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Home / Teachers / Civic Virtue in Modern American Democracy / What Is a Good Citizen? How the Textbook(s)
Define Good Citizenship and/or Civic Virtue

What Is a Good Citizen? How the Textbook(s)
Define Good Citizenship and/or Civic Virtue

Lesson 1:

From Unit Civic Virtue in Modern American Democracy

Lesson

Handouts

Academic Standards

Philanthropy Framework

9th-12th Grade

Subjects:

Language Arts, Library / Technology, Philanthropy and Social Studies

Key Words/Concepts click to view

ELA:	Constructing Meaning; Vocabulary
PHIL:	Common Good; Need
SOC:	Analyze/Interpret; Citizenship/Civic Engagement; Civic Responsibility/Virtue; Constitution of the Iroquis Nation; de Tocqueville, Alex; Good Character; Government; LEAGUE Optional Lesson: One Day; Personal Virtue; Roman Republic; Rousseau, Jean Jacques

Purpose:

Students will be able to identify a basic textbook definition of good citizenship including the classic Roman concept of civic virtue.

Duration:

One 45 Minute Class Period

Objectives:

The learner will:

state orally at least four words or phrases that describe a good citizen (a person of civic virtue).

Materials:

Use Chapter Three of the high school version of We The People…, 1st edition (1987), or the chapter that includes a discussion of citizenship from any basic high school textbook.

Note: if the textbook material does not use the classic Roman definition of civic virtue (putting the common good above individual need), the teacher will need to make sure the students write down the definition during the introductory part of this lesson.

Instructional Procedure(s):

Anticipatory Set:
Write the term "good citizen" on the board. Give students two or three minutes to work with a partner to come up with a list of characteristics of good citizens. Call on several students to report on the characteristics they identified.

Explain that ideas about citizenship have been debated and discussed for many centuries and that many different cultures and societies have influenced Americans' ideas. Some of the earliest ideas came from the Roman Republic where the leaders believed that all citizens must have civic virtue. They believed that citizens with civic virtue put the common good above their own individual needs.

Assign Lesson Three in We The People… or the chapter (or chapter section) that deals with citizenship in the class textbook. Ask students to look for all words and phrases in the lesson that might be considered part of the definition of good citizenship, i.e., a citizen with civic virtue.

Homework: In addition to reading the chapter, students should begin a list of words and phrases describing civic virtue by writing down all words and phrases from the chapter that relate to good citizenship and civic virtue. A minimum of four words or phrases must be included on the list.

Assessment:

Each student will be required to state orally a minimum of four words or phrases describing a good citizen or a person with civic virtue. The response should be based upon the material in the textbook chapter dealing with citizenship (and/or the material from class discussion if the book does not use the term civic virtue).

Evaluate homework for completeness and accuracy.