Social Studies Issue 1: Exploring Citizenship and Governance Chapter 1: What does it mean for me to be a citizen of my country?

1. Issue 1:
Exploring
Citizenship and
Governance

2. Inquiry Focus:
Working for the good of
society- whose responsibility is
it?

3. Issue 1
Exploring
Citizenship &
Governance
Chapter 3:
How can we
work for the
good of society?
Chapter 2:
How do we
decide what is
good for society?
Chapter 1:
What does it
mean for me to
be a citizen of my
country?

4. Issue 1
Exploring
Citizenship &
Governance
Chapter 3:
How can we
work for the
good of society?
Chapter 2:
How do we
decide what is
good for society?
Chapter 1:
What does it
mean for me to
be a citizen of my
country?

5. In this chapter you will learn:
• The attributes shaping citizenship
• Legal status
• Group identity
• Public participation
• Your rights and responsibilities as a
citizen

6. What is citizenship?
What does your citizenship mean to you?

7. Let’s Begin With…
Discuss how you would define or identify a ‘Typical Singaporean’.
Think along these lines…
• What foods do they eat?
• What languages do they speak?
• What practices do they have in common with other Typical
Singaporeans?
Put down your discussion points on the butcher paper in any way
you want (point form, drawings, cartoons, etc)

8. Gallery Walk
Paste your butcher papers on the wall when you are done. It is
now time for a gallery walk!
As you view your classmates’ masterpieces, do note down the
points that your group may have missed.

9. Now Think!
Look at all the different ways your classmates have
defined/identified a Singaporean.
How would you categorise these points?

10. In this chapter you will learn:
• The attributes shaping citizenship
• Legal status
• Group identity
• Public participation
• Your rights and responsibilities as a
citizen

11. How does someone ‘become’
a Singapore citizen?

12. Descent
How does someone ‘become’
a Singapore citizen?
At birth, a child gains citizenship
when at least one parent is a
citizen of that particular country.

13. Country
y of Birth
How does someone ‘become’
a Singapore citizen?
A small number of countries grant
citizenship to those who were
born in the country.

14. Marriage
How does someone ‘become’
a Singapore citizen?
Citizenship can also be obtained by
marrying a citizen of that country. In
Singapore, you have to be married to a
Singaporean for at least two years.

15. Naturalisation
How does someone ‘become’
a Singapore citizen?
Many countries grant citizenship to
those who have immigrated to that
country, resided there for a given
number of years and registered
themselves as citizens.

16. Naturalisation
How does someone ‘become’
a Singapore citizen?
In Singapore, you can register for
citizenship if you have been a
Permanent Resident for at least two
years.

17. In this chapter you will learn:
• The attributes shaping citizenship
• Legal status
• Group identity
• Public participation
• Your rights and responsibilities as a
citizen

18. Group Identity
Being Singaporean means you have a

19. Group Identity
But what is a

20. Group Identity
is a feeling that you are not alone. You are part of a larger
group because you all share things in common.

21. Group Identity
Gives us a sense of belonging to Singapore and its society

22. Group IdentityTherefore creates the desire to be involved in the affairs
of the country and make it a better place to live in.

23. In addition to what you came up with during the earlier
activity…

24. Turn to pg 21 of your textbook

25. Public Participation
• Participation in public affairs or matters of general
concern in society also shapes a person’s citizenship
• Public affairs refer to issues of general interest or concern
to most people in society
• Citizens usually contribute in areas they are passionate
about
• More about this will be covered in Chapter 3

26. Look back at your group’s butcher paper. Using the
knowledge you just learned, which attribute shaping
citizenship is the most important to you?
Explain your answer.

27. So, what is the point of being a citizen?
In other words…

28. So, what is the point of being a citizen?
In other words…
What does it
mean for me
to be a citizen of my country?

29. Citizenship
Rights Responsibilities

30. Citizenship by
legal status
Rights Responsibilities

31. In this chapter you will learn:
• The attributes shaping citizenship
• Legal status
• Group identity
• Public participation
• Your rights and responsibilities as a
citizen

32. Read the following extract
and answer the questions in your
notes…

33. Adapted from “Confused and dejected, stateless persons plead to be Singaporeans”
Unlike her other Singapore-born schoolmates, Cindy is not allowed to raise the state flag.
She has to pay higher fees if she joins a school camp. And even though she comes from a low-
income family, the Primary 5 student is not eligible for financial assistance from the Education
Ministry.
Cindy, who scores excellent grades in her studies and has been a school prefect for three
years, is not entirely sure why she is treated differently, but she suspects it may have
something to do with an unusual entry in her birth certificate that reads: “The child is not a
citizen of Singapore at the time of birth.”
The 11-year-old was born in Singapore to an Indonesian mother and a stateless father
who died of kidney failure last year. Her father, originally a Malaysian who was brought to
Singapore from Selangor as a baby, became stateless after renouncing his citizenship while
refusing to serve the National Service here when he got the enlistment call.

34. Watch the video and
answer the questions in your notes…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkHeNPD3gro

35. Constitution
The

36. Constitution
The
Being a Singapore citizen means you are under
(every country has its own version of it)

37. Constitution
The
But what is
?

38. Constitution
The
is the supreme law in the land

39. ConstitutionThe
• Guides and controls the actions of the government
• Guides all subsequent laws such that they do not
contradict the constitution
• Usually includes the rights of citizens so as to protect
their well-being

40. Rights of a citizen
• Rights are a moral or legal entitlement to have
or do something
• Referring to page 12 & 13 of your textbook,
what are some rights of Singapore citizens?

41. Rights of a citizen
• Remember the stateless persons we talked
about ealrier? What rights did they not have?

42. Rights of a
citizen
In your opinion, what
right does the poster
represent?
What other rights do
Singapore Citizens have?

43. Rights of a
citizen
In your opinion, what
right does this Facebook
post represent?

44. In your groups/pairs,
discuss what
considerations should
be taken while
exercising the right to
free speech.
Activity Time

45. Activity Time
In your groups/pairs, discuss how
you would comment on this
Facebook post.
Your comment should:
• Express how you feel about her
post
• Explain why her post is
insensitive
• Advise her on what she could
have done instead of
complaining on Facebook
Write down your answers in your
worksheet.

46. Some sample answers
to help you get started…

47. Rights of a citizen
Tensions might be created if you abuse your rights without
considering how your actions would affect others.
For example, while you may have the right to enjoy freedom
of speech, you should be careful not to say unkind words as
it may hurt other people’s feelings.
In other words, you must exercise your rights responsibly.

48. Citizenship by
legal status
Rights Responsibilities

49. Responsibilities of a citizen
• As a citizen, you are expected to contribute to
your society
• This means that you have duties to fulfil
• A nation cannot succeed if citizens enjoy their
rights but not contribute to their society

50. What
responsibilities do
you have as a
Singapore
Citizen?
Why must you
have these
responsibilities?

51. As a citizen of Singapore, I have
the responsibility to
_____________________
so that
_______________________________.

52. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vvvKvt-AtI
Discuss, based on the
video
• Why do Singaporean and
PR males serve National
Service? What is its
purpose?
• What are the
responsibilities required
of male Singaporeans
during National Service?

53. Extend
• Do you think female Singaporeans
should shoulder the same National
Service responsibilities as male citizens
and PRs? Why or why not?
• What roles should they play in defending
the nation, or supporting those who
serve National Service?

54. In your opinion, explain why it is important for
Singaporeans to be responsible citizens. Explain
your answer using one reason.

55. Concluding The Chapter
• Citizenship is complex; we have learned the different
attributes shaping citizenship but people have different
perspectives about which is the more important attribute
• Being a formal citizen means you are given rights that
non-citizens do not have, but it means that you must also
contribute to the country

56. You have learned in this chapter:
• The attributes shaping citizenship
• Legal status
• Group identity
• Public participation
• Your rights and responsibilities as a
citizen