Civic Education Benchmarks: Grades 4-5
Civic education benchmarks in Delaware have been designed to cover
four basic categories of understanding with respect to civics for
grades K-12: government, politics, citizenship,
and participation.
Benchmarks for Grades 4-5
Civics 1 (Government)
- Understand that governments have a variety of structures and
exist for many purposes and that in America these are explained
in the United States and State constitutions.
- Understand that the United States government is divided into
executive, legislative, and judicial branches, each with specific
responsibilities and powers.
Civics 2 (Politics)
- Understand that the principle of “due process” means
that the government must follow its own rules when taking actions
against a citizen.
- Understand that a society based on the ideal of individual liberty
requires a commitment on the part of its citizens to the principles
of civic responsibility and personal civility.
Civics 3 (Citizenship)
- Identify the fundamental rights of all American citizens as
enumerated in the Bill of Rights.
- Apply the protections guaranteed in the Bill of Rights to an
analysis of everyday situations.
Civics 4 (Participation)
- Understand that in order to select effective leaders, citizens
have to become informed about candidates’ qualifications
and the issues of the day.
- Identify and employ the formal and informal methods by which
democratic groups function.
