Back to: Civics for English Learners – Level 3/4
Level 3/4 Civics Lessons
We have included 38 activities to promote knowledge of civics and preparation for citizenship among students in ELL Level 3/4 classes. Included are instructions, suggestions, and materials for 38 short civics mini-lessons, one for the beginning of each class during a semester.
The lessons are based on the Level 3/4 ALP Civics Objectives: History (1800-Present), American Government, Rights and Responsibilities, American Symbols, Holidays, Famous Americans, and include the answers to a number of the 100 questions that those studying for the naturalization test must answer. In addition, a number of language objectives, listening practice, and conversational skills are covered in the lessons. Amounts of time and degree of detail covered in each lesson will depend on the skills of the students in the class and the teacher’s discretion.
Most lessons can be found in two formats: as a worksheet or as a Nearpod Lesson. The worksheet can be used for students to complete individually, in a small group setting, or as distance learning. The Nearpod will require the teacher projecting Nearpod on the SmartBoard. Nearpod has interactive questions for students to complete. Both formats contain the same content and ask the same questions. Both formats are editable, so teachers have autonomy to alter the lessons to better suit their students. Please copy the document before making any changes. You can access a quick guide for copying Google Docs here. Lessons do not need to be completed chronologically. There are many lessons about American holidays, which could be completed near that time. A guide for accessing the worksheets and creating a Nearpod account can be found in the Level 3/4 Civics Lessons folder in the Google Drive, or by clicking here. Extension Activities are included in some lessons. These can be used as whole group activities, or enrichment activities for proficient students.
Other Information:
- Many of the lessons include videos, to aid in listening comprehension. Please note that the videos aren’t linked in the worksheets, but can be found in the Nearpod.
- Playing the video multiple times can be helpful:
- Pre-listen (students can listen for unfamiliar words).
- Listen (students can listen for general meaning).
- Post-listen (students can listen for details).
- Click on the settings option in the video. Click “Playback speed” and select a speed below normal. This may help students understand the video better.
- Add captions by clicking the “CC” button.
- Playing the video multiple times can be helpful:
- Citizenship questions can be used as checks for understanding and/or exit tickets.
- Test questions and information found in these lessons were taken from McGraw Hill’s “U.S. Citizenship Test” textbook.
- Some lessons may seem very surface-level in regards to content presented. These lessons are designed to provide students with basic information about each topic. If compelled, please provide students with the opportunity to learn more about each topic.
