Lesson Plan 2: What makes someone a good citizen?

Objective:
Students will talk about what makes someone a good citizen and give examples for
how to be a good citizen at home and in the classroom.

SOL Standards:
English K.3: Student will build oral communication skills.

English K.10: The student will demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts.

Civics: K.8.D&F: Student will demonstrate that being a good citizen involves taking
following rules and understanding the consequences of rule breaking and
participating in decision making in the classroom.

Visual Arts: K.2: The student will create works of art that express feelings and ideas.

Visual Arts: K.6: The student will create works of art that include the human figure
as subject.

Writing: K.12: The student will write to communicate ideas for a variety of
purposes.

Materials
Teacher:
White board
Dry erase marker
Poster Board/Markers
Being a Good Citizen: A book
about Citizenship by Mary
Small
Citizenship Worksheet


Students:
Crayons
Pencil
Worksheet





Link: (2 minutes)
Think, pair, share: What makes someone a good person? Students will share out
ideas.

Engage and Educate (20 minutes):
1. Teacher will introduce the book Being a Good Citizen: A book about
citizenship by Mary Small. Teacher will ask students to listen to the book for
examples of how kids can be good citizens.
2. Teacher will read Being a Good Citizen: A book about citizenship by Mary
Small. Teacher will ask prompted questions such as: What is a citizen? Are
these things you could do?
3. Class will discuss examples from the book that show what it is like to be a
good citizen.
4. Teacher will explain that she will read 3 different scenarios and the students
have to decide if the person is being a good citizen or not. Students will talk
about it and give reasons for why or why not. Example scenarios are below:
a. Sam came to school and forgot his snack. The teacher does not have
any snack. Frank has two snacks. What can Frank do?
b. Harper fell over on the playground. She started crying. How could you
help her?
c. Tony is mad at Paul because he said something not nice to him. What
should Tony do? What should Paul do?
5. Teacher will pass out citizenship worksheet. Teacher will explain that
students will decorate person on worksheet and add details to show how
characteristics of a good citizen.

Activity (10 minutes):
1. Students will get materials in the classroom and sit at a table/desk.
2. Students will spend time decorating person on paper as a good citizen.
(Visual) Students will include things that they think make the person a good
citizen. (Intrapersonal)
3. Stand up, hand up, pair up: Students will find a friend and share their picture
with the friend. Students will share with 3 friends and then come to the
carpet.
4. Teacher will ask for 2 whole group shares and collect worksheets.

Assessment/Reflection/Connection (5 minutes):
1. Teacher will ask students to think of ways we can be good citizens in our
classroom.
2. Students will brainstorm ways to be a good citizen in the classroom. Teacher
will record ideas on whiteboard.
3. Extension: Students can develop some classroom rules that they think would
help classmates to be good citizens.

Next steps:
In Lesson 3, students will read Flat Stanley and discuss the character of Flat Stanley.
Was he a good citizen? Why or why not?

Differentiation:
Flexible grouping:
Think, pair, share: Students brainstorm what they already know about
helping people/being a good citizen.
Whole group discussion during read aloud.
Individual work for activity.
Stand up, hand up, pair up: Partner choice to share individual work.
Whole group brainstorm for how they can be good citizens in the classroom.
Student mode of expression:
Students have various outlets throughout whole group instruction that meet
some of Gardners 8/9 intelligences. Example: Visual Arts, Intrapersonal,
Interpersonal
Readiness:
Higher level thinking students will have the option to extend activity by
creating their own classroom rules suggestions for the class.
Students who need support will receive individualized instruction during
activity time.
English Language Learners:
Use of picture books
Visual activity that does not require words to represent good citizen with
oral language practice during share.
Use of charts/white boards with words written, read and spoken during
whole group.

Assessment:
Formative:
Anecdotal Notes
Questions to check for understanding
Whole group share/explanation of their citizen
Summative:
Collection of completed citizen worksheet