Crafting Change: Pet Toys and Civic Responsibility introduces students to civic engagement and voting rights through hands-on service. Using fabric scraps, stuffing, and optional catnip, students create pet toys for local shelters while discussing how community involvement connects to good citizenship. The lesson begins with a discussion on the link between making pet toys and civic duty, followed by a demonstration and crafting session where students consider broader community needs. As they work, they explore key civic concepts like voting rights, responsibilities, and participation. Small groups then brainstorm other community service ideas, culminating in a mock vote to select a project, reinforcing the democratic process. The session concludes with reflections on civic duties and encourages further involvement, with extensions such as researching shelter needs or inviting a local official to speak. This approach makes civic education interactive, fostering both awareness and action.

Our class, run by the Reproductive Justice Committee of the CUACLU, will focus on educating students about their rights in both higher education and K-12 settings, as well as on self-advocacy. We will cover topics such as setting boundaries, practicing self-advocacy, and understanding the legal obligations schools have to protect students. This will include a 'Know Your Rights' presentation, recreating fictional scenarios, and analyzing real student rights cases.