Government Module

Unit 1: Taking a Closer Look at our Community

Lesson 3: Accessing County Services

Materials needed:

• Computers with Internet access

• Website:  www.co/fairfax/va/us/handbook/main.htm

• Text: Citizen Handbook

• Handouts 1 and 2

Word Bank:

Introductory Activity:

• Today we are going to look at services Fairfax County offers its residents.  Let's brainstorm some answers to the following questions.

• Can you think of examples of services that the county government offers?

• Before you move into a community, what kinds of things are important to know about that community? (e.g., schools, utilities, taxes, etc)

• What kinds of things do you have to do when you move? (e.g., Change utilities, decals, etc.)

• How did you get  information about these things when you moved into your neighborhood?

Activity 1: Information Scavenger Hunt

This activity can be done either on the Internet or in a classroom that does not have Internet access.  You can pick up as many copies as you want of the Citizen Handbook from the Fairfax County Government Center, or download the file to the computer. 

Today we are going to have an Information Scavenger Hunt.   Everything you need is located in the Fairfax County Citizen Handbook, on the website or in the handbook.

• Type in the website:  www.co.fairfax.va.us/handbook/main.htm 

• We are going to work in two teams.  Each team may use only 2 computers to search for the information.

Modify directions to students if using the Handbook instead of the Internet.

• As you find the information requested on Handout 1, one member of your group must write the information on the board.

Instead of using the board, each group could have a piece of flip chart paper on which they can write their answers.

• The team which finds the most items during the time given wins a prize.

Remember that you can tailor either of the handouts to better suit the topic needs of your students.

Divide the large group into 2 teams.  Give out a copy of Handout 1 to all learners. Post one sheet of flipchart paper at the front of the room for each group, or have students use the blackboard.

You may consider providing the learners with a basic structure of how to work through this handbook and through this activity.

• Some things to remember while you are looking for the answers are:

• Ask yourself the question, “What am I looking for?” Is it a telephone number that I need or a name?

• Use the alphabetical listing at the top of this site to help you. 

• Be certain to read the beginning few pages because they may contain some useful information. 

• Scan the various paragraphs.  Do not read every word!

• Assign individual jobs to members of the team.  Be certain that everyone has a job during the activity.

• Verify the information that the groups posted by reviewing each item orally.

Debrief this activity in order to ask the learners to reflect on what they learned through the exercise.  You may want to ask them to think about how useful this information will be for them in their own lives.

• Now that we have searched for information on some county services, think about your own situations.  What other kinds of would be interesting to look up for yourself and your family?

• Brainstorm some ideas and see what we can add to our Scavenger Hunt list of useful services.  Then we can post this information and share it with others.

• Are there other places that you might consider going to find similar types of service information? (e.g. library, county homepage, phone book)

• What should we do with this information now that we have collected all of it?

You might suggest to learners that they put this information into a resource guide or pamphlet that can be shared with family, friends and neighbors.

Activity 2:  Dear Franky Fairfax

The purpose of this activity is to help the learners learn to use available materials to recommend solutions to common problems.

• Now we are going to look at letters from people who need advice on their problems.  Have you ever read "Dear Abby" or "Ann Landers"?  People write to the newspaper with their problems to get some ideas for how to solve them.  We're going to read letters to "Dear Franky Fairfax", a person who gives advice on problems of Fairfax County residents.

Divide the class into small groups of two or three learners.  Each group should be given a different “Dear Franky Fairfax” letter.

Depending on the level of your learners, you may want to review the letters and teach unfamiliar words before starting the exercise.

• Read the letter with your group.  Make a plan for the person with the problem.  In the plan suggest what county services they could use to find a solution.  I'll give you another large piece of paper, and your group can write a letter on it to answer the person.  Tell the person what to do.  Give them names of services, phone numbers, addresses, and any other appropriate information they might need.  You can get all of the information needed from the Citizen Handbook.

Activity Debrief:        

• Now that you have responded in writing to your imaginary letter writer, let’s present your letter and advice to the group.

Encourage learners to voice their opinions about the advice in the letter.  They can also identify spelling and punctuation errors on each other's letters.