We ARE the Government
What is our democratic responsibility for volunteering and serving for the common good?
Photo Credit: Copy of U.S. Constitution by Adam Theo is licensed under CC by 2.0
Learners look at primary documents of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence to gain a sense of the purpose, motivations, and people of the founding documents. Through viewing, reading, quotations, and discussion, students explore the meaning of democracy and responsible citizenship. Students explore the impact of service and volunteerism in our democratic history. They write a personal statement of responsible citizenship and create a group presentation about the importance of taking action for the common good as democratic citizens. The demonstration will include writing and technology to communicate personal statements of advocacy as it relates to their roles as citizens.
In this lesson, learners read primary documents that illustrate the motivations of the founding fathers of the United States. These documents show the dedication to principles (government by the people, freedom, civil rights, shared power, etc.) that are upheld by groups and people who (in US history) have worked to gain civil rights for a population that was discriminated against or underserved.
In this lesson, learners reflect on the meaning of democracy. They discuss and explore examples of participatory democracy in history. They read and report about concepts such as civic responsibility, patriotism, right to petition, and philanthropy.
In this lesson, learners identify different levels of participation in a democracy. Each student writes a statement describing what type of citizen he or she would like to be. In groups of 4-6 students, the learners create an audio or visual presentation advocating for civic responsibility. They share their presentations with an outside audience. Students also reflect on their personal role in "writing history."