NY Social Studies 3.7d

Social Studies3rd GradeKey Idea 3.7

The Standard

The definition of citizenship and the role of the citizen vary across different types of political systems, and citizens play a greater role in the political process in some countries than in others.

New York State K–12 Social Studies Framework

Key Idea 3.7

Governments in communities and countries around the world have the authority to make and the power to enforce laws. The role of the citizen within these communities or countries varies across different types of governments.

Teacher's field guide

What This Standard Means

What Students Need to Do: Students compare what citizens can do in the United States and selected world communities. They explain how people may vote, contact leaders, follow laws, or take part in public decisions.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students can name one similarity and one difference between citizen roles in two political systems. They support each comparison with accurate examples from the communities studied.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think everyone living in a country is automatically a citizen. They may also assume citizens everywhere have the same voting rights or the same influence over leaders.
How to Assess It: Give students short profiles of two studied communities. Ask them to write one similarity and one difference in how citizens take part in government.

Lesson moves

Ways to Teach It

Sort citizen-action cards, such as voting, petitioning, and attending meetings, onto a Venn diagram for the United States and another studied community.
Write: How can citizens influence leaders in each studied community, and where do they have more choices?
Play Citizen Role Match by pairing country profiles with cards showing rights, duties, and ways to participate.
Compare a local sample ballot with election information from another studied country, then list who participates and how leaders are chosen.

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