What is an Action Project?

Activities and Action Projects are experiential.
Consider an activity / action project continuum.

The action project end of the continuum is distinguished by:

• Choosing an issue that is important to the group
• Visioning, researching, acting, reflecting, and celebrating
• A spiral experience through these steps (not necessarily a straight line)
• Research into the root causes, multiple perspectives, and myriad stakeholders involved in an issue
• Meaningful engagement of students throughout an entire process
  

Activities		Action Projects

• action projects are experiential; they cater to different learning styles
• action projects offer authentic, relevant, and meaningful opportunities for learning and for taking responsibility. This is motivating for students.
• action projects illuminate the trans-disciplinary and deeply interconnected nature of real problems.
• action projects that involve being outdoors provide students with opportunities to experience the wonder of nature—which then becomes its own motivator to act.
• using the environment as an integrating context for learning has been linked to improved test scores on standardized tests in the United States.
• action projects create a natural relationship between the people in the school and the wider community.
• action projects model for students and for the wider community what active citizenship looks, sounds, and feels like; this increases the likelihood that participants will engage in future action projects.
• the outcomes of action projects can have substantial positive consequences for Earth.
• Action projects cultivate skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary for active citizenship.