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    Local Policies

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    Subject: Civics, Social Studies

    Lesson Length: 45 mins

    Topic: Civics: Processes, Rules, and Laws

    Grade Level: 3, 4, 5

    Standards / Framework:

    Brief Description: Students will be able to explain one local policy in their community or classroom and what problem the policy or rule is intended to address.

    Know Before You Start: Students should be familiar with their classroom and school rules.

    Hook:

    • Ask students:
      • “Why do we have rules?”
      • “What are some consequences students face if they do not follow policies that are put into place?”
      • “What are our classroom and school policies?”
      • “What are the local policies in our community?”
      • “Who creates local policies in our community?”

    Activity:

    • As a class, discuss the difference between a law, policy, and rule. 
    • Create cards with one community or classroom policy/rule per card.
    • Have students form partnerships or small groups. Give each partnership or group one of the cards with a policy/rule on it. 
    • Have each group create a skit or role play to represent the policy/rule without saying the actual policy or rule aloud. The skit should highlight what problem the policy or rule is intended to help solve or address.
    • Have the students in the audience guess what the policy or rule is.
    • Have students select a policy or rule and create a comic about how it addresses a problem.

    Closure:

    • Have students share their comics with a partner or in small groups.
    • Tell students that today's comics highlight local and classroom policies. Understanding these rules and their purposes helps everyone follow and remind others to follow them.

    Differentiation:

    • Allow students to use the speech-to-text feature.
    • Allow students to work in pairs or groups as needed.
    • Allow students to use the voiceover feature to read their comics aloud.
    • Provide students with a graphic organizer, such as Draw/Plan Then Write, to map out their comic before creating.

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