Grade 1
Social Studies
Unit: 12
Lesson: 02
Suggested Duration: 3 Days
¿Cómo puedes ser un buen ciudadano?
Lesson Synopsis:
In this lesson, students use what they have learned about good citizens to envision themselves affecting the community
by exemplifying good citizenship. They write the story of their choice to demonstrate a good citizenship characteristic,
record themselves telling the story (using tape recorder or a digital recording instrument), and create illustrations to go
along with the story.
TEKS:
1.13
1.13A
1.13C
Citizenship. The student understands characteristics of good citizenship as exemplified by historical figures and
other individuals. The student is expected to:
Identify characteristics of good citizenship, including truthfulness, justice, equality, respect for oneself and others,
responsibility in daily life, and participation in government by educating oneself about the issues, respectfully
holding public officials to their word, and voting.
Identify other individuals who exemplify good citizenship.
Social Studies Skills TEKS:
1.17
1.17A
1.17B
1.18
1.18A
1.18B
Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a
variety of valid sources including electronic technology. The student is expected to:
Obtain information about a topic using a variety of valid oral sources such as conversations, interviews, and music.
Obtain information about a topic using a variety of valid visual sources such as pictures, symbols, electronic media,
maps, literature, and artifacts.
Social studies skills. The student communicates in oral, visual, and written forms. The student is expected to:
Express ideas orally based on knowledge and experience.
Create and interpret visual and written material.
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION
Performance Indicator(s):

Make up, record, and illustrate a story about yourself as a good citizen in the future. Explain how the story models
good citizenship. (1.13A, 1.13C; 1.17A, 1.18B)
3G
Key Understandings and Guiding Questions:

Las personas impactan a las comunidades actuando conforme a sus creencias y eligiendo actuar de maneras
que demuestran buen civismo.
— ¿Cuáles son las características de buen civismo?
— ¿Cómo pueden los ciudadanos impactar a las comunidades actuando conforme a sus creencias?
— ¿Cómo pueden los ciudadanos impactar a las comunidades eligiendo actuar de maneras que demuestran
buen civismo?
Vocabulary of Instruction:


buen ciudadano
verdad


justicia
respeto


honestidad
igualdad
Materials:

Refer to Notes for Teacher section for materials.
(Appropriate materials may be substituted as needed to incorporate district resources and availability.)
Attachments:

Handout: Story Map (1 per student)
Resources and References:

None identified
©2012, TESCCC
05/18/13
page 1 of 3
Grade 1
Social Studies
Unit: 12 Lesson: 02
Advance Preparation:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Become familiar with content and procedures for the lesson.
Refer to the Instructional Focus Document for specific content to include in the lesson.
Select appropriate sections of the textbook and other classroom materials that support the learning for this lesson.
Preview teacher-selected websites according to district guidelines.
Create an Anchor Chart: Examples of Citizenship. Divide the chart into six equal sections and label them with the
following characteristics of citizenship: truthfulness, justice, equality, respect, responsibility, participation in
government. Prepare to list examples of ways people can demonstrate each of the characteristics of good citizenship.
Background Information:
Good citizen – good citizens exhibit the characteristics of good citizenship, which include: truthfulness, justice, equality,
respect for oneself and others, responsibility in daily life, participation in government by educating oneself about the
issues, respectfully holding public officials to their word, and voting.
Definitions courtesy of the Social Studies Center [defunct]. (2000). Glossary. Austin: Texas Education Agency.
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION SUPPLEMENTAL PLANNING DOCUMENT
Instructors are encouraged to supplement and substitute resources, materials, and activities to differentiate instruction to address the needs of learners.
The Exemplar Lessons are one approach to teaching and reaching the Performance Indicators and Specificity in the Instructional Focus
Document for this unit. Instructors are encouraged to create original lessons using the Content Creator in the Tools Tab located at the top of the page.
All originally authored lessons can be saved in the “My CSCOPE” Tab within the “My Content” area.
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
ENGAGE – A look to the future
1. Display the pictures of yourself and think aloud about some
of your dreams and aspirations at each stage of life.
2. Students use their imagination to think of answers to these
or similar questions.
 What will you look like as an adult?
 Will you be a good citizen and exhibit the traits of a
good citizen?
 What are those traits?
 How will you contribute to your community?
 In what ways will you make it a better place in which
to live?
 What problems occur in any community?
 What problems might occur in your community in
the future?
 What might you do to help solve those problems
and find solutions?
EXPLORE – Examples of Citizenship
1. Display the Anchor Chart: Examples of Citizenship. (See
Advanced Preparation.) Review the different characteristics
of citizenship.
2. Divide students into pairs and distribute sticky notes. Ask
them to think of and record a specific example of a person
demonstrating one of the characteristics.
NOTE: 1 Day = 30 minutes
Suggested Day 1 – 10 minutes
Materials:
 A picture of yourself as a child, as a graduate or
young adult, and a current picture
Purpose:
 The purpose of this section of the lesson is for
students to imagine themselves as a citizen
contributing to their community.
TEKS: 1.13A, 1.13C; 1.17A, 1.17B; 1.18A
Suggested Day 1 (continued) – 20 minutes
Materials:
 Sticky note (1 per 2 students)
Purpose:
 The purpose of this section of the lesson is for
students to provide examples of good citizenship.
TEKS: 1.13A, 1.13C; 1.17A; 1.18A
3. Invite students to share their examples, and place them into
the right category on the Anchor Chart: Examples of
Citizenship.
©2012, TESCCC
05/18/13
Instructional Note:
 Prepare to use the Anchor Chart: Examples of
page 2 of 3
Grade 1
Social Studies
Unit: 12 Lesson: 02
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
4. If there are any categories, with few or no examples,
facilitate a discussion and add examples to the Anchor
Chart.
EXPLAIN – Planning a Story
1. Display the Anchor Chart: Examples of Citizenship from
Suggested Day 1. Review the examples that were
brainstormed on the chart.
2. Instruct students to close their eyes. Ask them to imagine
themselves in the future as a teenager or as an adult. Ask
them to imagine how they might demonstrate good
citizenship. Provide students time to think.
Citizenship in Suggested Day 2.
Suggested Day 2 – 25 minutes
Attachments:
 Handout: Story Map (1 per student)
Purpose:
 The purpose of this section of the lesson is for
students to determine how they might be good
citizens in the future.
TEKS: 1.13A; 1.13C; 1.17A; 1.18A, 1.18B
3. Instruct them to open their eyes. Choose a few students to
share what they imagined.
4. Tell students that they are going to write and illustrate a
story about being a good citizen in the future.
5. Display and distribute the Handout: Story Map. Instruct
students to choose the citizenship characteristic they want
to highlight in their story.
Instructional Note:
 First grade Language Arts standards require
students to write brief stories that include a
beginning, middle, and end (TEKS 1.18A). The
focus should not be on story elements (setting,
character, problem, solution).
 It might be helpful to model writing a story for
students to use as a resource for writing their own
story.
6. Remind students that a story has a beginning, middle, and
end. Review the graphic organizer on the Handout: Story
Map. Instruct them to plan each part of their story using
sketches and/or words.
ELABORATE – Being a good citizen
1. Facilitate a discussion that focuses on Key Understandings
and Guiding Questions:
 Individuals impact communities by acting on their beliefs
and choosing to act in ways that exhibit good
citizenship.
— What are characteristics of good citizenship?
— How can citizens impact communities by acting
on their beliefs?
— How can citizens impact communities by
choosing to act in ways that exhibit good
citizenship?
Suggested Day 2 (continued) – 5 minutes
Purpose:
 The purpose of this section of the lesson is for
students to review the concepts of good
citizenship.
TEKS: 1.13A; 1.13C; 1.17A; 1.18A
2. Continue the discussion by encouraging students to think of
ways they can affect the community by exemplifying good
citizenship in the present.
 Is there a school or community problem the class
could investigate and offer to solve?
EVALUATE – Writing and Illustrating Stories

Make up, record, and illustrate a story about yourself as
a good citizen in the future. Explain how the story
models good citizenship. (1.13A, 1.13C; 1.17A, 1.18B)
3G
1. Students use their completed Handout: Story Map to
complete the Performance Indicator.
©2012, TESCCC
Suggested Day 3 – 30 minutes
Purpose:
 The purpose of this section of the lesson is to
write and illustrate stories demonstrating good
citizenship.
TEKS: 1.13A, 1.13C; 1.17A; 1.18B
05/18/13
page 3 of 3