This Civic Duties Folder Pass is a fun, engaging way to teach Civic Obligations, perfect for middle or high school Civics or American Government students studying Citizenship. Students rotate through folders centered around five different Civic Duties (listed below) and complete a Benefits & Impacts of Civic Duties Response Sheet, where they use the articles, videos, images, quotes, and statistics found in the folders to gauge the benefits of each civic obligation as well as the potential impacts — on both an individual and society as a whole — if that particular duty is neglected.
Each folder contains a 2-page reading passage explaining the Civic Obligation, why it’s beneficial to society, and what might happen if the duty isn’t fulfilled.
Civic Duties Covered:
- Obey the Law
- Attend School
- Selective Service (Defend the Nation)
- Jury Duty
- Pay Taxes
The Benefits & Impacts of Civic Duties Response Sheet asks questions such as:
- How does mandatory jury duty benefit a citizen accused of a crime?
- How does attending school benefit a citizen?
- What would be the impact if a citizen did not perform this duty?
- If no one performed this duty, what would be the impact on society?
The Response Sheet also includes a small reflection that I find really helpful as a teacher:
- Write down three interesting facts you learned during this activity.
- Write down one question you still have about civic duties.
- Why is it important that citizens perform their civic obligations?
This resource is aligned to the Florida State Standard for Middle School Civics SS.7.CG.2.2:“Differentiate between obligations and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship, and evaluate their impact on society.”
This resource comes as a non-editable, printable PDF and includes an Answer Key.
What other teachers are saying about this research:
“The most engaged I ever saw my students”
I always struggled with a creative way to teach this topic, but using the folder pass activity was the most engaged I ever saw my students. It was a nice alternative to teacher-led instruction and gave students exposure to a variety of sources for information.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
— Rachel S.
“This resource was great”
This resource was great. It was well though out and very easy to distribute and use with the students. They loved looking through each folder and finding the information that they needed.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
— Christal King
“Well thought out and put together!”
Well thought out and put together! It saved me a lot of time and it is made for my students of all. levels! Thank you!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
— Dani F.
More Happy Teacher Products You Might Enjoy:
✩ Duties & Responsibilities of Citizenship Article & Picture Match for Civics
✩ Who is a Citizen? Civics & Citizenship Article & Review for American Government
✩ Pathway to Citizenship Board Game | Naturalization Process Game for Civics!
Become a happy teacher — join the email list!
Never miss a new product or a sale by signing up for an email subscription! I send monthly emails recapping new products, updates, and upcoming sales.
You can also follow Happy Teacher Resources on social media: Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest
