’s key concepts of power and legitimacy within its Rights and justice thematic study to examine a political issue. In this case: Students analyze the balance between student liberty and a school’s authority.
Theory of Knowledge — Knowledge and politics (optional theme) An optional theme of the course: how political power and processes affect what counts as knowledge. In this case: Students ask how courts produce shared knowledge about rights through precedent.
Codes of ethics
- ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct: Rule 2.1 Advisor
- PRSA Code of Ethics: Disclosure of Information
Codes of ethics, continued
- AIGA Standards of Professional Practice: The designer’s responsibility to the public
Heat map
Opener (page 124): Medium
Key terms (pages 125 and 126): Low
Look at the evidence (page 130): Low
Look at the evidence (page 131): Low
Key idea (pages 132 and 133): Medium
Sort the evidence (page 134): Low
Practice (page 135): Medium
Your task (pages 136 and 137): Low
Check your work (pages 139 and 140): Low
Try it at your school
Read your school’s expression policy before you print.
- Find your student handbook’s section on posting, dress or expression
- Write down which spaces allow student posters and whether approval is needed
- Make student-made materials clearly student-made, with no school logo
- Bring questions to student council or an advisor before planning an action
Who to ask: Student council advisor, a civics or government teacher, an assistant principal
Try it at your school, continued
Safety: Don’t pressure classmates to join a protest or skip class. Talk with a trusted adult before any action that could lead to discipline.
Sources
- U.S. Courts, “Facts and Case Summary: Tinker v. Des Moines,” No date listed
- U.S. Courts, “Fictional Scenario: Tinker v. Des Moines,” No date listed
- Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School, “Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, 393 U.S. 503 (1969),” 1969
Lesson 12: When can a school limit what students say?
Anika’s poster asks her school to keep the library open at lunch, and now someone in her group chat suggests a walkout.
On your ownRead What happened. Underline each plan: the poster, wearing blue and the walkout. About 4 minutes.
Your role: You’re the one who compares Tinker with each action before anyone says “can’t touch us.” New skill: Apply a precedent by comparing fact patterns.
What happened
Anika is a junior at a public high school. She wants the school library to stay open at lunch. On Tuesday afternoon, she prints a poster that says “KEEP OUR LIBRARY OPEN AT LUNCH. Wear blue Thursday.”
Mateo did the photo and layout. He put a photo of the school’s sign and logo across the top. The poster does not name Anika or any student group. The student handbook says posters need approval from the main office and the name of the student or group responsible.
On Wednesday night, someone in the group chat suggests a walkout if the school takes the poster down. The message says a 1969 Supreme Court case, Tinker v. Des Moines, means the school “can’t touch us.” Anika never suggested a walkout.
Your question: How far does Tinker cover the poster, the wear-blue plan and the walkout, and what facts are missing?
Key terms
On your ownRead each key term and its example. Then write your first guess in the box. About 4 minutes.
Precedent A precedent is an earlier court decision that judges use as a guide in similar later cases.
En español: precedente
In this case: Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) guides Anika’s case only as far as the facts match: quiet expression at a public school.
Fact pattern A fact pattern is the specific set of facts in a situation that a rule is applied to.
En español: conjunto de hechos
In this case: Anika lists each plan’s action, place, timing and rule: the poster on a school board, wearing blue on Thursday and leaving class.
Substantial disruption Substantial disruption is the standard from Tinker v. Des Moines: a public school may limit speech that would seriously disrupt school activities.
En español: alteración sustancial
In this case: Wearing blue on Thursday is quiet, like the armbands. Leaving class is conduct under the attendance rule, which Tinker does not settle.
Who is involved
Anika
Made the poster
“My poster says keep the library open at lunch, and wear blue Thursday. Now the chat says we walk out. I never said walk out.”
Mateo
Did the photo and layout
“I put the school sign across the top because it looked good. Now it reads like the school is announcing it. It isn’t.”
Your first guess
Before you look at the evidence, can the school do anything about the poster or the walkout?
My first guess is ___, because ___.
Notes
Reading passage
Reasoning from precedent
On your ownRead the passage. At each Stop and think box, pause and answer the question in your head or with a partner. About 5 minutes.
Words to know
- Precedent: A precedent is an earlier court decision that judges use as a guide in similar later cases.
- Fact pattern: A fact pattern is the specific set of facts in a situation that a rule is applied to.
- Substantial disruption: Substantial disruption is the standard from Tinker v. Des Moines: a public school may limit speech that would seriously disrupt school activities.
- Claim: A claim is a statement that something is true. You can check a claim with evidence.
- Framing: Framing is choosing which parts of a situation a message brings forward.
The story: Three actions, one slogan
Anika is a junior at a public high school who helps with theater sets and likes solving a problem herself before anyone jumps in. The problem she wants solved now is small and concrete. She wants the school library open at lunch. On Tuesday at 3:15 p.m., she prints a poster: “KEEP OUR LIBRARY OPEN AT LUNCH. Wear blue Thursday.” Mateo designed it and, for visual impact, put a photo of the school’s sign and logo across the top. The poster names no student or group.
On Wednesday at 9:02 p.m., the group chat escalates. Someone writes, “If they take the poster down we walk out Thursday. Tinker says they can’t touch us.” Another person asks whether the plan is to wear blue and walk out. Anika answers that she never asked anyone to leave class.
Then both friends look at their own part. Anika checks page 14 of the handbook. Students may post on the boards outside the cafeteria and the library if the main office approves and the material shows the responsible student’s or group’s name. Her poster has no name, and she says that part is on her. Mateo realizes his photo changed the poster’s apparent author. With the school’s sign on top, it reads like an official announcement. Before reprinting, he plans to get office approval, add Anika’s name or her group’s and leave off the logo.
Your role is to compare Tinker with each action before anyone says “can’t touch us.”
Stop and think. Why does a precedent’s reach depend on how closely the facts match?
From precedent to fact pattern
A precedent is an earlier court decision that judges use as a guide in similar later cases. The chat’s precedent is Tinker v. Des Moines (1969). Public-school students wore black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. They were suspended, and the Supreme Court ruled for them. Substantial disruption is the standard from Tinker v. Des Moines: a public school may limit speech that would seriously disrupt school activities. The Court held that a mere fear of disruption was not enough.
Precedent works by analogy, so its reach depends on how closely a new situation matches. A fact pattern is the specific set of facts in a situation that a rule is applied to. The skill here extends Lesson 11, where you compared two jobs on the same terms. Build a fact pattern for each action and set it beside Tinker’s. The wear-blue plan is silent, symbolic and done while attending class, which closely tracks the armbands. The walkout involves leaving class, so a separate attendance rule governs the conduct regardless of the message. The poster raises a question Tinker does not reach. With the school’s logo and no student name, it may look like school speech, and schools have more control over speech that appears to come from the school.
Lesson 1’s vocabulary sharpens the analysis. “Tinker says they can’t touch us” is a claim that stretches a narrow holding into a blanket immunity. The logo is framing, choosing which parts of a situation a message brings forward, and it brings the institution forward as the speaker. Mateo’s redesign corrects the frame.
Stop and think. Build a fact pattern for the walkout. Which fact moves it furthest from Tinker?
Courts, classrooms and current events
The Tinker majority wrote that students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate” (Legal Information Institute, 1969). The federal judiciary’s own teaching materials pair that holding with a walkout scenario, separating the message from the act of leaving class and noting the usual attendance consequences (U.S. Courts, no date listed).
The Court revisited student expression in Mahanoy Area School District v. B. L., the case of a cheerleader’s off-campus Snapchat post. The 8 to 1 decision protected the student but said schools may still regulate some off-campus speech, such as threats (Supreme Court of the United States, June 23, 2021). Analysts noted how one changed fact pattern changed the answer (EdSurge, June 23, 2021).
Recent walkouts show the attendance question in practice. In early 2026, students in Indiana and other states walked out to protest federal immigration enforcement. Some Indianapolis-area schools treated it as an unexcused absence, and one high school issued one-day suspensions (Chalkbeat Indiana, February 11, 2026). An Indiana public media guide separated speech rights, attendance rules and discipline in the same way this case does (WFYI, February 1, 2026).
Courts, classrooms and current events, continued
Designers carry a related duty. The AIGA standards ask designers to “represent messages in a clear manner” and to avoid “false, misleading and deceptive promotion” (AIGA Standards of Professional Practice, no date listed). Mateo’s logo was not a lie, but it misled about the speaker.
Stop and think. Mateo’s logo did not state anything false. Why can it still mislead?
Sources
Real sourceLegal Information Institute, Cornell Law School1969
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, 393 U.S. 503 (1969)
Real sourceU.S. CourtsNo date listed
Fictional Scenario: Tinker v. Des Moines
Real sourceSupreme Court of the United StatesJune 23, 2021
Mahanoy Area School District v. B. L. (opinion)
Real sourceEdSurgeJune 23, 2021
In a Win for Student Speech, Supreme Court Rules in Favor of the ‘Snapchat Cheerleader’
Real sourceChalkbeat IndianaFebruary 11, 2026
How schools in Marion County responded to anti-ICE student protests
Real sourceWFYI Indianapolis Public MediaFebruary 1, 2026
A guide to your rights at Indiana protests, in the streets, and at school
Real sourceAIGA, the professional association for designNo date listed
AIGA Standards of Professional Practice
Notes
Look at the evidence
On your ownRead each document. For each one, fill in both boxes. About 6 minutes.
Evidence APoster
Anika’s poster, first version
Printed Tuesday, 3:15 p.m. The poster reads “KEEP OUR LIBRARY OPEN AT LUNCH. Wear blue Thursday.” A photo of the school’s sign and logo runs across the top. No student name or group appears anywhere on the poster.
Look closely: Cover the logo photo with your hand. Who seems to be speaking now?
What it shows
What it leaves out
Evidence BHandbook policy
Student handbook, page 14
Students may post materials on the student bulletin boards outside the cafeteria and the library. Materials must be approved by the main office and must show the name of the student or group responsible.
Look closely: Underline the two requirements for every poster.
What it shows
What it leaves out
Look at the evidence, continued
Evidence CGroup chat
The walkout message
Wednesday, 9:02 p.m.
First message: “If they take the poster down we walk out Thursday. Tinker says they can’t touch us.
Reply: “Wait, wear blue AND walk out??
Look closely: Which part is a message, and which part is leaving class?
What it shows
What it leaves out
What is still missing from the evidence?
Notes
Key idea: precedent
On your ownRead the key idea and the Professional standards card. Then answer the question in the box. About 10 minutes.
A precedent is an earlier court decision that judges use as a guide in similar later cases. In Tinker v. Des Moines (1969), public-school students wore black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. The school suspended them, and the Supreme Court ruled for the students. The Court wrote that students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” It also said a mere fear of disruption was not enough to limit their expression.
A precedent guides a new case only as far as the facts match. Substantial disruption is the standard from Tinker v. Des Moines: a public school may limit speech that would seriously disrupt school activities. Wearing blue on Thursday is quiet, like the armbands. A walkout is different, because students leave class. The school’s attendance rule covers that conduct, and Tinker does not settle it.
The poster raises another question. It shows the school’s sign and logo but no student name, so it may look like the school is speaking. Schools have more control over speech that looks like it comes from the school. A fact pattern is the specific set of facts in a situation that a rule is applied to. Write a fact pattern for each action before you decide whether Tinker fits it.
Professional standards
Adapted from a real sourceAmerican Bar Association (ABA), Center for Professional Responsibility
ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct: Rule 2.1 Advisor
Summary: Summary, not a quotation: in representing a client, a lawyer must use independent professional judgment and give candid advice. A lawyer may refer to moral, economic, social and political factors as well as the law.
In plain words: Lawyers must give their clients honest, independent advice, even when the client would rather hear something else.
Question: The chat says “Tinker says they can't touch us.” What would candid advice say about the walkout and attendance policy?
Professional standards, continued
Your answer
Candid advice would say ___, even though ___.
In the news
Real sourcePBS NewsHourApril 28, 2021
Student free speech makes it to the Supreme Court in former high school cheerleader's case
Explains the Snapchat case the Court used to ask when a school can punish off-campus student speech.
Real sourcePBS NewsHour (Associated Press)June 23, 2021
Supreme Court rules in favor of cheerleader who published critical social media post in First Amendment case
The 8-1 ruling protected the student but said schools may still act on some off-campus speech, like threats.
Notes
Sort the evidence
On your ownLink each piece of evidence to the claim it supports or challenges. Then name one missing view. About 6 minutes.
Test the slogan against the facts. Which evidence supports each claim, which challenges it, and which fact would you still need?
| Evidence | Claim 1Tinker means nobody can face consequences for walking out. | Claim 2The wear-blue plan closely matches Tinker’s facts. | Claim 3The poster should carry a student byline instead of the school logo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Tinker’s facts: silent armbands, no substantial disruption, a public school | Narrows | Supports | Neither |
| 2 A walkout means leaving class, which falls under the attendance rule | Challenges | Neither | Neither |
| 3 The logo photo makes the poster look like school-sponsored speech | Neither | Neither | Supports |
Still open
- What does the attendance policy say, and what process follows?
Whose perspective is missing?
Whose view is missing from these documents? What would you ask them?
The view that is missing is ___. I would ask ___.
Practice: choose a response
On your ownChoose the best reply to the group chat and explain why. Then fix the two marked lines. About 4 minutes.
Someone in Anika’s group chat says, “Tinker means nobody can get in trouble for walking out of class.” How should you respond?
A Agree, because Tinker protected students who protested at school.
B Disagree, because schools can make any rule they want about student speech.
C Say that the message and leaving class are separate questions, then check the attendance rule.
Why I chose it
Improve a draft
A student’s first draft
No, the school can’t take it down because of Tinker v. Des Moines. In that case 1 the Supreme Court said students have free speech at school. The poster is just saying the library should stay open at lunch which is not hurting anybody. We even used a nice photo of the school sign so it looks professional. The principal would be breaking the law if he took it down. This is America and students have rights. Everyone should wear blue Thursday and 2 walk out if they try.
Rewrite each marked phrase so it says only what the evidence supports.
Rewrite phrase 1
Rewrite phrase 2
DP Global politics
Your task
On your ownRead the steps. Fill in the planner boxes before you start your draft. About 20 minutes.
Compare how the U.S. Tinker framework and Article 13 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child treat young people’s freedom of expression, noting that the United States has signed but not ratified the convention. Then evaluate the legitimacy of the school’s posting policy from the perspectives of students, staff and the district.
- Read Article 13 and the Tinker summary. Fill in the grid: source, who is bound, stated limits.
- Note what it means that the United States has signed but not ratified the convention.
- Answer the legitimacy prompts about the posting policy: who made it, how, and can it be challenged?
- Fill in the perspective table for students, staff and the district.
- Draft your evaluation on the Your draft page.
- Finish the 700- to 900-word response on lined paper or in the online workspace.
Prefer typing? Scan to open the online workspace.
Tinker: source, who is bound, stated limits
Your task, continued
Article 13: source and status in the United States
Who made the posting policy, and can it be challenged?
Notes
Your draft
On your ownWrite your draft in the boxes. Use your planner from the page before. About 40 minutes.
Evaluation of the posting policy’s legitimacy, about 140 words
Rights and sovereignty, about 40 words
Check your work
On your ownAnswer the Check your work questions and mark your level in each rubric row. Then write one change you made. About 8 minutes.
Do you explain both frameworks accurately, including the signed-but-not-ratified status?
YesNoDo you analyze power and legitimacy in the school setting?
YesNoDo you represent students, staff and the district fairly?
YesNoDo you link the case to rights and justice without overstating it?
YesNo
How your work is scored
Mark one box in each row.
| Skill | Beginning | Developing | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | No case facts. | Names Tinker without its rule. | States Tinker’s facts and substantial | Adds a second precedent or the walkout exercise accurately. |
| Reasoning | Treats a slogan as the answer. | Applies Tinker to everything. | Compares facts and separates speech from conduct. | Varies facts to show where the precedent stops fitting. |
| Audience & purpose | Tells others to break rules. | Argues for one side only. | Recommends a clear next question for the school. | Balances effective expression with respect for process. |
| Revision | No change. | Softens tone only. | Adds the rule’s limit and removes a legal conclusion. | Explains how each edit makes the argument more precise. |
Check your work, continued
One change I made after feedback
I changed ___ because ___.
Notes
Questions to discuss
On your ownWrite a short answer to each question. Then complete each sentence frame below the questions. About 10 minutes.
1 Which changed fact would make Tinker a weaker comparison for the wear-blue plan?
2 Why might it matter whether a poster looks like it comes from the school?
3 If the poster had Anika’s name and no school logo, what would change?
My take
My claim: ___.
The best evidence is ___, because ___.
My take, continued
Someone who disagrees might say ___.
The limit of the evidence is ___.
I would change my mind if ___.
Notes
Talk about this case at home
Lesson 12: When can a school limit what students say?
In this case, a student’s poster asks her school to keep the library open at lunch, and someone in a group chat suggests a walkout. Your student compared a 1969 Supreme Court case with each plan and wrote a short analysis.
Questions to talk about
- What rules do schools often have about posters or flyers?
- Why might a school treat wearing a color differently from leaving class?
- How can a reader tell who made a poster?
Nobody needs to share personal stories or private information to talk about this case.
See the case online.
Lesson 13Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 13: Can the crew cut waste before it reaches the bin?
Overview
Students read a story in which Dec’s box of replacement parts arrives half full of packaging. The crew’s “recyclable” cups turn out to be on the city’s not-accepted list. They place items from the supply list on EPA’s waste hierarchy and check them against the city’s accepted-materials list. They then fill in an event materials sheet and propose one change with a way to measure it.
Before this case
Students should already be able to:
- frame a political issue as a question about power
- map actors and their sources of power
- plan contact with an official safely and ethically
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- frame a political issue about who decides and who bears the costs of local waste
- map actors and their sources of power accurately
- plan ethical, feasible engagement with a sanitation or recycling office
- connect the local issue to development and sustainability without overstating it
Materials
- This chapter, one copy per student
- The EPA hierarchy page and your city’s recycling guide
- One educator-selected source on where your area’s waste goes
- An actor map and an engagement plan template
The task in this edition
Task: Rehearse an engagement project on local waste policy: frame a political issue about who decides and who bears the costs of waste where you live (collection, landfill siting, recycling contracts), map the actors (sanitation department, council, contractors, residents, schools), plan ethical engagement with a sanitation or recycling office, and connect the issue to the development and sustainability thematic study.
Students make: Engagement-project proposal, 600–800 words, with an actor map
Fit: partial. Who decides and who bears the costs of waste is a real local political issue that links to the development and sustainability thematic study and suits engagement-project rehearsal, but the case itself is a club’s supply choice and needs local government and comparative material.
Pacing
Opener (page 144): 4 min. Short on time: 4 min.
Key terms (pages 145 and 146): 4 min. Short on time: skip.
Look at the evidence (page 150): 6 min. Short on time: 6 min.
Look at the evidence (page 151): 3 min. Short on time: 3 min.
Key idea (pages 152 and 153): 10 min. Short on time: 8 min. Skip the code of ethics.
Sort the evidence (pages 154 and 155): 6 min. Short on time: 6 min.
Practice (page 156): 4 min. Short on time: skip.
Your task (pages 157 and 158): 20 min. Short on time: 20 min.
Your draft (page 159): 40 min. Short on time: 40 min.
Check your work (pages 160 and 161): 8 min. Short on time: 8 min.
Questions to discuss (pages 162 and 163): 10 min. Short on time: 5 min. Use question 2 only.
Talk about this case at home (page 164): at home.
Periods: full chapter 115 minutes; one period 100 minutes.
Lesson 13Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 13 plan, continued
Standards
Environmental systems and societies — subtopic 7.3: Solid waste A subtopic of the course: how solid waste is produced, classified and managed, including reducing, reusing and recycling. In this case: Students compare reduction, reuse, recycling and disposal for a real event.
Global politics — key concept: interdependence; thematic study: Development and sustainability Uses the course’s key concept of interdependence within its Development and sustainability thematic study to examine a political issue. In this case: Students analyze who bears the costs of waste decisions.
Codes of ethics
- FTC Green Guides (16 CFR Part 260): § 260.12 Recyclable claims
- AIGA Standards of Professional Practice: The designer’s responsibility to society and the environment
- IABC Code of Ethics for Professional Communicators: “I do not guarantee results”
Heat map
Opener (page 144): Low
Key terms (pages 145 and 146): Low
Look at the evidence (page 150): Low
Heat map, continued
Look at the evidence (page 151): Low
Key idea (pages 152 and 153): Medium
Sort the evidence (pages 154 and 155): Low
Practice (page 156): Medium
Your task (pages 157 and 158): Low
Check your work (pages 160 and 161): Low
Try it at your school
Change one thing before the next event.
- Pick one repeated item at a school event: cups, flyers, plates
- Count how many were used last time
- Check your city’s recycling list and propose one reduction or reuse option
- Count again after the event and share results with the organizers
Who to ask: Student council, custodial or facilities staff, a science teacher, your city’s sanitation or recycling office
Safety: Don’t sort through trash with your hands; unsafe items can be hidden. Make sure changes don’t leave out people who need disposable items.
Sources
- NPR, “Starbucks To Eliminate Plastic Straws In Its Stores By 2020,” July 9, 2018
Sources, continued
- NPR, “Why People With Disabilities Want Bans On Plastic Straws To Be More Flexible,” July 11, 2018
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Sustainable Materials Management: Non-Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Hierarchy,” No date listed
Lesson 13: Can the crew cut waste before it reaches the bin?
The last Common Room screening used about 120 cups the city won’t recycle, and a box of parts arrived half full of packaging.
On your ownRead What happened. Underline the number of cups and what the city list says about them. About 4 minutes.
Your role: You’re the one who counts the cups before and after the change. New skill: Count a starting point before you claim a change works.
What happened
It is Tuesday in the theater shop. Dec opens a box of replacement parts. Three separate orders of small LED connectors and switches, placed over one week, arrived together. About half of the box is plastic air pillows and foam.
The supply list from last Friday’s screening at the Common Room shows a second problem. The crew used about 120 single-use cups. The cups are plastic-lined paper and labeled “recyclable.” But the city’s recycling list does not take plastic-lined paper cups.
Dec wants to fix how they order parts before anyone redoes the recycling sign. Anika tracks the parts and the budget. She agrees with Dec, but she wants numbers before anyone says a change saves money. Some people need a disposable cup or a straw, so any plan has to work for them too.
Your question: What could the crew change before the next screening, and how would they know it worked?
Key terms
On your ownRead each key term and its example. Then write your first guess in the box. About 4 minutes.
Source reduction Source reduction is preventing waste before it is created, for example by buying less packaging.
En español: reducción en la fuente
In this case: Dec wants to combine the parts orders so less packaging arrives in the first place.
Reuse Reuse is using an item again instead of throwing it away after one use.
En español: reutilización
In this case: Borrowing washable cups from the bookshop is reuse. Washing uses water and someone’s time.
Local acceptance Local acceptance is the list of materials that your own city's recycling or compost program actually takes.
En español: materiales aceptados en tu ciudad
In this case: The cups say “recyclable,” but the crew’s city does not accept plastic-lined paper cups.
Who is involved
Dec
Opened the parts order
“Three orders of tiny connectors in one week. One big box, and half of it’s packaging.”
Anika
Tracks the parts and the budget
“I’m in. But if anyone says it saves money, I want the numbers. Right now we have one box and a guess.”
Your first guess
Before you look at the evidence, what is the best way for the crew to cut waste?
My first guess is ___, because ___.
Notes
Reading passage
A claim as small as the evidence
On your ownRead the passage. At each Stop and think box, pause and answer the question in your head or with a partner. About 5 minutes.
Words to know
- Source reduction: Source reduction is preventing waste before it is created, for example by buying less packaging.
- Reuse: Reuse is using an item again instead of throwing it away after one use.
- Local acceptance: Local acceptance is the list of materials that your own city's recycling or compost program actually takes.
- Proposal: A proposal is a change that someone suggests and that has not been approved yet.
- Trade-off: A trade-off is a choice where getting one benefit means accepting a cost or giving something up.
The story: Following waste upstream
Dec is a high school senior who drums, builds sets and is considering an electrical apprenticeship. He tends to follow a problem into the small places where it starts. On Tuesday, that place is the theater shop. Three orders of LED connectors and switches, placed separately over one week, have arrived together in one box. About half the box is plastic air pillows and foam.
Anika, a junior who tracks the crew’s parts and budget, brings the second data point. The supply list from last Friday’s screening at the Common Room shows about 120 single-use cups, plastic-lined paper and labeled “recyclable.” The same list includes 80 paper plates, 150 printed flyers and 40 paper straws given out on request. The crew’s first instinct might be a better recycling sign. Dec wants to start earlier, at the order form. Order parts together rather than each time one breaks, and ask the supplier about packaging.
Anika agrees and sets a standard. Nobody gets to say a change saves money without numbers, and right now the evidence is one box and a guess. She also sets a boundary. Some people need a disposable cup or a straw, so a plan that works only for most people does not work.
Your role is to count the cups before and after the change.
Stop and think. Why is a claim about one counted screening more trustworthy than a claim about “saving money”?
Hierarchy, labels and baselines
Source reduction is preventing waste before it is created, for example by buying less packaging. Reuse is using an item again instead of throwing it away after one use. Both sit upstream of the bin. Dec’s combined orders are source reduction, and borrowing the bookshop’s washable cups is reuse.
The cup label raises a verification problem that Lesson 9 prepared you for. There, you learned to check the official source for your own area rather than a general claim. Here, the official source is the city’s recycling list. It accepts metal cans, glass bottles and jars, rigid plastic bottles and containers and flattened cardboard. It excludes plastic-lined paper cups, plastic bags and film, foam and items labeled compostable. Local acceptance is the list of materials that your own city’s recycling or compost program actually takes. By that standard, the crew’s “recyclable” cups are trash, and a switch to compostable cups would be too.
The new skill is counting a starting point before claiming a change works. The baseline is about 120 cups from one screening. The intervention is washable cups at the next one. The measurement includes cups used and left over, plus the costs reuse adds, water and someone’s washing time. Lesson 4 supplies the frame for presenting the result. The plan is a proposal, a change that someone suggests and that has not been approved yet, and every option is a trade-off, a choice where getting one benefit means accepting a cost or giving something up. Anika’s rule keeps the eventual claim honest. Whatever the crew reports should be as small as one counted screening.
Stop and think. How does the Green Guides standard apply to the crew’s cups?
Evidence from agencies, reporters and schools
The EPA’s materials management hierarchy ranks source reduction and reuse first, followed by recycling and composting, energy recovery, and treatment and disposal. It also notes that no single approach suits every material or situation (EPA, updated December 19, 2025). For food, the EPA’s Wasted Food Scale likewise ranks prevention above composting or recycling (EPA, updated September 16, 2026). An NPR investigation reported that less than 10 percent of plastic has ever been recycled (NPR, September 11, 2020).
Labels are regulated for a reason. The FTC’s Green Guides say a product or package “should not be marketed as recyclable unless it can be collected, separated, or otherwise recovered from the waste stream through an established recycling program” (16 CFR Part 260, 2012).
Access belongs in the same analysis. When Starbucks announced its straw phase-out in 2018, it said a sippable lid could mean a billion fewer straws a year (NPR, July 9, 2018). Two days later, NPR reported that some people with disabilities need flexible plastic straws and that advocates saw little awareness of the exemption in Seattle’s ban (NPR, July 11, 2018). Schools offer models that measure first.
Evidence from agencies, reporters and schools, continued
New Jersey schools have used waste audits, share tables and reusable trays to cut waste before it reaches the bin (New Jersey School Boards Association, October 15, 2025). Each of those programs starts the way Anika does, by counting what is thrown away now.
Stop and think. How does “add more bins” define the problem differently from “order less packaging”?
Sources
Real sourceU.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)December 19, 2025
Sustainable Materials Management: Non-Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Hierarchy
Real sourceU.S. Environmental Protection AgencySeptember 16, 2026
Wasted Food Scale
Real sourceNPRSeptember 11, 2020
How Big Oil Misled The Public Into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled
Real sourceFederal Trade Commission (FTC)2012
FTC Green Guides (16 CFR Part 260)
Real sourceNPRJuly 9, 2018
Starbucks To Eliminate Plastic Straws In Its Stores By 2020
Real sourceNPRJuly 11, 2018
Why People With Disabilities Want Bans On Plastic Straws To Be More Flexible
Real sourceNew Jersey School Boards AssociationOctober 15, 2025
How New Jersey Schools Are Tackling Food Waste—One Tray at a Time
Notes
Look at the evidence
On your ownRead each document. For each one, fill in both boxes. About 6 minutes.
Evidence ASupply list
Screening supply list, last Friday
Single-use cups (plastic-lined paper, labeled “recyclable”): about 120. Paper plates: 80. Printed flyers: 150. Paper straws, on request: 40. Folding chairs: borrowed from the bookshop.
Look closely: Which item did the crew use the most? Could it be reused?
What it shows
What it leaves out
Evidence BDelivery
The parts order
Delivered Tuesday to the theater shop. Three separate orders of small LED connectors and switches, placed over one week, arrived together. They came in one full box, about half of it plastic air pillows and foam around tiny parts.
Look closely: How many orders came in this one box? Why does that matter?
What it shows
What it leaves out
Look at the evidence, continued
Evidence CSanitation guide
City recycling list
Accepted in recycling: metal cans, glass bottles and jars, rigid plastic bottles and containers, flattened cardboard. Not accepted: plastic-lined paper cups, plastic bags and film, foam, items labeled compostable.
Look closely: Find the plastic-lined paper cups. Which list are they on?
What it shows
What it leaves out
What is still missing from the evidence?
Notes
Key idea: source reduction
On your ownRead the key idea and the Professional standards card. Then answer the question in the box. About 10 minutes.
Source reduction is preventing waste before it is created, for example by buying less packaging. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranks ways to handle waste. Source reduction and reuse come first. Recycling and composting come next, then energy recovery, then treatment and disposal. The EPA also notes that no single approach fits every item or situation.
Reuse is using an item again instead of throwing it away after one use. Borrowing washable cups from the bookshop is one example. Reuse has costs too. Washing takes water and someone’s time, so a fair comparison counts those costs along with the cups.
A “recyclable” label does not tell you where an item will go. Local acceptance is the list of materials that your own city's recycling or compost program actually takes. The crew’s cups say “recyclable,” but their city’s list does not take plastic-lined paper cups. The list does not take items labeled compostable either. So the crew has to check the list before choosing any new cup.
Professional standards
Real sourceLaw or regulationFederal Trade Commission (FTC)
FTC Green Guides (16 CFR Part 260): § 260.12 Recyclable claims
“A product or package should not be marketed as recyclable unless it can be collected, separated, or otherwise recovered from the waste stream through an established recycling program”
In plain words: FTC guidance says a company should call a product recyclable only when recycling programs can collect and process it.
Question: The crew's city rejects plastic-lined paper cups. What else must you know before saying the “recyclable” label breaks the guide?
Your answer
I would need to know ___, because the guide ___.
In the news
Real sourceNPRJuly 9, 2018
Starbucks To Eliminate Plastic Straws In Its Stores By 2020
A throwback to a company cutting waste at the counter, before anything reached a bin.
Real sourceNPRSeptember 11, 2020
How Big Oil Misled The Public Into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled
Investigation finding less than 10% of plastic has ever been recycled, which is why reduction comes first.
Notes
Sort the evidence
On your ownFollow each choice to its consequences in the diagram. Then name one view that is missing. About 6 minutes.
Follow each choice to its consequences, including new costs. Which consequence would you measure first, and what would count as success?
Keep buying “recyclable” single-use cups
About 120 cups go to the trash because the city does not accept them
Who is affected
The city collection service and the neighborhoods near where waste ends up
Borrow washable cups and run a wash station
Fewer cups in the trash, if people use the washable ones
Who is affected
Check: Count cups and bags after the next event and compare with last time
New costs: water, washing time and volunteers
Who is affected
Check: Count cups and bags after the next event and compare with last time
Combine parts orders into one shipment
Less packaging arrives before anything reaches a bin
Who is affected
Notes
Whose perspective is missing?
Whose view is missing from these documents? What would you ask them?
The view that is missing is ___. I would ask ___.
Notes
Practice: choose a response
On your ownChoose the plan the crew should try and explain why. Then fix the two marked lines. About 4 minutes.
The last screening used about 120 single-use cups, and the city’s recycling list does not take that type. Which plan should the crew try for the next screening?
A Compare a washable-cup option, washing time, cost, access and the city list, then test one change.
B Buy a different cup labeled “recyclable” and put up a clearer recycling sign.
C Stop offering disposable cups and straws, and ask everyone to bring their own.
Why I chose it
Improve a draft
A student’s first draft
We should make the screening zero waste. Everyone should bring their own cup and we’ll 1 ban all plastic. We can also put up posters that say “save the planet” so people remember to recycle. Recycling is the best thing you can do for the environment. This will be easy and 2 it will save money too. Last screening there were cups everywhere and the bins were overflowing by the end of the night. People will love it once they get used to it. Let’s start next week!
Rewrite each marked phrase so it says only what the evidence supports.
Rewrite phrase 1
Rewrite phrase 2
DP Global politics
Your task
On your ownRead the steps. Fill in the planner boxes before you start your draft. About 20 minutes.
Rehearse an engagement project on local waste policy: frame a political issue about who decides and who bears the costs of waste where you live (collection, landfill siting, recycling contracts), map the actors (sanitation department, council, contractors, residents, schools), plan ethical engagement with a sanitation or recycling office, and connect the issue to the development and sustainability thematic study.
- Frame your issue as a question: who decides, and who bears the costs of waste where you live?
- Map the actors: sanitation department, council, contractors, residents and schools.
- Mark each actor’s power: formal authority, resources or influence.
- Plan your engagement: who you will contact, how, what you will ask, and consent and safety.
- Draft your issue statement and engagement plan on the Your draft page.
- Write the full 600- to 800-word proposal on lined paper or in the online workspace.
Prefer typing? Scan to open the online workspace.
Political issue
Your task, continued
Actors and their power
Who lives near the costs
Notes
Your draft
On your ownWrite your draft in the boxes. Use your planner from the page before. About 40 minutes.
Issue statement, about 80 words
Engagement plan, about 60 words
Check your work
On your ownAnswer the Check your work questions and mark your level in each rubric row. Then write one change you made. About 8 minutes.
Does your issue focus on who decides and who bears the costs?
YesNoDoes your actor map show each actor’s source of power?
YesNoIs your engagement plan ethical and feasible?
YesNoDo you connect the issue to sustainability without overstating it?
YesNo
How your work is scored
Mark one box in each row.
| Skill | Beginning | Developing | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | No data. | General claims about recycling. | Uses quantities and local rules. | Uses quantities, local rules and a before/after plan. |
| Reasoning | Treats one fix as solving everything. | Ignores trade-offs. | Applies the hierarchy and names a trade-off. | Weighs trade-offs including access and cost with a measurement boundary. |
| Audience & purpose | Commands people. | Relies on slogans. | Specific change organizers can do. | Specific, inclusive change with roles assigned. |
| Revision | No change. | Wording only. | Narrows to a measurable change. | Explains how narrowing makes success testable. |
Check your work, continued
One change I made after feedback
I changed ___ because ___.
Notes
Questions to discuss
On your ownWrite a short answer to each question. Then complete each sentence frame below the questions. About 10 minutes.
1 Could a change that reduces waste create an access problem for someone, and how would you find out?
2 How does “add more bins” define the problem differently from “order less packaging”?
3 What would the crew need to count before saying a change saves money?
My take
My claim: ___.
The best evidence is ___, because ___.
My take, continued
Someone who disagrees might say ___.
The limit of the evidence is ___.
I would change my mind if ___.
Notes
Talk about this case at home
Lesson 13: Can the crew cut waste before it reaches the bin?
In this case, a group of friends learns that the cups from their movie night can’t be recycled in their city. Your student planned one change to cut waste before the next event and a way to count whether it worked.
Questions to talk about
- How could someone find out what their city or town recycles?
- What is one item people often throw away after a party or event?
- Why might a rule to cut waste need an exception for some people?
Nobody needs to share personal stories or private information to talk about this case.
See the case online.
Lesson 16Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 16: Who wrote the new building rule?
Content note
This case involves disability access and a request for an exception to a building rule. No student should share their own disability, health information or housing situation, so keep the discussion on Sami’s building.
This case explains general rules. It is not legal advice for your situation.
Overview
Students read a short story in which an unsigned notice says a building’s rear door will be locked at 8 p.m. That step-free door is the only one Sami can use. Students compare the notice with last year’s house rules and the entrance plan, and they map how the rule affects different residents. They read HUD’s Fair Housing Act overview as a source of questions, then rewrite the notice or write Sami’s question to the building manager.
Before this case
Students should already be able to:
- define power and legitimacy
- map the actors in a local issue
- plan an interview or visit that respects consent and safety
Objectives
Students will be able to:
Objectives, continued
- frame a political issue about who makes and enforces rules in rental housing
- map actors and their sources of power accurately
- plan ethical, feasible engagement with a tenant organization or housing agency
- use power and legitimacy precisely when explaining Sami’s case
Materials
- This chapter, one copy per student
- HUD’s Fair Housing Act overview
- One local tenant-resource page you select
- The actor map and engagement plan on the task page
The task in this edition
Task: Rehearse an engagement project on local housing: frame a political issue about who makes and enforces rules in rental housing, map the actors (owners, managers, tenants, tenant associations, city agencies, HUD), plan how you would engage a tenant organization or housing agency ethically, and explain how power and legitimacy show up in Sami’s case.
Students make: Engagement-project proposal, 500–700 words, with an actor map
The task in this edition, continued
Fit: partial. Housing rules raise power, legitimacy and rights, and local housing is a realistic engagement-project topic, but the case is a single building dispute, so it works as engagement-project rehearsal rather than as core or thematic-study content.
Pacing
Opener (page 165): 5 min. Short on time: 4 min. Read What happened aloud.
Key terms (pages 166 and 167): 5 min. Short on time: 3 min. Read the key terms aloud; skip the first-guess box.
Look at the evidence (page 171): 8 min. Short on time: 8 min.
Look at the evidence (page 172): 4 min. Short on time: 4 min.
Key idea (pages 173 and 174): 10 min. Short on time: 8 min. Skip the code of ethics. Keep the Atlantic Plaza Towers news story, which the draft uses.
Sort the evidence (page 175): 10 min. Short on time: 8 min. Do the map together and stop at the empty box.
Practice (pages 176 and 177): 6 min. Short on time: skip.
Your task (pages 178 and 179): 25 min. Short on time: 25 min.
Lesson 16Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 16 plan, continued
Pacing, continued
Your draft (page 180): 30 min. Short on time: 30 min.
Check your work (pages 181 and 182): 6 min. Short on time: 5 min. Students answer the check questions and skip the rubric.
Questions to discuss (pages 183 and 184): 10 min. Short on time: 5 min. Use question 1 only.
Talk about this case at home (page 185): at home.
Periods: full chapter 119 minutes; one period 100 minutes.
Standards
Global politics — key concepts: power and legitimacy; thematic study: Rights and justice Uses the course’s key concepts of power and legitimacy within its Rights and justice thematic study to examine a political issue. In this case: Students analyze power between landlords and tenants and who bears a rule’s costs.
Language A: language and literature — Readers, writers and texts An area of exploration in the course: how readers, writers and texts interact to make meaning. In this case: Students examine how an unsigned notice creates authority through form.
Codes of ethics
- ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct: Rule 3.1 Meritorious Claims and Contentions
- Credo for Ethical Communication: “We strive to understand and respect other communicators' intent…” (one of nine unnumbered principles)
Heat map
Opener (page 165): Medium
Key terms (pages 166 and 167): Low
Look at the evidence (page 171): Low
Look at the evidence (page 172): Low
Key idea (pages 173 and 174): Low
Sort the evidence (page 175): Medium
Practice (pages 176 and 177): Low
Your task (pages 178 and 179): Medium
Check your work (pages 181 and 182): Low
Try it at your school
Ask who wrote the rule before you argue about it.
- When a new rule is posted where you live or at school, write down the date and take a photo
- Look for who issued it and what document it changes
- Ask a trusted adult to help you ask the building manager or office
Try it at your school, continued
- Find your city’s or county’s tenant or housing help page with an adult
Who to ask: A parent or guardian, the building manager, a local tenant or housing help line, a school social worker
Safety: Don’t post neighbors’ names, unit numbers or private situations online. Let adults handle lease disputes.
Sources
- Gothamist, “Brooklyn Landlord Does An About Face On Facial Recognition Plan,” November 21, 2019
- Legal Services NYC, “Brooklyn tenants file legal opposition to landlord’s application to install facial recognition entry system in building,” May 1, 2019
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), “Fair Housing Act overview,” No date listed
Lesson 16: Who wrote the new building rule?
An unsigned notice says the building’s only step-free door locks at 8 p.m., and Sami’s workshop runs later.
On your ownRead What happened and underline the two changes the notice announces. About 5 minutes.
Your role: You’re the one who photographs the notice and writes down when and where it was found. New skill: Find who has the authority to make a rule.
What happened
It is Monday morning in Sami’s apartment building. A new notice is posted beside the common-room door. It says the rear door will be locked at 8:00 p.m. every night. It also says the common room is “for resident social use only,” with “NO BUSINESS USE” in capital letters. The notice has no name, no date and no contact.
That rear door matters to Sami, who lives in apartment 3B and uses a manual wheelchair. It is the building’s only step-free entrance. The front entrance has four steps and no ramp. Sami also runs a workshop in the common room, and it goes past 8 p.m.
Caio reads last year’s house rules beside the notice. Those rules let residents reserve the common room for classes and resident-run workshops. The new notice does not say whether it replaces them. Before anyone starts arguing, Sami photographs the notice and writes down when and where she found it.
Your question: Who has the authority behind this notice, and what should Sami ask the building manager?
Key terms
On your ownRead each key term and its example, then write your first guess in the box. About 5 minutes.
Authority Authority is the power a person or group has to make or change a particular rule or decision.
En español: autoridad
In this case: The notice uses bold type and capital letters but names no issuer. Sami has to find out who has the power to make this rule.
Reasonable accommodation A reasonable accommodation is a change to a rule or practice that gives a person with a disability equal use of a place.
En español: acomodo razonable
In this case: Sami could ask the building for a key fob for the rear door, so she can get in after 8 p.m.
Documentation Documentation is a record, such as a photo, a note or an email, that shows what was said or done and when.
En español: documentación
In this case: Sami photographs the notice and writes down when and where she found it, before anyone argues about what it said.
Who is involved
Sami
Lives in 3B and runs a workshop in the common room
“Rear door locked at 8. That’s the only door I can get through. My workshop runs later. So, questions. Plural.”
Caio
Reading last year’s house rules beside the notice
“All caps, bold, no name, no date. Somebody made it look official. I still don’t know who.”
Your first guess
Before you look at the evidence, should Sami follow the new notice?
My first guess is ___, because ___.
Notes
Reading passage
Who wrote the rule?
On your ownRead the passage. At each Stop and think box, pause and answer the question in your head or with a partner. About 6 minutes.
Words to know
- Authority: Authority is the power a person or group has to make or change a particular rule or decision.
- Reasonable accommodation: A reasonable accommodation is a change to a rule or practice that gives a person with a disability equal use of a place.
- Documentation: Documentation is a record, such as a photo, a note or an email, that shows what was said or done and when.
- Decision-maker: A decision-maker is the person or group with the power to make a particular choice.
- Barrier: A barrier is something that blocks or limits a person from taking part.
The story: An anonymous notice
Sami, 23, lives in apartment 3B, studies design and uses a manual wheelchair. On Monday morning, she finds a new notice beside her building’s common-room door. It announces two changes “effective immediately.” The rear door will be locked at 8:00 p.m. nightly, and the common room is for resident social use only, with “NO BUSINESS USE” in capitals. The notice carries no name, no date and no contact.
Each change touches her directly. The building’s entrance plan lists a front entrance with four steps and no ramp, a side door for service use only and a rear door that is step-free and opens to the elevator hallway. After 8 p.m., the notice would lock the only door she can use. It would also cloud the future of the workshop she runs in the common room, which goes past 8.
Sami does not start with outrage. She photographs the notice and writes down when and where she found it, before anybody starts arguing about what it said. Caio, the oldest in the crew, brings last year’s house rules, handed out at lease signing. He reads the notice the way an editor reads copy. All caps, bold, no name, no date. Somebody made it look official, and he still does not know who.
Your role is to help Sami keep a clean record of the notice before anyone starts arguing.
Stop and think. Why does formatting signal authority without proving it?
Authority, sources and missing definitions
Authority is the power a person or group has to make or change a particular rule or decision. The case separates the look of authority from its substance. Formatting signals power but does not prove it. An unsigned notice is not automatically invalid, but its force depends on who issued it and what it claims to change.
The new skill is finding who has the authority to make a rule. It draws on three earlier skills. From Lesson 1, you compare the notice with an original document, last year’s house rules, which let residents reserve the room for “gatherings, classes and resident-run workshops” through the building office. From Lesson 7, you ask what stage the rule is at. From Lesson 10, you take the question to the office that can answer it, here the building manager. Lesson 4’s decision-maker, the person or group with the power to make a particular choice, names what Sami is looking for.
Caio’s comparison finds a definitional gap. The old rules explicitly allow resident-run workshops. The new notice bans “business use” without defining it, so nobody can yet say whether Sami’s workshop is affected. The notice also does not say whether it replaces the old rules or adds to them.
Lesson 10’s barrier, something that blocks or limits a person from taking part, describes the locked rear door. A reasonable accommodation is a change to a rule or practice that gives a person with a disability equal use of a place, such as a key fob for the rear door. Documentation is a record, such as a photo, a note or an email, that shows what was said or done and when. Sami’s photo and note will matter if the facts are disputed later. She keeps her two questions apart: who has the authority, and how she gets in after 8. Neither friend calls the notice illegal, because they do not yet know who wrote it or how the building handles access requests.
Stop and think. How does the undefined phrase “business use” change what Sami can conclude?
The law, the process and a Brooklyn example
A landlord’s policy and the law are different sources of rules. HUD says the Fair Housing Act bars housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status or disability, and covers most housing with some exceptions (HUD, no date listed). Guidance can change even when the law does not. In 2025, HUD withdrew several fair housing guidance documents, but the Act itself stayed the same (National Association of Realtors, October 7, 2025). Enforcement continues. In 2026, the Justice Department announced a $750,000 settlement with a property management company in a disability discrimination case (U.S. Department of Justice, April 30, 2026).
Process can give tenants leverage. At Atlantic Plaza Towers in Brownsville, Brooklyn, the landlord applied to install a facial-recognition entry system. Tenants say they learned about it from the state housing agency, not the landlord.
The law, the process and a Brooklyn example, continued
Because the change needed that agency’s permission, they filed opposition (Legal Services NYC, May 1, 2019), and in November 2019 the landlord withdrew the application (Gothamist, November 21, 2019). That case turned on New York’s rent-stabilization rules, which may not apply to Sami’s building.
The NCA credo describes the posture Sami takes: “We strive to understand and respect other communicators’ intent before evaluating and responding to their messages” (NCA Credo for Ethical Communication, 2024).
Stop and think. Why might the Atlantic Plaza Towers example not apply directly to Sami’s building?
Sources
Real sourceU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)No date listed
Fair Housing Act overview
Real sourceNational Association of Realtors (Washington Report)October 7, 2025
HUD Withdraws Fair Housing Guidance Documents
Real sourceU.S. Department of JusticeApril 30, 2026
Justice Department Settles Disability Discrimination Case Against Property Management Company for $750,000
Real sourceLegal Services NYCMay 1, 2019
Brooklyn tenants file legal opposition to landlord’s application to install facial recognition entry system in building
Real sourceGothamistNovember 21, 2019
Brooklyn Landlord Does An About Face On Facial Recognition Plan
Real sourceNational Communication Association (NCA)2024
Credo for Ethical Communication
Look at the evidence
On your ownRead each document, then fill in both boxes under it. About 8 minutes.
Evidence APosted notice
Unsigned notice by the common-room door, found Monday morning
NOTICE TO ALL RESIDENTS. Effective immediately, the rear door will be locked at 8:00 p.m. nightly. The common room is for resident social use only. NO BUSINESS USE.
Look closely: Which features give the notice an official look? What is missing?
What it shows
What it leaves out
Evidence BHouse rules (excerpt)
Last year’s house rules, given out at lease signing
“Residents may reserve the common room for gatherings, classes and resident-run workshops. Reservations are made through the building office.”
Look closely: What did last year’s rules allow in the common room?
What it shows
What it leaves out
Look at the evidence, continued
Evidence CEntrance plan
Building entrance plan from the lobby directory
Front entrance: four steps, no ramp. Rear door: step-free, opens to the elevator hallway. Side door: service use only.
Look closely: Which entrance is step-free? What happens to it after 8 p.m.?
What it shows
What it leaves out
What is still missing from the evidence?
Notes
Key idea: authority
On your ownRead the key idea and the code of ethics, then answer the question in the box. About 10 minutes.
A building rule should name who made it, give a date and list a contact. This notice has none of them. Authority is the power a person or group has to make or change a particular rule or decision. Bold type and capital letters do not show who has that power. An unsigned notice is not automatically invalid, either. Sami has to find out who issued it and which document it claims to change.
A landlord’s policy and the law are different sources of rules. The Fair Housing Act is a federal law. HUD, the federal housing department, says it bars housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status or disability. It covers most housing, with some exceptions. Under the Act, a person with a disability can ask a building for a reasonable accommodation. A reasonable accommodation is a change to a rule or practice that gives a person with a disability equal use of a place. For Sami, that could be a key fob for the rear door.
Sami cannot yet say the notice breaks the law. She does not know who wrote it, whether it replaces the house rules or how the building handles access requests. Whether a building grants an accommodation also depends on the facts. Documentation helps her keep those facts straight. Documentation is a record, such as a photo, a note or an email, that shows what was said or done and when. Her photo of the notice, with the date and place she found it, is documentation.
Professional standards
Adapted from a real sourceAmerican Bar Association (ABA), Center for Professional Responsibility
ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct: Rule 3.1 Meritorious Claims and Contentions
Summary: Summary, not a quotation: a lawyer may not bring or defend a proceeding, or argue an issue in it, without a basis in law and fact that is not frivolous. The ABA comment says lawyers must first learn the facts and the applicable law.
In plain words: Before lawyers bring a claim, they must have facts and law that support it.
Question: Before claiming a Fair Housing Act violation, what should Sami learn about the notice’s author and the building’s access process?
Professional standards, continued
Your answer
Sami first needs ___, because ___.
In the news
Real sourceGothamistNovember 21, 2019
Brooklyn Landlord Does An About Face On Facial Recognition Plan
A throwback about a door rule: the landlord needed state permission to change how tenants got in, and tenants used that process to object.
Real sourceHUD (YouTube)January 31, 2014
The Federal Fair Housing Act and Reasonable Accommodations
HUD explains how a person with a disability can ask for an exception to a building rule.
Notes
Sort the evidence
On your ownFill in each box of the map: who decides, which rules apply, who is affected and where to ask. About 10 minutes.
Map who made this rule, which rules it has to fit, who it affects and where residents can take a question. Which box is still empty?
Lock the rear door at 8 p.m. and ban business use of the common room
Unknown issuer: the owner, the manager or someone else?
Last year’s house rules allowed resident-run workshops
Fair Housing Act: disability is a protected characteristic
Sami and other residents who need the only step-free entrance
Whose perspective is missing?
Whose view is missing from these documents? What would you ask them?
The view that is missing is ___. I would ask ___.
Practice: choose a response
On your ownChoose what Sami should do first and explain why, then fix the two marked lines. About 6 minutes.
The notice says the rear door, the building’s only step-free entrance, locks at 8 p.m. It also bans “business use” of the common room. It has no name, no date and no contact. What should Sami do first?
A Ignore it until someone signs it, since an unsigned notice may not be official.
B Photograph it, compare it with last year’s house rules and ask the manager who issued it and how residents get in after 8.
C Post online that the building is breaking disability law.
Why I chose it
Improve a draft
A student’s first draft
Hi, I saw the notice about the common room and rear door. 1 This is illegal and discriminatory against disabled people like me. You can’t just make rules like this without asking. Nobody signed it and nobody told us it was coming, so I don’t even know if it’s real. I’m going to keep using the room for my workshop because the old rules said I could. A lot of neighbors are upset too. 2 Please take the notice down. Sami, 3B
Improve a draft, continued
Rewrite each marked phrase so it says only what the evidence supports.
Rewrite phrase 1
Rewrite phrase 2
Notes
DP Global politics
Your task
On your ownRead the steps and fill in the planner boxes before you start your draft. About 25 minutes.
Rehearse an engagement project on local housing: frame a political issue about who makes and enforces rules in rental housing, map the actors (owners, managers, tenants, tenant associations, city agencies, HUD), plan how you would engage a tenant organization or housing agency ethically, and explain how power and legitimacy show up in Sami’s case.
- Write a political issue about who makes and enforces rules in rental housing.
- Fill in the actor map: owners, managers, tenants, tenant associations, city agencies and HUD.
- Note each actor’s source of power: formal authority, resources, influence or voice.
- Plan how you would contact a tenant organization or housing agency, with consent and safety.
- Draft your issue statement and engagement plan on the Your draft page.
- Finish a proposal of 500 to 700 words with your actor map.
Prefer typing? Scan to open the online workspace.
My political issue
Your task, continued
Actors with formal authority
Actors with voice or influence
Power and legitimacy in Sami’s case
Notes
Your draft
On your ownWrite your first draft in the boxes, using your planner from the page before. About 30 minutes.
First draft: your issue statement
First draft: your engagement plan
Check your work
On your ownAnswer the Check your work questions, mark your level in each rubric row and write one change you made. About 6 minutes.
Does your proposal frame a political issue about power over housing rules?
YesNoDoes your actor map show each actor’s source of power?
YesNoIs your engagement plan ethical and feasible?
YesNoDo you use power, legitimacy and rights precisely?
YesNo
How your work is scored
Mark one box in each row.
| Skill | Beginning | Developing | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | No specifics from the notice. | Mentions the notice generally. | Quotes the notice and older rule. | Quotes both and names what is still unknown. |
| Reasoning | Declares a legal violation. | Complains without a clear need. | Connects the rule to a concrete effect. | Separates the communication problem from the legal question. |
| Audience & purpose | Hostile or vague. | Polite but no request. | Specific request the manager can act on. | Specific request plus questions that clarify authority. |
| Revision | No change. | Tone edits only. | Replaces the conclusion with a question and request. | Explains how each change makes a yes more likely. |
Check your work, continued
One change I made after feedback
I changed ___ because ___.
Notes
Questions to discuss
On your ownWrite a short answer to each question, then complete each sentence frame. About 10 minutes.
1 Which missing fact would most change how you see the notice?
2 The notice bans “business use” without saying what that means. What would you need to know to decide whether Sami’s workshop counts?
3 A building may want a door locked at night. How could it keep that door secure and still let Sami in?
My take
My claim: ___.
My take, continued
The best evidence is ___, because ___.
Someone who disagrees might say ___.
The limit of the evidence is ___.
I would change my mind if ___.
Notes
Talk about this case at home
Lesson 16: Who wrote the new building rule?
In this case, an unsigned notice in an apartment building says the only step-free door will lock at 8 p.m. Your student compared the notice with last year’s building rules and practiced asking who made the new rule.
Questions to talk about
- What should a clear building or school notice include?
- Whom can people ask when a posted rule is unclear?
- Why might someone keep a photo of a notice with the date?
Nobody needs to share personal stories or private information to talk about this case.
See the case online.
Lesson 18Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 18: Why is the theater curtain still falling apart?
Overview
Students read a short story in which the theater curtain at Dec and Anika’s school will not close. Meanwhile, a social post points to the district’s $48 million budget. Students label a proposed-budget excerpt by year, stage and units, explain why the post compares a total with a per-pupil figure and map who decides. They then write a budget question and a 60-second comment for the school board.
Before this case
Students should already be able to:
- define power and legitimacy as Global Politics core concepts
- map actors across levels of government
- plan an interview or meeting request ethically
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- frame who decides how facilities money is shared, and by what criteria, as a political issue
- map actors from the state legislature to the school board to student groups
- plan an ethical, feasible way to engage a board member or budget office
- explain how power and legitimacy shape which requests get funded
Materials
- This chapter, one copy per student
- Evidence A and C and the NCES revenue summary
- Your own district’s published budget calendar
- An actor map and an engagement plan template
The task in this edition
Task: Rehearse an engagement project on school funding: frame the political issue (who decides how facilities money is shared, and by what criteria), map the actors from the state legislature to the school board to student groups, plan an ethical way to engage a board member or budget office, and explain how power and legitimacy shape which requests get funded.
Students make: Engagement-project proposal, 500–700 words, with an actor map
Fit: partial. How a district divides resources raises power, legitimacy and equality, and a school-board budget process is a realistic engagement-project setting, but the case is a domestic local-finance question with no direct link to the thematic studies.
Pacing
Opener (page 186): 4 min. Short on time: 3 min. Read What happened aloud and go straight to the key terms.
Key terms (pages 187 and 188): 4 min. Short on time: 3 min. Read the key terms aloud. Skip the first-guess box.
Look at the evidence (page 192): 8 min. Short on time: 6 min. Students fill in only the What it leaves out boxes.
Look at the evidence (page 193): 5 min. Short on time: 4 min. Read Evidence C aloud. Students note who received the quote.
Key idea (pages 194 and 195): 12 min. Short on time: 10 min. Skip the In the news section.
Sort the evidence (page 196): 12 min. Short on time: 12 min.
Practice (page 197): 5 min. Short on time: skip.
Your task (pages 198 and 199): 25 min. Short on time: 25 min.
Your draft (page 200): 35 min. Short on time: 30 min. Students draft the two sections in class and finish the proposal at home.
Check your work (pages 201 and 202): 8 min. Short on time: 3 min. Students answer the Check your work questions only.
Questions to discuss (pages 203 and 204): 10 min. Short on time: 4 min. Discuss question 2 only.
Lesson 18Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 18 plan, continued
Pacing, continued
Talk about this case at home (page 205): at home.
Periods: full chapter 128 minutes; one period 100 minutes.
Standards
Global politics — key concept: power Uses the course’s key concept of power to examine a political issue. In this case: Students analyze how resource decisions distribute opportunity.
Theory of Knowledge — Knowledge and politics (optional theme) An optional theme of the course: how political power and processes affect what counts as knowledge. In this case: Students ask how numbers gain authority in public debate.
Codes of ethics
- ASPA Code of Ethics: 5. Fully Inform and Advise.
- SPJ Code of Ethics: Seek Truth and Report It
- Credo for Ethical Communication: “We advocate truthfulness, accuracy, honesty, and reason…” (one of nine unnumbered principles)
Heat map
Opener (page 186): Low
Key terms (pages 187 and 188): Low
Heat map, continued
Look at the evidence (page 192): Low
Look at the evidence (page 193): Low
Key idea (pages 194 and 195): Low
Sort the evidence (page 196): Low
Practice (page 197): Low
Your task (pages 198 and 199): Low
Your draft (page 200): Low
Check your work (pages 201 and 202): Low
Try it at your school
Find one line in your school’s budget.
- With a teacher or advisor, find your district’s budget on its website
- Label the document’s year and stage
- Find one line connected to something you use (facilities, arts, technology)
- Ask your student council how students can submit a budget question or comment
Who to ask: Student council advisor, school business office, school board clerk, principal
Safety: Get permission before photographing spaces or people at school. Stick to observed facts when posting about budgets.
Sources
- ABC, “About Abbott Elementary,” No date listed
Sources, continued
- National Center for Education Statistics, “Revenue sources for public schools by state, 2022–23 (Digest table 235.20),” No date listed
Lesson 18: Why is the theater curtain still falling apart?
The district’s proposed budget is $48 million, the school theater curtain won’t close, and Dec wants to ask the school board about it.
On your ownRead What happened and underline the three dollar amounts. About 4 minutes.
Your role: You’re the one who works out the per-student number before anyone repeats the post. New skill: Compare numbers on the same scale.
What happened
The curtain in the school theater is torn, and it no longer closes all the way. Dec, 17, pulls that curtain at every show. He and Anika, 16, are on the theater crew. The facilities office gave the theater advisor a quote to replace the curtain: $6,800.
Mari, 19, is helping them prepare a question for the school board. They find the district’s proposed budget for next school year. The total is $48 million for a projected 3,200 students. One line sets aside $310,000 for building repairs at all schools. A note says the figures may change before the board adopts the budget.
On Tuesday at 6:10 p.m., a post starts going around. It compares the district’s $48 million with another district, Westbrook, at $21,000 per student. “And they can’t fix ONE curtain??” it asks. Dec has a photo of the torn curtain. He wants to be the one who asks the board about it.
Your question: What can the $48 million total tell Dec about the curtain, and what should he ask the school board?
Key terms
On your ownRead each key term and its example, then write your first guess in the box. About 4 minutes.
Revenue Revenue is money that comes into a government or an organization, such as taxes and grants.
En español: ingresos
In this case: NCES reports that public schools get revenue from federal, state and local sources. That national data cannot show what Dec’s district spends on a curtain.
Expenditure An expenditure is money that a government or an organization spends.
En español: gasto
In this case: The $48 million is a proposed plan for next school year. It lists planned expenditures, but none of that money has been spent yet.
Per-pupil amount A per-pupil amount is a total divided by the number of students, so that districts of different sizes can be compared.
En español: monto por estudiante
In this case: $48,000,000 ÷ 3,200 students = $15,000 per student. Westbrook’s $21,000 is already per student, but its year and stage are unknown.
Who is involved
Mari
Helping the theater crew with a budget question
“Forty-eight million dollars, and the curtain still won’t close. Ay, bendito. Before we get mad at the big number, which line is supposed to fix it?”
Dec
Pulls the curtain at every show
“I pull that curtain every show. It doesn’t close all the way anymore. That part I can show you.”
Your first guess
Before you look at the evidence, why do you think the theater curtain is still not fixed?
My first guess is ___, because ___.
Notes
Reading passage
Reading a budget before reacting to it
On your ownRead the passage. At each Stop and think box, pause and answer the question in your head or with a partner. About 5 minutes.
Words to know
- Revenue: Revenue is money that comes into a government or an organization, such as taxes and grants.
- Expenditure: An expenditure is money that a government or an organization spends.
- Per-pupil amount: A per-pupil amount is a total divided by the number of students, so that districts of different sizes can be compared.
- Proposal: A proposal is a change that someone suggests and that has not been approved yet.
- Decision-maker: A decision-maker is the person or group with the power to make a particular choice.
The story: Where is the money going?
Dec, 17, a senior on the theater crew, pulls the stage curtain at every show. It is torn and no longer closes all the way. The facilities office has already priced a flame-retardant replacement, removal and installation included, at $6,800. Dec has a photo of the tear. He wants to take the problem to the school board, and he wants to be the one who asks.
Mari, 19, is helping him and Anika, 16, prepare. The district’s proposed budget for next school year is posted online. The headline figure is $48,000,000, with projected enrollment of 3,200 students. A facilities line provides $310,000 for building repairs across all schools. A note warns that the figures are proposed and may change before adoption.
On Tuesday at 6:10 p.m., a post begins circulating. It sets the district’s $48 million beside Westbrook’s $21,000 per student and asks why the district cannot fix one curtain. The post has the emotional logic of a good question. It also has the arithmetic of a bad one. Mari’s instinct is to ask where the numbers are from.
Your role is to work out the per-student number before anyone repeats the post.
Stop and think. The post “has the emotional logic of a good question.” What makes it feel convincing?
Putting numbers on the same scale
Budget numbers carry three labels that must match before a comparison means anything: year, stage and unit. The post mismatches all three. It pairs a proposed district total for next year with a per-student figure of unknown year and stage.
A per-pupil amount is a total divided by the number of students, so that districts of different sizes can be compared. The new skill in this case is comparing numbers on the same scale. It extends Lesson 11’s habit of comparing like with like. Dividing $48,000,000 by 3,200 gives $15,000 per student. The recalculation changes the post’s implied story, but it does not settle it. Westbrook’s year and stage are still unknown, and a per-pupil figure cannot show whether either district’s funding matches its students’ needs.
The vocabulary of public finance keeps other distinctions straight. Revenue is money that comes into a government or an organization, such as taxes and grants. An expenditure is money that a government or an organization spends. This document is a proposal, the Lesson 4 term for a change that someone suggests and that has not been approved yet. A proposed budget, the adopted budget and actual spending are three different records.
The crew’s method draws on earlier cases. Mari reads the budget line by line, the skill from Lesson 5, looking for the line that could plausibly cover a stage curtain. She is not sure a curtain counts as a building repair, and she wants to find out. Dec follows Lesson 13’s rule of keeping a claim as small as the evidence. His photo proves the tear and nothing about where money went, so he brings the photo, the quote and a question rather than an accusation. Lesson 4’s decision-maker, the person or group with the power to make a particular choice, points to the school board, which adopts the budget within state and federal rules. His question should name one budget line, one need and the board’s next chance to hear requests.
Stop and think. Why can’t a per-pupil figure show whether a district has enough money?
Funding, spending and outcomes
National data give context but not local answers. NCES reports that public-school revenue comes from federal, state and local sources, with a mix that varies by state (NCES, May 2024). Its state-by-state table for 2022–23 includes per-pupil amounts (NCES Digest table 235.20, March 2026). Reliance on local property taxes produces large differences between districts (NPR, April 18, 2016).
Budgets also change over time. When temporary federal pandemic relief ran out, districts faced what reporters called a funding cliff (Chalkbeat, September 13, 2023). In 2026, many districts made cuts and layoffs tied to inflation and enrollment declines (Chalkbeat, May 28, 2026). Spending levels matter for students.
Funding, spending and outcomes, continued
A major study of school finance reforms found that more per-pupil spending raised graduation rates and adult earnings, especially for low-income students (Jackson, Johnson and Persico, Quarterly Journal of Economics, October 1, 2015).
The SPJ code offers a rule for anyone writing about budgets: “Provide context. Take special care not to misrepresent or oversimplify in promoting, previewing or summarizing a story” (SPJ Code of Ethics, September 6, 2014). The viral post fails that test, and Dec’s question passes it.
Stop and think. What would Dec need to know to show that the curtain belongs in the building repairs line?
Sources
Real sourceNational Center for Education StatisticsMay 2024
Public School Revenue Sources (Condition of Education)
Real sourceNational Center for Education StatisticsMarch 2026
Revenue sources for public schools by state, 2022–23 (Digest table 235.20)
Real sourceNPRApril 18, 2016
Why America's Schools Have A Money Problem
Real sourceChalkbeatSeptember 13, 2023
Schools face a funding cliff. How bad will the fall be?
Real sourceChalkbeatMay 28, 2026
A financial reckoning is hitting America’s public schools
Real sourceThe Quarterly Journal of Economics (Jackson, Johnson & Persico)October 1, 2015
The Effects of School Spending on Educational and Economic Outcomes: Evidence from School Finance Reforms
Real sourceSociety of Professional Journalists (SPJ)2014
SPJ Code of Ethics
Look at the evidence
On your ownRead each document and write what it shows and what it leaves out. About 8 minutes.
Evidence ABudget excerpt
The proposed budget for next school year
PROPOSED BUDGET, NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. Total proposed budget: $48,000,000. Projected enrollment: 3,200 students. Facilities, building repairs (all schools): $310,000. Note: figures are proposed and may change before the board adopts the budget.
Look closely: Circle the year, the stage and the unit for each number.
What it shows
What it leaves out
Evidence BSocial media post
A post shared Tuesday at 6:10 p.m.
Our district: $48 MILLION. Westbrook: $21,000 per student. And they can’t fix ONE curtain?? Where is the money going?
Look closely: Which number is a total, and which is per student?
What it shows
What it leaves out
Look at the evidence, continued
Evidence CRepair quote
The facilities quote for a new curtain
Stage curtain replacement, main auditorium: remove the torn curtain, supply and install a flame-retardant replacement. Total: $6,800.
Look closely: What does the quote confirm, and who received it?
What it shows
What it leaves out
What is still missing from the evidence?
Notes
Key idea: per-pupil amounts
On your ownRead the key idea and the code of ethics, then answer the question in the box. About 12 minutes.
Before you compare two budget numbers, check three labels: the year, the stage and the unit. An expenditure is money that a government or an organization spends. A proposed budget is a plan for expenditures. An adopted budget is the plan the board approves. Actual spending is what the district really spent. The $48 million is a proposed total for the whole district. The Westbrook figure is an amount per student.
A per-pupil amount is a total divided by the number of students, so that districts of different sizes can be compared. Dec’s district proposes $48,000,000 for a projected 3,200 students. That works out to $15,000 per student. The comparison is still not complete, because Westbrook’s budget year and stage are unknown. A per-pupil figure also cannot show whether either district has enough for its students’ needs.
Revenue is money that comes into a government or an organization, such as taxes and grants. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that public schools get revenue from federal, state and local sources. The mix differs from state to state. National data like this gives context, but it cannot say what one district spends on a curtain. In most states, an elected local school board adopts the budget within state and federal rules. That is why Dec’s question should name one budget line, one need and the board’s next chance to hear requests.
Professional standards
Real sourceAmerican Society for Public Administration (ASPA)
ASPA Code of Ethics: 5. Fully Inform and Advise
“Provide accurate, honest, comprehensive, and timely information and advice to elected and appointed officials and governing board members”
In plain words: ASPA members agree to give decision-makers, such as school board members, accurate and complete information.
Question: The $6,800 curtain quote went to the theater advisor. What should the board see to rank that repair?
Professional standards, continued
Your answer
The board needs ___. Then it can ___.
In the news
Real sourceNPRApril 18, 2016
Why America's Schools Have A Money Problem
Explains how local property taxes make school budgets very different from one district to the next.
Real sourceChalkbeatMay 28, 2026
A financial reckoning is hitting America’s public schools
Big districts are making cuts, showing how a huge budget can still leave little for extras like a stage curtain.
Notes
Sort the evidence
On your ownTrace the curtain request from the photo to the vote and fill in each box. About 12 minutes.
Trace the curtain request from the photo to the vote. Who ranks it, who adopts the budget, which rules limit them, and where can students speak?
Fund the $6,800 curtain replacement next year
The elected local school board, which adopts the budget
The facilities office, which ranks repair requests (how is still unknown)
State and federal rules and funding streams set limits on district budgets
Proposed building-repairs line: $310,000 for all schools
Whose perspective is missing?
Whose view is missing from these documents? What would you ask them?
The view that is missing is ___. I would ask ___.
Practice: choose a response
On your ownChoose what the crew should do first, explain why and fix the two marked phrases. About 5 minutes.
A post compares the district’s $48 million total with Westbrook’s $21,000 per student. Someone reposts it and adds “we get way less.” What should the crew do first?
A Share it. Both figures are in dollars, and the curtain really is torn.
B Check that both figures use the same year, budget stage and units before comparing them.
C Divide $48 million by 3,200 students, and post that the district is underfunded.
Why I chose it
Improve a draft
A student’s first draft
Our district has a 1 $48 million budget but our theater curtain is ripped and gross. That’s so much money and they can’t even fix one curtain? It has been like this since before any of us joined the crew and it keeps getting worse every show. Where is all the money going? Other districts get way more. I saw a post that said so. We deserve better and 2 the board needs to explain themselves. We are honestly tired of waiting for this.
Rewrite each marked phrase so it says only what the evidence supports.
Rewrite phrase 1
Rewrite phrase 2
DP Global politics
Your task
On your ownRead the steps and fill in the planner boxes before you start your draft. About 25 minutes.
Rehearse an engagement project on school funding: frame the political issue (who decides how facilities money is shared, and by what criteria), map the actors from the state legislature to the school board to student groups, plan an ethical way to engage a board member or budget office, and explain how power and legitimacy shape which requests get funded.
- Frame the political issue as one question in the planner.
- Map the actors: formal authority, resources, influence and voice.
- Find one date on your district’s budget calendar when the board hears the public.
- Plan one ethical engagement: who, how, what you will ask, consent and safety.
- Draft the issue and engagement sections on the Your draft page.
- Finish the proposal, 500 to 700 words, on lined paper or in the online workspace.
Prefer typing? Scan to open the online workspace.
The political issue
Your task, continued
Actor map
My engagement plan
Notes
Your draft
On your ownWrite your draft in the boxes, using your planner from the page before. About 35 minutes.
Issue section
Engagement section
Check your work
On your ownAnswer the Check your work questions, mark your level in each rubric row and write one change you made. About 8 minutes.
Does your proposal frame a political issue about sharing public resources?
YesNoDoes your actor map cover each level of government accurately?
YesNoIs your engagement plan ethical and feasible?
YesNoDo you use power and legitimacy precisely?
YesNo
How your work is scored
Mark one box in each row.
| Skill | Beginning | Developing | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | Uses an unlabeled total. | Uses a figure without year or stage. | Labels year, stage and line and cites the need. | Adds a repair quote and notes what the figures can’t show. |
| Reasoning | Assumes waste or theft. | Compares mismatched numbers. | Links the need to a specific budget line. | Explains process questions: ranking, timing, decision |
| Audience & purpose | Accuses the board. | Complains without a request. | Asks a question the board can answer. | Asks a question and offers a concrete way for students to contribute. |
How your work is scored, continued
| Skill | Beginning | Developing | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revision | No change. | Removes insults only. | Adds labels and a specific line. | Explains how each change makes an answer more likely. |
One change I made after feedback
I changed ___ because ___.
Notes
Questions to discuss
On your ownWrite a short answer to each question, then complete the sentence frames. About 10 minutes.
1 What could make spending rise without the service getting better?
2 Dec wants to ask the board himself. Why might it matter who brings the question?
3 What else would you want to know before saying one district gets less than another?
My take
My claim: ___.
The best evidence is ___, because ___.
My take, continued
Someone who disagrees might say ___.
The limit of the evidence is ___.
I would change my mind if ___.
Notes
Talk about this case at home
Lesson 18: Why is the theater curtain still falling apart?
In this case, a group of friends reads a school district budget to find out why a torn theater curtain has not been fixed. Your student checked what the numbers mean and wrote a clear question for the school board.
Questions to talk about
- Where do you think a school’s money comes from?
- Why can it be misleading to compare a total with an amount per person?
- Who would you ask if something at school needed fixing?
Nobody needs to share personal stories or private information to talk about this case.
See the case online.
Lesson 19Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 19: What should Gia say in her two-minute comment?
Overview
Students read a short story in which Gia wants to speak against a proposal to close the park’s lighted courts at 8 p.m. They read the parks committee agenda, the comment instructions and a nearby resident’s comment. They find the item, the deciding body, the deadline and the time limit. They then cut Gia’s three-page draft into a timed comment that makes one specific request.
Before this case
Students should already be able to:
- define power and legitimacy as Global politics core concepts
- map stakeholders and their sources of power
- follow a consent script for a conversation
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- frame a local political issue with competing interests
- engage one person or one meeting ethically and record what was learned
- analyze power and legitimacy in the court-lights decision with evidence
- name missing voices and the limits of their own findings
Materials
- This chapter, one copy per student
- A stakeholder map template and an engagement log template
- A consent script for the conversation
- Seattle City Council’s public comment page
The task in this edition
Task: Carry out an engagement-project rehearsal on the court-lights item: frame the political issue, identify stakeholders (court users, nearby residents, the parks committee, the full council), hold one consented conversation with a park user or neighbor or observe a real public meeting with a trusted adult, and write a report on how power and legitimacy shape the decision, including whose voices are missing.
Students make: Engagement report, 800–1,000 words, with a stakeholder map and engagement log
Pacing
Opener (page 206): 5 min. Short on time: 4 min. Read the summary line and the first paragraph aloud.
Key terms (pages 207 and 208): 5 min. Short on time: 4 min. Read the key terms aloud. Skip Who is involved.
Look at the evidence (page 212): 10 min. Short on time: 10 min.
Pacing, continued
Look at the evidence (page 213): 10 min. Short on time: 10 min.
Key idea (pages 214 and 215): 15 min. Short on time: 12 min. Skip In the news.
Sort the evidence (page 216): 10 min. Short on time: 10 min.
Practice (page 217): 5 min. Short on time: skip.
Your task (pages 218 and 219): 40 min. Short on time: 40 min.
Your draft (page 220): 40 min. Short on time: 40 min.
Check your work (pages 221 and 222): 10 min. Short on time: 10 min.
Questions to discuss (pages 223 and 224): 15 min. Short on time: 10 min. Use questions 3 and 4 only.
Talk about this case at home (page 225): at home.
Periods: full chapter 165 minutes; one period 150 minutes.
Standards
Global politics — key concepts: power and legitimacy Uses the course’s key concepts of power and legitimacy to examine a political issue. In this case: Students analyze how public participation contributes to a decision’s legitimacy.
Lesson 19Case planDP Global politics educator edition
Lesson 19 plan, continued
Standards, continued
Language A: language and literature — Readers, writers and texts An area of exploration in the course: how readers, writers and texts interact to make meaning. In this case: Students analyze how public comments are shaped by the meeting’s rules.
Codes of ethics
- ASPA Code of Ethics: 3. Promote democratic participation.
- Credo for Ethical Communication: “We endorse freedom of expression, diversity of perspective, and acknowledgement of dissent…” (one of nine unnumbered principles)
- SPJ Code of Ethics: Minimize Harm
Heat map
Opener (page 206): Low
Key terms (pages 207 and 208): Low
Look at the evidence (page 212): Low
Look at the evidence (page 213): Low
Key idea (pages 214 and 215): Low
Sort the evidence (page 216): Medium
Practice (page 217): Medium
Your task (pages 218 and 219): Medium
Your draft (page 220): Low
Check your work (pages 221 and 222): Low
Try it at your school
Find your next local agenda.
- With a trusted adult, find the website for your city council, school board or parks board
- Open the next meeting agenda and find one item that affects you
- Read the public-comment instructions: sign-up, time limit, written option
- Draft a practice comment and decide with your adult whether to submit it
Who to ask: Clerk of the council or school board, a civics teacher, a student representative to the board if your district has one
Safety: Public comments and names may be published. Leave out addresses, phone numbers and anyone else’s private story. Attend meetings with a trusted adult.
Sources
- Peacock, “Parks and Recreation,” No date listed
- Seattle City Council, “Public Comment,” No date listed
Lesson 19: What should Gia say in her two-minute comment?
Gia has two minutes to speak to the parks committee about the court lights, but her draft is three pages long.
On your ownRead What happened and underline the sentence that says what item 4 proposes. About 5 minutes.
Your role: You’re the one holding the timer and listening for the request. New skill: Fit a request to the body’s remit and time limit.
What happened
It is Tuesday, 5:40 p.m. The parks committee meets at 6. Item 4 on its agenda is a proposal to turn off the park’s court lights at 8 p.m. The reason given is complaints about evening noise from nearby residents.
Gia, 21, wants to speak against item 4. It is her first time speaking at a public meeting. Each speaker gets two minutes. On Monday night, Gia wrote a three-page draft. When she reads page one out loud, it takes two minutes and forty seconds.
Mateo, 22, is timing her from a bench. He follows every word, but he cannot tell what she wants the committee to do. The draft also mentions a friend’s private situation, and page two is about the bus. Everything Gia says will become part of the public record, along with her name.
Your question: What should Gia keep in her two-minute comment, and what should she cut?
Key terms
On your ownRead each key term and its example, then write your first guess in the box. About 5 minutes.
Agenda item An agenda item is one topic listed on a meeting’s official schedule of business.
En español: punto del orden del día
In this case: Item 4, “Evening court hours,” proposes turning off the court lights at 8:00 p.m. Its action is a committee recommendation to the full council.
Remit A remit is the set of matters that a committee or other body is responsible for and can act on.
En español: competencia
In this case: The parks committee can recommend court hours. It cannot change bus routes, so page two of Gia’s draft belongs with a different body.
Public record A public record is information a government keeps that anyone can ask to see, such as meeting comments.
En español: registro público
In this case: Comments and speakers’ names become part of the public record. That is why Gia leaves her friend’s private situation out of her comment.
Who is involved
Gia
Speaking at a public meeting for the first time
“I timed page one out loud. Two minutes forty. There are three pages.”
Mateo
Timing Gia’s practice run from a bench
“I followed all of it. I still couldn’t tell you what she wants them to do.”
Your first guess
Before you look at the evidence, what do you think Gia should say in her two minutes?
My first guess is ___, because ___.
Notes
Reading passage
Two minutes, one ask
On your ownRead the passage. At each Stop and think box, pause and answer the question in your head or with a partner. About 5 minutes.
Words to know
- Agenda item: An agenda item is one topic listed on a meeting’s official schedule of business.
- Remit: A remit is the set of matters that a committee or other body is responsible for and can act on.
- Public record: A public record is information a government keeps that anyone can ask to see, such as meeting comments.
- Proposal: A proposal is a change that someone suggests and that has not been approved yet.
- Decision-maker: A decision-maker is the person or group with the power to make a particular choice.
The story: The first time at the microphone
Gia, 21, has spent her life in Fort Greene, and the park is part of her week. On Tuesday, the parks committee meets at 6 p.m. Item 4 on its agenda proposes turning off the court lights and closing the lighted courts at 8 p.m., citing complaints about evening noise from nearby residents. The agenda lists the action as a committee recommendation to the full council. Gia wants to speak against it. She has never spoken at a public meeting before.
The rules give her two minutes. Speakers sign up by 5 p.m., written comments may be submitted in advance and comments and names become part of the public record. At 5:40, Gia reads her draft aloud on a bench while Mateo, 22, times her. The draft runs three pages, and page one alone takes two minutes and forty seconds. It also contains a friend’s private situation and a page about the bus.
Mateo’s feedback is precise without being a rewrite. He followed every word and still cannot say what she wants the committee to do. His question is the most useful editing tool in the case. If the committee remembers one sentence, what is it? That sentence goes first.
Your role is to hold the timer and listen for the request.
Stop and think. Why does Mateo’s one-sentence question work better than line edits?
Matching a request to a body
An agenda item is one topic listed on a meeting’s official schedule of business. A remit is the set of matters that a committee or other body is responsible for and can act on. The two concepts define what Gia can usefully ask. Item 4 concerns lighting and closing time. The committee’s remit includes recommending court hours. It does not include buses. Her draft’s central plea, “Please don’t close the park,” misstates the item, since no one has proposed closing the park.
The new skill is fitting a request to the body’s remit and time limit, and it assembles earlier skills. Lesson 4 introduced the proposal, a change that someone suggests and that has not been approved yet, and the decision-maker, the person or group with the power to make a particular choice. Here the chain has two links. The committee recommends, and the full council decides. Lesson 10 taught you to route a problem to the office responsible, which is why the bus page belongs with a transit office rather than this committee.
A strong two-minute comment does four jobs. It names the agenda item, reports an observation, explains why it matters and makes one request. Gia’s revised comment does exactly that. It names item 4. It reports that she counted twenty or thirty people on the courts between 8 and 9. It notes that many of them work late. And it asks for lights until 9 on weekdays this summer. The request also engages the resident who wrote that late noise carries into their apartment and that their kids have school in the morning. Asking for 9 rather than no change gives the committee a middle path that answers both concerns in part.
The final cut is ethical. A public record is information a government keeps that anyone can ask to see, such as meeting comments. Everything Gia says will be attached to her name and kept. Her friend’s situation belongs to her friend, so it comes out.
Stop and think. How does asking for 9 p.m. instead of no change affect the committee’s choices?
Research and real practice
Rules differ by body. Seattle City Council accepts spoken comment in person or by phone and written comment by email, with up to two minutes per speaker (Seattle City Council, no date listed). That is one city’s process, not a rule for every council. Research raises a harder question about who shows up. A study of meeting minutes found that local commenters often do not reflect the whole community (Einstein, Palmer and Glick, Perspectives on Politics, October 14, 2018). Other peer-reviewed work examines whether and how public comment connects to policy outcomes (Sahn, American Journal of Political Science, August 31, 2024).
Young people are using the process well. Philadelphia students testified at board meetings about school closures, drawing on district data (Chalkbeat Philadelphia, April 3, 2026).
Research and real practice, continued
Journalists hold a related privacy standard. The SPJ code says “private people have a greater right to control information about themselves than public figures” (SPJ Code of Ethics, September 6, 2014). Gia applies that principle to her friend.
Stop and think. The research shows commenters often do not reflect the whole community. What does that suggest about who should speak?
Sources
Real sourceSeattle City CouncilNo date listed
Public Comment
Real sourcePerspectives on Politics (Einstein, Palmer & Glick)October 14, 2018
Who Participates in Local Government? Evidence from Meeting Minutes
Real sourceAmerican Journal of Political Science (Sahn)August 31, 2024
Public comment and public policy
Real sourceChalkbeat PhiladelphiaApril 3, 2026
‘Not what democracy is all about’: Philly students slam school leaders’ approach to school closures
Real sourceSociety of Professional Journalists (SPJ)2014
SPJ Code of Ethics
Notes
Look at the evidence
On your ownRead each document and write what it shows and what it leaves out. About 10 minutes.
Evidence AMeeting agenda
Item 4 on the parks committee agenda
Item 4. Evening court hours. Proposal to turn off the court lights and close the lighted courts at 8:00 p.m. Background: complaints about evening noise from nearby residents. Action: committee recommendation to the full council.
Look closely: Circle the item number, the proposed time and the action.
What it shows
What it leaves out
Evidence BComment rules
How to comment at the meeting
Sign up to speak by 5:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Each speaker has 2 minutes. Written comments may be submitted before the meeting. Comments and speakers’ names become part of the public record.
Look closely: Underline the deadline, the time limit and what becomes public.
What it shows
What it leaves out
Look at the evidence, continued
Evidence CDraft
Gia’s three-page draft (excerpt)
“The park is really important to everyone and closing it is a terrible idea. I go there all the time with my friends… You guys never listen to young people. Please don’t close the park.”
Look closely: Find the request. Does it match what item 4 proposes?
What it shows
What it leaves out
Evidence DWritten comment
A comment from a nearby resident
The courts are good for the neighborhood, but the noise late in the evening carries into our apartment. We have kids with school in the morning.
Look closely: What does this resident like, and what is the problem?
What it shows
What it leaves out
What is still missing from the evidence?
Key idea: remit
On your ownRead the key idea and the code of ethics, then answer the question in the box. About 15 minutes.
A remit is the set of matters that a committee or other body is responsible for and can act on. The parks committee can make a recommendation about court hours. It cannot change bus routes. That is why Gia’s comment should ask for something the parks committee can do.
An agenda item is one topic listed on a meeting’s official schedule of business. Each committee, council or board sets its own rules for who can speak, when and for how long. Seattle City Council is one real example. Its public comment page describes speaking in person or by phone and signing up before the meeting. Each speaker gets up to two minutes, and written comments can be sent by email.
A short comment can do four jobs. It names the agenda item, shares something the speaker observed, says why it matters and ends with a clear request. Before adding personal details, check whether comments become public. A public record is information a government keeps that anyone can ask to see, such as meeting comments. At Gia’s meeting, comments and speakers’ names become part of the public record.
Professional standards
Real sourceAmerican Society for Public Administration (ASPA)
ASPA Code of Ethics: 3. Promote democratic participation
“Inform the public and encourage active engagement in governance. Be open, transparent and responsive, and respect and assist all persons in their dealings with public organizations.”
In plain words: ASPA's code asks people in public service to make it easy for every affected person to take part in decisions.
Question: The instructions allow written comments in advance. How does that help court users who cannot come at 6 p.m.?
Your answer
Written comments ___, but ___.
In the news
Real sourceChalkbeat PhiladelphiaApril 3, 2026
‘Not what democracy is all about’: Philly students slam school leaders’ approach to school closures
Students testified at board meetings and used district data, real public comment with a clear destination.
Real sourceChalkbeat NewarkNovember 26, 2025
How a Newark student coalition is using its own research to press for change in schools
Teens brought evidence and specific requests to their school board, the formula this case teaches.
Notes
Sort the evidence
On your ownFollow a comment from the speaker to the final decision and fill in each box. About 10 minutes.
Follow a comment from the speaker to the final decision. Which body hears it, which body decides, and whose concerns reach the room?
Turn off the court lights at 8 p.m.?
Full council: takes the final action
Whose perspective is missing?
Whose view is missing from these documents? What would you ask them?
The view that is missing is ___. I would ask ___.
Practice: choose a response
On your ownChoose the best opening sentence, explain why and fix the two marked phrases. About 5 minutes.
Gia has two minutes on item 4. Which opening sentence gives the committee the most to work with?
A “The park is really important to everyone, and closing it is a terrible idea.”
B “Good evening. I’m Gia, and I’m commenting on item 4, the proposal to turn off the court lights at 8 p.m.”
C “You guys never listen to young people, so I hope tonight is different.”
Why I chose it
Improve a draft
A student’s first draft
Hi, my name is Gia and I have lived in this neighborhood my whole life. The park is really important to everyone and closing it is a terrible idea. I go there all the time with my friends and it’s one of the only free things to do around here. My friend works late and this is the only time she can play and 1 she’s been going through a lot at home. You guys never listen to young people. 2 Please don’t close the park.
Rewrite each marked phrase so it says only what the evidence supports.
Rewrite phrase 1
Rewrite phrase 2
DP Global politics
Your task
On your ownRead the steps and fill in the planner boxes before you start your draft. About 40 minutes.
Carry out an engagement-project rehearsal on the court-lights item: frame the political issue, identify stakeholders (court users, nearby residents, the parks committee, the full council), hold one consented conversation with a park user or neighbor or observe a real public meeting with a trusted adult, and write a report on how power and legitimacy shape the decision, including whose voices are missing.
- Frame the political issue in item 4 as one question.
- Map the stakeholders: court users, nearby residents, the parks committee and the full council.
- Hold one consented conversation with a park user or neighbor, or observe a meeting with a trusted adult.
- Record what you learned in the engagement log.
- Draft the power and legitimacy section on the Your draft page.
- Finish the report, 800 to 1,000 words, on lined paper or in the online workspace.
- Name the voices missing from your findings and the limits of your evidence.
Prefer typing? Scan to open the online workspace.
The political issue, framed as a question
Your task, continued
Stakeholders and their sources of power
Who can reach the meeting, and who cannot
Notes
Your draft
On your ownWrite your draft in the boxes, using your planner from the page before. About 40 minutes.
Power and legitimacy section
Check your work
On your ownAnswer the Check your work questions, mark your level in each rubric row and write one change you made. About 10 minutes.
Does your report frame a real local issue with competing interests?
YesNoDid you engage people ethically and record what you learned?
YesNoDo you analyze power and legitimacy with evidence?
YesNoDo you name missing voices and the limits of your findings?
YesNo
How your work is scored
Mark one box in each row.
| Skill | Beginning | Developing | Proficient | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence | No facts. | General claim about importance. | One specific observation tied to the item. | Observation plus acknowledgment of another perspective. |
| Reasoning | Attacks the body. | States a feeling only. | Explains why the change matters. | Weighs the concern and offers a middle path. |
| Audience & purpose | Wrong body or no request. | Request is vague. | Names the item and a specific request. | Request fits the body’s remit and includes a follow-up. |
| Revision | No change. | Shortens only. | Removes private details and adds a request. | Explains each cut in terms of time, privacy and purpose. |
Check your work, continued
One change I made after feedback
I changed ___ because ___.
Notes
Questions to discuss
On your ownWrite a short answer to each question, then complete the sentence frames. About 15 minutes.
1 The parks committee cannot fix the bus problem. Who should get that question instead?
2 How could Gia’s comment respond to the resident’s concern about noise?
3 What does Gia get from speaking, even if the committee recommends turning off the lights?
4 Court users who work late may miss a 6 p.m. meeting. How could their views reach the committee?
My take
My claim: ___.
My take, continued
The best evidence is ___, because ___.
Someone who disagrees might say ___.
The limit of the evidence is ___.
I would change my mind if ___.
Notes
Talk about this case at home
Lesson 19: What should Gia say in her two-minute comment?
In this case, Gia gets two minutes at a parks committee meeting to speak about a plan to turn off the court lights. Your student helped cut her three-page draft into a short comment with one clear request.
Questions to talk about
- Who makes decisions about parks and other public spaces in a town or city?
- What makes a short request easy for a listener to remember?
- Why might someone leave a friend’s story out of a public comment?
Nobody needs to share personal stories or private information to talk about this case.
See the case online.
Key terms
ADA coordinator An ADA coordinator is the staff member a government names to handle disability access questions and complaints.
En español: coordinador de la ADA
Agenda item An agenda item is one topic listed on a meeting’s official schedule of business.
En español: punto del orden del día
Authority Authority is the power a person or group has to make or change a particular rule or decision.
En español: autoridad
Barrier A barrier is something that blocks or limits a person from taking part.
En español: barrera
Challenge A challenge is a formal request to remove or restrict a book or other library material.
En español: impugnación
Compensation Compensation is all the pay and benefits a worker receives, including hourly rates, bonuses and overtime.
En español: compensación
Decision-maker A decision-maker is the person or group with the power to make a particular choice.
En español: quien toma la decisión
Documentation Documentation is a record, such as a photo, a note or an email, that shows what was said or done and when.
En español: documentación
Equal Pay Act The Equal Pay Act is a federal law from 1963 that requires equal pay for men and women who do equal work.
En español: Ley de Igualdad Salarial
Expenditure An expenditure is money that a government or an organization spends.
En español: gasto
Fact pattern A fact pattern is the specific set of facts in a situation that a rule is applied to.
En español: conjunto de hechos
FICA FICA is the federal payroll tax that funds Social Security and Medicare.
En español: FICA (Seguro Social y Medicare)
Gross pay Gross pay is the money you earn before any taxes or other deductions are taken out.
En español: salario bruto
Jurisdiction A jurisdiction is the place or area where a particular government or rule has authority.
En español: jurisdicción
Local acceptance Local acceptance is the list of materials that your own city's recycling or compost program actually takes.
En español: materiales aceptados en tu ciudad
Net pay Net pay is the money left after taxes and other deductions, often called take-home pay.
En español: salario neto
Per-pupil amount A per-pupil amount is a total divided by the number of students, so that districts of different sizes can be compared.
En español: monto por estudiante
Key terms, continued
Precedent A precedent is an earlier court decision that judges use as a guide in similar later cases.
En español: precedente
Program access Program access is an ADA rule that a city's services, taken as a whole, must be usable by people with disabilities.
En español: acceso a los programas
Proposal A proposal is a change that someone suggests and that has not been approved yet.
En español: propuesta
Public record A public record is information a government keeps that anyone can ask to see, such as meeting comments.
En español: registro público
Reasonable accommodation A reasonable accommodation is a change to a rule or practice that gives a person with a disability equal use of a place.
En español: acomodo razonable
Reconsideration policy A reconsideration policy is a library's written process for reviewing a challenge to a book.
En español: política de reconsideración
Registration Registration is signing up with your election office so that you are on the list of people who can vote.
En español: inscripción electoral
Remit A remit is the set of matters that a committee or other body is responsible for and can act on.
En español: competencia
Reuse Reuse is using an item again instead of throwing it away after one use.
En español: reutilización
Revenue Revenue is money that comes into a government or an organization, such as taxes and grants.
En español: ingresos
Sample ballot A sample ballot is a preview of the contests and measures that will appear on your ballot.
En español: boleta de muestra
Selection criteria Selection criteria are the written standards a library uses to decide which materials to include.
En español: criterios de selección
Source reduction Source reduction is preventing waste before it is created, for example by buying less packaging.
En español: reducción en la fuente
Substantial disruption Substantial disruption is the standard from Tinker v. Des Moines: a public school may limit speech that would seriously disrupt school activities.
En español: alteración sustancial
Title VII Title VII is part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It bans job discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin.
En español: Título VII
Trade-off A trade-off is a choice where getting one benefit means accepting a cost or giving something up.
En español: compensación entre opciones
Key terms, continued
Voter guide A voter guide is a document that explains or recommends choices in an election.
En español: guía para votantes
Withholding Withholding is money an employer takes out of each paycheck to pay taxes or other costs for the worker.
En español: retención
My progress
After each case, write the date and your level for each skill: Beginning, Developing, Proficient or Advanced.
| Case | Date | Evidence | Reasoning | Audience and purpose | Revision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | |||||
| 5 | |||||
| 7 | |||||
| 9 | |||||
| 10 | |||||
| 11 | |||||
| 12 | |||||
| 13 | |||||
| 16 | |||||
| 18 | |||||
| 19 |
Track the work across the yearDP Global politics educator edition
Track the work across the year
Each case has the same four rubric rows, so growth is easy to see. Mark the level each student or group reached, case by case.
| Case | Evidence | Reasoning | Audience | Revision | Took a civic step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Who gets a say when a shared room changes? | |||||
| 5 Why is my deposit smaller than what I earned? | |||||
| 7 Did one complaint get the novel banned? | |||||
| 9 What is on your ballot, and where do you check? | |||||
| 10 Whose job is it to fix the blocked route? | |||||
| 11 Why are Jordy and Gia paid different rates? | |||||
| 12 When can a school limit what students say? | |||||
| 13 Can the crew cut waste before it reaches the bin? | |||||
| 16 Who wrote the new building rule? | |||||
| 18 Why is the theater curtain still falling apart? | |||||
| 19 What should Gia say in her two-minute comment? |
About course names and standardsDP Global politics educator edition
About course names and standards
AP, Pre-AP and IB activities are practice designed by No, Pero Why?. They are not official College Board or IB materials. Honors expectations are set by your school.
Framework sources
IB Diploma Programme Global politics (guide for first assessment 2026)
- International Baccalaureate, Global politics course page: https://ibo.org/programmes/diploma-programme/curriculum/individuals-and-societies/global-politics/
- International Baccalaureate, Global politics updates: https://ibo.org/university-admission/latest-curriculum-updates/global-politics-updates/
- International Baccalaureate, Global politics guide, first assessment 2026: https://ibo.org/globalassets/new-structure/university-admission/pdfs/subject-guides/global-politics-guide-first-assessment-2026.pdf
Checked September 25, 2026.