Grades 2–5
How I Can Be a Good Citizen
A good citizen checklist kids can use all week, plus a drawing and a promise for how they will help their community.
Social studies worksheet · Government and citizenship
Local, State or National?
Learn the leader of each level of government (mayor, governor, President) and sort 9 jobs into local, state or national.
- Grade level
- Grades 2–5
- Time
- About 20 minutes
- Answer key
- Yes, page 2 of the PDF
- Kids practice
- Government and citizenship, Rules and laws, Voting, Rights and responsibilities
What kids do
“Who leads each level? Then check the level of government that does each job.”
Printed on the sheet:
- Who leads? Use: governor, mayor, President
- Local (city or town)
- National (the whole
- Who does this job? Check one box.
- Fixes potholes on city streets
- Runs the fire department
- Picks up trash and recycling
- Gives out driver’s licenses
Teacher tip
Find out the name of your mayor and governor before the lesson.
How to use it
- Hold a real class vote on something small.
- Read the sheet together, since the vocabulary is new.
- Pair it with a picture book or a short video on the same topic.
Watch for
Keep politics neutral. Focus on how government works, not on parties or people.
Talk about it
- How can kids help their community?
- How does this connect to where we live?
Take it further
Hold a mock election for a class decision.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More government and citizenship worksheets
Grades 2–5
Class Vote: Ballots and Tally
Hold a real class election: 6 cut-out ballots, a tally chart and a results box. In the United States, citizens can vote at 18.
Grades 2–5
If I Were President
Kids imagine being President: draw a portrait, make 3 promises and invent a new law, with real facts about the job.
Grades 2–3
Rule or Law?
12 everyday sentences to sort: circle R for a rule (raise your hand, clean up your toys) or L for a law (stop at a red light, wear a seat belt).
Free for teachers
Get the free Classroom Drawing Kit
12 printable pages: six step-by-step lessons, a grid activity, draw-and-write sheets and teacher notes, sent with your welcome email. After that, new classroom printables by email.