Global Citizen

Lesson Plans

GradesK, 1, 2Social Studies, English Language Arts

Scientist Reviewed

Provided by C3 Teachers

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What it is

This inquiry-based unit asks students to consider what it means to be a citizen of their classroom, community, and the world.
Students will learn about what good citizenship looks like in many contexts, brainstorm ways they can be good citizens, complete grade-appropriate activities, and craft an argument about being a global citizen.

Teaching tips

Positives

This unit is thorough, designed to take three to five 30-minute sessions, and has everything you need to roll it out in your classroom right away.
The resources and activities included are varied and engaging; students will be able to have thoughtful conversations about citizenship and being a responsible member of society.

Additional Prerequisites

The lesson plan for session one gives a strategy for introducing the term citizen to students and a vocabulary key is included at the end of the unit.
An ad plays before the video in the first session.
The link to the additional "Thornwood girl" video is broken and the link to the list of optional read-alouds is broken.

Differentiation

Cross-curricular connections can be made in science and health classes by connecting responsible citizenship to taking care of the environment we all share and helping all people avoid pollution that can damage their health.
This unit would work very well for students working in pairs or small groups in order to offer multiple perspectives.
As an extension, have students create a flier with pictures and words that promotes the traits of good citizens in their school community.
Other related resources include this digital picture book about kids creating positive changes and this video about helping others.

From the scientist review

This is an inquiry-based approach to decipher the conceptions and complications about citizenship and civic participation. It contains suitable formative performance tasks and activities that sharpen students ability to be responsible citizens at all times. This resource is ideal for classroom.

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At a glance

Grades: K, 1, 2
Subjects: Social Studies, English Language Arts
Other types: Articles/Websites, Videos, Activity - Classroom, Worksheets
Format: PDF, YouTube Video
Language: English
Location: Earth, North America, North America > United States
Provider: C3 Teachers
Authors: C3 Teachers
Published: May 26, 2022
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · D2.Civ.14.K-2 + 8 more

Core

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards

D2.Civ.14.K-2Describe how people have tried to improve their communities over time.
D2.Civ.6.K-2Describe how communities work to accomplish common tasks, establish responsibilities, and fulfill roles of authority.
D2.Civ.8.K-2Describe democratic principles such as equality, fairness, and respect for legitimate authority and rules.

Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.1Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Wisconsin Climate Education Hub

English Language Arts

SL.K.2With guidance and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
RF.1.4Read emergent-reader texts with purpose, understanding, and sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
W.1.2Write text in a variety of modes: a) Opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the text they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure; b) Informative/explanatory text in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure; c) Convey events, real or imagined, through narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.
SL.1.1Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
L.1.2Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases in grade-level reading and content; use context clues, analyze meaningful word parts, consult general and specialized reference materials, and apply word-solving strategies (for meaning) as appropriate.

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What it is

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