INTRODUCTION

CITIZENS IN THE COMMUNITY
You might know someone who is just like Martin. Martin is the boy you see in all of these pictures.
Martin likes doing things on his own. He likes to read and listen to music. He likes to ride his bicycle. But Martin also likes doing things with other people. He likes playing with friends. He likes talking with his family at the dinner table. These other people make up groups who share Martin’s needs and interests.
Martin’s family is just one of the many groups he belongs to. Martin plays soccer on a team. He sings in a church choir. He studies with his class at school.
Martin also belongs to some groups that are very large. One of these large groups is the community (kuh-MYOO-nuht-ee) where he lives. Martin’s community includes his home and his neighborhood.
Martin also belongs to the larger communities of his city and state. His country, the United States of America, is a very large community. The members of these large communities are often called citizens (siHT-uh-zuhnz).
This book is about citizens and communities. You will discover ways that citizens live in different communities. You will learn how good citizens help their communities.
Like Martin, you are a citizen of many communities. This book is for you.