Lesson 1

Lesson Topic: Citizenship Grade level: 1st Grade Length of lesson: 45 minutes

Desired Results
State Content Standard(s):
 1.2.4 Define what a citizen is and describe the characteristics of good citizenship

 X.b Identify examples of rights and responsibilities of citizens

Central Focus: Essential Question(s):

Students will understand:
 Students will understand what a citizen is and  What is a citizen?
the five traits of being a good citizen: respect,  What is citizenship?
integrity, responsibility, compassion, and  What are the five traits of a good citizen?
honesty  What actions represent citizenship in the
 Students will understand how their actions classroom and school?
represent citizenship both in the school and
in the classroom

Student objectives (outcomes):

Students will be able to:
 Students will be able to understand what a citizen is and their role in citizenship in the school and
classroom. 

 Students will be able to understand how their actions match the five traits of being a good citizen.

Assessment Evidence
Performance Task(s): Other Evidence:
 Categorize the five traits of a good citizen. 
 Construct a model of five traits of a good  The pre-assessment is discussing as a class how
citizen. their classroom rules show if they are being good
 Connect their actions to the five traits of a citizens. The formative assessment will be
good citizen. through sign language of agree or disagree when
talking about where their actions fit into the traits
of a good citizen and by seeing where they put
their actions in each zone for the traits. 
 The students will be participating individually
when they are creating their super citizen
drawing, and they will be participating in a group
when they work in their pods to place the actions
with the traits around the room. 
 Students will be using a worksheet for the super
citizen trait drawing and action cards to place
around the room.
Learning Plan
Learning Activities:
To prepare for this lesson, the teacher will print out the Five Traits for Around the Room and tape each trait
around the room. This will be used for an activity where students will tape pictures of actions that correspond
with the trait, so be sure there is space around the traits to tape more items up. Second, the teacher will need to
make a copy of the citizenship book for each student. 
At the beginning of the lesson, we will talk about the students’ classroom expectations and their lifelines.  We
will ask them about the different expectations and lifelines and why they have them in their classroom.  Next, we
will connect how following the classroom expectations and lifelines exhibits good citizenship.  We will talk about
the definition of a citizen and how everyone in the class is a citizen.  Then we will talk about the definition of
citizenship and five traits of a good citizen which are respect, courage, responsibility, compassion, and
honesty.  

Next, we will introduce the Citizenship Book that we will be using over the next four lessons.  We will pass out
the books to each student and they will open up to the first page which includes a blank superhero template with
five spaces for them to write in the five traits of a good citizen. Explain to the students that we are striving to be
“super citizens”, and we can do that by following these five traits. On the overhead board, the teacher will turn to
the first page to show the students the superhero template, explaining that they will be discussing the five traits
that show good citizenship and will be writing them down on this sheet. Once all students have the first page
open, we will introduce the first trait which is respect. The teacher will write “respect” on one of the lines and ask
the students to do the same. We will talk about how to show respect and what actions demonstrate respect. The
second trait is courage. Just as with the trait “respect”, the class will discuss what it is like to show courage and
the different actions that show courage. For the remaining three traits, responsibility, compassion, and honesty,
the class will complete the same steps as respect and courage. 

Next, the class will discuss some examples of different actions that match each trait. Under the Resources and
materials section, there is a resource of all of the following pictures. Since there are seven groups in the class,
there are seven pictures to hand out to each group. Before handing out the pictures to the groups, talk about
what is going on in each picture. Ask the students what they think is happening and provide an explanation of
the actions if they do not seem to understand. After going through each picture, pass out one picture to each
table. Explain to the students that as a group, they will be discussing which trait each picture will fall under.
Show the students the five traits taped up around the room and explain that after their group has decided what
trait their picture goes under, they will tape their picture under the corresponding trait. As students are
discussing in their groups, the teacher will go around to each group to check for their understanding. Monitor
how students are discussing the actions, and how it might correspond to a citizenship trait. (If students finish
early while other groups are still working, allow them to color in their super citizens)

 Once all students have put their pictures under a trait around the room, come back as a class for a discussion.
Have each group talk about their picture and why they chose a certain trait for the actions in the picture. Be
open for a discussion about other possible traits that this picture could fit under and look for explanations as to
why they came up with their answers. Give each group the opportunity to discuss their picture and why they
chose to put it under a certain trait. After all groups have spoken, retrieve each student's “My Citizenship Book”
and keep it for the next lesson. 

Resources and Materials:

 My Citizenship Book (see attached file)
 Citizenship Pictures (see attached file)
 Five Traits Labels for Around the Room (see attached file)
 Overhead board
 Pencil
 Colored pencils/crayons/markers
 Tape 

Required Accommodations/Modifications:
 Students receiving special education could use some work before class. Before class, these students
could meet with the teacher and go over the definitions of the five traits of citizenship. Talk about some
examples of actions that show good citizenship and that correspond with the traits. Use the examples
that will be used during class and even talk about different ones. 

 Students who are gifted and talented could write a couple sentences for each trait of citizenship,
explaining the definition of each trait and an example of an action that corresponds with the trait. Give
students time to write their sentences after class or when they have downtime during the lesson.

Additional Modifications for Individual Students:

  English Language Learners may require a vocabulary list that will help students work through the lesson.
Some examples of words are respect, courage, responsibility, honesty, compassion, citizen, and
citizenship. Allow these students to look through the vocabulary list before and during the lesson.

Extending the Lesson

 Give students more pictures with actions on them that they can put into the different trait categories.
Have the students talk with their groups about the pictures and put them into the different categories
around the room. 

 Have each group of students come up with some examples of actions that match each citizenship trait.
When one group has come up with some examples, have them present their ideas to the class and see
if their classmates know which trait corresponds with their actions. Make sure all groups know that their
actions and corresponding traits are open for discussion.

Adapted from Understanding by Design, Expanded 2nd Edition (2005) by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development.