SS.1.CG.2.4

Recognize symbols and individuals that represent the United States.

Clarifications

Clarification 1: Students will recognize the national motto (“In God We Trust”) and “We the People” as symbols that represent the United States.

Clarification 2: Students will recognize Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Daniel Webster and Martin Luther King Jr. as individuals who represent the United States.

General Information
Subject Area: Social Studies
Grade: 1
Strand: Civics and Government (Starting 2023-2024)
Date Adopted or Revised: 07/21
Status: State Board Approved

Related Courses

This benchmark is part of these courses.
5021030: Social Studies Grade 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 - 2023, 2023 and beyond (current))
7721012: Access Social Studies - Grade 1 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2023, 2023 and beyond (current))

Related Access Points

Alternate version of this benchmark for students with significant cognitive disabilities.
SS.1.CG.2.AP.4: Identify the national motto “In God We Trust” as a symbol of the United States.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Lesson Plans

Who Was George Washington?:

In this lesson plan, students will recognize George Washington as an influential leader in the U.S. who demonstrated character, ideals, and principles. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Leaving a Legacy like Ben: Culminating Activity from Now and Ben:

In this culminating activity, students will use a choice chart to select a product (written product, artwork, video, presentation, or oral/video presentation) that answers the questions: How did Benjamin Franklin contribute to his community? How can I contribute to my own community? Students will use their research, previous reading of Now and Ben, and learnings about Benjamin Franklin as a citizen to share how they will impact their community and leave a legacy like Ben.

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

Symbols that Represent:

This is lesson # 5 of the I Pledge Allegiance text unit series. This lesson will build students’ knowledge of symbols representing the United States of America through discussion and interaction with their peers and teacher. During the discussion, the students will contemplate the meaning of “We the People” and “In God, We Trust,” using pages 18 and 19 to determine the meaning.

Unit Description

This unit will help students identify or explain rights and responsibilities in their school community, ways to show respect during the Pledge of Allegiance, symbols of the United States, and demonstrate characteristics of responsible decision-making. Students will engage in a read-aloud over several days with lessons emphasizing text features, vocabulary, central idea, and similarities and differences between information provided visually and within the text. In addition, the teacher will facilitate research, students' presentations, and artwork as activities to help students demonstrate their knowledge of respect for the Pledge of Allegiance.

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

Who's Who: Benjamin Franklin:

Students will explore why Benjamin Franklin is considered an individual who represents the United States, create symbols to represent him, then write to explain how the chosen symbols represent him, in this lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Being Honest, Courageous, Responsible is Not So Hard!!!:

In this lesson, students will read about who Martin Luther King Jr. is and how his actions, thoughts, and words were influential to U.S. History. Students will also explore traits such as honesty, courage, and responsibility for displaying citizenship. 

Type: Lesson Plan

A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin: Lesson 3: Big Ideas:

In lesson 3 of this unit, students will dive into reading the text, A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin by David Adler. Civics will be integrated throughout as students make connections and identify the topic and relevant details of Benjamin Franklin's childhood as well as incorporate multimedia into their written timelines to develop awareness of important life events. This is the third lesson in a unit using the text, A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin by David Adler.

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

A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin: Lesson 5:Extra! Extra! Read All About Ben!:

Students will apply newly learned relevant details about Benjamin Franklin’s life, which includes his contributions to society such as his innovations through science and his printing press, to write facts in the form of a newspaper article, in this lesson.

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

A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin: Lesson 6: Unfair Rules:

In lesson 6 of this unit, the teacher will continue reading A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin. Civics will be integrated throughout as students learn about the purpose of rules and laws in school, home, and community. Students will identify relevant details in order to make a connection with Benjamin Franklin, who stood up against a law that he felt was unfair, by writing their own opinion pieces about a fictitious rule. 

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

A Picture Book Of Benjamin Franklin: Lesson1: Understanding Timelines:

In this pre-reading lesson, lesson #1 of the text unit A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin, students will be introduced to the academic vocabulary word “Timeline” as well as vocabulary words that will be learned throughout the unit. Students' will use background knowledge of our class schedule to build a timeline of our day. Students are connecting the timeline of our day to a timeline of historical events, dating back to the 1700's, that focused on the life of Benjamin Franklin. This will help students understand the concept that Benjamin Franklin, an individual who represents the United States, is a person in history from another time long ago.

This unit is focused on identifying Benjamin Franklin as the topic of the text. Civics is integrated through understanding that Benjamin Franklin represents the United States. Students will explore life in the 1700’s to gain background knowledge. Teacher will create an ongoing timeline to document the major events in Ben’s life as key details. Students will solve a real world problem through invention, create a newspaper article to spread news, write both an expository and opinion piece. The assessment for the unit will be a kite that is a graphic organizer for students to identify the topic and relevant details in a text.

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

A Picture Book of Ben Franklin: Lesson 8:Build It Like Ben:

Students will connect with Benjamin Franklin, after reading A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin by David Adler, as an individual who represents the United States and whose curiosity led to many great explorations and impactful inventions. Students will be designing, exploring and building a kite. Through the process and with trial and error, students will describe the way their object moves and generate explanations about why their kite did or did not fly. 

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

Who's Who: Daniel Webster:

Students will explore why Daniel Webster is considered an individual who represents the United States, create symbols to represent him, then write to explain how the chosen symbols represent him, in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Who's Who: Martin Luther King Jr.:

Students will explore why Martin Luther King Jr. is considered an individual who represents the United States, create symbols to represent him, then write to explain how the chosen symbols represent him, in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Recognizing a Constitution :

In this lesson plan, students will explain the meaning of a constitution, identify who "We the People," are, and explain why Florida and the United States both have constitutions.

Type: Lesson Plan

Who's Who: George Washington Lesson:

Students will explore why George Washington is considered a symbol of the United States, create symbols to represent George Washington, then write to explain why the chosen symbols represent him, in this lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

U.S.A. Mottos:

In this lesson plan, students will recognize the national mottos “In God We Trust” and “We the People” as symbols that represent the United States. They will explore the meaning behind these mottos as well. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Recognizing Individuals that Represent the United States :

In this lesson plan, students will recognize individuals that represent the United States and understand their impact on U.S. history.

Type: Lesson Plan

Guess Who: True American Edition:

In this integrated lesson plan, students will identify US coins, express their values using the cents (¢) symbol and state their equivalency to the US dollar while recognizing symbols and individuals that represent the United States.

Type: Lesson Plan

Original Student Tutorials

Who's Who: Benjamin Franklin:

Learn about the accomplishments and life of Benjamin Franklin with the interactive book.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Who's Who: Daniel Webster:

Learn about the life and accomplishments of Daniel Webster in this interactive reader.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Who's Who: Martin Luther King Jr.:

Learn about the life and accomplishments Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with this interactive reader.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Who's Who: George Washington:

Learn about the accomplishments and life of George Washington with this interactive book.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Teaching Idea

Grade 1 Civics Family Guide: Standard 2:

This Grade 1 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

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Original Student Tutorials

Who's Who: Benjamin Franklin:

Learn about the accomplishments and life of Benjamin Franklin with the interactive book.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Who's Who: Daniel Webster:

Learn about the life and accomplishments of Daniel Webster in this interactive reader.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Who's Who: Martin Luther King Jr.:

Learn about the life and accomplishments Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with this interactive reader.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Who's Who: George Washington:

Learn about the accomplishments and life of George Washington with this interactive book.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Teaching Idea

Grade 1 Civics Family Guide: Standard 2:

This Grade 1 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