Learning Activity

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

Subject Area

Social Studies

Grade(s)

1

Overview

This learning activity is an introduction to civics and government. The students will learn how rules and laws protect citizens in the local and state communities. The students will learn the responsibilities of 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

Before/Engage
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

Attention Grabber: The teacher will say: Who is the Governor of (insert state)? Student responses should be the correct governor of the selected state.

The teacher will say: In this activity, we will be learning about how our communities and governments function.

The teacher will review the learning targets and objectives for the activity.

The teacher will show the “We the People” presentation to discuss 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 community.

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

The teacher says: In your family community, what are you responsible for? Examples: household chores and being respectful to parents. 

In your school community, what are you responsible for? Examples: following the classroom and school rules, being a good student, and helping others. 

In your local community, what are you responsible for? Examples: following the laws, keeping the neighborhood clean, and respecting people’s property. 

The teacher says: Rules and laws are important, but we make our own choices. We can choose to follow the rules, but if we do not follow the rules there are consequences.

In our school, what are some of the rules? Examples: No running in the hallways, no fighting, and no bullying,

In our classroom, what are some of the rules? Examples: Raise your hand to speak, be respectful, and stay on task.

In our community, what are some of the laws? Examples: Obey stop signs and no stealing from people.

Assessment Strategies

Assessment Strategies

The teacher will evaluate the student's understanding of the objectives during the class discussion.

The students will independently complete the My Responsibilities worksheet. The teacher will assess the accuracy of student responses. 

Acceleration

 

Expansion

The students will research the name of their town’s mayor, the name of their state’s governor, and the name of the president. 

 

Intervention

 

Intervention (Small Group/Reteach)

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

 

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 needs to have the Expansion question on flip chart paper. "Research the name of their town’s mayor, the name of their state’s governor, and the name of the president." 

The teacher needs to pre-print the My Responsibilities worksheet for each student.   

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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