1. Citizens' Rights and Responsiblities
It is your right and responsibility to know what is expected of you as an American citizen of the United States of America!

2. *5 minutes- Post-It Notes- Number Heads…
1s- Post-It Notes (5 min.)- How can you be a responsible citizen?
2s- Write any questions you have about your rights and responsibilities as a student in this school and country. Stick on Wonder Wall.

3. Why Do I Need to Learn This Material???
SS5CG1: The student will explain how a citizen’s rights are protected under the U.S. Constitution.
Explain the responsibilities of a citizen
Explain the freedoms granted by the Bill of Rights
Explain the concept of due process of law
Describe how the Constitution protects a citizen’s rights by due process
SS5CG2: The student will explain the process by which amendments to the U.S. Constitution are made.
Explain the amendment process as outlined in the Constitution.

4. More Standards… Describe the purpose for the amendment process.
SS5GC3: The student will explain how the amendments to the U.S. Constitution have maintained a representative democracy
Explain the purposes of the 12th and 17th amendments.
Explain how voting rights were protected by the 15th, 19th, 23rd, 24th, 26th

5. Do Students Have Rights?
Discuss this with a neighbor. Watch Student Rights on

6. Lesson One Essential Question:
How are a citizen’s rights protected under the U.S. Constitution?
Vocabulary:
responsibility, citizen, Bill of Rights, Constitution
Think about this…Did you know that we act as responsible citizens in many ways everyday?
Have you ever recycled soft drink cans?
Have you ever voted for a class officer (student council)? Do we vote for Golden rule?

7. Note-taking Guide
Use your note-taking guide as we watch the PowerPoint, and fill in the information as you learn it.

8. Who are U.S. Citizens? What are Their Rights and Responsibilities?
A citizen is a person who has all the rights and responsibilities of belonging to a nation.
Rights: All people born in the US are automatically US citizens. If a baby is born in another country, but one or both of the parents are US citizens, the baby is also an American citizen.

9. Citizenship has responsibilities, or duties, as well as rights.
Some duties, such as voting are voluntary, meaning citizens can choose whether or not they want to do them.
Other responsibilities are obligations, meaning citizens must do them or be punished under the law.
The legal obligations of citizens include obeying laws, paying taxes, serving on juries, and, for men, registering for military service.

10. Responsible Citizens

11. The Constitution and Bill of Rights
The plan for the US government is described in the Constitution of the United States of America.
The US Constitution was written in Nine out of 13 states ratified (or accepted) it in June 1788.
It became the law of the land in March 1789, after it had been ratified by 9 of 13 states.
The US Constitution describes the powers held by government. It also lists the powers that the federal government does not have.
Finally, it describes how the federal
government is organized.

12. The Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights is the first ten amendments to the Constitution. It gives certain rights and freedoms to all citizens.
Watch Bill of Rights on thumb drive (about 3 minutes).

13. Signing of the U.S. Constitution
The Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States , painted by Howard Chandler Christy in It depicts the signing of the U.S. Constitution at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

14. U.S. Constitution

15. How are we different from other nations?
Partner Talk: What is a democracy?

16. Discuss the following question.
Which of the following is one of the duties of citizenship?
Reading many books
Visiting national parks
Voting in elections
Watching candidates speak

17. Let’s Vote on a Class Project!
Responsible Citizens
Let’s Vote on a Class Project!
Organize a class project to implement during a one-week period. For Example: campus clean-up, food drive for the needy, or start a recycle box for pencils.
Make posters to advertise your project and display throughout the school.

18. Responsible Citizens: Extending and Refining Activity
Researching Individuals
Who Have Made a Difference!
Extra Credit- Research someone who has made an incredible difference in our society, and write an informational essay on it to report to
the class.

19. Summarizing Strategy: 3-2-1
Name three characteristics of a responsible citizen.
Name two ways people can demonstrate responsible acts.
Connection: What is one way that our classroom essential agreements are like the Bill of Rights?
Watch The American Government on thumb drive (15 minutes).