Current Event Lesson Plan

1. A Citizens Role in A Community, 4th Grade

2. Lesson Guiding Question(s):
a.) What civic duty does a citizen play in a community?
b.) Were the rescue dogs good citizens of the community?
c.) How can you be a good citizen in your community?
Standards:
NCSS Themes: X Civic Ideas and Practices, IV Individual Development and
Identity
V. Individuals, Groups and Institutions
NJ Social Studies Standards: 6.1.4.A.11 Explain how the fundamental rights of
the individual and the common good of the country depend upon all citizens
exercising their civic responsibilities at the community, state, national, and global
levels.
6.3.4.A.2 Examine the impact of a local issue by considering the perspectives of
different groups, including community members and local officials.
6.3.4.A.3 Select a local issue and develop a group action plan to inform school
and/or community members about the issue.
Common Core Literacy Standards

Key Ideas and Details:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.1
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says
explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3
Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on
specific details in the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions).
Comprehension and Collaboration:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups,
and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on
others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.4
Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized
manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main
ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

Text Types and Purposes:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.1
Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons
and information.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and
information clearly.
A. Learning Goals (Behavioral Objectives) and Assessments:
B. Assessments:
Learning Objectives

Assessments

SWBAT to identify what a

community and citizen is.

Students will brainstorm their

own definitions of a community
and citizen. Students will then
complete a worksheet filling in
words and characteristics that
describe good citizens.
Students will answer questions
after reading an article about
what makes these dogs and
rescue workers good citizens.
Students will create a poster and
write about how they can do
something that would fulfil a
civic duty in their community
and be a good citizen.

SWBAT identify what makes a

good citizen.
SWBAT explain how they can be
good citizens in their community.

Materials:

https://newsela.com/articles/911-dog-death/id/18455/

http://kidworldcitizen.org/2013/02/20/35-service-projects-for-kids/

http://www.akc.org/news/The-Legacy-of-9-11-Dogs-15-Years-Later/?
utm_source=FBAKC&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=legacy-of-911dogs-15-years-later
What makes someone a good citizen? worksheet
What is a community? What is a citizen? writing paper
Poster paper
Pencils/markers

Anchor chart
Rubric
Instruction project guidelines

Intro-Pre-lesson assignments and/or prior knowledge (3-5 min):

To introduce the lesson I will gather the students on the carpet. We will
brainstorm what the word community and citizen means. After the students
come up with definitions, I will follow up with the question: What makes a good
community? What makes a good citizen? Once we are done brainstorming
students will go back to their desk.
Input-Lesson Beginning (10-15 min):
When the students get back to their desk the paper passer with pass out What
is a community? What is a citizen? worksheet. The teacher will read over the
worksheet with the students. They will go over the definition of a community and
citizen. After reading the definitions, the teacher will ask the students to write
the definition of a community in their own words. After completing that, the
teacher will tell the students to take two minutes and fill in five words that
describe a good citizen.
Next, the teacher and student will read the article The Legacy of 9/11 Dogs 15
Years Later together. Throughout the reading the teacher will stop and ask the
students: Are the dogs in this story good citizens of the community? The
teacher will also ask How did this article make the students feel? The teacher
will ask the students, Can you think of other examples of humans or animals
acting as good citizens? The class will have a brief discussion about some of
their ideas.

Application- Instructional Plan (20 min):

(3-5 minutes-introduction)
1.) To introduce the lesson, I will gather the students on the carpet to assess
their prior knowledge on communities and citizens. We will brainstorm what the
word community and citizen means. I will ask the students two questions:
What makes a good community? What makes a good citizen? Once we are done
brainstorming students will go back to their desk.
(10-15 minutes-input)
2.) a.) When the students get back to their desk the paper passer with pass out
What is a community? What is a citizen? worksheet. The teacher and students
will complete the worksheet together. First, they will go over the definition of a
community and citizen.
b) Next, the teacher will ask the students to write the definition of a community
in their own words.

c.) Continuing, the teacher will instruct the students to take two minutes and fill
in five words that describe a good citizen.
d.) Fourth, the teacher and the students will read the article The Legacy of 9/11
Dogs 15 Years Later together. Throughout the reading, the teacher will stop and
ask the students: Are the dogs in this story good citizens of the community?
The teacher will also ask How did this article make the students feel? The
teacher will ask the students, Can you think of other examples of humans or
animals acting as good citizens?
e.) Lastly, the class will have a brief discussion about some of their ideas.

(20 minutes-application)
5.) The students will complete a two-day project. After finishing the story about
the 9/11 dogs, the teacher will explain to the students they will be constructing
their own ideal service project where they have to create a poster and write a
page on how they can be good citizens in their community. The poster will have
words, pictures, and visuals showing what they plan to do. The paper must
include: what they have chosen to do to be a helpful and good citizen in their
community, why they chose to do this service, how will it make others feel, and
what this service project means to them?
6.) For some ideas, the teacher will project on the board the article 35+ Service
Projects for Kids http://kidworldcitizen.org/2013/02/20/35-service-projects-forkids/.
7.) The teacher will explain to the students they can choose a project on any of
the
civic services suggested or they can come up with something on their own.
They will be given the instructions as well as a rubric explaining the criteria.
8.) Students will have the rest of the period to work on their poster and their
writing assignment. They will be assigned to complete the project for homework.
The next day the students will all present their service project.
9.) At the end of class, they will briefly share what they learned about their civic
duty as a citizen in their community.
10.) The teacher will assess what the students have learned about what it means
to be a good citizen and how you can fulfil your civic duty. The next day I will
evaluate the students when they present their service project to the class. I will
also be grading their paper.
** The teacher will send a note home with the students to explain their service
project idea to their parents and guardians. If the service project is capable of
actually being performed, (examples: volunteering at a soup kitchen, sending
supplies to troops) with permission from the parents, the students may work with
their teacher and parents to fulfill the service project.
o Differentiation:
I have provided hand-outs with definitions as well as a graphic
organizer to fill in with words to describe good citizens. The article on
9/11 dogs will have pictures for the students to view. I have provided

students with over 35 examples of ideas for their service projects. For
students who have trouble or are not up to grade level I will only
make them write a half of a page rather than a whole page. If they
are not able to write that much I will give them the option of typing it
on a computer.
Questions:
1. What is community?
2. What is a citizen?
3. What makes a good community?
4. What makes a good citizen?
5. What are five words that describe a good citizen?
6. Are the dogs in this story good citizens of the community?
7. How did this article make the students feel?
8. Can you think of other examples of humans or animals acting as
good citizens?
9. How can you be a good citizen of the community?
10. How do you think your action of being a good citizen will affect
others?
o Instructional Management:
During the activity on the carpet I will instruct to the students not to
sit next to someone that will distract them. I will give them one
warning if they become disruptive and then they will be sent back to
their desk. I will provide them with my expectations for both the
poster and the paper both verbally and on a rubric. This will allow
them to perceive what they need to do to obtain the best grade
possible.
o Transitions:
I will have the paper passer pass out all papers to avoid wasting
instruction time. I will transition from the prior knowledge straight into
the worksheet of a community and citizen. The article will follow
directly after that. Students will have a chance to ask any questions
on the requirements or expectations of the project.
Wrap-up- Closure (5 min):
As class is coming to an end we will wrap up a discussion recalling what is a
citizens civic role in a community and what makes a good citizen. Students may
elect to share with the class what the topic of their service project will be. I will
remind students of their homework and that they will be presenting their poster
in front of the class tomorrow.