How can people impact society?
SS.4.C.2.3
Explain the importance of public service, voting and volunteerism.
LAFS.4.RI.1.1 – Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when
drawing inferences from the text.
LAFS.4.RI.1.2 – Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the
text.
LAFS.4.RF.4.4 – Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
LAFS.4.RI.2.4 – Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text
relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area.
LAFS.4.SL.1.1 – Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacherled) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
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SS.4.C.2.3
Explain the importance of public service, voting and volunteerism.
Correlated Florida Standards (See Full Text on Cover Page)
 LAFS.4.RI.1.1, LAFS.4.RI.1.2, LAFS.4.RI.2.4, LAFS.4.SL.1.1
Essential Question
How can people impact society?
Learning Goals/Objectives
 Students will define and explain the importance of public service, voting and volunteerism.
Overview
The student will read a passage about public service, voting and volunteerism and complete a graphic organizer to
demonstrate their understanding of the vocabulary and information presented.
Materials
 Internet access to play video
 Getting Involved reading
 Getting Involved handout
Time
 20-25 minutes
Activity Sequence
INTRODUCTION/HOOK
1. Play the following video, “Kid President – How to change the world (a work in progress)”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z7gDsSKUmU. Teacher Note: Stop the video at 2:22 when the
following question is posed: How do we change the world? If needed, download the video before the
lesson using www.keepvid.com.
2. Remind students that Kid President says in the video that you can change the world with small actions
that can have a large impact.
3. Have students create a list of ways they can change the world. Make a web using student responses.
ACTIVITY
4. Place students into pairs and pass out the “Getting Involved” student reading and handout.
5. Instruct students to work with their partner to complete the entire brainstorm column and write down
anything they think they know about the three vocabulary terms in order to activate any prior knowledge.
6. Read the first paragraph on “Public Service” aloud to the class.
7. Work as a whole class to define the term “public service” using the evidence from the reading.
8. Instruct students to add the class-created definition to the handout.
9. Read the second “Public Service” paragraph aloud to the class and instruct students to highlight any text
in the paragraph that explains why this term is important.
10. Have students share out and write the evidence and the explanation on their handout.
11. Instruct students to work with their partners to read the remaining sections and work together to complete
the rest of the handout.
CLOSURE
12. Give students the following prompt as an exit slip: “Choose one of the following vocabulary terms: public
service, volunteerism or voting. Explain how that term can help change the world.”
OPTIONAL EXTENSION SUGGESTION
1. Have students create public service posters. Explain to students that the poster should encourage others to
do good deeds and will be posted around the school.
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Getting Involved
Public Service
Public Service is work or actions that benefit the public, such as being elected or
appointed (chosen) to a government office. People who do public service as their job are known
as public servants. Many people are known as public servants – the mayor, state representatives,
the governor and even the president! Being president of the United States is a public service
because the president works for the people of the United States, the public. The requirements to
be elected or appointed to a government office change for each job. Usually, you have to be at
least 18 years old and signed up to vote.
Our government and the people of the United States depend on public service. If people
were not elected or appointed to government positions, our government would not work! The
government was created around people and if we didn’t have people working in government we
would have no laws, public services or order.
Volunteerism
Volunteerism is the act of volunteering. To volunteer means to perform a service willingly
and without pay. When you volunteer, you donate, or give, your time and energy to help
someone or something else. There are many different ways and places to volunteer. Volunteering
can happen at school, in the community and with organizations you are part of. You can
volunteer with family, friends and classmates.
Many places that people go to everyday require volunteers in order to keep them working.
For example, many parks need volunteers to help them keep the park clean and free of trash and
litter so that children can have a safe place to play.
Voting
Voting means making a choice and gives people the chance to state their opinion and be
heard. Whether people are voting in a presidential election, for student council representatives or
in a classroom discussion, each time you vote you are sharing your view.
In the United States, voting is an important part of the government. People who are at
least 18 years old can register, or sign up, to vote. During elections, people who are signed up to
vote can cast a ballot to make their choice for government officials in their city, for the state and
for people who will work for the national government. This includes the president, Senators and
members of the U.S. House of Representatives. During elections, the act of voting is one of the
few times when all adults in the U.S. have an equal say. No matter how much money you have
or who your friends are, you only get one vote and everyone else only gets one vote.
Sources: http://www.sagamoreinstitute.org/library-article/a-nation-of-servants-defining-public-service-for-the-21st-century/,
http://pbskids.org/zoom/fromyou/elections/elections101.html and http://thefloridavoter.org/files/download/175
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NAME________________________________
DATE__________
Getting Involved
Directions: Work with your partner to brainstorm what you think each term means. After reading, write
down the definition of each term in your own words and a sentence summary to explain why the term is
important.
Brainstorm
Definition
Evidence
Public
Service
Why is public
service
important?
Volunteering
Why is
volunteering
important?
Voting
Why is voting
important?
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Getting Involved – Answer Key
Directions: Work with your partner to brainstorm what you think each term means. After reading, write
down the definition of each term in your own words and a sentence summary to explain why the term is
important.
Brainstorm
Public
Service
Definition
work or actions that
benefit the public, such
as being elected or
appointed (chosen) to a
government office
Evidence
If people were not
elected or appointed to
government positions, our
government would not work! The
government was created around
people and if we didn’t have
people working in government we
would have no laws, public
services or order.
Why is public
service
important?
Volunteering
Why is
volunteering
important?
Public service is important because in order for our government to work, we
need people who are willing to serve.
to perform a service
willingly and without
pay
Many places that people go to
everyday require volunteers in
order to keep them working
Volunteering is important because some places need volunteers in order to
stay open or to be a safe place for people to enjoy, such as a park.
During elections, the act of voting
is one of the few times when all
adults in the U.S. have an equal
say. No matter how much money
you have or who your friends are,
you only get one vote and
everyone else only gets one vote.
Voting
making a choice
Why is voting
important?
Voting is important because it gives people an opportunity to be equal.
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