“The only title in our democracy superior to that of president is the title of citizen.”
-Justice Louis Brandeis
You have many roles as a current 8th grader. You are a student, a teenager, someone’s child and
someone’s friend. You may be an athlete, an actor, a sibling, or a musician. One of the most
important roles you have, however, is your role as a growing citizen of the United States of
America. Citizens have written the history of America and the world that we live in today.
You, as young citizens of this country, have a great responsibility in shaping the future of our
country and the world in which we live. For our Final Authentic Assessment (FAA) this year we
will be focusing on citizenship, and your role as a citizen, in America. Specifically we will be
looking to answer the following questions through our research and activities:
1.) What makes a good citizen? What qualities, characteristics, and/or actions
determine whether someone is a good citizen or not?
2.) What are our responsibilities as citizens of the world?
3.) Who are (or have been) America’s greatest citizens?
4.) How can we become better citizens? What can we do to show that we are
active citizens in our world?
I.
What makes a good citizen?
Below you will find a list of 10 characteristics that have been identified (by various sources) as indicators
of having good citizenship. You will need to add FIVE additional characteristics to this list. Your
characteristic must be supported with a citation of the source of your decision. After reviewing the list of
15, you will need to identify the THREE most important characteristics in your opinion. Use the graphic
organizer on the following page to compile your information.
1. Takes on personal responsibility
2. Truthful and Trustworthy
3. Values the law
4. Community focused
5. Fights for the underprivileged
6. Sympathetic for the needy
7. Supporter of positive change
8. Contributor to society
9. Defends the rights of others
10.Displays tolerance towards others
Five Additional Characteristics of a Good Citizen
Characteristic
Source Citation
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Your Top THREE Characteristics
Choice Characteristic
Explanation
II.
What are our responsibilities as a citizen of the world?
Read the following quotes regarding citizenship and the implied responsibilities of good citizens as
defined by a diverse group of people across time periods.
“We all have an obligation as citizens of this earth to leave the world a healthier, cleaner, and
better place for our children and future generations.” -Blythe Danner, American actress and
activist
“The first requisite of a good citizen in this Republic of ours is that he shall be able and willing
to pull his weight.” - Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States (1901-1909)
“The function of a citizen and a soldier are inseparable.” –Benito Mussolini, leader of Italy
(1922-1943)
“I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world” –Socrates, ancient philosopher
“The job of the citizen is to keep his mouth open.” –Gunter Grass, German author
“Ants are good citizens, they place group interests first.”- Clarence Day, American author
“Every good citizen makes his country’s honor his own, and cherishes it not only as precious but
as sacred. He is willing to risk his life in its defense and is conscious that he gains protection
while he gives it.” –Andrew Jackson, President of the United States (1829-1837)
“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” –John F.
Kennedy, President of the United States (1961-1963)
“Every good citizen adds to the strength of a nation.” –Gordon B. Hinckley, religious leader
Writing an Editorial
Use your Top Three Characteristics and ONE of the quotes from “What are our
responsibilities as a citizen of the world?” (or find another quote) to write an editorial worthy
of publishing in the New York Times reflecting your stance on what it means to be a good citizen.
Both your identified characteristics and the quote MUST be incorporated into your argument
(see rubric for grading information).
Use this space for notes/planning purposes ONLY. Your final copy of your Editorial MUST be typed.
III.
Who are (or have been) America’s greatest citizens?
The citizens of America have written the history of this country as we know it. Who has demonstrated
the characteristics of a great citizen in our history? Who should we look to as a model for our own
citizenship? You will choose ONE person (in American history) who you feel meets the requirements for
being a model citizen and deserves to be recognized as a great citizen in American history. You will be
researching your choice using a variety of sources and creating a presentation to share with the class.
Some people you may wish to consider (but are not limited to):
Politicians
 George Washington
 Thomas Jefferson
 Robert La Follette
 Barack Obama
 Harvey Milk
 Richard Nixon
 Ronald Reagan
Athletes
 Jackie Robinson
 David Robinson
 Joe Dimaggio
 Mary Lou Retton
 Jack Johnson
Military
 Audie Murphy
 Colin Powell
 Louis Zamperini
 George Patton
Entrepreneurs
 John D. Rockefeller
 Bill Gates
 Thomas Edison
 Cornelius Vanderbilit
 Steve Jobs
 Henry Ford
Reformers
 Susan B. Anthony
 Martin Luther King Jr.
 Ralph Nader
 Jacob Riis
 Sojourner Truth
 Malcolm X
Entertainers
 Shirley Temple
(Black)
 George Clooney
 Angelina Jolie
 Pete Seeger
 Jon Stewart
 Bruce Springsteen
Authors/Journalists
 Upton Sinclair
 Maya Angelou
 Mark Twain
 Harper Lee
 Rachel Carson
 Betty Friedan
 Howard Zinn
Proposal
You MUST submit a proposal BEFORE you begin researching. There will be a limit to no
more than two students working on any one figure so be sure to have a first, second and third
choice. Your proposal must also be signed by a parent/guardian approving your list.
Research Requirements: (Proposal Form attached)
Research Requirements
You MUST use at least FOUR resources to support the project that you create. You will be
submitting research notes pages for the resources that you used (see attached notes pages). You
are REQUIRED to use one primary source, one visual source, and one media source. Your
fourth source may be a secondary source but must be a validated, reliable source (not wikipedia,
not ask, not answers.com or any page that is similar to the aforementioned).
Presentation
After researching your choice of America’s greatest citizens, you will need to prepare a
presentation that supports your findings. Your presentation should be designed to provide the
audience with information promoting your person as one of the greatest citizens in American
history. You may choose the mode of presentation but must include all parts identified on the
rubric (attached). Possible presentation modes include (but are not limited to): trifold posters,
pamphlets, videos, podcasts, research paper etc.
IV: How can we be better citizens?
A common thread among all of America’s greatest citizens, regardless of your choice, is their
making a conscious decision to be an active citizen rather than a passive citizen in their world.
For the final component of your FAA you will take the first step in becoming an active citizen.
You will do something! Choose ONE of the following Citizenship Building Activities below (or
propose an alternative choice) and complete it.
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Letter to Congress: Choose an issue that you feel our government should address. Write
a letter to our Congressmen/Congresswomen advising them of your concern and
including your thoughts on how the issue could be resolved. You must hand in your
letter with an addressed, stamped envelope to mail the letter in.
Letter to the Editor: Choose an issue that you feel is worthy of being discussed with the
public and write a letter to the local paper. Your letter should include a description of the
issue, why you feel it is important to discuss and your thoughts on how the public should
respond to the issue. You must hand in your letter with an addressed, stamped envelope
to mail the letter in.
Informational Poster: Choose an issue that you feel is worthy of discussion among
students your age. Create a poster (that will be displayed in the building) that includes a
description of the issue, data used to support your stance and ways that students can get
involved in further action.
Pamphlet: Choose an issue that you feel should be highlighted in the public and create a
pamphlet that includes a description of the issue, data used to support your stance on the
issue and ways that the public can get involved in further action to correct the issue. You
should have copies of the pamphlet for all students in your class.
Speech: Choose an issue that you feel should be recognized as important by your
classmates. Plan, write and give a speech to your class that discusses the issue, your
stance on the issue and the actions you believe should be taken to correct the issue. Your
speech should be approximately 5 minutes in length.
Your choice: Propose an alternative assignment to be considered for this portion of the
FAA.