Week 2 – “What Would X Do?”

Type of activity – In classroom activity, Peer activity

Contents

Week 2 – “What Would X Do?” ............................................................................................. 1

Type of activity – In classroom activity, Peer activity ...................................................... 1

Expected Outcomes – ........................................................................................................... 2

Steps for the activity – ......................................................................................................... 2

Handout 1 “X-Card” .............................................................................................................. 3

Handout 2- Situation Cards ................................................................................................ 8

Reflection Sheet – Who is Responsible? ................................................................. 12

Closing and Pre-preparation for Week 3..................................................................... 13

Introduction

You must have observed people voting in elections.

We vote to elect our representatives who form and

run the government. These representatives

implement the government’s policies and

programmes. But is this enough to run the country

and largest democracy like India?

People’s participation in the election is what

makes our democracy a representative and

participatory democracy. But the meaning of

people’s participation does not begin and end

with their voting in elections.

Let us ask questions like –

• Where are the checks and balances?

• Should we wait for another 5-6 years if system doesn’t work for us?

• Can we do something to make our Government accountable and Democracy functional?

• Can we solve our problems by participating in governance?

• Who all can participate and how ?

Expected Outcomes –

Students will –

1. Understand the value and importance of participation in Democracy.

2. Analyse the roles and responsibility of citizens to make their Democracy accountable.

Time Required - 45-60 Minutes

Pre-preparation –

Print out –“ X- Cards” and “Situation Chits.”

Steps for the activity –

1. This is a group activity, make pairs of 2 students and explain the activity.

2. Take print-out of Handout 1 “X card.” Cut the names and paste on the blackboard or on the

wall.

3. Keep all Situation Chits in a bowl or a box and ask each pair to come one by one and pick 1

Situation Chit

4. Read and discuss the given situation for 5 minutes

5. Now select any 3 names from the displayed cut-outs, whom you’ll look up to for the solution

of a problem, and why?

6. Each group will then present the problem in the following way –

• Problem statement

• 2 famous persons they would like to involve in solving a situation.

• “We” card would be compulsory to select

• Give a solution to the problem by quoting the name of the character.

For Example,

1. Problem statement – the traffic light/signal in front of our school gate has not been working

since last Sunday. 2 major accidents have happened during daytime.

2. Famous persons – a. Local Corporator b. Police c. We

3. Mr. MLA of our area will issue an urgent notice to repair the traffic lights by the next

morning.

Mr. Police will manually manage the traffic during peak hours till the time the traffic signal

gets repaired.

4. “We, the ACTIZENs will volunteer for 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the

afternoon to manage the traffic.” OR “We the ACTIZENs will write to the local corporator for

the issue and follow up with the same until it gets resolved.”

Handout 1 “X-Card”

School Principal

Prime Minister of

India

We

My Teacher

My Parents

Local Municipal

Corporator

Minister, Education

Famous Film Star

Famous Sports person

Chief Minister of the

State

Traffic Police officer

ACP, Crime Branch

Advocate

Watchman of the

society

Cleaner, Municipal

Corporation

My Friend

My Sibling

CEO, Internet service

providing company

Indian Army Chief

School Council

President

Minister, Women and

Child Development

NGO, Working in

Advocacy

Journalist, Regional

Newspaper

Handout 2- Situation Cards

Water Scarcity in your area for last 15 days

Garbage dump in front of your school gate

Traffic lights on your road are not working

Increased cases of bribery in the Pension

Department of your city

Need to schedule an awareness campaign

for upcoming elections in your school

Increased number in deaths of children due

to Chamki fever in your city

Lack of hygiene and sanitation in cinema

halls

Waterlogging in your street during heavy

rains

Your neighbour throws garbage at your gate

every day

Street hawkers are selling tobacco and ‘pan

masala’ near the school

The school canteen doesn’t serve hygienic

and healthy food

The factory is polluting the environment in a

residential complex

Increased number of crimes against women

reported in your city

Increased number of cybercrime cases

reported in your school

Majority of children in the age group of 6-14

years are engaged in child labour

Most girls in your country drop out of

school after the 10

th

Standard to get married

Teenagers ride on two wheelers without

helmets and licence

The village has reported continuous

farmers’ deaths due to drought and

increased debt

Illegal deforestation activities during night

in a tribal area nearby

Children in your state getting addicted to

mobile games

State Sports Association doesn’t allow girls’

participation in State level competitions

CCTV cameras are not working in your

society

One of the schools denied admission to

your maid’s daughter under RTE quota and

has asked for a donation

The government has introduced a new

vaccine for infants, and your club has

decided to spread awareness

You and your friends have developed an

app for filing complaints against corruption

in Government Departments; you need to

launch it and get more citizens to use the

app

Reflection Sheet – Who is Responsible?

From the above activity, write your learnings.

1. Who all are responsible for Civic irregularities/ Issues?

_____________________________________________________________________

2. Can we ourselves solve such problems/issues? Yes/No

3. If not, how can we make people or system accountable? (like, writing letters to

government, protest, participation in drafting policies, filing complaints etc.)

_____________________________________________________________________

Closing and Pre-preparation for Week 3

1. Vice President – Discuss the next Week plan with DAAC members and finalise date and

agenda. Take prior permissions for the activity and circulate the agenda.

2. Secretary - Collect the reflection sheets and presentations, click photographs of the activity

and share with your DA teacher and request him/her to share the same with Desh Apnayen.

3. Treasurer – Take Print outs ready for the next activity as per number of group members.