ALEX Learning Activity

  

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

A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.

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  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: Sophia Hedrington
System:Dothan City
School:Heard Magnet School
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 2960
Title:
We the People: Introduction to Civics and Government: Part Two
Digital Tool/Resource:
We the People: Introduction to Civics and Government Slideshow
Web Address – URL:
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.
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
Social Studies
SS2010 (2010)
Grade: 1
Living and Working Together in Family and Community and State
2 ) Identify rights and responsibilities of citizens within the local community and state.

•  Describing how rules in the community and laws in the state protect citizens' rights and property
•  Describing ways, including paying taxes, responsible citizens contribute to the common good of the community and state
•  Demonstrating voting as a way of making choices and decisions
Unpacked Content
Strand: Economics, Civics and Government
Course Title: Living and Working Together in Family and Community and State
Evidence Of Student Attainment:
Students:
  • Identify themselves as a citizen of their community.
  • Describe the use of rules and laws in the community and the state.
  • Identify the purpose of paying taxes and how this contributes to the betterment of the community.
  • Demonstrate the ability to vote and make choices through mock elections in the classroom.
Teacher 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.).
Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.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
SS2010 (2010)
Grade: 1
Living and Working Together in Family and Community and State
3 ) Recognize leaders and their roles in the local community and state. (Alabama)

•  Describing roles of public officials, including mayor and governor (Alabama)
•  Identifying on a map Montgomery as the capital of the state of Alabama (Alabama)
Unpacked Content
Strand: Geography, Civics and Government
Course Title: Living and Working Together in Family and Community and State
Evidence Of Student Attainment:
Students:
  • Describe the roles of community helpers, mayor, city council, and governor.
  • Recognize current leaders in these roles.
  • Understand that Montgomery is the capital of the state of Alabama.
  • Identify Montgomery on a state map.
Teacher 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.
Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.1.3- Identify leaders in the local community and state; identify Montgomery as the capital of the state of Alabama on a state map.
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. 
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
During/Explore/Explain
Activity:

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:

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.
Advanced 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).
Variation Tips (optional):

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.

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. 
Notes or Recommendations (optional):

This learning activity would be most beneficial in a whole class, teacher-led instructional setting. 

The assessment can be used as an individual activity or a partner activity. 

Links to Related Activities:

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

We the People: Introduction to Civics and Government: Part Three
  Keywords and Search Tags  
Keywords and Search Tags: Branches of Government, Citizen, Civics, Government, Laws, Rules