Third graders learn why every community needs rules and laws, how a rule differs from a law, who makes them, and what keeps everyone safe and fair, and check what they know.
Students will be able to…
A game with no rules falls apart, and so would a community. Why do we have rules and laws, and how does a law differ from a rule?
Project this and answer each question about why communities have rules and laws — read the explanation after each one.
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
Imagine a game with no rules, or roads with no traffic laws. What would happen? Why do communities need rules and laws?
Students answer questions about rules and laws.
Students sort examples by type.
Students write a class rule.
Students reflect on rules and laws.
Aligned to the C3 Framework for Social Studies and Common Core literacy in social studies.
Examine the origins and purposes of rules, laws, and key institutions.
Explain how groups make rules to create responsibilities and protect freedoms.
Explain how rules and laws change society and promote the common good.
Ask and answer questions, referring to the text for the answers.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have students spot a problem in class, write a fair rule for it, and say why it helps, so they see how rules are made to protect everyone. A printable rules-and-laws worksheet is in the Social Studies library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.