Grade Level(s):  fourth, fifth, sixth

Subject(s):Social Studies, Language Arts, Character Education, Technology

Learner Outcomes:

• The student will define citizenship.
• The student will identify the rights of every citizen.
• The student will name the qualifications for U.S. citizenship.
• The student will identify the duties of a good citizen.

Duration of Lesson:  2 days (50 minutes)

Materials:  Scissors, crayons, markers, glue, a large piece of blue paper,  white and red construction paper

Technology Tools/Courseware:  Microsoft Office, projection device, Internet accessible computers, Microsoft Creative Writer, e-mail

Teacher Notes:  Make sure students have permission to access the Internet.  Check religious background of students to make sure all can participate.  There are no state instructional objectives for Character Education although instruction is required.  ,Make sure to address student IEP's, and students who have 504 plans.

Procedures:  Day 1

• Begin discussion by asking all students who are U.S. citizens to raise their hands.  Ask the students what a citizen is and why they are citizens. Display the vocabulary words for the lesson and discuss the definitions of citizen and citizenship.  Ask if people born in other countries can become U.S. citizens, and, if so, how.  Display the vocabulary definition for naturalization and display the following sites:

• Continue discussion by stating that citizens have certain rights.  What are some of these rights?  Where are they listed?  (They are listed and protected by the Constitution.  Lawmakers pass laws and judges hold trials to protect people's rights.)  Display the following site:

• Tell the students that as citizens they have these rights.  Ask students what they can do to make sure these rights are never taken away from them.  Elicit from students that they have responsibilities or duties  that go along with their citizenship.  What are some of these responsibilities or duties?  Display the following site:

•  Brainstorm with the class to make a list of the responsibilities or duties of citizenship.

• ACTIVITY:  Create a citizenship flag to show how the students can give our country a helping hand by being good citizens and doing their parts to make this country an even better place to live.
• Cut out 50 white stars to place in the upper right-hand corner of the blue paper.  On red and white paper, have students trace the outline of their hands (four hands, two red and two white).  Cut out the paper hands.  Have each student think of four ways he/she can be a good citizen and give the community a helping hand.  Write one promise on each hand.  Begin each promise with "I will . . ." and have students write their names after each promise.  Arrange the hands on the blue paper and glue them down in rows of red and white, just like the bars on the American flag.  (This activity can be continued during the week.)

    Procedures:  Day 2
 

• Students will complete a SCAVENGER HUNT on the computer using these two sites:

• Students will make citizenship banners stating what people can do to be good citizens to display throughout the school and/or community using Microsoft Creative Writer.  Students may grouped into teams, and each team can design and complete a banner.

Enrichment Activities:

• Have the class create an original Citizenship Play to present to the school and/or PTA.
• Have students conduct Community Service Projects each six weeks or semester.
• Have students write letters to the editor commending someone they feel is a good citizen.
• Have students write letters to the President expressing their opinions about what they think he should do as President.
• Have students interview people they consider to be good citizens and report to the class or write articles for school newspaper.
• Assign reports on Civic Duties.
• Write Acrostic Poems using any of the vocabulary words.
• Develop World Citizenship by having students obtain pen pals from other countries or e-mail pen pals from around the world.

Evaluation/Assessment:  Completion of hands for flag.  Completion of SCAVENGER HUNT.  Completion of banner.

West Virginia IGO's
Social Studies
    4.2,  4.40, 4.51. 5.7 5.47 5.57, 6.2 6.6, 6.9 6.59,

Language Arts
    4.50, 4.51, 4.93, 4.53, 5.79, 5.180, 6.54, 6.153 6.1545

Technology
    4.51, 5.57, 5,64, 6.59, 6.66

National Standards:
Social Studies

• 8. Understands the institutions and practices of government created during the Revolution and how these elements were revised between 1787 and 1815 to create the foundation of the American political system based on the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights

• 3. Uses grammatical and mechanical conventions in written compositions

• 2. Knows the characteristics and uses of computer software programs

References:  Good Ideas to Help Young People Develop Character,  edited by Steven Nish of the Josephson Institute of Ethics, 1996-1998, Marina del Rey, CA
 

Author:  Linda Work, Ruth Potts, Peggy Grantham
South Jefferson Elementary School

 
 
 

Overview

Lesson 1

Lesson 2

Lesson 3

Lesson 4

Lesson 5