| Citizens Near & Far |  |
| Citizens Near & Far | |
You may be a citizen of the unit
ed Sates of
America or of another country. You are also a citizen of the world. Good
citizens obey the laws of their country. When you remember not to litter or when
you recycle cans and newspapers, you are being a good citizen. You can do good
deeds for your country and for the world.
#1. Citizen of America
Learn about someone who acted like a good citizen. You can get the story
from television, the radio , a newspaper, or a book. Share your story with your
troop or group.
#2. Getting Along
Think how boring life would be if everybody were the same. America has so many
people from so many different countries, races, and religions. In a group, talk
about situations that involve differences. Share an experience in which you or
someone else was treated unfairly. Maybe you or someone you know was not allowed
to be part of a group. How did you or the other person fell? What did you do?
What else could you have done to fix the situation?
Discuss what you would do if these things happened:
#3. It's the Law
Children as well as adults have to obey laws. Rules and laws help make things
fair and safe for all people. What special rules to you and the other Brownie
Girls follow during your meetings? During trips you take? During school? What
might happen if you or your friends did not follow the rules? Share your ideas
with your troop.
#4. Making Choices and Voting
As citizens, you will help make the laws when you get older. You will do this by
voting for laws and for people who make the laws. You may have already voted for
something in your Brownie Girl Scout circle or in school. What are some
decisions your troop has made? What are some decisions your troop still will
make?
It is important to listen to each choice before placing your vote. Practice
making choices and voting. With the girls in your troop, decide on a fun
activity for the next troop meeting. It could be playing a game or doing a
project. Discuss each activity. Then take a vote. Talk about why the winning
activity won the most votes.
#5. Calling All Helpers
The unit
ed Nations is an organization that brings people together from many
different countries and cultures of the world. The people talk about problems
they share. They try to solve these problems.
1. As a troop, choose a problem that affects people all over
the world. Here are some examples: Pollution, violence, not being able to go to
school, not getting medical care when you are sick, being hunger.
2. Ask your family and neighbors to suggest ways to solve the problem.
3. At your next troop meeting, hold a "unit
ed Nations" meeting. Each of you
represents a part of the communit
y. Take turns sharing with each other what
members of the communit
y had to say.
4. As a troop, think about everything that you heard. Then vote on the best way
to handle the problem.
5. Share your solution with your family and neighbors.
#6. Reaching Out
As a citizen of the world, you can help people in other countries with their
problems. Find a group in you r communit
y that works to help people in other
countries. Visit this group or ask someone from this group to come to your
meeting to learn what she or he is doing to help people in other countries. Find
out how you can help.
Other Helpful Links:
Ben's Guide to
US Government - Citizenship: Info on rights & responsibilities of
citizens.
Save The Children:
US Save the Children web site.
Habitat For Humanity, Intl.:
Habitat's web site.
http://www.pbs.org/tal/un/index.html
- Electronic Field Trip to the unit
ed Nations
http://www.un.org/ - unit
ed Nations/Online tour, with news, global issues, country info, and other UN sites.
http://www.unicefusa.org/ - Kids Helping Kids
http://www.unicef.org/ - UNICEF