SS Practice: Civic Participation

SS Practice: Civic Participation

Aim: What does it mean to be an active participant in government?

Do NOW: Please respond to the discussion questions based on the quote below:

• “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”-John F. Kennedy

Do Now Discussion:

• What is the main idea of this quote?
• Who do you think was the target audience of this quote?
• How does this relate to the concept of “community?”

Transition: To really participate in government, it helps to actually be informed about the issues the government addresses, along with the values and politics of the players who make these public policy decisions.

Activity #1: What does the citizenship test look like?

Directions:

1. Below are ten out of a possible 100 questions tested for individuals who want to become U.S. citizens.
2. Answer all ten questions to the best of your ability. You must score 60% or higher to pass.
3. You will grade your own paper as we review each question.

Sample U.S. Citizenship Test

1. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

1. Name the three branches of government.

1. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful? Please give an example.

1. How many U.S. Senators are there? _________________________________________

1. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States? _____________________________

1. Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?

1. What does the judicial branch do? __________________________________________

1. What are two Cabinet-level positions? ______________________________________

1. How many justices are on the Supreme Court? _________________________________

1. Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

Transition: Living in a city with over eight million people, many things must function so that basic needs are met. But, as citizens in a democracy, we also privilege our individualism. Exploring that relationship between the individual and their world will be our essential question for opening unit of study this year in Part Gov’t.

Guiding Questions: Please respond to both questions

1) When should individualism be privileged or valued in our country? Why?

2) When should communitarianism be privileged or valued in our country (i.e., vaccinations)? Why?

Activity #2: What are some issues in your neighborhood that are worth addressing?

Directions:

1. Brainstorm a list of issues you believe need to be addressed in your neighborhood.
2. Identify the three most important issues that affect the quality of life in your neighborhood.
3. Record how you might go about addressing these issues.

Summary: Pick one issue identified today and explain how citizens can participate in government to address these issues.