Start a New Country Lesson 2 - 12th Grade Government



Rights, Roles and Responsibilities of Citizens

Anticipatory Set (15 min)
The instructor will write a question on the board that states “Is it important for a country to provide individual rights to its citizens?  Why?”  The instructor will tell the students to take 2 minutes and think about their answer(s).  The instructor will ask the students to provide answers and the instructor will write them on the board.

Direct Instruction (15 min)
The instructor will provide a brief lecture about the differences between rights, roles and responsibilities of citizens of a country.  The instructor will ask the students to answer the following:

  • Identify 5 roles, responsibilities and rights of United States citizens
  • Identify 1 role, responsibility and right that United States citizens do not have but should have. 

Modeling (5 min)
The instructor will write on the board one right, one role and one responsibility of United States citizens.

Guided Practice (30 min)
The instructor will place the students in groups of two.  Each group will need to identify five roles, responsibilities and rights of United States citizens and one role, responsibility and right that U.S. citizens do not currently have but should have.

Checks for Understanding (15 min)
The instructor will call on random groups to answer the question and place the answers on the board.

Independent Study (80 min)
The students/groups will complete the roles, responsibilities and rights of the citizens of their country. 

Checks for Understanding (30 min)
The instructor will review the completed roles, responsibilities and rights of the citizens of each country and provide individual feedback to the students/groups to make any possible changes or additions.

To support teachers across the country, I've created history lesson plans for secondary schools.  From 6th grade to 12th grade, les...