SUMMARY:
The goal of the civics strand is to develop the requisite knowledge and skills for informed, responsible participation in public life; to ensure, through instruction, that students understand the essentials, source, and history of the constitutions of the United States and Arizona, American institutions and ideals (ARS 15-710). Students will understand the foundations, principles, and institutional practices of the United States as a representative democracy and constitutional republic. They will understand the importance of each person as an individual with human and civil rights and our shared heritage in the United States. Students will understand politics, government, and the responsibilities of good citizenship. Citizenship skills include the capacity to influence policies and decisions by clearly communicating interests and the ability to build coalitions through negotiation, compromise, and consensus. In addition, students will learn that the United States influences and is influenced by global interaction.
Kindergarten:
Students will recognize the US Flag, will know the Pledge of Allegiance, will understand who the President of the United States is. They will be able to recognize the National Anthem and know what the Statue of Liberty stands for.
ACTIVITIES-
Students will play a matching game to learn about the President, Statue of Liberty, and the US Flag. Songs can be sung in class to learn the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance.
1st Grade:
First grade students will be able to recognize important US symbols and Holidays, recognize important symbols of the state of Arizona, name the current President of the United States and name the Governor of Arizona. The will understand what it means to be a responsible citizen inside and outside of the community.
ACTIVITIES-
Make a Facebook page for the President and the Arizona's government, play a BINGO game, compete in a kickball game to learn about how to work together.
2nd Grade:
Second grade students will know that the United States is broken up into 3 different groups. They will comprehend that each part of the government has a different job or power and understand that the government tells the people what they can and can not do.
ACTIVITIES-
Students will be split up into three groups, each group will have to decide how they want to spend their free time. Each group has to agree on one way to spend their free time. Students bring in something that they value for show and tell.
3rd Grade:
Third graders will know that the United States has a government which allows people to chose things by voting. This is called a Democracy. Students will understand the way the United States government is built. Students will understand that state and local governments set specific sets of rules to protect and direct the people.
ACTIVITIES-
Students will create a tree chart and describe the 3 branches of the government including each symbol. The students will then create a tree chart with the information they learned. They will place "leafs" (sticky notes) on the branches with the information they learned.
4th Grade:
In forth grade students will learn the basics of how the government works. They will learn about symbols that represent Arizona and learn how Arizona became a state. They will know the three branches of the government and how each one works, understand that there is a punishment for those who do not pay taxes and they will learn the rights of an American citizen.
ACTIVITIES-
Hand each student a note card with with different scenarios that demonstrates a right of freedom and have the students explain and defend which amendment it protects. A classroom as a whole makes a class rule and together they will come up with a punishment for those who do not abide by it. Read and discuss the book"We the Kids" by David Catrow.
5th Grade:
Fifth grade students will be able to identify and describe the documents of democracy that have been made. They will recognize the struggle between the founding fathers. They will learn how each branch of the government balances each other out. They will understand that laws are created to keep people safe. Fifth graders will describe ways an individual can be actively included in our government. They will describe that most countries have a government and they will be able to describe the similarities and differences between a monarch and a republic.
ACTIVITIES-
Students will be given a note card with one of the founding fathers on them and will have to dress up and act out who they are. Their classmates will have to guess who they are by asking questions based on their background knowledge. The student will be able to give clues and small facts as to who they are.
Students will make a diagram in small groups comparing and contrasting the US government with another government of their choice. Divide the class into two groups one side being a monarch and the other side being a democracy. They will have a debate on which one is better. The next week the students will switch sides and do the same activity again only comparing and contrasting the two.
6th Grade:
Sixth grade students will learn how and why the US government was created. They will compare and contrast different types of government and their role they play in the government. Look at different types of government today.
ACTIVITIES-
Classroom elections and voting.
A classroom skit of the different types of government.
Class debate: vote.
The goal of the civics strand is to develop the requisite knowledge and skills for informed, responsible participation in public life; to ensure, through instruction, that students understand the essentials, source, and history of the constitutions of the United States and Arizona, American institutions and ideals (ARS 15-710). Students will understand the foundations, principles, and institutional practices of the United States as a representative democracy and constitutional republic. They will understand the importance of each person as an individual with human and civil rights and our shared heritage in the United States. Students will understand politics, government, and the responsibilities of good citizenship. Citizenship skills include the capacity to influence policies and decisions by clearly communicating interests and the ability to build coalitions through negotiation, compromise, and consensus. In addition, students will learn that the United States influences and is influenced by global interaction.
Kindergarten:
Students will recognize the US Flag, will know the Pledge of Allegiance, will understand who the President of the United States is. They will be able to recognize the National Anthem and know what the Statue of Liberty stands for.
ACTIVITIES-
Students will play a matching game to learn about the President, Statue of Liberty, and the US Flag. Songs can be sung in class to learn the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance.
1st Grade:
First grade students will be able to recognize important US symbols and Holidays, recognize important symbols of the state of Arizona, name the current President of the United States and name the Governor of Arizona. The will understand what it means to be a responsible citizen inside and outside of the community.
ACTIVITIES-
Make a Facebook page for the President and the Arizona's government, play a BINGO game, compete in a kickball game to learn about how to work together.
2nd Grade:
Second grade students will know that the United States is broken up into 3 different groups. They will comprehend that each part of the government has a different job or power and understand that the government tells the people what they can and can not do.
ACTIVITIES-
Students will be split up into three groups, each group will have to decide how they want to spend their free time. Each group has to agree on one way to spend their free time. Students bring in something that they value for show and tell.
3rd Grade:
Third graders will know that the United States has a government which allows people to chose things by voting. This is called a Democracy. Students will understand the way the United States government is built. Students will understand that state and local governments set specific sets of rules to protect and direct the people.
ACTIVITIES-
Students will create a tree chart and describe the 3 branches of the government including each symbol. The students will then create a tree chart with the information they learned. They will place "leafs" (sticky notes) on the branches with the information they learned.
4th Grade:
In forth grade students will learn the basics of how the government works. They will learn about symbols that represent Arizona and learn how Arizona became a state. They will know the three branches of the government and how each one works, understand that there is a punishment for those who do not pay taxes and they will learn the rights of an American citizen.
ACTIVITIES-
Hand each student a note card with with different scenarios that demonstrates a right of freedom and have the students explain and defend which amendment it protects. A classroom as a whole makes a class rule and together they will come up with a punishment for those who do not abide by it. Read and discuss the book"We the Kids" by David Catrow.
5th Grade:
Fifth grade students will be able to identify and describe the documents of democracy that have been made. They will recognize the struggle between the founding fathers. They will learn how each branch of the government balances each other out. They will understand that laws are created to keep people safe. Fifth graders will describe ways an individual can be actively included in our government. They will describe that most countries have a government and they will be able to describe the similarities and differences between a monarch and a republic.
ACTIVITIES-
Students will be given a note card with one of the founding fathers on them and will have to dress up and act out who they are. Their classmates will have to guess who they are by asking questions based on their background knowledge. The student will be able to give clues and small facts as to who they are.
Students will make a diagram in small groups comparing and contrasting the US government with another government of their choice. Divide the class into two groups one side being a monarch and the other side being a democracy. They will have a debate on which one is better. The next week the students will switch sides and do the same activity again only comparing and contrasting the two.
6th Grade:
Sixth grade students will learn how and why the US government was created. They will compare and contrast different types of government and their role they play in the government. Look at different types of government today.
ACTIVITIES-
Classroom elections and voting.
A classroom skit of the different types of government.
Class debate: vote.