As special educators, we have the ongoing responsibility of adapting curriculum topics to ensure meaningful participation from all students. One topic that is addressed in some form or another across grade levels is teaching the concept of citizenship. I found many teachers struggling to adapt the curriculum in a way that their students would understand the abstract concept of good citizenship.
What Does a Good Citizen Look Like?
I began to think about how the term citizenship could be adapted to meet the needs of students who require an adapted curriculum. I was familiar with the Unique Learning Systems’ monthly topic of Government which covered the concept of citizenship. Although the ULS units contained many great activities and lessons, I found the text and lessons could still be too abstract and difficult to understand for many students with extensive learning needs. To understand what citizenship means, students need to be able to identify what a good citizen looks like.
I wanted to create a set of interactive adapted resources that could be used to supplement a thematic unit around citizenship and also be used throughout the year to reinforce the social skills and expectations related to the citizenship concept. I identified key vocabulary and actions of citizenship that have a direct application to the lives of students. The first activity is a general introduction to citizenship with a very simple Picture Sort-Cause & Effect of activities that might happen when people demonstrate simple attributes of good citizenship.
I Can Be a Good Citizen
This adapted book, I Can Be A Good Citizen, further illustrates simple attributes and actions of a good citizen such as: follows rules, is kind and honest, keeps the school and community clean, helps family and friends as well as people in the community.
Another interactive way to reinforce the attributes and actions of a good citizen is this Picture-to-Sentence Match activity. Students read each statement and discuss and sort pictures that represent each attribute of good citizens. When at all possible, I recommend creating two sets of text to provide differentiation within the same set of materials. This set includes picture-supported and text-only sentences to meet varied literacy needs.
Good Citizens Follow Rules
Connecting the statement that “Good Citizens Follow Rules” to school rules makes the component of citizenship more relatable and practical for students. This adapted book, Good Citizens Follow School Rules, illustrates many typical classroom expectations including staying in a seat, raising your hand, standing in line, calm body, hands to self, listen to the teacher, hang up/clean up belongings, help others, finish work, and quiet voice. Following rules can be a more concrete bridge into the concept of laws.
This School Rules Picture-to-Sentence Match is another engaging and visually supported activity to reinforce the concept that “Good Citizens Follow School Rules”. This activity also includes two sets of sentences, one with picture supported text and one with text only on the backside of each card.
Good Citizens Make Good Choices
To further support the concept of following school rules is the expectation that Good Citizens Make Good Choices. This adapted book illustrates the expected and unexpected choices for many school-related rules and social norms. Students read the statement and indicate the expected and unexpected choice by attaching a thumbs up or thumbs down under each picture. Choices include sportsmanship, asking for help, personal space, cleaning up, using a tissue, taking a break, hands to self, greeting others, quiet voice, calm body, and being a friend. Connections can be made to making a good choice and following school rules and being a good citizen.
Lastly, this Good Choices Picture Sort activity is a fun and engaging way to discuss and reinforce the importance of making good choices throughout the day. The pictures support the text within the adapted book I Can Make Good Choices. Students select a picture card, identify the action or behavior and decide if it is a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” choice.
Teaching Tips
There are many ways to incorporate these materials into your lessons on citizenship. Resources can be used as a shared reading activity with whole or small group lessons. Students can be given selected interactive pictures to add to the book or pocket charts as the concept is read aloud and discussed with the group. Books can be projected with a document camera to increase the readability depending on the size of the group. Revisit the School Rules and Good Choices resources throughout the year if it appears that students might need a refresher of behavioral expectations. Books can also be placed in a book basket in the classroom library for student reference.
Teaching selected concepts and vocabulary through role-playing, video modeling, and social stories can be very effective in breaking down the concept of citizenship with the visual structure many students find success with. Many aspects of daily routines, community and campus instruction can be connected to concepts of citizenship. The more personal relevance you can bring to the lesson the greater connection the students will make with the concepts..
Thank you for stopping by my blog. I hope you found this information useful as you navigate the adapted curriculum life of a special educator. I would love to hear how you teach the concept of citizenship and related social skills. Drop a comment or question below.
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Until next time…
Ginger
Such great ideas and materials!