Responsibility in Communities
Essential Question
What responsibilities do we have to our community?
Materials
Opening
At this point in the school year, many students have become comfortable with the general routine of the classroom. A refresher of classroom rules can benefit all students and can help reinforce the classroom community.
To open this lesson, conduct a classroom discussion and review of the classroom rules.
- What are our classroom rules?
- Where are we having difficulty in following the classroom rules?
- Where are we doing a good job following the classroom rules?
Then, ask students to define responsibility. The responsibility vocabulary card can be a good visual to show students.
- Responsibility is “acting on good judgment about what is right or wrong even when it is not popular. Individuals must take care of themselves, their families, and their fellow citizens/ others in a civil society and a republic and be vigilant to preserve their own liberty and liberty of others.”
- Take time to break down the definition line by line, correcting misconceptions and clarifying the meanings of unfamiliar words.
After reviewing the definition of responsibility and the classroom rules, tell students “Today, we are going to practice acting responsibly in our classrooms, at home, and in our communities.”
Activity
Divide students into groups of 3-5 for a responsibility skit activity. Each group will draw a prompt from Handout A and have one minute to plan a short skit (up to 30 seconds) demonstrating responsible behavior. The prompts will focus on responsible actions in school, at home, and in the community.
After each group performs their skit, ask the class to identify responsible actions and discuss alternative approaches. Have the actors read their prompt and explain their choices. Repeat this process with each prompt.
Teacher note: There is space to add your own prompts, if there are certain class rules or expectations you would like to reinforce.
Closing
On a sticky note or an index card, have students answer three questions:
- How can I practice responsibility at school?
- How can I practice responsibility at home?
- How can I practice responsibility in the community?
