Week 13: My Group Agreement (Micro-Charter)
Protecting People and Sharing Power - Phase 3
This is the capstone week.
The learner will write a real group agreement for a real, safe group. The formal name is Micro-Charter. The kid name is My Group Agreement.
Kid Hook
What if your club, game group, or family meeting had one page that answered these questions:
- What is this group for?
- What are our most important rules?
- What protections do people have?
- How do we solve disagreements?
- How do we update the rules?
That is what this week makes.
Today's Mission
Build a real group agreement your group could actually use.
You'll Make / You'll Try
- one real Micro-Charter for a real group
- a final clean copy that can be used, displayed, or revisited later
Materials
- paper
- pencil
- optional Micro-Charter Template
- Case Notes
Quick 20-Minute Version
- Pick a real, safe, opt-in group.
- Fill in 5 boxes: what this group is for, important rules, protected promises, disagreement process, how to change rules.
- Read it aloud and fix one fuzzy part.
Main Activity
Write a real group agreement using everything the learner has built so far: rules, rights, shared power, and fair process.
- This is a real artifact. Display it, use it, and refer back to it.
- The facilitator is a structural editor, not the writer.
- Keep the domain real and safe: a reading club, family game night, library makerspace, friend craft group, sports practice team, community-center table, or a small online group the learner actually belongs to.
- Do not pressure anyone to join or sign. The point is genuine agreement.
If some participants do not want to sign or use the agreement, narrow the domain or use a smaller opt-in group. The point is genuine consent, not pressure.
Week at a Glance
| Prep time | ~15 minutes |
| Materials | Paper, pencil, optional template, Case Notes |
| Core vocabulary | charter, group agreement, right, rule, update |
| Difficulty | Moderate to Advanced |
Facilitator Preparation
- Confirm the learner's real group.
- Bring back the rights from Week 11 and the power map from Week 12.
- If useful, print the Micro-Charter Template.
Ask questions like:
- What is this group for?
- Which rules matter most?
- What protections must stay in place?
- How will the group handle disagreements?
- How can the group make an official rule update later?
Let the learner own the answers.
Younger Learner Adaptation (Ages 8-9)
Simple idea: A group agreement helps everyone know the group's purpose, rules, and fair way to solve problems.
Concrete substitutions:
- Use one page with big boxes and drawings.
- Keep the agreement to 3 rules and 2 protections.
- Use an illustrated version if writing feels heavy.
- Signatures are optional; pictures or stickers are fine if everyone wants that.
What success looks like: The learner creates a clear, usable group agreement another person can understand.
Older Learner Extension (Ages 10-12)
- After the child-facing version is clear, introduce the formal terms:
- why this exists (preamble)
- everyone agrees to use it (ratification)
- official rule update (amendment)
- Older learners can add definitions for words that might be fuzzy later.
Age-Banded Legal Learning Goals
Ages 8-9: Guided foundation
- build a simple group agreement with clear rules, protections, and one fair-process step
Ages 10-12: Core path
- explain how rules, rights, responsibilities, and update steps fit together in one document
Ages 11-13: Optional extension
- add stakeholder notes, accessibility supports, or more detailed revision steps with adult guidance
Rights and Responsibilities
A right is something people are allowed to have, do, or be protected from. A responsibility is something people should do to help keep a community safe, fair, and workable. Rights and responsibilities often connect.
When learners draft a charter, ask:
- What protections should stay in place even when a group is frustrated?
- What responsibilities help the group work well?
- How will the group respond fairly when someone says a rule was unclear or unfair?
Civil Discussion Moves
- "Can you explain what you mean by...?"
- "What evidence or example supports that?"
- "Who might be affected by this rule?"
- "What right or responsibility might matter here?"
- "I agree with this part, but I wonder about..."
Guided Session 1
Draft the Charter
Learning Goal
By the end of this session, the student can:
- choose a real group and define its purpose
- write its most important rules and protections
- explain how disagreements will be handled
Activities
1. Fill in the 5 core sections
Use this child-friendly structure:
What this group is for:
Our most important rules:
Our protected promises:
How we solve disagreements:
How we change the rules:
2. Build from earlier weeks
Bring forward:
- rule-writing from Weeks 1-3
- clarity from Weeks 4-7
- protections from Week 11
- power-sharing from Week 12
3. Keep it real and usable
Push for rules that a real group could actually follow.
Guided Session 2
Make the Final Version
Learning Goal
By the end of this session, the student can:
- finish a clean copy of the charter
- explain each section in plain language
- prepare the charter to be used by the group
Activities
1. Read every section aloud
If any section sounds fuzzy when spoken, rewrite it.
2. Add safe agreement details
If the group wants, add:
- names of participants
- the date
- optional signatures, initials, or stickers
Signing is optional. The key is real agreement, not pressure.
3. Decide how the group will use it
Ask:
- Where will it be kept?
- When will the group look at it again?
- How will people suggest an official rule update if needed?
Independent Practice
Goal
Prepare the charter for real use.
Activities
1. Show it to the group
Read the charter to the people who are actually part of the group, if that is safe and realistic.
2. Notice one strong part and one fuzzy part
Ask:
- What part feels strong and clear?
- What part might need testing next week?
Case Notes
Add this to Case Notes:
Date:
My group is:
The purpose of my group is:
A rule I am proud of:
A protection I think really matters:
One part I still want to test:
Sentence starters for younger learners:
- "My group is for ___."
- "One important rule is ___."
- "One protection is ___."
Check for Understanding
After this week, check whether the learner can:
- Explain the charter's purpose: "What is this group agreement for?"
- Point to each section: "Where are the rules, protections, disagreement process, and update process?"
- Show ownership: "Could your group really use this?"
If the learner can do at least 2 of these, they are ready for Week 14.
Pause and Notice
This week turns big ideas into a real artifact.
A good charter is not just a list of commands. It is a small design for fairness: what the group is for, how it protects people, how it solves disagreements, and how it improves.
This week's takeaway: A Micro-Charter is a real group agreement that brings rules, rights, and fair process together.
Preview of Next Week
Next week, the learner will try tricky what-ifs to see where the charter is already strong and where it still needs clearer rules or an official rule update.