State Historical Society of Iowa

Rules and Responsibilities

Why do rules matter?

Rules are patterns of behavior that a group agrees to enforce in some manner, with anything from disapproval to severe penalties. When those rules are adopted by government, they become laws that can be enforced with penalties of fines or even jail time. Rules and laws provide us with the ability to plan what we will do and how others will behave in response. Traffic laws are a good example. Driving on the right side of the road, obeying speed limits, requiring drivers licenses all make the highways safer. Not everyone will obey the laws all the time, but in most cases, drivers know what is expected of them and what they can expect from an oncoming vehicle.

Responsibility

A responsible citizen knows and understands what the laws are and obeys them. They may not always agree with them, but for the most part, agrees to follow what the established regulations are. However, civic responsibility goes beyond legal requirements. Responsible citizens look for ways to make their communities better places to live. They support their families and their communities. They volunteer for community projects.

While responsibility involves personal behavior, respect relates to the way we treat others. Respectful citizens allow others to express their opinions and tries to understand why they hold them. Respectful citizens acknowledge others contributions to the community. Sometimes respect means just leaving others alone. It acknowledges others' rights to live their own life in their own way when it is not harming anyone else.

In the United States, the authority to write laws is divided among different levels of government. Congress writes laws that apply to the entire nation that are essential to maintaining peace and order as citizens travel and do business around the country. The state and local governments write laws about matters closer to home. Many state laws are similar across the nation but they are enforced in state and local courts. Education is a good example of state authority. The state legislature establishes the system of Iowa public schools, writes rules on what they teach and how they are governed and authorizes taxes to support them.

Supporting Questions

Boy Raking Leaves on a Front Lawn in Bradford, Vermont, October 1939

In our community, state, and nation, why does respect matter?

How are rules and laws different in Iowa from other places?

Rules and Responsibilities Teaching Guide
Printable Image and Document Guide

 

 

 

Download Image Resource

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Description

This photograph shows a boy raking leaves in a front lawn in Vermont. There are two other boys helping him by putting the leaves in a box.

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Lopez Children Doing Their Homework in Trampas, New Mexico, January 1943

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How does doing your homework make you responsible?

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Open Trash Cans Along a New York City Street, April 1943

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This photograph shows open trash cans along a street in New York City in April 1943. Picking up litter is part of being a good citizen. If you are walking through a street and you see a bag floating through the air, pick it up and fill it with other trash...

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Children Playing Soccer in Washington, D.C., October 1943

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This photograph shows girls playing soccer in October 1943. Participating on a team - like these girls are - requires teamwork, working together and playing by the rules.

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Woman Walking Across Crosswalk in Harlem, New York, 2008

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This photograph shows people crossing the street at this crosswalk in Harlem, New York. The photo features a woman in a bright red coat with matching hat walking across the street in 2008.

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Compost Pile, August 6, 2014

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This photograph shows a large compost pile in 2014. Responsible citizens make composting areas. Composting is a process to create clean, rich soil that will grow just about anything. Composting helps reduce garbage in the landfill and makes rich soil for ...

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Truck Dumping Trash at a Landfill, Date Unknown

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A landfill is a place to dispose of garbage and other waste material. This photograph shows a dump truck depositing trash in a landfill. The trash is then buried by covering it with soil. We need to be responsible citizens by reducing what we throw away i...

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Landscapes of Iowa, Various Dates

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Iowa has many environmental characteristics and landscapes across the state. Rural areas include farms where corn and soybeans may be grown and animals such as cow, pigs or chickens are raised. There also are wind farms where Iowa is a leading state in cr...

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Girl Scout Garden in Washington, D.C., between 1917 and 1919

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This photograph shows a girl scout troop that is planting, watering and weeding a community garden in Washington, D.C.

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Garbage in the Road in Brawley, California, June 1935

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This photograph shows an overflowing garbage container in Brawley, California, in June 1935. Everyone wants to live and visit places that are fresh, clean and healthy. Because overflowing garbage can easily create a danger to anyone who comes into contact...

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American Legion in Fourth of July Parade in Watertown, Wisconsin, July 4, 1941

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This photograph shows members of the Armed Forces and veterans who were present at the Fourth of July parade in Watertown, Wisconsin. The photo was taken on July 4, 1941.

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First-Graders Saluting the Flag at a Public School in New York, October 1942

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This photograph shows first-grade students at a public school in New York saluting the American flag in October 1942. The U.S. flag is a symbol of freedom and it is typical to stand up and put your right hand over your heart when you say the Pledge of All...

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Recycle Poster, between 1970 and 1980

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Description

This is a poster of a man carrying a pile of objects to a small garbage can. The words on the bottom of the poster reads, "Recycle."

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Girls Working Together at School, December 12, 2015

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Description

This photograph shows two young girls working on school work together. Respect is a way of treating or thinking about something or someone. The students in this image are showing respect as they work on their project together.

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Newspaper Article about the Iowa Hawkeyes' Wave of Support, September 5, 2017

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This newspaper article from The Cedar Rapids Gazette looks at the origin of the Iowa Hawkeye fan wave to patients at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital. The article focused on 8-year-old Zack Poe, who was battling a lung infection...

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Community Garden in Pella, Iowa, July 2015

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This photograph shows children and adults working in a community garden in Pella, Iowa. Community gardens can improve nutrition, physical activity, community engagement, safety and economic vitality for a neighborhood and its residents and provide environ...

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Boy Riding Bicycle with Dogs on Leashes, 1928

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This photograph shows a young boy riding his bike and holding onto two leashes of dogs in 1928. Iowa does not have a state-wide leash law. Dogs who are running at-large and are not wearing valid rabies vaccination tags will be impounded by a local board o...

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Crosswalk in New York, 2012

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This photograph shows a traffic light and crosswalk in New York City in 2012. In Iowa, it is a law to cross the street at the crosswalk.

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Display from Dublin Bottling Works in Dublin, Texas, September 5, 2014

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This photograph shows a display of company sodas on the bottling line at the Dublin Bottling Works and W.P. Kloster Museum in Dublin, Texas. Iowa's Beverage Containers Control Law, also known as the "Bottle Bill," helps reduce and clean up l...

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View of a Car Passenger Wearing a Seat Belt, Date Unknown

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This photograph shows a car passenger from behind. The passenger is wearing their seat belt. Seat belts save lives in case of an accident. Nearly every state has strict seatbelt laws: the only one which does not is New Hampshire, where only passengers und...

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Infant Asleep in a Car Seat, Date Unknown

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This photograph shows an infant boy asleep in his car seat. All states in the United States have car seat laws. In Iowa, the Child Restraint Law is to keep children safe in a motor vehicle. A child under the age of one and weighing less than 20 lbs. must ...

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Additional Resources:

  • Read Works: Community Life

    This website provides educators with ways to remind students that words are where humans store knowledge. This particular source looks at why "Stop Signs Are for Safety.

  • Exploring Communities Rules and Laws

    This is a brief video to help students learn what are some of the community rules and laws in their neighborhood.

  • EPA: How to start a recycling program

    This website from the Environmental Protection Agency provides basic resources on different
    ways to recycle, from paper products to food waste

  • Who Makes the Rules? by Gail Hennessey

    Give early readers a look into who determines the rules for various places – from the classroom to the entire country. With vivid images in conjunction with easy-to-read text, readers are encouraged to recognize and follow rules that impact their lives.

    Saving the Environment by Vic Parker

    This book features the stories of young people from around the world who have used their
    talents and skills to help save the environment, in their local communities and in the wider
    world. Their stories will inspire readers to make a difference in their own way.

  • Read Works: Who Is A Good Citizen at School?

    This Read Works lesson, which includes a passage, vocabulary and a question set, looks at the
    question, "Who is a good citizen at school?

  • Read Works: Jon Follows School Rules

    This Read Works lesson, which includes a passage, vocabulary and a question set, looks at how a
    boy named Jon follows rules as a student in a school.

  • Read Works: Why Do We Need Rules?

    This Read Works lesson, which includes a passages and a book of knowledge, looks at the question, "Why do we need rules?

  • Respect Song

    This video is a character song that teaches students how to show respect to yourself, others in
    the classroom and at school. Treat others the way you want to be treated.

  • Capture the Flag – Kid Citizen

    This episode of Kid Citizen explores the various ways people use the flag to show characteristics
    such as pride, loyalty and unity for the nation.

  • Blue Skies White Stars by Sarvinder Naberhaus

    Simple verses pair with beautiful paintings to celebrate the iconic imagery of our nation,
    beginning with the American flag. This book highlights America then and now, from sea to
    shining sea.

    America The Beautiful Poem by Katharine Lee Bates

    Inspired by Katharine Lee Bates's classic verse, Minor gives readers his first picture book beautiful visual accompaniment for an American standard.

    This Land is Your Land Words and Music by Woodie Guthrie

    This classic ballad of Woody Guthrie's powerful lyrics and Kathy Jakobsen's detailed paintings
    show on a journey across the country, creating an unforgettable portrait of our diverse land and
    the people who live it.

    Green Green A Community Gardening Story by Marie Lamba and Baldev Lamba

    Green grass is wide and fresh and clean for a family to play in, and brown dirt is perfect for
    digging a garden. But when gray buildings start to rise up and a whole city builds, can there be any room for green space? The neighborhood children think so, and they inspire the community to join together and build a garden for everyone to share in the middle of the city

    Errol's Garden by Gillian Hibbs

    Errol dreams of having a garden of his very own and, with the help of his family and community,
    creates a beautiful rooftop oasis.

    Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud and David Messing

    It's all in the bucket, that invisible bucket that follows you everywhere. This book teaches young readers valuable lessons about giving, sharing and caring. It shows kindness and appreciation of others goes a long way to making this world a happier place for everyone, including ourselves.

    Listening with My Heart: A story of kindness and self-compassion by Gabi Garcia

    Children can learn the importance of being a friend to ourselves. This book also touches on the universal themes of friendship, empathy and kindness. Includes mindfulness and self compassion activities.

 

 

Iowa Core Social Studies Standards (Kindergarten)

 

No.Standard Description
SS.K.8. Determine a procedure for how people can effectively work together to make decisions to improve their classrooms or communities. (21st century skills)
SS.K.9. Compare and contrast rules from different places. (21st century skills)
SS.K.14. Compare environmental characteristics in Iowa with other places.
SS.K.19. Compare and contrast local environmental characteristics to that of other parts of the state of Iowa.