About This Lesson
One key purpose of the American public school system is to prepare students to participate in American democracy. Throughout this two-week-long unit, students will understand the process of becoming a citizen and the responsibilities that come with US citizenship. Students will first learn about the types of birthright citizenship and then explore the naturalization process, including taking the Civics portion of the Naturalization Test. After a brief introduction to jury duty, students will develop the tools to vote thoughtfully and engage in civil society.
This lesson is specifically created for a Government course in California; therefore, the activities and resources relate to California’s electoral system. The lessons are aligned with Common Core and the History-Social Science Content Standards for California Public Schools. This unit plan is intended to be utilized after students have learned about the three branches and federalism.