Grade 8 Lesson at a Glance: Chapter 20, Lesson 3

Houghton Mifflin Social Studies
A More Perfect Union

Lesson at a Glance
Chapter 20 Lesson 3: Making a Difference (pp. 609-613)

The Big Idea
Framework Concept: Interconnectedness Along with rights and freedoms, Americans have responsibilities.

Discuss with students how a democracy depends upon its citizens being informed and involved. Ask students to describe their ideal of an active and informed citizen, and to give examples of people who fit that description.

Point out that many citizens today are neither informed or involved, and brainstorm with students ways in which they can become more of both.

Lesson Outline
Use the Lesson Outline to preview the content of the lesson. You may wish to print it for your students as a guide during reading.

Check for Understanding

Ask students to write a profile of someone who has made a difference in their community, country, or world, and to give specific examples of things this person has done that show he or she was informed and active. Students may profile people or groups described in this lesson or people they know of from current news events.
Ask groups of students to identify an issue, cause, or idea they want to influence public opinion about. Then have each group create a poster or some other display which identifies their issue and works to persuade others to adopt the students' point of view.

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