Civics

Grade 1

 

Overarching Question:  How can I be a responsible citizen?

 

 Essential Questions:                

¨       What does it mean to be a responsible citizen?

¨       How can we:       Show Empathy?        Solve Problems?       Control our impulses?    

 

Enduring Understandings

Skills and knowledge

 

MA History/Social Science curriculum  Framework (2003)

Assessments

LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Enduring Understandings:

 

Citizens in a community have both rights and responsibilities.

 

Responsible citizens show a variety of positive traits.

 

Rules are made so that everyone is treated fairly.

 

Major holidays are celebrated to remember certain important leaders and events of the past.

 

Skills

Students will be able to:

.

Follow classroom and school rules.

 

Identify positive traits of a responsible citizen (honesty, trustworthiness, empathy, respect).

 

Take responsibility for their own actions.

 

Knowledge

Students will know:

What it means to treat others fairly.

 

The reasons we celebrate national holidays and how these holidays relate to major leaders and events of the past.

 

The meaning of some major American symbols.

 

The meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance and some national songs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MA Learning Standards

 

Give examples that show the meaning of the following words:  politeness, achievement, courage, honesty, and reliability.

 

Identify the current President of the United States, describe what presidents do, and explain that they get their authority from a vote by the people.

 

Demonstrate the ability to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, to explain its general meaning, and to sing national songs such as America the Beautiful, My Country ‘Tis of Thee, God Bless America, and The Star Spangled Banner and explain the general meaning of the lyrics.

 

Give reasons for celebrating the events or people commemorated in national and Massachusetts holidays.  On a calendar for the current year, identify the months for Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving, Martin Luther Kind, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Patriots Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, and Independence Day.

 

 

 

 

Sample Assessments

 

Students will identify the national holidays we celebrate

and explain why they are celebrated.

 

Sample Learning Experiences

 

Students will participate in lessons from

Second Step A Violence Prevention  Curriculum

(Committee for Children 2002)