Forming the Foundation of Government in the Classroom, School, and Community

Standard of Learning

Content

Recognize that governments protect the rights and property of individuals.

Know the following terms:

• Community: A place where people live, work, and play
• Rules: What people must or must not do
• Laws: Rules people live by
• Government: A group of people who make rules and laws, carry out rules and laws, and decide if rules and laws have been broken.

Explain that the purpose of rules is to let people know how they should act or behave.

Explain that the purpose of government is to make laws, carry out laws, and decide if laws have been broken.

Explain that governments are necessary because they develop the laws and protect the rights and property of individuals.

Sample Resources

Below is an annotated list of Internet resources for this organizing topic. Copyright restrictions may exist for the material on some Web sites. Please note and abide by any such restrictions.

Ben’s Guide to U.S. Government for Kids: K–2. <http://bensguide.gpo.gov/k-2/index.html>. This is a Web site on U.S. Government for kids with resources.

Civics Online. <http://www.civics-online.org/students/>. Primary sources and online libraries are located at this civics information Web site. There are many links from this site.

 “Graphic Organizers.” Education Place. Houghton Mifflin. <http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/>. This Web page has a collection of graphic organizers.  

“Graphic Organizers.” SCORE. Schools of California Online Resources for Education. <http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/torganiz.htm>. This Web page offers a variety of formats for graphic organizers.

Justice for Kids and Youth. U.S. Department of Justice. <http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/eousa/kidspage/index.html>. This is a United States government Web page for students.

Matusevich, Melissa. Social Studies Curriculum Resources Poster Sets.  <http://chumby.dlib.vt.edu/melissa/posters/posterset.html>. This Web site is a resource of social studies poster sets for grades K–3.

Virginia Standards of Learning Assessments for the 2001 History and Social Science Standards of Learning. Grade Three History and Social Science Test Blueprint.. Virginia Department of Education, 2003/04.
<http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Assessment/HistoryBlueprints03/2002BlueprintGrade3.pdf>. This site provides assessment information for Grade Three Introduction to History and Social Science.