Standard 2: Civic and Political Participation

Students will use their pseudocode from lesson 2 to create code in the Scratch program that informs viewers about an invasive species in Florida and what citizens can do to help. Finally, students will complete a digital gallery walk to interact with their peers’ projects and take notes on different invasive species.  This is the final lesson in a 3 lesson integrated computer science and civics mini-unit. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will use their lesson one research on an invasive species in Florida to plan an interactive Scratch program. The animation will include at least one option for citizens to control the issue. Students will learn about pseudocoding and how to plan a coding project. This is lesson 2 in a 3-part integrated computer science and civics mini-unit on invasive species.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will create an informational Scratch program on a public service job.  This is lesson three in a three-lesson unit that integrates computer science and coding.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will review jobs in public service, select one to research, and create a plan for a Scratch program on this public service job.  This is lesson two in a three-lesson unit that integrates computer science and coding.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will apply addition and subtraction skills with decimal values and multiplication of whole numbers to explore how taxes may impact citizens’ daily lives.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will learn about and explore public service jobs and how they might utilize databases.   This is Lesson one in a three-lesson integrated unit on civics and computer science. 

Type: Lesson Plan

In this integrated lesson plan, students will explore invasive and non-native species of plants and animals around us and how they impact the environment, while also discovering different forms volunteerism that preserve our ecosystem.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this integrated lesson, students will research invasive species and the solutions that Florida citizens can participate in to mitigate the issues associated with them. Students will interact with an example Scratch simulation that illustrates how Lionfish spread.  This is lesson 1 in a 3 part-integrated computer science and civics series to help students understand the invasive species of Florida and how citizens can participate in solving this issue. 

Type: Lesson Plan

This is Part 3 of the Zoning with Area and Perimeter lesson. Students will be asked to increase the area of each zone they created in Parts 1 and 2. They will then determine the perimeter of each zone based on its new area measurements.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is Part 2 of the Zoning with Area and Perimeter unit. Students will be asked to place and zone three schools to serve the students of the community. They will be provided the perimeters of each school and will need to maximize its area in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

In lesson 3 of the integrated civics unit on the book Florida by Tamra Orr students will learn the key vocabulary terms public service and volunteerism. Students will use central idea and relevant details from the text to complete a graphic organizer with features of Florida, related needs & problems, related public service roles, and volunteer opportunities.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will work in pairs or small groups. They will be provided with a “school district” and zones. The groups will be tasked with assigning each zone to a school, while respecting the school's enrollment caps and the zone's proximity to the school.  Once the zones are assigned, the students will calculate the approximate busing costs.  Then, the groups will pair off and compare how they determined zoning for each school.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will prepare for and participate in a Socratic Seminar to discuss ways citizens can solve problems in their communities as well as identify Florida’s role in the civil rights movement. They will utilize the texts and primary source documents they analyzed in the previous lesson to answer and generate their own questions to be able to discuss their opinions and make claims based on logical reasoning and text/document evidence. This is lesson 2 of 3 in a mini unit integrating civics and social studies.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will analyze primary and secondary sources to learn about Florida’s role in the civil rights movement. They will utilize a cause-and-effect graphic organizer to identify ways everyday citizens interact with governments to solve problems. This is lesson 1 of 3 in a mini unit integrating civics and social studies.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will hold a town hall meeting to zone a new community. They will assign a different area measurement to each zone and then determine the zone’s perimeter. Students will explore how rectangles with the same area can have different perimeters in this integrated lesson plan.    

Type: Lesson Plan

Using knowledge from the previous lessons, students will write a letter to a state senator or representative explaining the process of coastal erosion, the impacts of coastal erosion on the citizens of the State of Florida and requesting their support for a recommendation of how to address the problems created by coastal erosion.

This is lesson 3 of 3 in a mini-unit integrating civics and science.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will work individually or in pairs to design an infographic on paper or digitally to demonstrate their knowledge of Florida’s role in the civil rights movement. This is lesson 3 of 3 in a mini-unit integrating civics and social studies.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will evaluate the direct and indirect impacts of erosion on citizens. Additionally, they will describe how citizens can help solve community problems and identify their state elected officials.

This is lesson 2 of 3 in a mini-unit integrating civics and science.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this integrated lesson plan, students will explore native species of plants and animals around us and how they impact the environment, while also discovering how public services protect these organisms.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will complete an inquiry activity on erosion in order to be able to describe the process of erosion and differentiate it from weathering. Through the inquiry activity, students will recognize how models can be used to demonstrate processes and test solutions. Additionally, students will evaluate how citizens can work with their state government to solve the problems created by erosion, as a public issue.

This is lesson 1 of 3 in a mini-unit integrating civics and science.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will determine the number of students from each zone that would need buses to get to their new schools. Then they will determine the total cost of transportation per week, per month and per school year. Students will discuss the possibility of adding portable classrooms instead of rezoning and comparing the cost. They will discuss how this cost increase could affect the school budgets and how the students and families could work with the school board on alternative solutions, in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will present their representative campaigns created in Scratch to the class. They will take notes during each presentation. A mini-voting session will take place after all campaigns have been reviewed.  This is the third and final part of an integrated computer science and civics mini-unit. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will think of themselves as representatives of their schools and design a campaign for student body president using Scratch. This lesson follows research about state senators and representatives. This is the second lesson in a three-part integrated computer science and civics mini-unit.  

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will find the sum of the populations of the counties in two congressional districts in Florida to determine why population is important when considering representation in the districts. Students will practice estimating sums to check their addition by rounding numbers to the nearest 1,000 in this integrated math lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson will allow the students to identify Florida’s Senators and their contributions to Florida. Students will recognize that Florida has a representative government and that citizens can communicate with elected officials via letter, email, and social media. Students will write an expository text about how Florida’s Senators work for the people.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson aims to enhance students' problem-solving skills while fostering their understanding of how public issues impact citizens' daily lives. Students will use a grocery store ad and purchase multiple items to complete a 3-course meal for them and a few friends. Students will be challenged to stay within a budget to complete the task. They will add and subtract decimals to the hundredth, applying place value strategies while using money in this integrated lesson plan.  

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson students purchased supplies to build a bird house and had to stick to a budget when doing so 

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson of the unit students will learn how to add and subtract decimals to the tenth and hundredth place value. Students will apply place value strategies while using money in this integrated math/civis lesson plan. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will plot the populations of Florida counties within two congressional districts in ascending order on a number line in this civics integrated math lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will learn about school zones, calculate enrollment for a school that is “overcrowded”, and discuss ideas for rezoning to balance enrollments by looking at vacancies in other schools in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this integrated lesson plan, students will engage in discussion about a representative government in Florida. They will compare the Florida county map and the Florida Congressional map to predict the fairness of representation and consider why the representation in the district map doesn't match the Congressional map. They will investigate this question by comparing the population size in the counties of each district.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this integrated lesson, students will compare and contrast the roles of representatives and senators. Through research, students will learn about the different expectations and requirements of each position. This is part 1 of a 3-part mini unit that integrates Civics with Computer Science.

Type: Lesson Plan

In the final lesson of this text unit series for Florida, by Tamra Orr, students will identify and explain a claim made by the author about Florida’s representative government, using text features as support. Students will discuss the various characteristics of Florida's citizens and gain an understanding of the impact of voting on the preservation of our republic, using the author’s claim as support.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will learn how citizens can work with local government to solve problems. They will also learn how technological advances in the 1800s affected Florida. They will work in groups to brainstorm ideas of modern-day problems and historical problems that government and citizens may need to solve.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson is #2 of an integrated unit using the text, Florida, by Tamra Orr. Using chapter 1 of the text, Florida, by Tamra Orr issues specific to Florida are explored. Students work in groups to identify issues that could become problems. Students then brainstorm ways that citizens could help and begin making connections with volunteerism and working with state and local government officials to resolve issues.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will make a claim supporting American’s civil participation as key to preserving the republic. They will write a claim that supports one of these two topics: the significance of public service or volunteerism. While writing an organized piece with resource-based findings, students will create a PowerPoint presentation of their findings.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will deepen their knowledge on Florida’s renewable resource of water. They will learn about why it is an important resource to our state, consider problems the resource may face and ways they can work with state and local government to address issues involving Florida’s waters. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will use their knowledge of how citizens and the government can work together to solve issues in the community together through a problem-based learning research project.

Type: Lesson Plan

In lesson 6 of this text unit series for Florida, by Tamra Orr, students will explain and support a claim made by the author, using text features. They will gain knowledge on the impact of voting in presidential elections on society and Florida’s significance in United States elections.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson is the first in a unit using the text Florida, by Tamra Orr. Students focus on understanding and using key concepts such as citizen, public issue, and taxation. Students then make connections to the impact that public issues such as taxation, transportation, schools, etc. have on their own lives, such as hurricane damage, non-native species, endangered and protected species, beach erosion, and so forth.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students learn about the three branches of government in Florida. They will learn about the structure, function, and powers of each. Also, the branches will be compared to the federal branches of government.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will use their multiplication skills to explore the importance of taxes and how the government uses tax revenues to save for unforeseen emergencies, in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will utilize direct instruction, guided-inquiry, and the internet to recognize that Florida has a representative government, identify their state representatives, and to explain elected representatives' authority to perform the duties and activities of their job in a representative form of government. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will practice their oral presentation skills while sharing their opinion about a given classroom topic requiring a vote. In this lesson, students will gain a better understanding of the importance of voting. After being presented with three choices on a classroom topic, students will use a graphic organizer to structure their ideas and details, then share their oral presentations within a small group of peers. Afterwards, students will cast a vote on the classroom topic.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will calculate the total amount of trash at different locations in the community to determine which location has the most trash and explore ways a community can work together to prevent future trash buildup in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students explore the problem of marine debris and microplastics as well as the ways that citizens and the government can help, then create their own public service announcement or educational short video in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students discover how marine debris gets into the oceans and some of the problems it causes, then analyze the abundance of waterways within the state of Florida that contribute to the marine debris issue. They will explore the problem of marine debris and ways that citizens can work alongside government to reduce the impact of plastic pollution in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students explore the problem of marine debris and ways that citizens can work alongside government to reduce the impact of plastic pollution. They calculate their plastic footprint by estimating the number of common single-use plastics they use in one year, then calculate how much plastic waste could be eliminated by cutting down on their use of single-use plastics in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will learn ways to help keep the ocean clean by recycling and write letters to lobby government officials to support recycling programs. They will decide which materials are most important to recycle by looking at several characteristics of the materials including whether they are renewable or nonrenewable, if the material will decompose, and the amount of the materials currently being recycled in this MEA.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations.  Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will solve problems with division, including interpreting remainders, as they identify how citizens can help solve local and state problems.

Type: Lesson Plan

Volunteering is vital to keeping any community safe, inviting, and running smoothly! In this lesson, students will work together to plan a volunteer project they would like to see happen in their community; as well as, create a budget for their project.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will learn about a Florida keystone species, the gopher tortoise, and the steps that must be taken to safely excavate and relocate gopher tortoises found on development sites based on Florida laws. Students will explore how citizens work with local and state government organizations, such as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, to solve problems in this model eliciting activity.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will investigate the relationships between the initial speed of a car and the distance required for it to stop.  Students will record their results onto a student guide to determine how a car moving faster or slower affects its ability to stop.  Finally, students will investigate why we have different speed limits on different roads in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

The mayor wants to build a new park in town! Volunteer your time and help the mayor design an expense report with a given budget for the new park in this lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will practice finding the mode of a set of data and recognizing how it is used in real life situations. Students will be given the opportunity to collect data, create line plots, interpret the numbers, and find the mode of the data.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will apply addition and subtraction skills with decimal values while exploring how taxes may impact citizen’s daily lives.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this Model Eliciting Activity (MEA), students will help a volunteer coordinator choose cleanup projects that will have the greatest positive impact on the environment. Students will learn about how litter and pollution can affect wildlife as well as how cleanup efforts can help. They will discuss the importance of volunteering in the community and utilize math skills such as calculating area in deciding how to rank the different cleanup projects.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students are asked to plan a playground for a new park within a given budget and area limit. They will analyze the best use of playground equipment using a data table of area requirements and cost. Students will convert units within a single measurement system, calculate the area of a rectangle, and perform addition/subtraction calculations involving money using decimal notation.

Type: Lesson Plan

Explore how the Gopher Tortoise, a keystone species in Florida, is at risk due to human impact on the environment and learn what is being done to help the Gopher Tortoise with this interactive tutorial

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Learn about sales tax as Malik tries to buy his favorite candy from the store in this short video.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

This PowerPoint slideshow is designed to support teachers in delivering direct instruction on Florida’s representative government, including identifying state elected officials. The presentation and activity focus on helping students understand Florida as a representative government, locate their elected officials, identify specific responsibilities and functions of representatives' jobs, and determine the best approach toward contacting elected officials. The accompanying guided notes can be completed by students during instruction.

Type: Teaching Idea

This Grade 4 Civics Family Guide provides some ideas and activities to support civics education when at home, out and about, and in the community. The activities provided align to the civics learning benchmarks within Standard 2 at this grade level.

Type: Teaching Idea

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

This video can be played with Reading Passage 1 for the Volunteer Trash Cleanup MEA (199167).

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Ardian Zika grew up in communist Yugoslavia (now Kosovo). He immigrated to the United States, became a U.S. citizen, and was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2018.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Former U.S Senator and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Mel Martínez shares his journey to freedom in the United States. Mr. Martínez was part of Operation Pedro Pan in which unaccompanied Cuban children were sent to the United States to escape the newly formed communist regime of Fidel Castro. Before leaving Cuba, he spent time with his father who shared life lessons with his son. Mr. Martínez distinctly remembers the pilot announcing that they were in America. After moving around the state of Florida in settlement camps, Mr. Martínez was placed in foster care. After four years he and his family were reunited. Mr. Martínez helped his father become a veterinarian in the U.S and as a family they were highly active in the community. His family’s spirit of activism was the foundation of Mr. Martínez’s career as a public servant. He graduated from Florida State University Law School in 1973 and began his political career. He was appointed the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in 2001 and became a United States Senator in 2005.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation