Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement
generationOn
Purpose:
Learners will describe requirements for naturalized citizens and explain how rights given to citizens also require civic responsibility. They will analyze the words of the National Anthem and update it with a new verse that includes today’s concept of freedom.
Duration:
Two Fifty-Five Minute Class Periods
Objectives:
The learner will:
list reasons for immigration and give examples of immigration to this country.
describe the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
define freedom and compare citizens’ feelings about the National Anthem over time.
represent current history in a new original verse for the National Anthem.
Service Experience:
None for this lesson.
Materials:
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Transparency of Oath of Allegiance for Naturalization (Attachment One)
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100 Typical Questions (Attachment Two), student copies
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Answer Sheet: 100 Typical Questions (Attachment Three)
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Tape of “The Star Spangled Banner,” sung by Whitney Houston
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Lyrics of the National Anthem (Attachment Four)
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Rubric for Written Verse (Attachment Five)
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Large sheets of paper and markers
Instructional Procedure(s):
Anticipatory Set:
Ask the question, “What are some reasons why people immigrated or still immigrate to the United States?” List answers on the board or overhead as they are elicited from the group. Possible answers include: political freedom, religious tolerance, economic opportunity, political refugees, freedom, forced immigration (slavery), family reunification, jobs, opportunity, to escape persecution, money.
Write on the board: “What responsibilities does a person have when joining a group, club or team?” List and discuss answers.
Use a transparency to project the Oath of Allegiance to the United States (Attachment One), which immigrants are required to take in order to become a naturalized citizen. Explain any part of the oath which the students do not understand.
Say: “In the process of earning their citizenship, immigrants often learn more about United States government than those of us who were born here. Today, we are going to take the naturalization test which immigrants must pass to gain citizenship.”
Distribute copies of 100 Typical Questions (Attachment Two). There are 100 total, but pre-selection can be made to limit the number of questions students will have to answer. Allow time for students to answer the questions. When students have finished or the time limit has ended, the questions should be answered in class so that students know the correct answers. See Answer Sheet: 100 Typical Questions (Attachment Three).
Ask the learners to speculate why the government requires new citizens to learn about their new country and its government. If new citizens are required to have this knowledge, what is the responsibility of natural-born citizens to know about United States history, the structure of the government and the legal system of the country? Is there a relationship between individual rights that citizens enjoy and community responsibilities? What responsibilities do high school students have toward their country and community?
Write the phrase “Freedom is...” on the board. Give the learners three minutes to free write as many possible completions to the phrase as they can. Ask for volunteers to report on their responses. Discuss their answers.
Lead a class discussion on freedom using these questions:
Say, “Today we will listen to the musical artist, Whitney Houston, as she sings The Star Spangled Banner. While the tape is playing, think of what this song is saying to you and what it means to most Americans.” Distribute the printed lyrics for the National Anthem (Attachment Four). Play the tape. Following the song, ask the students to write a short paragraph response to these questions:
Ask the learners to think back to the words of the anthem. Do these feelings and beliefs still apply today? Explain how and why.
Explain that, since the National Anthem was first written, many things have changed in our country. With this in mind, the learners will work in small groups to update the anthem. As small groups they will create a new verse for the National Anthem that fits society today. The verse should be written on a large sheet of paper.
Before the groups begin, show the learners an example on the overhead with a verse created by the teacher. Ask them to think about what the verse of an anthem today should contain. Distribute Rubric for Written Verse (Attachment Five) and go over the required elements.
Give the groups time for brainstorming and creating. Collaborative efforts should result in one verse per group.
Display each group’s verse for class examination and discussion. Emphasize in discussion the merits and differences of each verse to show how freedom gains meaning through demonstrated individual application.
Assessment:
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Since the 100 questions are a pre-unit survey, the questions may be used to assess prior knowledge. However, the questions could be repeated at the end of the year as a post-test to demonstrate growth in the understanding of American citizenship.
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Learners may be assessed on their active participation in the small groups.
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Was the learner observed making positive comments?
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Was the learner responsive to the other members of the group?
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Did the learner contribute to a creation of a verse?
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The verse created by each group should contain application to today’s society and the value of freedom. Rubric for Written Verse (Attachment Five) may be used for scoring.
School/Home Connection:
None for this lesson.
Cross-Curriculum Extensions:
As members or citizens of the school, a class project could be “welcome baskets” for the new students who enroll in the school. These baskets could include pencils, pens, notebooks, student handbook, map, a list of activities, etc. Contact the Chamber of Commerce and survey local businesses in the community to create a basket for new residents.
Bibliographical References:
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http://uscis.gov/graphics/index.htm U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Web site which will provide information on naturalization procedures and includes sample test questions for naturalization.
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http://www.usflag.org/the.national.anthem.html Contains the lyrics of the National Anthem.
Lesson Developed By:
Georgia SharpPortland Public Schools
Portland High School
Portland, MI 48875
John Mikulski
Portland Public Schools
Portland High School
Portland, MI 48875
Handouts:
Handout 1Print Handout 1
Oath of Allegiance for Naturalization
“I hereby declare, on oath that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or a citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.”
Handout 2Print Handout 2
100 Typical Questions
1. What are the colors of our flag?
2. How many stars are there in our flag?
3. What color are the stars on our flag?
4. What do the stars on the flag mean?
5. How many stripes are there in the flag?
6. What color are the stripes?
7. What do the stripes on the flag mean?
8. How many states are there in the Union?
9. What is the 4th of July?
10. What is the date of Independence Day?
11. Independence from whom?
12. What country did we fight during the Revolutionary War?
13. Who was the first President of the United States?
14. Who is the President of the United States today?
15. Who is the Vice-President of the United States today?
16. Who elects the President of the United States?
17. Who becomes President of the United States if the President should die?
18. For how long do we elect the President?
19. What is the Constitution?
20. Can the Constitution be changed?
21. What do we call a change to the Constitution?
22. How many changes or amendments are there to the Constitution?
23. How many branches are there in our government?
24. What are the three branches of our government?
25. What is the legislative branch of our government?
26. Who makes the laws in the United States?
27. What is Congress?
28. What are the duties of Congress?
29. Who elects Congress?
30. How many Senators are there in Congress?
31. Name the two Senators from your state.
32. For how long do we elect each Senator?
33. How many Representatives are there in Congress?
34. For how long do we elect the Representatives?
35. What is the executive branch of our government?
36. What is the judiciary branch of our government?
37. What are the duties of the Supreme Court?
38. What is the supreme law of the United States?
39. What is the Bill of Rights?
40. What is the capital of your state?
41. Who is the current governor of your state?
42. Who becomes President of the U.S.A. if the President and the Vice-President should die?
43. Who is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
44. Can you name the thirteen original states?
45. Who said, “Give me liberty or give me death”?
46. Which countries were our enemies during World War II?
47. What are the 49th and 50th states of the union?
48. How many terms can a President serve?
49. Who was Martin Luther King, Jr.?
50. Who is the head of your local government?
51. According to the Constitution, a person must meet certain requirements in order to be eligible to become President. Name one of these requirements.
52. Why are there 100 Senators in the Senate?
53. Who selects the Supreme Court Justices?
54. How many Supreme Court Justices are there?
55. Why did the Pilgrims come to America?
56. What is the head executive of a state government called?
57. What is the head executive of a city government called?
58. What holiday was celebrated for the first time by the American colonists?
59. Who was the main writer of the Declaration of Independence?
60. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
61. What is the basic belief of the Declaration of Independence?
62. What is the national anthem of the United States?
63. Who wrote the Star-Spangled Banner?
64. Where does freedom of speech come from?
65. What is the minimum voting age in the United States?
66. Who signs bills into law?
67. What is the highest court in the United States?
68. Who was the President during the Civil War?
69. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
70. What special group advises the President?
71. Which President is called the “Father of Our Country”?
72. What Immigration and Naturalization Service form is used to apply to become a naturalized citizen?
73. Who helped the Pilgrims in America?
74. What is the name of the ship that brought the pilgrims to America?
75. What were the 13 original states of the United States called?
76. Name three rights or freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.
77. Who has the power to declare war?
78. What kind of government does the United States have?
79. Which President freed the slaves?
80. In what year was the Constitution written?
81. What are the first 10 amendments to the Constitution called?
82. Name one purpose of the United Nations.
83. Where does Congress meet?
84. Whose rights are guaranteed by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights?
85. What is the introduction to the Constitution called?
86. Name one benefit of being a citizen of the United States.
87. What is the most important right granted to U.S. citizens?
88. What is the United States Capitol?
89. What is the White House?
90. Where is the White House located?
91. What is the name of the President’s official home?
92. Name one right guaranteed by the First Amendment.
93. Who is the commander in chief of the U.S. military?
94. Which President was the first Commander in Chief of the U.S. military?
95. In what month do we vote for the President?
96. In what month is the new President inaugurated?
97. How many times may a Senator be re-elected?
98. How many times may a Congressman be re-elected?
99. What are the two major political parties in the U.S. today?
100. How many states are there in the United States?
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Handout 3Print Handout 3
Answer Sheet: 100 Typical Questions
1. Red, white and blue2. Fifty
3. White
4. One for each state in the Union
5. Thirteen
6. Red and white
7. They represented the original thirteen states.
8. Fifty
9. Independence Day
10. July 4th
11. England
12. England
13. George Washington
14. George W. Bush
15. Dick Cheney
16. The Electoral College
17. Vice President
18. Four years
19. The Supreme Law of the Land
20. The Constitution can be amended by the Congress and the State Legislatures.
21. Amendment
22. 26
23. 3
24. Legislature, Executive and Judiciary
25. Congress
26. Congress
27. The Senate and the House of Representatives
28. To make laws
29. The people
30. 100
31. (Insert State Information)
32. Six years
33. 435
34. Two years
35. The President, Cabinet, Departments under the Cabinet Members
36. The Supreme Court
37. To interpret laws
38. The Constitution
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The first ten amendments to the Constitution
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(Insert State Information)
41. (Insert State Information)
42. Speaker of the House of Representatives
43. William Rehnquist
44. Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Rhode Island and Maryland
45. Patrick Henry
46. Germany, Italy and Japan
47. Hawaii and Alaska
48. Two full terms
49. A civil rights leader
50. (Insert Local Information)
51. Must be a natural born citizen of the United States; must be at least 35 years old by the time he/she will serve; must have lived in the United States for at least 14 years.
52. Two from each state
53. Appointed by the President
54. Nine
55. For religious freedom
56. Governor
57. Mayor
58. Thanksgiving
59. Thomas Jefferson
60. July 4, 1776
61. All men are created equal
62. The Star-Spangled Banner
63. Francis Scott Key
64. The Bill of Rights
65. Eighteen
66. The President
67. The Supreme Court
68. Abraham Lincoln
69. Freed many slaves
70. The Cabinet
71. George Washington
72. Form N-400, “Application to File Petition for Naturalization”
73. Native Americans
74. The Mayflower
75. The Colonies
76. (a) The rights of: freedom of speech, press, religion, peaceable assembly and requesting change of government
(b) The right to bear arms (the right to have weapons or own a gun, though subject to certain regulations).
(c) The government may not quarter, or house, soldiers in the people’s homes during peacetime without the people’s consent.
(d) The government may not search or take a person’s property without a warrant.
(e) A person may not be tried twice for the same crime and does not have to testify against himself.
(f) A person charged with a crime still has some rights, such as the right to a trial and to have a lawyer.
(g) The right to trial by jury in most cases.
(h) Protects people against excessive or unreasonable fines or cruel and unusual punishment.
(i) The people have rights other than those mentioned in the Constitution. Any power not given to the Federal Government by the Constitution is a power of either the State or the People.
77. The Congress
78. Republic
79. Abraham Lincoln
80. 1787
81. The Bill of Rights
82. It allows countries to discuss and try to resolve world problems; and provides economic aid to many countries.
83. Congress meets in the Capitol Building in Washington, D. C.
84. Everyone (Citizens and non-citizens living in the U.S.)
85. The Preamble
86. Citizens can obtain Federal Government jobs; travel with a U. S. passport; petition for close relatives to come to the U.S. to live.
87. The right to vote
88. The place where Congress meets
89. The President’s official home
90. Washington, D.C. (1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW)
91. The White House
92. Freedom of: speech, press, religion, peaceable assembly, and requesting change of the government
93. The President
94. George Washington
95. November
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January
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There is no limit.
98. There is no limit.
99. Democratic and Republican
100. Fifty
Handout 4Print Handout 4
U. S. National Anthem: Star Spangled Banner
Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro’ the perilous fight’
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming.
And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
On the shore dimly seen, thro’ the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream;
'Tis the star-spangled banner: oh, long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Oh, thus be it ever when free men shall stand,
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation;
Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land
Praise the Power that has made and preserved us as a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust;”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
http://www.usflag.org/the.national.anthem.html
Handout 5Print Handout 5
Rubric for Written Verse
Required Elements:
- Rhyme Scheme – ABABCCDD
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Lines 1-4 introduce a core democratic value
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Lines 5 and 6 answer how the core democratic value is achieved
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Line 7 describes how the flag waves
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Line 8 repeats “O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
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Points |
Required elements: |
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4 |
Verse contains all five elements |
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3 |
Verse contains four elements |
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2 |
Verse contains three elements |
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1 |
Verse contains one or two elements |
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0 |
There are no required elements attempted. |
Unit Contents:
Overview:My Country, My Community Summary
Lessons:
- 1.
- It's a Free Country, Isn't It?
- 2.
- “An American Story” -- The Responsibility of Citizenship
- 3.
- Freedom Isn't Free
All rights reserved. Permission is granted to freely use this information for nonprofit (noncommercial), educational purposes only. Copyright must be acknowledged on all copies.
