What do civic virtues look like in action?

SS.3.C.2.1

Identify group and individual actions of citizens that demonstrate

civility, cooperation, volunteerism, and other civic virtues.


SS.3.C.2.1

Identify group and individual actions of citizens that demonstrate

civility, cooperation, volunteerism, and other civic virtues.

Correlated Florida Standards (See Full Text on Cover Page)

  • LAFS.3.SL.1.1, LAFS.3.SL.1.2

Essential Question

What do civic virtues look like in action?

Learning Goals/Objectives

  • Students will discuss vocabulary terms related to civic virtues.
  • Students will illustrate a civic virtue in action.

Overview

Students will engage in a whole class discussion about vocabulary terms related to civic virtues. They will discuss examples of what the terms look like in action and illustrate one way they demonstrate civic virtues in their lives.

Materials

  • Chart Paper
  • Civics Content Vocabulary
  • Civic Virtues Quilt Template
  • Markers

Time

  • 15-20 minutes with additional time for extension activities

Activity Sequence

INTRODUCTION/HOOK

  1. List the following terms on the board: citizen, civility, cooperation, virtue, and volunteerism.
  2. Instruct students to brainstorm the meaning of these terms. Record their ideas on chart paper. Possible brainstorming questions to ask could include:
  • What are the roles and responsibilities of a citizen in the community and in the nation?
  • How can Americans be good citizens?
  • Can good citizens be heroes?
  • How does being a good citizen affect others?
  • How can students in elementary school be good citizens?
  • What does it mean to be a citizen in a global community?

ACTIVITY

  1. Project and/or pass out the Civics Content Vocabulary handout.
  2. Review the terms and definitions as a whole class.
  3. Pose the following question for discussion: What do these terms look like in action? Engage students in a discussion to come up with examples for each term. Add the examples to the third column on the chart.
  4. Pass out a Civic Virtues Quilt Template rectangle to each student. Instruct students to illustrate one way they demonstrate civic virtues in their home, at school or in their community.
  5. Provide time for students to complete their illustration.

CLOSURE

  1. Have students share their illustrations. Teacher Note:Optional: Staple all of the rectangles together and create a Civic Virtues Quilt for the classroom wall.

OPTIONAL EXTENSION SUGGESTIONS

  1. Play the following video You Can Be a Hero Too, Teacher Note: If needed, download the video before the lesson using
  2. Engage students in a discussion about how the man in the video expressed civic virtues. Have students reflect introspectively on how they might be rewarded when they demonstrate civic virtues in their lives.

Civics Content Vocabulary

Word / Definition / Examples
citizen / a person who is a legal member of a country, state, or community
civility / polite or respectful manner
cooperation / working together
virtue / good behavior or characteristic
volunteerism / the act of doing a service or task willingly and without pay

Civic Virtues Quilt Template

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