In this lesson, students will continue learning about governments, while identifying the author’s purpose in the text, What is a Government? by Baron Bedesky. Students will learn about ways government leaders responsibly make and enforce laws to maintain order, while keeping people safe. Additionally, students identify responsible citizenship at the local and state level. This is lesson 6 of a 6-lesson unit plan based on this text.

This unit will support students as they explain why people form governments, the role of laws in government, the impact of government on daily life, and the ways the government protects the rights and liberty of American citizens. Students will engage in a read aloud of the text, What is a Government?, spread out over several lessons, emphasizing text features, vocabulary, central idea, and author’s purpose. In addition, the teacher will facilitate research, student presentations, expository writing, artwork, computer science, and identifying Florida symbols to help students solidify their interpretation as to why people form governments.

Type: Lesson Plan

Florida has enacted strict laws and rules for responsible citizens to follow to protect its native plants and animals. For instance, the Florida Tree Snail, also known as the “Living Jewel” because of its brightly colored shell, is protected by the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Rule 68A-4.001, which prohibits removing the snails from their native habitat or disturbing them in any way. After learning about the Florida Tree Snail and why its numbers are decreasing, students will manipulate clay, paint, and different types of pasta to create their own 3-D Tree Snail sculpture.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this math/civics lesson integrated lesson students will create a pictograph based on data collected from 3 short stories realted to ressponisble and irrsponsible citizenship. 

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson #2 in the text unit series for We the Kids by David Katrow. Students will use prior knowledge from reading the text to show the difference between responsible and irresponsible citizenship. The class will be split in half and one side will act out or show how a responsible citizen acts in society. Then, the other half will show or act out an irresponsible citizen. Students will be put in pairs and complete a graphic organizer together to share their information with the class. The teacher will display the results on one big graphic organizer for the students to see as a whole group. Students will write 8 complete sentences on a piece of paper (4 for responsible and 4 for irresponsible) showing examples of responsible and irresponsible citizenship.

This unit will help students gain an understanding of the Preamble and its direct effect on their daily lives. Students will engage in various activities such as debating parts of the Preamble and completing a play interpreting patriotism. Throughout the unit, students will have to identify and interpret vocabulary, analyze the provided text, and demonstrate an understanding of the Preamble by providing relevant details. The teacher’s role in this unit will be to support his/her students' understanding of the Preamble by facilitating research, reviewing student writing, and work.

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 math/civics integrated lesson students will categorize a list of 35 responsible citizenship descriptions into 3 categories found within a school/classroom community. Students will create a tally table to represent the data.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will play a fluency game adding within 20 using playing cards. There will be Responsible/Irresponsible Citizen cards embedded in the deck of cards that will result in an advantage or disadvantage in the game. This integrated lesson is part 3 of 3 in a mini unit.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will circulate the room to find a partner who has an addend card that equals 20 with their addend card. The activity will include matching behaviors that are examples of responsible and irresponsible citizenship. This integrated lesson is part 2 of 3 in a mini unit.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this math/civics integrated lesson students will categorize responsible and irresponsible citizen characteristics and create a bar graph using titles, labels, and units (also known as scale).

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will work in small groups to play a sum game taking turns finding 2 addends that equal a specific number within 20.  Throughout the game, the teacher will be giving students cards representing responsible behaviors that will give an advantage or irresponsible behaviors that will cause a disadvantage.  This integrated lesson is part 1 of 3 in a mini unit. 

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will identify characteristics of responsible and irresponsible citizenship.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will learn and apply knowledge relating to water’s three main states of matter and how responsible citizenship includes the responsible use of water in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

This Grade 2 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