Objective
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to understand the concept of government and citizenship, and how they relate to our daily lives.
Materials and Prep
- Lego house set
- Paper and crayons
- Optional: Books or videos about government and citizenship
No prior knowledge is required for this lesson.
Activities
- Build a Lego House: Start by building a Lego house using the Lego set. As you build, think about who makes the rules for the house and how everyone in the house follows those rules.
- Create Your Own Rules: Once the Lego house is built, imagine that you are the ruler of the house. Draw a picture of yourself and write down some rules that you would like everyone in the house to follow. For example, "Clean up your toys after playing" or "Share with others".
- Discuss Government: Talk about what government means. Explain that government is a group of people who make rules to help us live together peacefully. Connect this concept to the rules you created for the Lego house.
- Talk About Citizenship: Discuss what it means to be a citizen. Explain that a citizen is a member of a community who follows the rules and helps make the community a better place. Relate this to being a member of the Lego house community and following the rules you created.
- Reflect and Share: Ask the student to share their drawing and rules with you. Discuss why each rule is important and how it helps the Lego house community function smoothly.
Kindergarten Grade Talking Points
- "Government is a group of people who make rules to help us live together peacefully. Just like you made rules for your Lego house, the government makes rules for our community."
- "A citizen is a member of a community who follows the rules and helps make the community a better place. You are a citizen of your Lego house community and you follow the rules you created."
- "Rules are important because they help us know what is expected of us and how to behave. Your rules for the Lego house help everyone to play nicely and keep the house clean."
- "Being a good citizen means being kind to others, sharing, and following rules. When we are good citizens, we help make our community a happy and safe place."