Huffman 1

Jordan Huffman

Curriculum Development Project

EDUC 350 Elementary Social Studies Methods

Fall 2014

Dr. Bradley

Demographics: This unit it for a third grade class, I had my third graders at afterschool in mind as I created it. These students are eight
and nine years old. They attend Salem City Public Schools, reasonably good environment with good parent support, typically all
middle class families. My classroom is mixed with a few below grade level, the majority on level, a few above grade level, and a few
students with learning disabilities. We meet one for one hour every day, Monday through Friday. I am teaching this unit of social
studies on government and the power and authority that our government has. It also teaches about civics and economics. This unit is
important for students to understand the community and nation that they live in, and how they live in democracy form of government
that they have freedom in a lot of ways but laws have been passed as restrictions to keep our nation’s population safe.

Resources:

The Cat and the Hat by: Dr. Seuss

The Little Red Hen by Diane Muldrow

The Wolf Who Cried Boy by Bob Hartman

We the Kids: the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States by David Catrow

Who Was George Washington? by Roberta Edwards

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Who was Ulysses S. Grant by Megan Stine

Who was Theodore Roosevelt by Michael Burgan

Who Was Davy Crockett by Gail Herman

Who was Ben Franklin by Dennis Brindell Fradin

Pinterest: Our Classroom Bill of Rights/ Creating a Classroom Constitution for Constitution Day

Branches of Government Sort

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Illustrate the Bill of Rights

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Constitution Day Activities and Printable

U.S. Constitution Detectives Activity Project Common Core Standards

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Foldable for Branches of Government

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Fakebook- create a fake page for someone

The Standards & SOL-based Instructional Resources

[Link]- Constitution resource I have students use

[Link] –rubrics for assessment

(authority vs. power: Social Studies Coalition of Delaware)

Day One
Scenarios
a. John is going swimming after school.
b. Julia’s mother made her wait an hour after eating before going in the
pool.
c. Rich could not watch the baseball game because his brother kept
changing the channel.
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d. Tommy gave a dollar to her friend to buy a snack

e. Taylor’s father said she could not go outside to play until her
homework was finished.
f. Ashley wrote a letter to her friend in Florida.
g. Sean and Steve are going to the park to play football.
h. Brian demanded Susan’s lunch money so he could buy his lunch.
3. Have the students turn and talk to a partner about the scenarios in which someone
acted on his/her own and when the person acted because someone had power over
him/her. Next, have them respond to these two questions in their journals:
o Describe a time that you acted on your own when you made a choice.
o Describe a time when you acted because someone had power over you.
If time permits, have students share their responses with the class or partner.

Day 2
Skit Scenarios
a. A teacher assigning homework/class work to his/her class.
b. A parent telling children to do their chores.
c. A bully forcing children to leave the playground.
d. A student demanding money for snack from another student.
e. A police officer giving someone a ticket.
f. A thief robbing a bank.
g. A principal telling students to eat quietly in the cafeteria.

Day 3
In which of the following situations is the person using power without authority?

a. a teacher assigning daily homework

b a student taking someone’s lunch money
c. a police officer giving a speeding ticket
d. a bus driver telling students to sit in their seats.
 Huffman 8

AAL

Goals:

K.U.D. Planning

K: KNOW TSW know the importance of government in the community, in Virginia,

Examples: facts, and the United States
vocabulary, definitions,
places, information, etc. TSW understand the roles that George Washington played in our Country
 Huffman 9

U: UNDERSTAND I want students to understand that the branches of government to make

Examples: essential laws, carry out laws, and decide if laws have been broken are important
truths, principles and for our safety.
generalizations, big
ideas of a discipline, etc.
Statement: I want
students to understand
that…

D: DO TSW create three branches of government with their roles in a diagram

Examples: basic skills, format
thinking skills, planning
skills, uses verbs or
phrases, etc.

K.U.D. Planning
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K: KNOW TSW explain the importance of basic principles that form the foundation
Examples: facts, of a republican form of government
vocabulary, definitions,
places, information, etc. TSW know the definitions of power and authority

TSW describe individual rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of

happiness, as well as equality under the law

TSW describe how people serve the community and our nation

TSW be able to distinguish the difference between power and authority

U: UNDERSTAND I want students to understand that we are all equal and that we have
Examples: essential rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as United States
truths, principles and citizens.
generalizations, big
ideas of a discipline, etc. I want students to understand that we have people who have power and
Statement: I want authority to serve our community and our nation in order to protect us
students to understand and our rights.
that…
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D: DO TSW distinguish scenarios to tell if they are showing power or authority

Examples: basic skills,
thinking skills, planning TSW act out skits portraying power and authority
skills, uses verbs or
phrases, etc. TSW determine a person who showed power or authority through
literature

TSW act out a town meeting showing different areas of power, authority,
and/or government in the community or state

Government, Power, and Authority 3rd Grade Unit Scope and Sequence

Concept(s): S.O.L.(s): Additional Content S.O.L.(s):

TSW understand that positions of 3.10 The Student will recognize the
authority carry responsibilities and importance of government in the Social Studies curriculum
develop the understanding of authority community, Virginia, and the United States standards:
versus power. of America II Time, Continuity, and Change
a.) explaining the purposes of rules and laws V Individuals, Groups, and
TSW identify the characteristics the Institutions
branches of government and that a b.) explaining the basic purposes of VI Power, Authority, and
democracy is where people participate in government are to make laws, carry out Governance
governing themselves. laws, and decide if laws have been broken
3.11 The student will explain the importance CE.3 e.) evaluating how civic and social
TSW conduct a town meeting to of the basic principles that form the duties address community needs and
 Huffman 12

foundation of a republican form of serve the public good

demonstrate knowledge of republican form government
of government. a.) describing individuals rights to life, Technology:
liberty, pursuit of happiness; and equality c/t5.2 operate devices
TSW analyze the Constitution, Preamble, under the law c/t5.3 use search strategies to retrieve
and Bill of Rights to understand why we d.) describing how people can serve the electronic information
have the government in place that we have community, state, and nation
and how our founding fathers developed
our way of government the way we have it
today.

Sequence Objective: Pre-Assessment: Activities: Materials: Post Assessment:

Day 1 TSW distinguish scenarios Discuss power and Write on the board • Note cards for Tell homework
of people using power people that use power a definition of the scenarios and role due day 3:
through putting their out loud as a class word power. playing
thumbs up on scenarios that writing answers on the Play the “thumbs • Pencils (Have students
show a person using power, board. up, thumbs down” Board and markers make a collage
getting the majority of the game. Get scenario Materials for using pictures from
scenarios correct. and read it. If the collages magazines that
scenario shows a show
TSW design and construct person acting on Power / authority.)
a collage that portrays his/her own the
power and authority class should put Show examples
through a minimum of their thumbs up. If and give materials
three photos. the scenario shows out to get started.
a person
TSW answer questions acting because Ask questions
about power and authority someone had about power to
correctly answering the power over assess what they
questions asked in class. him/her, the class learned.
should put their
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thumbs down. Stop

and discuss each
scenario.
Day 2 Review the discussion Write the Pencils In small groups the
• TSW compare and from the day before. definition of Scenario cards students will act
contrast the differences Ask students to define AUTHORITY. Board and makers out scenarios that
between power and POWER and have the Ask the children to Thank you gift for show people acting
authority through scenarios student’s describe a identify people in principal with either power
of persons in the school, scenario in which different contexts Journal or authority. After
home, community, and someone acts on their who they believe Raft choices the skits, the other
government, for 1 example own and a scenario in have authority. students in the
for each power and which someone acts (home, school, class will have to
authority, and answer because someone has community) describe whether
questions asked about power over them. Invite the principal the skit illustrated
power and authority Ask children what in to talk about the use of power or
correctly. authority is. List any their power and authority and
reasonable answers on authority in their explain their
TSW write about power the board. job. reasoning. After
and authority picking 1 splitting children
topic out of the two topics up give each
to write about in their student a skit
journals. scenario written on
a note card. Allow
several minutes to
plan and practice
skits. Have each
group take turns
performing their
skits. After each
skit ask a non-
actor to decide if
the skit shows the
concept of power
 Huffman 14

or authority and
explain why.
Ask students
questions for
understanding
distinguishing the
difference between
authority and
power.

Raft writing
assignment in
journal. Finish for
homework if you
do not finish in
class.
Day 3 TSW distinguish the Review the concepts of Read The Cat and Collages On one page in
differences between power power and authority the Hat to students Pencils their journals have
and authority through using the questions of and tell them to be Journals them draw and
writing and illustrating in scenarios. thinking about the Board and markers write about the
their journals about at least concepts of power The Cat and the character that is
one character showing Homework due: share and authority as Hat using power
power and authority from collages you read the story. without authority.
the story read to the class. Discuss and tell Then on another
journal prompt. page in their
TSW plan and produce a journal have them
project that shows images write about the
demonstrating their character who is
knowledge of the using authority.
difference of power and Have the students
authority, correctly share their
demonstrating their responses with a
understanding of power partner and then
 Huffman 15

versus authority. have several share

their responses
with the class.
Collect the
journals to check
for understanding.
Day 4 TSW construct a The teacher will show Create foldable Large paper, As we finish with
community map working a picture of a blank with terms of construction paper, the activity the
(civics/ independently and in small community with no goods and services crayons, glue, tape, teacher will give
economics groups with construction buildings. She will ask on the outside flap scissors, everyone a job on
lesson plan paper to create buildings the students what is and on the inside PowerPoint, another notecard to
with it)- and structures in a missing in the image. draw an image images of help clean up. Sit
collaborative community setting, Discuss who provides showing it with the buildings, cards in a circle for class
learning distinguishing between the community with definition. Glue Examples of fables discussion by
privately owned buildings goods and services. them into note to show student lead
and government What is a good? What books. Hand out questions I assist
businesses. is a service? notecards face on.
down, numbered Show examples of
TSW explore goods and and assigned a fables. (The Little
services available in their duty. Get in small Red Hen by Diane
community and determine groups and create Muldrow) (The
that some are privately the communities. Wolf Who Cried
produced and the Share the Boy by Bob
government provides other communities. Hartman) – read
goods and services, and Discuss who parts of the books
they will distinguish provides the if time permits.
between goods and services community with Tell the students
by private businesses and goods and services what a fable is and
the government through through private assign students to
building their community business and write a fable
buildings. government. teaching a lesson
how goods and
TSW explain that taxes services priced by
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collected by the the government

government are used to pay benefit the
for goods and services community, and
provided by the they will share
government by answering them in class the
questions asked out loud next day.
correctly. Finish fables for
homework for
sharing them with
the class the next
day.
Day 5 TSW research how the All students will use Read We the Note cards, At the end of
Constitution was created, laptops. Hand out Kids: the Preamble pens/pencils and learning about
(Technology how it is structured, and KWL Constitution to the Constitution paper, board and constitution
lesson)- how it applies to students’ Detective sheet- split of the United markers, KWL another member of
collaborative present-day lives looking at into small groups have States. By David Constitution group can mark
learning the United States resource of Catrow. Detective sheet out and add to the
government, and report his constitution online Introduce Laptops for online list on the board of
or her findings to the class -fill out what you PowerPoint to access to what they knew
orally. know teach the constitution before learning
What you want to Constitution and PowerPoint about the
know the United States Candy constitution and
strong government We the Kids book we will talk
Each group can write How it is Journals through it.
what they already structured:
know on the board preamble, articles
before they look at it I-VII, bill of Tally up the
rights / numbers of correct
amendments 1-10 definitions. Present
the group with the
(in lesson teach most correct
certain words for answers with
activity) candy.
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Can work on this

Activity: Power at home for
Words-Break up homework if want.
the students into Research prompt
groups of four. using laptops. pick
Give them terms 2 of the 4 to
without research about and
definitions. share findings with
Have the students the class in their
define the terms own creative way,
from memory in 1 of the 4 for some
their groups and students or 3 of the
assign certain 4 for some
groups to present students:
them out loud. 1. How is the
Constitution
structured?
2. Which, if any,
rights are protected
by this
Constitution?
3. What are the
key points of the
Constitution of the
United States?
4. If you could add
one item to
the U.S.
Constitution, what
would it be?

AND students
 Huffman 18

must pick one

founding father
that took part in
the constitution to
do a short
biography on.
Create it for
homework by
writing it down on
piece of paper.

Read Who Was

George
Washington? By
Roberta Edwards –
to show what
biographies need
to include for
when they make
theirs.- go over the
important facts out
loud with the
students about
George
Washington.
Also show Who
was Ulysses S.
Grant by Megan
Stine
And show Who
was Theodore
Roosevelt by
Michael Burgan
 Huffman 19

and Who Was

Davy Crockett by
Gail Herman and
Who was Ben
Franklin by Dennis
Brindell Fradin as
examples and the
students can pass
them around and
look at them for
ideas.
AAL

Day 6 TSW construct his or her Take the biographies Board and markers Do you know your
own bill of rights for the created for homework Do you know your Bill of rights sheet rights? Create
(Biography classroom through their the day before and type rights? Create Pencils classroom bill of
lesson plan understanding of the bill of up on computers and classroom bill of Illustration bill of rights as class-
from rights, creating six different find an image of the rights individually rights sheet have every student
homework bills of rights that are founding father that and vote on the PowerPoint of bill and teacher sign
the day relevant to our classroom, goes with their best of rights
before and similar in format to the Bill biography. Have the Cereal boxes Homework if you
started in of Rights put in place for students print these out Laptops don’t finish in
class the day our country. and give them to them Printer class: Journal
before) to glue to cereal boxes Markers prompt – write
TSW create a bibliography with image on one side Paper about your favorite
for a founding father, and biography on the journals class bill of right
including an image of the other one. Or they can and why you like it
founding father and create a fakebook the best and pick
important information online about their one of the raft
about their founding father person to present choices to do.
through research on the instead. Set up around
computer and taping it to a room as they finish.
cereal box. Learn bill of rights-
 Huffman 20

have sheet as we
discuss to illustrate
each bill of rights in
the proper box which
they can use for
creating their own bill
of rights.

Day 7 If finished: Bingo sheets Review jeopardy

TSW demonstrate their Catch up day finish all Groups: 1 station- Online jeopardy through
knowledge of the activities we have not watch short clip Candy PowerPoint
Constitution, Bill of Rights, finished yet. about preamble All make up presentation about
and power and authority in and create We the materials from the constitution,
communities through kids preamble prior activities bill of rights, and
assessment methods of working together Preamble clip power and
bingo and jeopardy, getting in the small group We the kids authority.
the majority of the preamble sheet
questions correct. While I help other
students get ready Homework: study
with their materials for test!
to catch up.

Once students
catching up are
working
independently
Give finished
students premade
bingo cards about
the constitution
and call out bingo
as a review ( as
students finish
 Huffman 21

with make up work

they can join in)

Day 8 TSW conclude his or her Start out class: bell Discussion: Large paper book Journal Prompt: If
knowledge about positions ringer study notes for Create three Markers you were going to
(lesson plan) of authority, whether quiz columns on the Journals work for one of
elected, appointed, and the board with each of Pencils the three branches
roles of government carry Test- demonstrating the three branches, Board and markers of government,
responsibilities and should student knowledge on and list the rights paper which would it be?
be respected and the power, authority, and responsibilities Why? Or pick a
constitution and bill of communities, of each one. Raft Choice to
rights on their test. Constitution, and Bill write about.
of Rights. During discussion
students create Branches of
Draw three branches of foldable with three government sort:
government tree : flaps of each sort out cut out
Provide students with a branch and the sheet cards in the
helpful chart and lead a duties of each right branches
discussion of the three branch
branches of I will walk around
government and the Discussion and check each
roles of each. Questions student before they
can put them up to
make sure they are
all correct.
Do the sort again
for homework and
show an adult!
Day 9-10 TSW examine the reasons Discussion of issues of Announce that the Journals At the end of this
for parliamentary importance to students class will Pencils lesson the students
(lesson plan procedure, and will be able in the classroom. participate in a Makeshift scaffold will go in to a
continued) to bring issues that matter town meeting, Materials needed ‘reflection period’
to them to a vote, working which is a debate, for town meeting after the Town
to dispute an issue.
 Huffman 22

with classmates in a town Each student will Meeting, in which

meeting. have a vote on the students think
matter, and the about how it went,
class as a whole what could be
TSW perform in a town will elect officials to done differently, or
meeting discussing and run the meeting. in a better way and
Before the meeting
debating matters of write about it in
students will have
importance to their to have a classroom
their journal
classroom, coming to a election to elect
conclusion on at least one representatives:
classroom issue. board of five
selectmen and
women that have a
regular classroom
job or assignment,
a clerk who sends
out the agenda for
the meeting, a
record keeper of
the meeting, a
person who is in
charge of the list of
all the voters which
are the class
members, and a
moderator who
runs the meeting.
After the election
has occurred and
students have
discussed possible
items to be decided
at the town
meeting, the board
of select men and
 Huffman 23

women will meet to

finalize the town
meeting agenda.
The agenda can
cover more than
one item, but it
must have at least
one item. All the
town meeting
voters (all
classmates) will be
given an agenda
printout.
The town meeting
day will be the next
day. The select men
and women will sit
at the front of the
room with the town
clerk and
moderator. The
moderator will call
the meeting into
order and the items
of the agenda will
be read. A vote will
be held on each
item discussed. A
simple majority is
sufficient for
passage on a vote.
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Learning experiences to teach content? town meeting activity, skits, collages, journals, bill of rights activity, constitution research;
group work, individual work, and class work/discussion

Prior Knowledge or Skills Needed: Students should be able to identify

people who have responsibilities and identify what those responsibilities are. They
also have learned about leaders in their home (parents), school (teachers, principals), and in their communities (police officers,
firemen,). This prior knowledge will help connect the concepts of power and authority at a government level.

Raft Choices: Day 2

Role Audience Format Topic

Town person Mayor/ governor Friendly Letter Disusing a certain

topic you feel needs
attention in your town

Principal Students 8 line poem School expectations

Lesson Plan: Day 4 in Unit

Lesson Plan Format

Name: Jordan Huffman Virginia SOL: Grade:3rd Date:

 Huffman 25

CE3 c evaluating 11/15/14

how civic and
social duties
address
community needs
and serve the
public good

Subject: Start time: Stop time:

Civics/Economics Total time 1 hr

Lesson Title: Community Goods and Services (Civics/Economics Lesson incorporated with
collaborative learning)

Objectives (What do you want students to know, do, or feel as a result of your instruction?)

1. TSW construct a community map working independently and in small groups with
construction paper to create buildings and structures in a community setting,
distinguishing between privately owned buildings and government businesses through
correctly designing and labeling one building for the community.

2. TSW explore goods and services available in their community and determine that some
are privately produced and the government provides other goods and services, and they
will distinguish between goods and services by private businesses and the government
through answering questions asked out loud in class and getting the majority of them
 Huffman 26

correct.

Goods, public goods, the role of government, services, taxes

Critical vocabulary:

Large paper, construction paper, crayons, glue/tape, scissors, PowerPoint,

images of buildings, cards, fables
Materials/resources:

Pre-assessment: (How will you know if your students already know what you are teaching?)

The teacher will show a picture of a blank community with no buildings. She will ask the
students what is missing in the image. Discuss who provides the community with goods and
services. What is a good and what is a service?

Intro (how do you capture their attention and get them interested?):

Create foldable with terms of goods and services on the outside flap and on the inside draw and
image showing one with the definition. The student will glue them into their notebooks.

The teacher will hand out a notecard face down on each student’s desk, and she will ask them to
keep them face down until she says to flip them over. On the notecard there will be a group
number one to four and a building or business. She will get them to flip the cards over and then
find their groups. She will hand out the materials and discuss what they will be doing, creating a
community in small groups with the paper provided including the places on their cards. Have
them draw roads and decorate their communities how they want.

Body (what comes after your interesting intro?)

 Huffman 27

Share the communities. Discuss who provides the community with goods and services through
private businesses and the government.

As we finish, the teacher will give everyone in the classroom one particular job on another
notecard with a task on it to help clean up. One group will have the majority of the work and it
will be very noticeable it is not evenly distributed. Once the room is back to normal we will sit in
a circle and discuss some questions, student lead, through the activity think pair share: is it fair
that one group had all the work?, what might happen if we asked everyone to clean up
voluntarily?, and discuss the last activity and what happens when people make a mess in our
city?, and who pays for fast food places, movies, and grocery stores?

Closure (purposeful summary-help them remember today or anticipate tomorrow):

Show examples of fables. (The Little Red Hen by Diane Muldrow) (The Wolf Who Cried Boy
by Bob Hartman) – read parts of the books if time permits.

Discuss what a fable is, that it is when an animal talks in a short story. Ask students to write one
teaching a lesson how goods and services provided by government benefit the community. Tell
them they will be sharing them in class the next day, if they would like.

Homework: Finish the fables for homework if they did not finish in class. Illustrate your fable’s
cover. Share with a grown up if you would like.

Assessment: (How will you assess if they have mastered your objectives? Be specific.)

Think pair share questions, as the teacher sits back and just listens and helps as needed.
Discourse students learning through discussion together. The fable they complete at the end of
 Huffman 28

class and for homework showing their understanding of government and privately owned
businesses creating goods and services in the community.

Are you differentiating lesson content, process, or product by readiness, interest, or learning
profile? Explain.

I can differentiate the groups making them equal. I can differentiate by assigning easier buildings
to students who have a harder time and more challenging buildings to students that need a
challenge. The cards can also be distributed by interest if I know certain students are interested in
certain things I can include a building in the community for them to build that has to do with that
interest. Because we had one project where we are constructing something and working in small
groups, I also made sure to talk as an entire group for students that prefer that form of work. I
also changed from hands on activity to a writing activity as the closure. This way both drawers
and writers get a way to shine. Students can have shorter or longer fables.

For cooperative learning explain how you have insured:

positive interdependence- the student being able to identify if their building assigned is a
government run business or privately owned

individual accountability- the student creating their own building is their task in building their
community-also their classroom cleanup task

group processing- the students working in small groups to solve the problem given and develop a
well-developed community

social skills- the students working in small groups, talking out loud in think pair share activity,
sharing their fables to the class portraying what they are trying to stay

face-to-face interaction- the students are working in close small groups constructing and
 Huffman 29

discussing. The students being part of the conversation speaking to the class

Country Side
Classics Store

Sheetz Gas
Station

PostOffice
Post Office School Fire Station Police Station Bank Mac and Bobs

Lesson Plan Day 5 in Unit

Lesson Plan Format

Name: Virginia SOL: Grade: 3rd Date:11/15/14

 Huffman 30

Jordan Huffman Technology:

c/t5.2 operate
devices

c/t5.3 use search

strategies to
retrieve
electronic
information

3.11 The student

will explain the
importance of
the basic
principles that
form the
foundation of a
republican form
of government

a.) describing
individuals rights
to life, liberty,
pursuit of
happiness; and
equality under
 Huffman 31

the law

d.) describing
how people can
serve the
community,
state, and nation

Subject: Start time: Stop time:

Government/ Social Studies 1 hr Continue to next day

Lesson Title:

United States Constitution Detectives (Technology Lesson/ start biographies) (collaborative

learning incorporated)

Objectives (What do you want students to know, do, or feel as a result of your instruction?)

1. TSW research how the Constitution was created, how it is structured, and how it applies to
students’ present-day lives looking at the United States government, and report his or her
findings to the class orally, or through another method they choose.

2. TSW use computers to research electronic information and retrieve knowledge about the
United States Constitution and deliver the information they found to class through a
presenting it to their fellow classmates and adding to the classroom discussion.

Materials/resources:
Note cards,
pens/pencils and
paper, board and
 Huffman 32

markers, KWL
Constitution
Detective sheet

Laptops for online

access to
constitution

PowerPoint

Candy

We the Kids book

Journals

Pre-assessment: (How will you know if your students already know what you are teaching?)

The teacher will hand out the KWL Constitution Detective sheet. Then she will split the class
into small groups and have resources of constitution online for each group. ([Link]) All
students will have laptops to complete this task. Before giving them the resources the students
will be asked to fill out the K for what they think they already know about the Constitution and
fill out the W for what they want to know about the Constitution. They will write this on their
KWL sheets to use for class, and they can discuss it in their small groups. We can talk together
as a class about what the students put on these two columns before sending them off to learn
more, this way the teacher knows what they already know going into the lesson. Make a list on
the board for each group. Students can write for their group.

Intro (how do you capture their attention and get them interested?):

Read We the Kids: the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States by David Catrow out
loud for the class. Discuss the book and the Preamble to the Constitution.
 Huffman 33

Introduce PowerPoint to teach the Constitution and the United States strong government

How it is structured: preamble, articles I-VII, bill of rights / amendments 1-10

(in lesson teach certain words for activity)

Body (what comes after your interesting intro?)

Activity: Power Words (critical vocabulary words are the words they will be finding)- the
students will already be split up in groups of four. Give them terms without definitions. The
students will define the terms from memory in their groups and I will assign certain groups to
present them out loud. They can use their laptops to check their definitions they come up with
before presenting them out loud.

Closure (purposeful summary-help them remember today or anticipate tomorrow):

Using their resources of the Constitution and the PowerPoint and book discussed in class
complete the learned section of the KWL chart.

At the end of learning about constitution another member of group can mark out and add to the
list on the board of what they knew before learning about the constitution and we will talk
through it.

Tally up the numbers of correct definitions. Present the group with the most correct answers with
candy.

Start research prompts using laptops. These will be due tomorrow. If students do not have
computer access at home and do not finish assist them in other ways. Pick 2 of the 4 to research
about and share findings with the class in their own creative way, 1 of the 4 for some students or
3 of the 4 for some students:

1. How is the Constitution structured?

 Huffman 34

2. Which, if any, rights are protected by this Constitution?

3. What are the key points of the

Constitution of the United States?

4. If you could add one item to

the U.S. Constitution, what would it be?

AND students must pick one founding father that took part in the constitution to do a short
biography on. Create it for homework by writing it down on piece of paper.

Read Who Was George Washington? By Roberta Edwards – to show what biographies need to
include for when they make theirs.- go over the important facts out loud with the students about
George Washington. Also show Who was Ulysses S. Grant by Megan Stine, Who was Theodore
Roosevelt by Michael Burgan, Who Was Davy Crockett by Gail Herman, and Who was Ben
Franklin by Dennis Brindell Fradin as examples and the students can pass them around and look
at them for ideas for their on biographies to write and use for their projects the next day.

Homework:

Research Prompts and biographies on Founding Fathers

Assessment: (How will you assess if they have mastered your objectives? Be specific.)

Day 5 Discussion Questions:

1. What is a constitution?

2. Who were the Founding Fathers?

3. Why do you think the Founding

Fathers believed that rules about
 Huffman 35

government should be written down?

4. Do you agree or disagree? Why or

why not?

These questions asked to the students can be assessed for their understanding.

The research prompts are an assessment.

Creating their own definitions of the critical vocabulary words are assessing them on their
understanding.

The KWL chart and chart put up on the board by the students.

Are you differentiating lesson content, process, or product by readiness, interest, or learning
profile? Explain.

The research prompt can be done not on the computers for students who don’t have access or
need another way. There are more or fewer options for the research prompt as needed by each
student’s readiness level. They get to pick the founding father they can to do for their biography
project by their interest.

For cooperative learning explain how you have insured:

positive interdependence-using the computer individually to work on all activities and speaking
out loud on findings

individual accountability- each person has their own sheets to make sure they are writing down
and contributing so all the sheets will be taken up for assessment and graded. Everyone working
independently on research prompts and biographies

group processing-working in small groups to research about the Constitution, working in the
groups to create lists on the board of what they know, change the lists to what they learned,
 Huffman 36

working together to create definitions

social skills-talking in small groups and out loud to the class

face-to-face interaction- with peers and to teacher if participating in class discussion

Lesson Plan Day 6 in Unit

Lesson Plan Format

Name: Jordan Huffman Virginia SOL: Grade:3rd Date:

Grade
11/15/14

Subject: Social Studies/ Government/ Start time: Stop time:

History
1 hr

Lesson Title: Biographies of Founding Fathers (started in lesson plan on the day before on Day
 Huffman 37

5)/ Bill of Rights of our Classroom (technology also included for fakebook)- (collaborative
learning also included)

Objectives (What do you want students to know, do, or feel as a result of your instruction?)

1. TSW construct his or her own bill of rights for the classroom through their understanding
of the bill of rights, creating six different bills of rights that are relevant to our classroom,
similar in format to the Bill of Rights put in place for our country.

2. TSW create a bibliography for a founding father, including an image of the founding
father and important information about their founding father through research on the
computer and taping it to a cereal box or through creating a fakebook online presenting
important information about their particular person.

3.

Bill of Rights,

Critical vocabulary:

Board and markers, Bill of Rights sheet, Pencils, Illustration bill of rights
sheet, PowerPoint of Bill of Rights, cereal boxes, laptops, Fakebook
Materials/resources: website, printer, markers, paper, glue, journals

Pre-assessment: (How will you know if your students already know what you are teaching?)

Do you know your rights? Put a slide up on the PowerPoint of a list of the Bill of Rights. Have
the students create classroom bill of rights individually and vote on the best

Intro (how do you capture their attention and get them interested?):

Take the biographies created for homework the day before and type up on computers and find an
image of the founding father that goes with their biography. Have the students print these out and
 Huffman 38

glue them to cereal boxes with image on one side and biography on the other one. Set them up
around room as they finish on display. If they prefer to create a fakebook on their founding father
instead, of their choice, they can do that to demonstrate their knowledge on their particular
person using a laptop. As we all finish we will have the students present their founding father
biographies to the class.

Body: Learn bill of rights. Give the students a sheet that they will have as we discuss to illustrate
each bill of rights in the proper box which they can use for creating their own bill of rights. We
will discuss each of the Bill or Rights in detail during this.

Closure: Discussion of issues of importance to students in the classroom. (Classroom rules, uses
of resources such as art supplies or computer time, ways of interacting with one another that
produce, or any issue or issues that students believe to be important.) Have the students create a
classroom bill of rights as class and have every student and teacher sign

Journal Prompt: write about your favorite class bill of right and why you like it the best and how
it compares to an actual one of the Bill of Rights and pick one of the raft choices to do.

Raft Choices:

Role Audience Format Topic

Founding Fathers The People Conversation Creating the

Constitution

A Founding Father To another Founding Speech Why create the Bill

Father of Rights

The People Founding Fathers Friendly Letter About Creating the

 Huffman 39

Constitution or Bill of
Rights

Homework: if you do not finish your journal prompt and/or raft choice do that

Assessment: (How will you assess if they have mastered your objectives? Be specific.)

Fakebook or cereal box biography demonstrating knowledge on a particular founding father,

their bill of rights sheets, and journal prompts

Are you differentiating lesson content, process, or product by readiness, interest, or learning
profile? Explain.

Based on learning profile and interest the student can choose how they want to do their
biography assignment through a creative cereal box or creating an online fakebook biography
book about their founding father.

For cooperative learning explain how you have insured:

positive interdependence- biography project, illustrating their own bill of rights for each of the
bill of rights

individual accountability-creating their personal belief of a classroom set of bill of rights and
taking a vote on their favorite

group processing-working as a class to form the classroom set of bill of rights

social skills-talking to classmates about the classroom set of bill of rights

 Huffman 40

face-to-face interaction- working with classmates sharing their opinions

Lesson Plans for Days 8-10 in Unit

Lesson Plan Format

Name: Virginia SOL: Grade: 3rd Date:

grade
Jordan Huffman 11/15/14

Subject: Social Studies Start time: Stop time:

Day 8 1 hour Day 10 1 hour

Lesson Title: Test and Town Meeting Assessments

Objectives (What do you want students to know, do, or feel as a result of your instruction?)

1. TSW conclude his or her knowledge about positions of authority, whether

elected, appointed, and the roles of government carry responsibilities and should be
respected and the constitution and bill of rights on their test getting at least 2/3 of all
 Huffman 41

questions correct.

2. TSW examine the reasons for parliamentary procedure, and will be able to bring issues
that matter to them to a vote inside a classroom debate, playing their own particular role.

3. TSW perform in a town meeting and gain experience in discussing and debating matters
of importance to their classroom, fighting for at least one prominent issue to them,
achieving an adequate score on their rubric I grade them on.

Critical vocabulary:

large paper book, markers, journals, pencils, board and markers, paper,
makeshift scaffold, materials needed for town meeting
Materials/resources:

Pre-assessment: (How will you know if your students already know what you are teaching?)

Day 8: Start out class: Bell Ringer study notes for test

Test- demonstrating student knowledge on power, authority, communities, Constitution, and Bill
of Rights.

Intro (how do you capture their attention and get them interested?): Discussion:

Draw three branches of government tree : Provide students with a helpful chart and lead a
discussion of the three branches of government and the roles of each Create three columns on the
board with each of the three branches, and list the rights and responsibilities of each one.

During discussion students create foldable with three flaps of each branch and the duties of each
branch.
 Huffman 42

Discussion Questions:

Why do you think the authors of the Constitution created these branches? Why doesn’t the
President just run everything? 2. Do you think our country needs a constitution? What if the
United States had no rules at all? What would happen if the rules changed frequently? 3. Discuss
how the Constitution set up centralized rules, called the federal government, so that some rules
will be the same from state to state. For example, as you travel from one state to another, the
currency is the same, there are post offices that carry letters and packages across states, and there
are armed forces that represent the entire nation. Why is this important? What would the United
States be like, for example, if each state had its own form of currency?

Journal Prompt: If you were going to work for one of the three branches of government, which
would it be? Why? Or pick a Raft Choice to write about.

Raft Choices

Role Audience Format Topic

Law maker Other lawmaker Propose a bill Creating a new law

Judge Writing in their 8 lines The importance of the

personal diary branches of
government, in
particular the judicial
branch

Branches of government sort: sort out cut out sheet cards in the right branches. I will walk
 Huffman 43

around and check each student before they can put them up to make sure they are all correct.

Body:

Day 9: Discuss classroom rules, uses of resources such as art supplies or computer time, ways of
interacting with one another that produce, or any issue or issues that students believe to be
important. Announce that the class will participate in a town meeting, which is a debate, to dispute
an issue. Each student will have a vote on the matter, and the class as a whole will elect officials to
run the meeting. Before the meeting students will have to have a classroom election to elect
representatives: board of five selectmen and women that have a regular classroom job or
assignment, a clerk who sends out the agenda for the meeting, a record keeper of the meeting, a
person who is in charge of the list of all the voters which are the class members, and a moderator
who runs the meeting. After the election has occurred and students have discussed possible items
to be decided at the town meeting, the board of select men and women will meet to finalize the
town meeting agenda. The agenda can cover more than one item, but it must have at least one item.
All the town meeting voters (all classmates) will be given an agenda printout.

Day 10: The town meeting day will be the next day. The select men and women will sit at the front
of the room with the town clerk and moderator. The moderator will call the meeting into order and
the items of the agenda will be read. A vote will be held on each item discussed. A simple majority is
sufficient for passage on a vote.

Closure (purposeful summary-help them remember today or anticipate tomorrow):

At the end of this lesson the students will go in to a ‘reflection period’ after the Town Meeting,
in which students think about how it went, what could be done differently, or in a better way and
write about it in their journal.

Homework: Day 8: Do the branches of government sort again for homework and show an adult!
 Huffman 44

Assessment: (How will you assess if they have mastered your objectives? Be specific.)

Day 8: Test, sort, Day 9 and 10: Town Meeting

Are you differentiating lesson content, process, or product by readiness, interest, or learning
profile? Explain.

I am differentiating in giving my students two ways to show me what they learned during the unit
through the test and the town meeting. I can also differentiate on readiness level in giving different
tests and giving students the proper amount of work they need to succeed in the town meeting. The
two different forms of assessment also apply to two different forms of interest and learning
profiles.

For cooperative learning explain how you have insured:

positive interdependence- test, journals

individual accountability-personal role in town meeting and placing their vote on items

group processing- working with classmates in debate

social skills-voicing their opinion on issues and voting

face-to-face interaction-town meeting

ESS
Class Debate : Town Meeting

Teacher Name: Jordan Huffman

Student Name: ________________________________________

 Huffman 45

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1
Information All information Most information Most information Information had
presented in the presented in the presented in the several
debate was clear, debate was clear, debate was clear inaccuracies OR
accurate and accurate and and accurate, but was usually not
thorough. thorough. was not usually clear.
thorough.
Presentation Style Team Team usually Team sometimes One or more
consistently used used gestures, used gestures, eye members of the
gestures, eye eye contact, tone contact, tone of team had a
contact, tone of of voice and a voice and a level presentation style
voice and a level level of of enthusiasm in that did not keep
of enthusiasm in enthusiasm in a a way that kept the attention of
a way that kept way that kept the the attention of the audience.
the attention of attention of the the audience.
the audience. audience.
Respect for Other All statements, Statements and Most statements Statements,
Team body language, responses were and responses responses and/or
and responses respectful and were respectful body language
were respectful used appropriate and in appropriate were consistently
and were in language, but language, but not respectful.
appropriate once or twice there was one
language. body language sarcastic remark.
was not.
Use of Every major Every major Every major point Every point was
Facts/Statistics point was well point was was supported not supported.
supported with adequately with facts,
several relevant supported with statistics and/or
facts, statistics relevant facts, examples, but the
and/or examples. statistics and/or relevance of some
examples. was questionable.
 Huffman 46

Assessment: The assessment will be ongoing throughout the unit. TSW be informally assessed by their participation in group
discussions, the way they interact with their classmates, and in the way they respond in their journal, test, and town meeting.

Works Cited:

Documenting Democracy: Lesson Plans on the United States Constitution. In Commemoration of. Constitution Day. On September
17, 1787, the United. [Link]/images/media/pdf/[Link]

Constitutional Rights Foundation. Free Constitution Lessons. (2014). Retrieved November 2014, from [Link]

Fakebook. (n.d.). Retrieved November 2014, from [Link]

[Link]. Branches of Government and the Constitution. Retrieved November 2014, from
[Link]

Lesson Plans: Teaching Six Bid Ideas in the Constitution. National Archives and Records Administration. (n.d.)., Retrieved November
2014, from [Link]

"Pinterest.".(n.d.)., Retrieved November 2014, from [Link]

 Huffman 47

Social Studies Coalition of Delaware. Authority versus Power. Melissa McDermott. (n.d.)., Retrieved November 2014, from
[Link]

The National First Ladies Library. (n.d.)., Retrieved November 2014, from [Link]
Curriculum=933

"The Standards & SOL-based Instructional Resources." VDOE ::. Virginia Department of Education, Commonwealth of Virginia, (2012). Retrieved
November 2014, from [Link]