Duties and Responsibilities of Citizens

Help your fourth graders understand the difference between what citizens must do and what they should do! In this one-page worksheet, students read a short passage about the duties and responsibilities of citizens, sort six actions into a Must do and Should do table, then circle True or False for four sentences.

The passage explains that a duty is something the law says you must do, like obeying laws, paying taxes, going to school, and serving on a jury when called. Students learn what a jury is and that the U.S. Constitution promises a trial by jury. The passage then explains that a responsibility is something you should do even though the law does not make you, like voting, volunteering, and staying informed. It also gives an accurate picture of military service: today, people in the U.S. choose to join the military, and men ages 18 to 25 must sign up with the Selective Service in case the country ever needs more soldiers. The sort has a box for each answer, so students know how many go in each column. The true or false sentences check common mix-ups, like thinking every American must join the military. Everything students need to answer is right on the page.

What's inside:

• A short passage with key words in bold
• A 6-item duty or responsibility sort
• 4 true or false sentences
• A visual answer key with every answer marked in red

How teachers use it:

• As a quick check after a citizenship lesson
• For morning work, centers, or an exit ticket
• As homework or sub plans, with no prep needed

It takes about 5 to 10 minutes and prints clearly in black and white. This worksheet is part of our Reading in Civics series for grade 4, covering state and local government, citizenship, and how laws are made.