Models of Citizenship Lesson

Lesson Title: Models of Citizenship
Grade Level: 3rd
Time: 60 minutes


Objective: The objective of this lesson is to show students the importance of being a good citizen by using examples of historical people and how they were good citizens.

Indiana Academic Standards:
Social Studies:

• 3.2.5. Explain the importance of being a good citizen of the state and the nation. Identify people in the state who exhibit the characteristics of good citizenship.
  
  Example: Being respectful, trustworthy, practicing tolerance, and working with others to solve problems.
  

Literacy:

• 3.5.5 Write for different purposes and to a specific audience or person.

Materials Needed

• Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman by Alan Schroeder
• 22 cereal boxes (one per student)
• 44 strips of white paper (two per student)
• 22 half sheets of white paper
• 22 half sheets of red construction paper
• Crayons, markers, glue, scissors
• Models of Citizenship PowerPoint (view at the bottom of entry)
  
• Example Citizenship Box
• Copes of PowerPoint slides about Thomas Jefferson, Harriet Tubman, Helen Keller, Martin Luther King Jr. and community helpers (This is for students to use as a reference while they are making their citizenship boxes)
• Brainstorming poster

Purpose
The purpose of this lesson is for students to gain an understanding of the importance of being a good citizen.


Procedure:

1. Read Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman by Alan Schroeder to the class.
2. Discuss Harriet Tubman and why she was a good citizen. What characteristics did she have that made her a good citizen?
3. Brainstorm as a class various character traits a good citizen would have. Give a few examples of character traits so students get an idea of what you are looking for. List them on the brainstorming poster.
4. Share examples with students of people who were good citizens using the Models of Citizenship PowerPoint. (Individuals discussed in PowerPoint: Thomas Jefferson, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., Helen Keller, and community helpers.) Make sure to keep revisiting brainstorming poster as you go over each person
5. Explain to the students that they will be making citizenship boxes. Show students the example box that is already completed.
6. Go over each direction step individually. Directions will be displayed on a PowerPoint slide. Allow students to work on each step after demonstrating to the class. Directions to give:
   
   • Choose a person (Thomas Jefferson, Harriet Tubman, Helen Keller, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., or community helpers)
   • Think of two good citizen character traits for the person you chose. Once you choose two, write one on each strip of white paper.
   • On the half sheet of white paper, write why the person you chose was a good citizen and how you can be a good citizen like that person.
   • Color the picture of your person and decorate your character traits. Cut out the picture when you are done coloring.
   • The strips of white paper get glued to the sides of your box. The half sheet is glued to the backside of the box on top of the red construction paper. The picture goes on the front of the box.
     
7. When everyone is done, students can share their citizenship boxes with the class.

Homework: None

Assessment: Students will be assessed based on their response of why the person they chose was good citizen and how they can be a good citizen.








Student Examples:

Election Lesson Plan

This is a lesson that I taught recently in the field. For privacy purposes, I have removed the name of the School and the host teacher. Overall, this lesson went great. The only thing that I chose not to do was to discuss the candidates' views on certain issues. I chose not to do this because the students in this classroom would have be overwhelmed by all of the information that was being given to them. I also felt that they would not grasp this component. The power point that I used in this lesson is at the bottom of this blog post for you to see.


Lesson Title: Let's vote for President!

Grade Level: 3rd grade

Time: 60 minutes

Objective: In this lesson, students will be exposed to the importance of the President of the United States and why it is important to vote for President by participating in a mock election.

Standards: These are Indiana Academic Standards.
Social Studies

• 3.2.2 Identify fundamental democratic principles and ideals
• 3.2.6 Explain the role citizens have in making decisions and rules within the community, state, and nation.

Literacy

• 3.5.5 Write for different purposes and to a specific audience or person.

Materials Needed:

• Barack by Jonah Winter
• My Dad, John McCain by Meghan McCain
• President PowerPoint (at bottom of blog post)
• Ballots and a ballot box
• If I were President...worksheet
• I voted! stickers

Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to give students a hands-on experience voting for the President and expose students to the important rol the President plays in our government.

Procedure:

1. Discuss the executive branch of the government and the role of the President of the United States. (PowerPoint Presentation)
2. Discuss election and the importance of voting using the vocabulary words. (PowerPoint Presentation)
3. Ask the students if they know anything about the current presidential election that will occur on November 4th, 2008. Ask them if they know who the candidates are.
4. Read Barack by Jonah Winter and My Dad, John McCain by Meghan McCain. After reading each book discuss what sutdnets learned about each candidate.
5. Using the PowerPoint Presentation, talk about the candidates' views on the following issues: education, global warming, and healthcare. *See note at top of post concerning this step.
6. Students will participate in a mock election by voting for President of the United States. Student votes will be counted aloud. Point out that even though they may not like who is elected, it is still important to support whoever is elected as our President.
7. Students wil work on If I were President...worksheet. They will describe what their responsibilites would be if they were President.
8. Students will each receive an "I voted!" sticker for their participation.

Homework: none

Assessment: The students will be assessed based on their response on the If I were President.. worksheet.