CITIZENSHIP

Creating the Climate

1. Citizenship has to do with how we behave in a community.

2. Students should understand the definition of citizenship. That it involves more than waving a flag, singing God bless America, and wearing patriotic tee shirts.

3. Prepare rulers for the entire classroom society to follow and have all agree to follow them explicitly, or, be prepared to explain otherwise.

4. Create a list of responsibilities as seen by all for the class room society to work. Have each one draw a particular responsibility. In three days have them explain the privilege they felt from carrying out the assignment.

5. Select a citizenship emphasis month.

6. Create posters to be displayed inside and outside the classroom defining such words as: rights, obligation, duty, pride, selflessness, heritage, law, government, etc.

7. Decorate the room with your community heritage. Have older citizens bring artifacts depicting pride in the community.

Infusting the Character Quality

1. Name some civic duties. Is the implication such that not doing this duty is unethical? How does this relate to respecting laws, and paying taxes? How does it relate to street corners where there may be no obvious sign posted and to citizen behavior in a car or truck or as a pedestrian?

2. What made Jefferson, Grant, Martin Luther King, and Washington great citizens?

3. Create a Citizenship Hall of Fame. Have persons in the class represent the Italians, the Irish, the Russian, the Spanish, the African, etc. coming to America to escape a difficult life. Have them stress their gladness of being in America. Play the role in the first person.

4. Create an issue. Have the class play the role of a community. Stage an election. Have the students vote for or against certain issues. Discuss these rights being taken away.

5. Play the game "Citizenship for the Long Run" in Exercising Character.

6. Recreate the American flag out of paper using the correct colors. Cut out the stars. Have the students write down on star three things he or she will do for their country. As these things are accomplished the star is put in place. A teacher might give six months for the flag to be completed.

7. Create and draw a coat of arms, which you think best describes your class as a community. Upon final agreement, make it into a more permanent one and hang it for all to see.

8. Select a service project each week to demonstrate your good citizenship in the community.

9. Through Internet, locate other children in other countries and have them describe citizenship to you from their standpoint.

10. Invite the local mayor to come. Create a reception type atmosphere in his/her honor. Have him/her relate the difficulties and blessings that come from being a leading citizen.

11. Have each class cut out two paper citizenship hands. Choose the colors of red, white, and blue. Join them all together in a chain. Have each class join their chain to the chain of the class next to them until the chain is joined throughout the school beginning at the principal’s office. Have the chain hanging at the top of the wall next to the ceiling.

Contributed by Peggy Adkins