Civic Responsibility

Understanding and Embracing Civic Responsibility

As John F. Kennedy once stated, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” As citizens of the United States of America, we all have a great responsibility, not just to our country, but to each other. The tragic event that took place on April 19, 1995, could have been prevented if just one person that knew about the deadly plans alerted the authorities. One hundred and sixty-eight people could have been saved by one person’s statement. Civic responsibility is a critical lesson we all need to understand, especially in situations that threaten the safety of the people of this nation.

Consequences follow our actions and our character is built by the decisions we make and how we respond to difficult situations in our lives. When we see something wrong, standing by and doing nothing is not being a responsible citizen. As citizens, we need to see value in each other’s lives, honor one another by being respectful, and serve our communities to the best of our ability. Students will leave this lesson with an understanding of history, as well as an education on real-life situations that could take place in their communities.

Lesson Summary

Students will analyze and examine the meaning and importance of civic responsibilities.

• Essential Questions: What makes a good citizen? Can an individual make a difference? What happens if enough people are not good citizens?
• Time frame: 2-3 class periods
• Subject(s): Oklahoma History, English

Materials Needed

• Pencil
• Notebook Paper
• Colored Pencils
• Markers
• Poster Paper (to use with 4 corners strategy)
• Who is responsible? (Cut each square out, 1 per group), RAFT Handout, Student Scenario Sheet (Cut out each scenario, 1 per group)

Lesson

Students will role-play a scenario and decide who is most responsible for the consequences that take place after their choice of actions.

1. Students will get into groups of three. Students will need notebook paper and a pencil for this assignment.
2. The teacher should write the following on the board: “Who is most responsible?”
3. The students will then receive a sheet called “Student Scenario.” Students are to read the directions and create a script using the background information on the handout.
4. Once students have completed this script, allow any volunteers to role-play the scenario in front of the class.
5. Students need to rank 1-3, one being the most responsible, and three being the least responsible, for the consequences that took place. Have them write this down on their sheet of notebook paper.
6. The results of this assignment should be discussed in the classroom to allow peers to see other perspectives.

Students will reflect on the knowledge they gained using the 3.2.1 strategy.

1. Students will read the background/overview of Our Civic Responsibility.
2. Students will then write and answer the following: What are three things you learned? What are two questions you still have? What is one thing you found interesting?
3. Have students answer the questions and share their responses or turn them in.

Students will complete a card sort and discuss who is most responsible for this tragedy.
Lesson Prep: Begin by using the card sort handout provided for you with this lesson. Cut up each square. Be sure to cut a card sort handout for each group of students in the classroom.

1. Have students divide into groups or pairs. Each group should have a whole set of cards to sort.
2. Students will sort their cards from least responsible to most responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing.
3. Student groups must come to a common agreement on which category to place each card before sorting a new one.
4. Have the groups share where they sorted each card and justify their placement.

Students will use the 4 corners strategy to examine the prison sentences and determine if justice was served.
Lesson Prep: Teachers will write the following names and prison sentences on 4 separate large sheets of paper. Each sheet should have a name and a prison sentence: Timothy McVeigh – sentenced to death by lethal injection; Terry Nichols – 161 consecutive life terms, without parole; Michael Fortier – served 10 years of a 12-year sentence, probation for 3 years; Lori Fortier – immunity. Hang these papers up in 4 separate corners of the classroom.

1. Teachers will then present a series of questions, to which the students will physically stand up and walk to the corner of the room with the name and prison sentence of their choice.
2. The following questions are to be used: Who was most responsible in your opinion? Who could have stopped this tragic event from taking place? Which sentence seems the most fair? Which sentence seems the least fair? Which of the four prison sentences do you believe was an injustice to the victims?
3. After each question, students should be allowed to share their answers.

Students will use the Role, Audience, Format, and Topic, or RAFT strategy to write letters to the person of their choice about the varying emotions that have risen from the Murrah Building bombing, as well as give their final opinions on the person’s prison sentence.

1. Ask the students to sit down and imagine themselves as a victim who lost a family member. Discuss the varying range of emotions that would come when dealing with a tragedy of this magnitude.
2. Hand out the RAFT assignment provided with this lesson.
3. Allow the students to choose their role and write a one-page paper over the topic they choose from the handout.
4. Once students have completed their written assignments, you may allow them to share their responses (optional).