ABSTRACT
Taking action might seem like too much to expect from children, but it is an essential role for people living in a democracy and “action” doesn’t have to be big. This chapter describes three critical reading practices: taking action by changing communication with others, envisioning social change through redesign, and initiating social action to affect change. Classroom examples include eighth graders taking action against racial profiling, fifth graders investigating why kids are not included in historical accounts, and both middle school and elementary students finding strengths in their urban communities. The arts section focuses on using transmediation and collage to call for change. The technology section explores the use of cameras to identify social issues like racism and gender inequality The parent section encourages working collaboratively to provide access to books through initiatives like Little Free Libraries. The chapter concludes with an essay about what citizenship means in the context of critical literacy. Literature references include text sets showing children’s actions during the civil rights movement, picture books focusing on racial profiling, and international books showing children taking action. The adolescent novel Anger is a Gift provides examples of teens taking action.
