District 11 Educational Support Services
Social Studies

Grade 1, Quarter 1: Rules, Roles and Responsibilities

 Overview
 View the Video Introduction 1 and Video Introduction 2. Students begin the year learning about their rights, roles and responsibilities in a first grade classroom. They will learn that all citizens have rights, roles and responsibilities. Who makes the rules in the classroom and school? Why are rules necessary? What are the students responsibilities? Learning the answers to these questions will provide students with a basic understanding of the role of government in societies. They will learn how people in their school all have responsibilities to make the school run effectively.

For Teachers
Quarter 1  2 
Quarter 3  4 
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Yearly Overview

Standards

Enduring Understandings - important ideas that students should carry with them years beyond the instruction received this year.

  • Citizens have rights, roles, and responsibilities.

  • Individuals and groups make, enforce and apply rules and laws (government).

Essential Questions - most important “big picture” questions students should be able to answer after completing learning activities.

  • Who makes the rules/laws in your classroom? How are they enforced?
  • How are roles and responsibilities in schools in different places alike? Different?
  • What are the roles and responsibilities of the people in your school?
District 11 curriculum is designed to prepare and equip students to be successful in the 21st Century. Curriculum resources and lessons included here have been aligned to the Colorado Standards for each content area. In addition, the entire program has been aligned with the knowledge, skills, and learner attributes the Partnership for 21st Century Skills promotes as necessary for success in the 21st Century. You will see the highlighted core values embedded in these lessons and activities.
 
A Academic Preparedness: the foundation required for either higher education, or high-wage, high skills jobs
C Cultural Competence: the ability to understand and interpret political and cultural events from multiple perspectives in a global society, a core competency in 21st Century Skills
H High-Functioning Team Member Skills: collaboration is a core competency in 21st Century Skills
I Innovative Thinking and Problem Solving Skills: a core competency for 21st Century Skills
E Effective Use of Information Technology: a core competency for 21st Century Skills
V Vital Participation in Civic Responsibility: "share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society" Standards for the 21st-Century Learner from American Library Assoc.
E Effective Communication Skills: a core competency for 21st Century Skills

Standards and Benchmarks
Civics Standard 2: Students know how to use structure and function of local, state, and national government and how citizen involvement shapes public policy.
Civics Benchmark 4 A: Students knows what citizenship is.

District Indicators

  • Identify people and groups who make, enforce, and apply rules and laws.

  • Explain the rights, roles, and responsibilities of students and citizens in the classroom, school, community, state, and nation.

Sample Lessons

District 11 Diamond Units/Lessons Overview - includes information about the purpose, goals and structure of these sample instructional units:

Lesson 1: Rules of the Classroom
Duration: 2-25 minutes class sessions
Enduring Understanding: Individuals and groups make, enforce and apply rules and laws (government).
Essential Question: Who makes the rules/laws in your classroom and why? How are they enforced?
District Indicators: Identify people and groups who make, enforce, and apply rules and laws. Explain the rights, roles, and responsibilities of students and citizens in the classroom, school, community, state, and nation.
Assessment: Write a story about what you would do as a teacher for a day and had to make sure others in the class obeyed the rules. Pick one rule and tell how to enforce it.

Differentiation:
Support: Pick a different rule and illustrate it.
Extension: Pick a rule you would change and discuss why and how you change it.
Resources: Social Studies Alive! Chapter 3

Activities:

  • Vocabulary: enforced, consequences

  • Discuss with students who makes the rules in your classroom and why that happens; repeat for home.

  • Draw a picture of the most important rule for the classroom; share with another student and explain the drawing.

  • Explain how rules are enforced.  Make a list of consequences for breaking rules.

Differentiation:
Support: Pick a different rule and illustrate it.
Extension: Pick a rule you would change and discuss why and how you change it.
Resources: Social Studies Alive! Chapter 3

Lesson 2: Rules of the School Community
Duration: 2-25 minute class session
Enduring Understanding: Individuals and groups make, enforce and apply rules and laws (government).
Essential Question: Who makes the rules/laws in your classroom and why? How are they enforced?
District Indicators: Identify people and groups who make, enforce, and apply rules and laws. Explain the rights, roles, and responsibilities of students and citizens in the classroom, school, community, state, and nation.
Assessment: Match 5 people to the rules they enforce: Parent, Teacher, Assistant Principal, Nurse, Office Secretary, Cafeteria Worker, Principal (choose those that are appropriate).

Activities:

  • Construct a pyramid showing the people who make the rules in your school. Discuss who is at the top, second, third tier, etc. and why.
  • Explain how each person enforces their rules. Make a list of consequences for breaking their rules.

Differentiation:
Support: Discuss school rules and consequences and act out with a partner.
Extension: Finish the sentence: If I were Principal (Nurse, Cafeteria worker, etc) and wanted students to follow the rules, I would….

Lesson 3: Roles of People in Our School
Duration: 5-25 minute class sessions
Enduring Understanding: Citizens have rights, roles and responsibilities.
Essential Question: How are roles and responsibilities in schools in different places alike? Different?
District Indicators: Identify people and groups who make, enforce, and apply rules and laws.
Explain the rights, roles, and responsibilities of students and citizens in the classroom, school, community, state, and nation.
Assessment: What must you do to be a good helper at school? What must you do to to get along with others?

Activities:

  • List what students think they need to do to get along with one another; also list what a good school helper would do
  • Complete Social Studies Alive! activities as identified in teacher’s manual.
  • Compare text information to student lists

Differentiation:
Support: Have them ask one other student or person at home what a good school helper would do.
Extension: Have student ask 2-3 students in other classes or someone at home what they think they need to do to get along with one another.
Resources:  Social Studies Alive! Chapter 1, “How Do We Get Along in School?” Chapter 2, “Why Is It important to Learn From Each Other?” Chapter 5, “How Are We Good Helpers At School?” 

Lesson 4: Responsibilities of People in Our School
Duration: 2-25 minute class sessions
Enduring Understanding: Citizens have rights, roles and responsibilities.
Essential Questions: How are roles and responsibilities in schools in different places alike? Different? How are the roles and responsibilities of the people in your school alike and different?
District Indicator: Explain the rights, roles, and responsibilities of students and citizens in the classroom, school, community, state, and nation.
Assessment: Act out a role of school personnel while others ask questions about your responsibilities in that role.

Activities:

  • Have students interview various school personnel about their responsibilities or have people speak to the class. Example: custodian, nurse, secretary, assistant principal. Model how to do this with students.
  • Choose 2 of the people interviewed and do a Venn diagram on similarities and differences
  • Read text and discuss.

Differentiation:
Support: Teacher will help students with questions to ask school personnel.
Extension: Conduct a one-on-one interview with one school worker personnel and report it in written form.
Resources:  Student interview sheets Social Studies Alive! 4 “Who Helps Us at School?”; CD Tracks 3-6

Lesson 5: Rules of the Colorado Springs Community
Duration: 3-25 minute class sessions
Enduring Understanding: Individuals and groups make, enforce and apply rules and laws (government).
Essential Question: Who makes the rules/laws in your classroom and why? How are they enforced?
District Indicators: Identify people and groups who make, enforce, and apply rules and laws.
Explain the rights, roles, and responsibilities of students and citizens in the classroom, school, community, state, and nation.
Assessment: Match roles to jobs in Colorado Springs
Mayor - makes sure rules (laws) are obeyed
City Council - makes decisions about laws and spending money for the city
Courts — decides the consequences for those who break laws
Laws - laws or rules to keep people safe

Activities:

Differentiation:
Support: Provide flash cards with terms on 1 side and meanings on the other.
Extension: Answer the question: who has the most important role in Colorado Springs? Why?
Resources: Use those embedded in lesson activities.

Parents

This unit presents a perfect opportunity for parents to sit down with their child to talk about rules at home and rules at school, who has responsibility for making sure rules are followed and what happens when they are not followed. Focus your conversation on the Essential Questions listed earlier on this page.

ABCs of Elementary Years: These ABC Tips are designed to help you support your child’s learning in social studies during their years in elementary school.

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