Students review the Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution. Then they consider what citizenship is and explore the rights and responsibilities that are part of U.S. citizenship. Next, they research and then compare and contrast the rights and responsibilities of citizens in another country with those in the U.S. Finally, students choose what they think the most important rights and responsibilities should be for “global citizenship.”
Students are introduced to the idea that, like family members, citizens have responsibilities to help their country function. They share a short definition or example of a “right” in a collaborative table, then list facts they know about the Bill of Rights in another shared table. Students then watch A 3-Minute Guide to the Bill of Rights to review the main rights it contains and answer two polls about the First and Second Amendments.
Teacher MovesPreview the experience and objectives, connecting the idea of family responsibilities to civic responsibilities. Facilitate a brief discussion of student definitions of “right,” clarifying and extending ideas as needed. Review students’ prior knowledge of the Bill of Rights, noting and correcting misconceptions. After students watch the video and respond to the polls, discuss the correct answers and ensure students understand the key rights in the First and Second Amendments before moving on.
Students read a short explanation that links the Bill of Rights to U.S. citizenship, then define “citizenship” in their own words in a shared table. They consider that citizenship involves both rights and responsibilities, read Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities to learn about specific examples, and take notes in a two-column graphic organizer comparing rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens. Finally, they post to a discussion wall explaining how rights and responsibilities are different and how they are connected.
Teacher MovesSynthesize student definitions into a class understanding of citizenship, emphasizing that it is a legal status that includes both protections and potential loss if certain behaviors occur. Prompt students to think about responsibilities as the “flip side” of rights. Monitor note-taking in the organizer and support students in distinguishing between rights and responsibilities. Highlight and share strong wall responses, guiding students to see that rights and responsibilities are interdependent and using examples such as voting and participation in the democratic process to illustrate the connection.
Students learn that rights and responsibilities vary across countries and that representative and non-representative governments differ in how they treat citizens. Using the internet and, if they choose, constitutional resources for North Korea, China, Canada, or Japan, they research the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in one other country. They create a report comparing and contrasting citizenship in that country with citizenship in the United States, then post their report or a link (from tools such as Prezi, Tiki-Toki, online presentations, or Glogster) to a discussion wall. Students review classmates’ posts and respond to at least two with a question or positive comment.
Teacher MovesEncourage students to select a comparison country that will yield meaningful contrasts or similarities, suggesting options such as North Korea, China, Canada, or Japan as needed. Clarify expectations for the research report and comparison with the United States, including use of digital tools if students choose. Monitor posts on the wall, prompting students to ask thoughtful questions and offer constructive feedback. Use examples from student work to highlight how different political systems shape citizens’ rights and responsibilities.
Students consider the idea of “global citizenship” and what it might mean in a highly connected world. Drawing on what they have learned about national rights and responsibilities, they use a shared table to list what they think should be the rights of global citizens and the responsibilities that global citizens should have.
Teacher MovesFacilitate a class discussion about students’ ideas of global rights and responsibilities, connecting them to earlier learning about national citizenship. Guide the class, as time allows, to synthesize their contributions into a list of ten rights and responsibilities they believe are most important for global citizens.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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