Rules and Citizenship- First Grade
Major Concepts: Authority/Leaders, Conflict, Democratic System, Fairness, Citizenship Traits
Curriculu
m
Standards
Essential
Questions
Vocabulary
Activities
Resources
Assessment
1.C
G1.1
G1.2
G1.3
1) Why is
each rule
important?
(to keep us
safe, to help
us learn, get
along with
others,
fairness)
2) What is
your role in
the
classroom,
at school, at
home, and in
your
community?
3) What is
the role of
other
citizens at
school,
Vocabulary:
Community,
citizen, rules,
safety, law, right,
responsibility,
conflict, authority,
role,
justice/equality/fai
rness, adaptive,
voting, ballot,
majority, leaders,
choice, freedom,
consequences,
respect,
government,
volunteer,
principal, mayor,
school,
-students create
posters that illustrate
rules
-take a tour of the
school and discuss
rules for the hallway,
the cafeteria, the
playground, etc,
-invite school and
community leaders to
talk about their job
role,
-Role play ways to
chose a good leader
- Use a shoe box to
create a classroom
ballot box. When
there are important
decisions to be make
in the classroom, let
the students vote,
tally, and write it into
 Books: Fiction
How Do Dinosaurs Say
I Love You by Jane
Yolen & Mark Teague,
Freedom Summer by
Deborah Wiles,
So You Want to Be
President by Judith St.
George,
Officer Buckle and
Gloria by Peggy
Rathmann,
Grace For President by
Kelly Dipucchio,
Take a familiar
character (for
example,
Goldilocks) and
have students
participate in a
mock trial.
Books – Nonfiction
Join In and Play
,Respect and Take
Care of Things , Know
and Follow Rules, and
Be Careful and Stay

Compare and
contrast rights
and
responsibilities.
Complete a venn
diagram
comparing rules
for a tornado drill
and a fire drill.
Draw a picture if
a good leader in
your home,
Rules and Citizenship- First Grade
Major Concepts: Authority/Leaders, Conflict, Democratic System, Fairness, Citizenship Traits
home, and in
your
community?
4) How can
conflicts be
resolved at
home,
school, and
in your
community?
5) What
does the
government
do?
6) Why are
eletions
used to
select
leaders?
7) How do
you choose
a good
leader?
classroom law.
Students can create
“I voted” pins to wear
after they vote.
Writing: Expository
Write a news story
about what your
community is like.
Pretend you are
writing this report for
somebody who is
going to move into the
community. What
would this person
need to know? Are
there any nice kids to
play with? Where is
the best restaurant?
What types of things
are there to do?
Safe by by Cheri J.
Meiners M.Ed, ,
Ruby Bridges Goes to
School by Ruby
Bridges,
A Picture Book of
Rosa Parks by David
A Adler, Nothing but
Trouble: The Story of
Althea Gibson by Sue
Stauffacher ,
Teacher Resource:
Superflex Takes On
Glassman by Michelle
Garcia Winners (Social
Thinking Program)
Harcourt: Unit 2
-Leveled Readers:
Rules and Laws Keep
Me Safe, Let’s Vote,
Strange Laws
A King Has Croaked
by Fran O’Malley
Website: (The
school, or
community and
explain why we
need them
Create a
Character Map of
a Leader: Why is
he/she a good
leader? Why is
he/she not a good
leader?
Rules and Citizenship- First Grade
Major Concepts: Authority/Leaders, Conflict, Democratic System, Fairness, Citizenship Traits
Democracy Project
2007)
www.brainpopjr.com
www.lessonpathways.c
om
www.sesamestreet.org
www.udel.edu/dssep/stra
tegies/htm
Rules and Citizenship- First Grade
Major Concepts: Authority/Leaders, Conflict, Democratic System, Fairness, Citizenship Traits
Topic/Unit Rules and Citizenship
Curriculum Standards: 1.C, G.1.1, G.1.2, G.1.3
Vocabulary: Community, citizen, rules, safety, responsibility, conflict, authority, role, justice/equality/fairness,
adaptive
Essential Questions: 1) Why is each rule important? (to keep us safe, to help us learn, get along with others,
fairness)
2) What is your role in the classroom, at school, at home, and in your community? What is the role of other
citizens at school, home, and in your community? 3) How can conflicts be resolved at home, school, and in your
community?
Assessments: Complete a venn diagram comparing rules for a tornado drill and a fire drill.
Resources/Activities: www.brainpopjr.com,
students create posters that illustrate rules
Rules and Citizenship- First Grade
Major Concepts: Authority/Leaders, Conflict, Democratic System, Fairness, Citizenship Traits
take a tour of the school and discuss rules for the hallway, the cafeteria, the playground, etc, invite school
leaders to talk about their job role, Books: How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You by Jane Yolen & Mark Teague,
Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles, So You Want to Be President by Judith St. George, Officer Buckle and
Gloria by Peggy Rathmann, Grace For President by Kelly Dipucchio, Join In and Play ,Respect and Take Care
of Things , Know and Follow Rules, and Be Careful and Stay Safe by by Cheri J. Meiners, M.Ed, , Ruby Bridges
Goes to School by Ruby Bridges, A Pixture Book of Rosa Parks by David A Adler, Nothing but Trouble: The
Story of Althea Gibson by Sue Stauffacher , Teacher Resource: Superflex Takes On Glassman by Michelle
Garcia Winners (Social Thinking Program)
Take a familiar character (for example, Goldilocks) and have students participate in a mock trial.
Compare and contrast rights and responsibilities.