Unit Plan 35 (Grade 1 Social Studies): Citizenship in Action
Guide first graders to practice everyday citizenship through kindness, fairness, listening, sharing, problem solving, and simple voting, ending with a “Citizenship in Action” poster.
Focus: Help students see citizenship as something they practice every day through kindness, fairness, listening, sharing, and simple problem solving. Through stories, role-play, and class discussions, children practice civic participation by listening to others, taking turns, and using simple voting to make group choices. They then create a small “Citizenship in Action” poster or chart that shows what good citizenship looks like in their classroom.
Grade Level: 1
Subject Area: Social Studies (Civics • Inquiry/Communication)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 30–45 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students learn that being a citizen of their classroom means making real choices that show kindness, fairness, and problem solving. They explore everyday situations—sharing materials, deciding on games, solving recess conflicts—and learn how to listen, take turns, and vote to make decisions together. By the end of the week, students create a small poster or chart that shows how they can put citizenship in action in their daily lives.
Essential Questions
- What does it mean to be a good citizen in our classroom and school?
- How do listening, taking turns, and sharing help us live and learn together?
- How can voting help us make fair group decisions?
- How can we solve problems in kind and fair ways?
- How can we show our ideas about citizenship using words, drawings, and charts?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Describe examples of kindness, fairness, and helping others in the classroom.
- Practice civic participation by listening to classmates, taking turns, and sharing ideas during discussions and simple votes.
- Participate in a simple vote about a class choice and work on accepting the result respectfully.
- Work with classmates to solve a small classroom problem using kind words and compromise.
- Create a mini “Citizenship in Action” poster or chart that uses words, drawings, and labels to show good citizenship behaviors.
Standards Alignment — 1st Grade (C3-based custom)
- 1.C3.Civ.3 — Practice civic participation (listening, taking turns, simple voting, sharing).
- Example: Vote on a class activity and accept the result.
- 1.C3.Inq.4 — Communicate conclusions using words, drawings, charts, and labels.
- Example: Create a mini-poster showing a community helper, tools, and how they help.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can listen to my classmates and take turns speaking.
- I can share materials and ideas during class activities.
- I can participate in a class vote and try to accept the result.
- I can help solve a small problem by using kind words and working together.
- I can make a poster or chart that shows how to be a good citizen in our classroom.