2322. Lesson 7 Page 23 Essential Concept: Citizenship How Can Citizens Participate?

Lesson 7 3Essential Concept: Citizenship

How Can Citizens Participate?

Complete the “Graphing Me” activity.GRAPHING ME! NAME: ____________________________

Make a bar graph or pictograph rating how well you know. . .

5Out of Sight

4Better than

Most

3Better than

Some

2Needs Some

Work

1Not So Hot

I am most concerned about what affects me.

I put others’ needs before my

wants?

I am involved in my community.

I read the newspaper.

I watch the news.

NOTE:I will not attempt to answer this question for you.

The answer is one you must arrive at yourself!

Lesson 7: Essential Concept – Citizenship - How Can Citizens Participate?

L22

R LEARNING TARGETS:

I can identify various ways that citizens can participate in government.

I can explain and support why and how much a citizen should participate.


L

Step 1:Read individually the list of ways citizens can participate.

Problem Solving ActivityCitizen Participation Checklist

Citizen Participation ChecklistIn the first column after each item below, RANK the importance of each item. The most important item will be 1 and the least important 17. In the second column, place a M by items you would likely do.

Likely to do?ImportanceForm of Participation

Keeping informed

Voting in local, state, national elections

Initiating a political discussion

Trying to persuade someone to vote a certain way

Signing a petition

Wearing a button or putting a sticker on the car

Writing letters to elected representatives

Contributing money to a party or candidate

Attending meetings to gain information, discuss issues, or lend support

Campaigning for a candidate

Lobbying for laws that are of special interest

Demonstrating through boycotts, parades, sit-ins, or other forms of protest

Serving as a juror

Running for office

Holding a public office

Serving the country through the military or other service

Disobeying laws and paying the consequences

Write a M by items you would be most likely to do.

Rank the each item:1 most important,17 least important.


Citizen Participation ChecklistLikely to do?ImportanceForm of Participation

Keeping informed

Voting in local, state, national elections

Initiating a political discussion

Trying to persuade someone to vote a certain way

Signing a petition

Wearing a button or putting a sticker on the car

Writing letters to elected representatives

Contributing money to a party or candidate

Attending meetings to gain information, discuss issues, or lend support

Campaigning for a candidate

Lobbying for laws that are of special interest

Demonstrating through boycotts, parades, sit-ins, or other forms of protest

Serving as a juror

Running for office

Holding a public office

Serving the country through the military or other service

Disobeying laws and paying the consequences


L Problem Solving ActivityCitizen Participation Checklist

Step 2:As a group,

Share what you ranked as the TOP 3 and BOTTOM 3. Why did you rank these this way? Can your group decide on a TOP three you all agree on?


Step 3:As a group, discuss the following question:

Are all these forms of participation equally important in protecting our basic rights? Why or why not?

R Attach the Reading on“How Can Citizens Participate?”

Who Is a Citizen Again?Anyone who is born in the United States or whose parents are U.S. citizens is a citizen of the United States. An alien is a person who is not a citizen. Many aliens can become citizens by following certain rules and procedures.

The government protects many rights for anyone who lives in the United States. But citizens have one right aliens do not have. That is the right to vote and be elected to public office. Many people say that citizens also have important responsibilities to their country that aliens do not. We will examine what those responsibilities might be in this lesson.

Should Citizens Participate?Many citizens do not participate in our government. They don’t vote or participate in most of the other ways you have just discussed. Some people, however, believe that citizens have a responsibility to participate.

Deciding whether to participate and how much time to spend participating is important. To make good decisions, you must think about several things. Some of these are:

the purpose of government how important your rights are to you how satisfied you are with the way the government is working

An example might help. Imagine that you have hired a company to repair your bicycle. Before you hired them, you would want to be sure they could repair bicycles. Then you would want to make sure that they did what you hired them to do. Suppose the company did a good job. Then you would not worry about checking on them if your sister’s bicycle needed repairs a few weeks later.

Suppose the company did a bad job on your bicycle. Then you might want to replace them or watch them even more closely when your sister’s bicycle needed work.

The same is true with the government. We should be sure the people we “hire” (elect) can do the job we are hiring them for. Once they get the job, we should keep an eye on them to make sure they are doing that job. If they do a good job, we may not watch them as closely. If they do a bad job, we may watch them very closely and may even decide to replace them.

Participation in government is in our own self-interest. The amount of time we spend participating will probably depend on how well we think our elected officials are doing. If everything is going well, we will spend less time than if we are concerned that someone is violating our rights. If we are pleased with the government, we may vote and do little else. If we are dissatisfied, however, we will probably take other types of action.


What rights does a citizen have that an alien does not?

What makes someone a citizen?

What is an alien?

Who Is a Citizen Again?

Anyone who is born in the United States or whose parents are U.S. citizens is a citizen of the United States. An alien is a person who is not a citizen. Many aliens can become citizens by following certain rules and procedures.

The government protects many rights for anyone who lives in the United States. But citizens have one right aliens do not have. That is the right to vote and be elected to public office. Many people say that citizens also have important responsibilities to their country that aliens do not. We will examine what those responsibilities might be in this lesson.


What do you need to think about in order to make good decisions about participating in the government?

Should Citizens Participate?

Many citizens do not participate in our government. They don’t vote or participate in most of the other ways you have just discussed. Some people, however, believe that citizens have a responsibility to participate.

Deciding whether to participate and how much time to spend participating is important. To make good decisions, you must think about several things. Some of these are:

the purpose of government how important your rights are to you how satisfied you are with the way the

government is working


An example might help. Imagine that you have hired a company to repair your bicycle. Before you hired them, you would want to be sure they could repair bicycles. Then you would want to make sure that they did what you hired them to do. Suppose the company did a good job. Then you would not worry about checking on them if your sister’s bicycle needed repairs a few weeks later.

Suppose the company did a bad job on your bicycle. Then you might want to replace them or watch them even more closely when your sister’s bicycle needed work.

An example of how participating is in your own self-interest.


What affects the amount of time we participate in government?

Another way of describing citizen participation.

!

The same is true with the government. We should be sure the people we “hire” (elect) can do the job we are hiring them for. Once they get the job, we should keep an eye on them to make sure they are doing that job. If they do a good job, we may not watch them as closely. If they do a bad job, we may watch them very closely and may even decide to replace them.

Participation in government is in our own self-interest. The amount of time we spend participating will probably depend on how well we think our elected officials are doing. If everything is going well, we will spend less time than if we are concerned that someone is violating our rights. If we are pleased with the government, we may vote and do little else. If we are dissatisfied, however, we will probably take other types of action.


WRAP UP

Read over and answer the

“Reviewing and Using

the Lesson” Sheet.

Reviewing and Using the Lesson

1. Explain how participating in government is in our own self-interest?

2. Suppose you do not choose to vote or participate in any way in government. Should you still be required to obey its laws? Why or why not?

3. Does a good citizen have a responsibility to work to improve his or her society? Why or why not?

4. Should a good citizen be concerned with improving the lives of those less fortunate? Why or why not?


WRAP UP

Reviewing and Using the Lesson

1. Explain how participating in government is in our own self-interest?

2. Suppose you do not choose to vote or participate in any way in government. Should you still be required to obey its laws? Why or why not?

3. Does a good citizen have a responsibility to work to improve his or her society? Why or why not?

4. Should a good citizen be concerned with improving the lives of those less fortunate? Why or why not?

If you participate by voting, you act in your own self-interest because youSelect people who think like you or reflect your values.?


Attach theConcept Development

Graphic Organizer

123

Generalizations

R23


123

Generalizations

Political Economic Social

CITIZENSHIP

What ideas describe “citizenship”?

You can vote Pay income and sales taxes

Donate blood through the Red Cross

As a citizen, you can participate in the governmentAs a citizen, you support the work of the governmentAs a citizen, you can support your community to make it better

You can hold public office Receive Social Security

Receive MedicareAdopt a road

citizenhave rights

vote pay taxes

help others in need ?

Sp

ecif

ic E

xam

ple

s of

“c

itiz

ensh

ip”?

Donate money to a candidate you support

Work on a project for Habitat for Humanity

Contribute to the United Way to help others in the community and country

Taxes maintain roads, fire, police, national defense

loyaltyhold public office


2322. Lesson 7 Page 23 Essential Concept: Citizenship How Can Citizens Participate?

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