Students brainstorm text that appears on all U.S. currency and then learn about the mottos “E. Pluribus Unum” and “In God We Trust.” Next they examine the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens. Then they explain ways U.S. residents can participate in the democratic process. Finally they learn about the steps for naturalization and they take the USCIS civics practice test.
Students are introduced to the idea of popular sovereignty and consider how they, as members of “We the People,” can participate in the democratic process. They visualize common U.S. currency and contribute to a word cloud by posting phrases that appear on all U.S. money. After seeing key mottos identified, they read brief background information about E Pluribus Unum and In God We Trust, discuss with a partner what each phrase means and how it represents the United States, and then vote in a poll on which phrase should be the official U.S. motto.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objectives, emphasizing students’ role in the democratic process. Facilitate the word cloud activity, then reveal and clarify the phrases that appear on all U.S. currency. Guide partner and whole-class discussion about the meanings and significance of E Pluribus Unum and In God We Trust, using student ideas to surface different perspectives on national identity and religion in public life. Invite volunteers to explain their poll choices and, as needed, provide historical and constitutional context (including court rulings) to deepen understanding.
Students examine a summary of rights and responsibilities from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to learn about the civic roles of U.S. citizens, with a focus on voting as both a right and a responsibility. Using a graphic organizer, they categorize examples from the USCIS list into at least three rights and three responsibilities.
Teacher MovesDirect students to the USCIS summary on rights and responsibilities and highlight voting as a key example of both a right and a duty in a democracy. Support students as they sort items into rights and responsibilities, prompting them to justify their choices and clarifying any misconceptions (for example, distinguishing clearly between rights such as living in the United States and responsibilities such as serving on a jury).
Students read about participation as a civic responsibility and consider examples of individual and group actions that support democracy. They post to a class wall describing one way they personally participate in the democratic process. Next, they read an excerpt from Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and respond on a second class wall, explaining how the phrase “government of the people, by the people, for the people” shows the importance of civic participation, citing evidence in their explanations.
Teacher MovesPrompt students to connect their own activities—at school, in their neighborhoods, or online—to participation in the democratic process, sharing strong examples with the class to broaden understanding. Introduce the Gettysburg Address excerpt and guide students in unpacking its meaning, emphasizing the link between citizen participation and a healthy democracy. Lead a discussion that connects students’ examples of participation to ideas of national identity and patriotism, asking them to reflect on how their actions help ensure that government remains “of, by, and for” the people.
Students learn that U.S. citizenship can be obtained by birth or through naturalization and read the article Citizenship Rights to understand these paths. They complete a table describing the two qualifications for being a native-born citizen. Next, they use a graphic organizer to identify three requirements for applying for citizenship through naturalization and then outline the main steps in the naturalization process, from filing a petition to taking the oath of allegiance. Students then take the online Civics Practice Test to experience the type of civics questions asked of citizenship applicants, record the grade they earned, and share on a class wall something that surprised them about the test.
Teacher MovesIntroduce the concept of citizenship, distinguishing between native-born citizens, naturalized citizens, and noncitizens, and sensitively acknowledge that some students may have complex immigration statuses. Guide students as they extract from the article the qualifications for native-born citizenship and the requirements and steps for naturalization, checking for accurate understanding. Encourage students to take the civics practice test seriously, then facilitate reflection on their scores and surprises, connecting the test content to topics they will study in the course. Offer additional resources for students who want to explore the full set of civics test questions.
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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