Main activity
Activity 1: Teacher Led (10 minutes)
Explain to the students that in this lesson they are going to be looking at what it means to be a good citizen for their local, national and international communities. Ask the students what they understand by the term citizen. Get them to write their ideas on the mini whiteboards and hold it up when they have written it.
Give the students the definition of a citizen (on PowerPoint) and get them to write it into their books.
Activity 2: Student Led (15 minutes)
Give out the choices grids to each of the students to stick in their books. They are then to discuss as a group of four who they thought was a good and bad citizen. The groups should come to a consensus about who they think is a good and bad citizen. When they have done this they should stick their choices on the large sheets around the room, in their table quadrant.
Activity 3: Teacher/Student Led (10 minutes)
Feedback from the previous activity asking each of the groups to explain what is it about the people they have placed on sheet that made the group decide to put them there?
Activity 4: Student Led (10 minutes)
So what does it mean to be a good citizen? In their groups get the students to come up with a checklist of 5 characteristics that they think make a good citizen. Feedback to create a class checklist of characteristics for a good citizen.
Plenary (10 minutes)
Students to complete the following sentences
- I think a good citizen is someone who………..
- An example of a good citizen is………. Because………….
- I think that I am / a not a good school citizen because……………..
Aim Higher
- During the starter activity more able students will be able to verbalise their rationale for their choices clearly and articulately.
- During the group discussions more able students will take a leading role in the group, keeping others on task and making sure that all group members get to have a say.
- In the Plenary the more able students should be able to give more then one example of a good citizen and can explain how they could be a better citizen within the school.
Lesson Assessment
For students to be considered to have achieved certain levels in this lesson they should be able to demonstrate the following:
Level 2:
- Students will simply state their personal opinion
- Students will take limited part in the decision making process.
- Students will be able to give a definition of the term citizen or community.
Level 3:
- Students will state their personal opinion showing some consideration of the opinions of others.
- Students will take part in the decision making process.
- Students will be able to give a definition of the terms citizen and community.
Level 4:
- Students will state a personal opinion showing clear consideration of the opinions of others.
- Students will take an active role in the decision making process.
- Students will make contributions to group discussion.
- Students will be able to give a definition of the terms Citizen and Community giving simple examples.
Level 5:
- Students will state a personal opinion with explanation of their arguments and showing clear consideration to views opposite to their own.
- Students will take a leading role in the decision making process
- Students will make informed contributions to group discussion.
- Students will be able to define the terms Citizen and Community giving examples not mentioned in the lesson.
Level 6:
- Students will be able to give a balanced argument which supports their own opinion.
- Students will take a leading role in the decision making process ensuring all members get a chance to speak.
- Students will make informed contributions to a group discussion using topical examples.
- Students will be able to define the terms Community, Good Citizen and Bad Citizen giving examples of each and explaining their choice of example.
Resource 1: Citizen Cards
Resource 2a: Good Citizen Sheet
Resource 2b: Bad Citizen Sheet
Resource 3: Choices Grid
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