As the concept of citizenship began to develop within Ancient Greece and the Roman Republic, ordinary people began to gain rights along with the responsibilities of citizenship. However, not all citizen’s rights were equal. Through this inquiry, students will be challenged to evaluate if a citizen’s rights and responsibilities are truly equal to each other. In addition, to showcase if the rights were truly equal for all people.
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About the inquiry
Compelling Question
What does it mean to be a citizen?
Standards
D2.Civi.1. 6-8 Distinguish the powers and responsibilities of citizens, political parties, interest groups, and the media in a variety of governmental and nongovernmental contexts.
Instructional Snapshot
Students are presented with the image of the balancing scale of American rights and responsibilities from the source Loyal Citizenship. They are asked if a citizen’s rights and responsibilities are truly equal according to the image. The teacher may have the students utilize a class Jamboard, sticky notes, or simply make a list on the board to share their ideas and to have a class discussion.
From the discussion, the teacher will lead the students to use the knowledge they gained to evaluate if the rights and responsibilities of citizens in the Roman Republic are balanced as well. Students will be given cards with different rights and responsibilities from the Roman Republic. Working in pairs they will be asked to organize cards into what they believe is a right or a responsibility. Once all pairs have finished, the teacher will pair groups together to share their thought process and to ask any questions they may have.
Students will produce their balancing scale of rights and responsibilities of each group of people within the Roman Republic to show how the idea of citizenship for each group was viewed differently. Students will use the rights and responsibility cards that were provided earlier to help organize the rights and responsibilities of each group. As students fill out their balancing scales they should begin to see that males born in Rome had the most rights within the government.
Formative Tasks
COLLABORATE: The class will be presented with the image of a balance scale of rights and responsibilities in America and answer the question, “Are citizens’ rights and responsibilities truly equal?”
DELIBERATE: Students will organize cards on which they believe is a right or responsibility within the Roman Republic and debate why.
PRODUCE: Students will produce their balancing scales of rights and responsibilities of different classes of citizens within the Roman Republic to show if all citizens had equal rights.
Sources
Loyal Citizen, Library of Congress
Summative Performance Task
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Taking Informed Action
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