EL Civics – What is Citizenship?

Civics-focused ESL lesson plans are increasingly valuable for teachers working with English Learners, especially those preparing students to participate more fully in their communities. These lessons help students build the language and civic knowledge they need to engage in everyday life, from understanding their rights to navigating government systems. That’s why we’ve made the popular lesson “What is Citizenship?” from our EL Civics series free to download below.

“What is Citizenship?” is part of the Off2Class Core Curriculum, a comprehensive series of lessons are designed to support English Language Learners (ELLs) in mastering the specific vocabulary and language structures essential for success in various core academic subjects.

Keep reading to find out what to expect from this lesson and how to teach it virtually or in person.

More about the Off2Class Core Curriculum

​The Off2Class Core Curriculum is a comprehensive series of lessons designed to support English Language Learners (ELLs) in mastering the specific vocabulary and language structures essential for success in various core academic subjects. Recognizing that each subject — such as mathematics, science, language arts, and social studies — has its own fundamental lexicon, these lessons equip students with the tools needed to engage effectively with subject matter content.

The curriculum is tailored for students who have a basic command of English but require additional support to express themselves confidently in specific academic areas (pre-intermediate, CEFR B1, WIDA 3.0 Developing). While the vocabulary primarily reflects North American school systems, the lessons can be adapted for use in other educational contexts. The Core Curriculum comprises 6 subject areas. This includes:

• Classroom Language and Skills (6 units, 12 lessons)
• Language Arts (12 units, 24 lessons)
• Mathematics (12 units, 24 lessons)
• Science (12 units, 24 lessons)
• Social Studies (12 units, 24 lessons)
• Civics and Citizenship (6 units, 12 lessons)

Lessons in the Core Curriculum all feature: 

1. Subject-specific language: Lessons introduce and practice the key language necessary for success in specific subject areas.
2. Authentic high school topics: The topics covered in each lesson of the Core Curriculum have been specifically chosen to reflect those most commonly taught in US middle and high schools.
3. Assessments: Homework at the end of each lesson and unit checks after every unit to assess progress and identify gaps.

Download EL Civics – What is Citizenship?

“EL Civics – What is Citizenship?” is a lesson plan download at the WIDA: Developing level.

Objective: ELD-SS.9-12

Can do: At the end of the lesson, students can explain what it means to be a citizen.

Note: This lesson covers citizenship. This may be a sensitive topic for some students. Teachers should review this lesson and assess its suitability for their students before teaching it.

Download the lesson plan here:

If you are looking for even more information on how to teach this lesson plan, be sure to sign up for a free Off2Class account. You will gain access to teacher notes that will guide and prepare you. 

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