Week 17 — Advocacy & Systems

Unit 4: Lead in Community • Domain IV
Essential Question: How do we change the rules — not just the room?
Key Performance: Advocacy one-pager + outreach email/letter sent to a real decision-maker.

Day 1 — Symptoms vs Systems

Objective: SWBAT distinguish a symptom from the system that produces it.
Do-Now (5): "If trash in the halls is the symptom, what is the system?" • Circle (5): Single word. • Mini-Lesson (10): Iceberg model — events → patterns → structures → mental models. • Practice (25): Teams analyze their capstone topic at each layer. • Close (5): "Our system-level lever is ___."

Day 2 — Power Mapping

Objective: SWBAT map who has power to influence the system.
Do-Now (5): "Name three decision-makers who could change something on our campus tomorrow." • Circle (5): Roses/thorns. • Mini-Lesson (10): Power map — high/low influence × high/low support. • Practice (25): Teams build power map of their issue. • Close (5): Identify one target to engage.

Objective: SWBAT draft a 1-page advocacy brief (Problem, Evidence, Ask, Benefit, Contact).
Do-Now (5): Read 2 sample one-pagers; mark what works. • Circle (5): Check-in. • Mini-Lesson (10): Anatomy of an advocacy one-pager + the rule of "ask for one specific thing." • Practice (25): Teams draft. Critical-friend swap. • Close (5): Submit draft.

Day 4 — Outreach

Objective: SWBAT write and send a professional outreach email/letter to a real decision-maker.
Do-Now (5): Confirm recipient and address. • Circle (5): Brave check-in. • Mini-Lesson (10): Professional email anatomy — subject, salutation, ask, attachment, signature. • Practice (25): Teams draft, teacher reviews, send today. • Close (5): Log send + expected response window.

Day 5 — Friday Circle: Hope and Patience

Do-Now (5): "What's one system I want to see change in my lifetime?" • Circle (25): Friday Circle + round: "Where I want to be patient; where I refuse to be." • Practice (15): Portfolio: one-pager + email screenshot + power map. • Close (5): Leader of the Week + capstone mid-review next week.

Assessment

4-pt rubric: Iceberg/system depth • Power map accuracy • One-pager clarity • Email sent (professionalism).

Differentiation

ML/EL — bilingual one-pager allowed and encouraged when audience benefits. Stretch — students may attend a public meeting (board, council) to deliver the ask in person.

Sub Plan

Day 1 iceberg model is sub-stable with template.

Stretch & Swap

Have students follow up real responses across the rest of the semester; track in portfolio.