Students recall some of the rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. Then they categorize rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens, according to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Next they evaluate a civic participation activity. Finally, they analyze Lincoln’s statement about government “by the people” and explain the importance of civic participation in a democracy.
Students are introduced to the idea that many immigrants come to the United States hoping to become citizens and read background text connecting the Bill of Rights to guarantees of basic rights. They view an image of military personnel taking the Oath of Allegiance, then collaboratively list as many rights from the Bill of Rights as they can in a shared class table, trying to avoid duplicates.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objective, briefly review the historical context of the Bill of Rights, and remind students that it contains ten amendments, including multiple freedoms in the First Amendment. Support students as they brainstorm rights, prompting them to recall and distinguish among different amendments without simply supplying the answers.
Students examine text about voting as both a right and a responsibility and use the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services resource Rights and Responsibilities to identify and categorize at least three rights and three responsibilities of U.S. citizens in a graphic organizer.
Teacher MovesIntroduce the idea that some aspects of citizenship, such as voting, are both rights and responsibilities, and sensitively facilitate discussion around citizenship, being mindful of students’ immigration situations. Guide students as they sort items from the USCIS list, clarifying which are clearly rights and which are clearly responsibilities, and then transition the class to the next scene.
Students read about “participation” as listed on the USCIS Rights and Responsibilities page and learn that people can participate formally and informally at different levels of society. They then choose or imagine a civic participation activity they do or would like to do, describe it, identify whether it benefits people at the local, state, or national level, and explain whether their participation is a right or a responsibility, posting their response to a class wall.
Teacher MovesClarify the concept of civic participation with examples that range from individual to group activities and from local to broader levels. Review student posts on the wall and share several interesting or exemplary responses with the class to prompt discussion about how different forms of participation benefit communities and reflect rights and responsibilities.
Students read background information on Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and focus on the sentence describing government “of the people, by the people, for the people.” They then post an explanation to a class wall of how this sentence expresses the importance of civic participation in a democracy, citing evidence to support their interpretation.
Teacher MovesConnect Lincoln’s words to the idea that democratic government depends on active, informed citizens. Highlight and share a thoughtful student response with the class, and reinforce that a healthy democracy requires people to stay informed and participate at all levels so their interests are represented and the well-being of others is supported.
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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