Learning Activity

We the People: Introduction to Civics and Government: Part Two

Subject Area

Social Studies

Grade(s)

1

Overview

This learning activity is an introduction to civics and government. The students complete a study guide to demonstrate their knowledge of being good citizens in the community and how the rules and laws made by the government protect citizens.

This resource was created in partnership with Dothan City Schools.

Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 1

SS10.1.2

Identify rights and responsibilities of citizens within the local community and state.

Unpacked Content

UP:SS10.1.2

Vocabulary

  • identify
  • describe
  • demonstrate
  • rules
  • laws
  • rights
  • responsibilities
  • community
  • citizen
  • state
  • property
  • taxes
  • voting
  • choices
  • decisions

Knowledge

Students know:
  • How to identify their rights as students and citizens in their community and state.
  • How to have respect for their personal belongings and other's belongings.
  • How to understand rules and consequences of breaking rules as students and citizens in their community and state.
  • How to be responsible for classroom jobs and chores at home to contribute to the common good.
  • How to vote in order to make choices or decisions.
  • Vocabulary: rules, laws, rights, responsibilities, community, citizen, state, property, taxes, voting, choices and decisions

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Describe how rules and laws protect rights and property of the people in the community.
  • Describe ways responsible citizens contribute to the common good of the community and state (for example paying taxes).
  • Demonstrate voting as a way of making choices and decisions.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There is an importance to their rights and responsibilities as citizens of their community and state.
  • Rules and laws protect citizens' rights and property.
  • It is important to make choices and decisions through voting. Citizens contribute to the common good of their community and state (for example, by paying taxes, conservation, volunteering, etc.).
Alternate Achievement Standard - Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 1

AAS.SS10.1.2

Demonstrate an understanding of rules and why rules are important; identify an understanding of rules within the classroom; explain why voting is a way of making choices and decisions.
Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 1

SS10.1.3

Recognize leaders and their roles in the local community and state. (Alabama)

Unpacked Content

UP:SS10.1.3

Vocabulary

  • recognize
  • describe
  • understand
  • identify
  • community helpers
  • mayor
  • city council
  • governor
  • capital
  • state
  • map

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The roles of leaders in the community and state including the governor and mayor.
  • The purpose of state map and that Alabama's capital is Montgomery.
  • Vocabulary: community helpers, mayor, city council, governor, capital, state, map

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Describe the roles of public officials in the state of Alabama and leaders in the local community.
  • Use a map to find location of Alabama and its capital Montgomery.
  • Describe and list examples of community helpers.
  • Recognize the role of a leader. Identify the capital on a state map.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Leaders in the local community and state, including mayor and governor, have certain roles.
  • The capital of Alabama is Montgomery.
Alternate Achievement Standard - Social Studies (2010) Grade(s): 1

AAS.SS10.1.3

Identify leaders in the local community and state; identify Montgomery as the capital of the state of Alabama on a state map.

Phase

During/Explore/Explain
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

The students will be able to identify leaders and their roles in the local community and state.

The students will be able to describe the roles of public officials (e.g. a mayor, a governor, and/or a president).

The students will be able to describe how rules in the community and laws in the state protect citizens' rights.

The students will be able to describe the responsibilities of a citizen.

The students will be able to describe voting as making a choice and decision. 

Activity Details

The teacher will review the learning objectives.

Attention Grabber: The teacher will say: “Who wants to be the President of the United States?”

The teacher will show the “We the People” presentation to review the community-related terms.

After each slide, the teacher and the students will discuss how each term relates to real-life situations.

The teacher will ask the students to give examples of each term that they see in their government.

The teacher and the students will engage in a class discussion about the government.

The teacher says:

Who serves as our local leader? The Mayor

Who serves our state leader? The Governor

Who serves as our nation’s leader? The President

The teacher says:

Who leads the executive branch? The President

Who leads the legislative branch? Congress

Who leads the judicial branch? The Supreme Court

What do our taxes pay for? Examples: Healthcare, Education, Safety, Recreation

The teacher will hand out the study guide “We the People” which is related to the key terms the students have discussed. 

Think-Pair-Share Time: The teacher will pair the students into shoulder partners to complete the We the People study guide. (Each student should have a copy of their own study guide.)

The teacher will say: In your partner groups, you will use the given word bank to complete the study guide.

The teacher will monitor the class as they complete the study guide. (S)he will intervene with students who are struggling to complete the task.

Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

The teachers will evaluate the students' accuracy of their answers in the study guide.

Exit Ticket

(Students can use a sticky to answer this question.)

Name the three branches of government and their responsibilities.

Acceleration

 

Expansion

The teacher will model how to write a 20-word summary of the GIST of community and government. The students will be given a slip of paper with 20 blanks to write and summarize the GIST of community and government. 

 

Intervention

 

Intervention (Small Group/Reteach)

For the students who need assistance, the teacher will work with them in a small group to reteach and review the study guide.

 

Approximate Duration

Total Duration

16 to 30 Minutes

Related Learning Activities

Learning Activity (Before)

We the People: Introduction to Civics and Government: Part One

Learning Activity (During)

We the People: Introduction to Civics and Government: Part Two

Learning Activity (After)

We the People: Introduction to Civics and Government: Part Three

Background and Preparation

Background / Preparation

The teacher will need to display the learning targets.

The teacher will need to have the “We the People” presentation ready for viewing.

The teacher will need to copy the “We the People Study Guide” for each student.

The teacher needs to have the Exit Ticket question on flip chart paper: Name the three branches of government and their responsibilities.

The teacher needs to pre-write a 20-word summary of the GIST of community and government (for expansion strategy).

Digital Tools / Resources

We the People: Introduction to Civics and Government Slideshow
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1xfFqqHLSL8d3h-3VXPKexyG_E1KqK1_H1gcqRrP…

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

sohedrington
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