This is
one of the lesson plans I will be using to teach this year. If
there are any questions please email me at jwyse0499@westfield.ma.edu
Unit: Social
Studies
Grade: 4
Lesson: Stepping
inside the
Government
Objectives:
1. Students will be able to
recognize the 3
branches of government and their responsibilities.
-In order to show their
understanding of the
different branches of government, students will complete a
handout using the
information learned during the checks and balances web activity.
-The
handout is made up of fill in the blank sentences, where the
students will be
able to choose the correct work from a word bank.
-This activity will be used to
determine if
students have met the objective after while they complete the
checks and
balances activity. Students will fill out the handout as they go
through the
activity
2. Students will know and be able to
explain how
the government works for them.
-By completing the “How government
works for you”
activity, students will be able to see how they are affected by
the government
in different ways.
-After completing the activity
students must write
3 ways that the government on the back of the handout affects
them.
-This activity will be used to
determine if the
students met the objective after they complete the how
government works for you
activity.
Instructional
Technique: Classroom
Discussion,
Individual work
Instructional
Materials: Worksheet,
Computers.
1st website: http://guest.portaportal.com/jwyse
2nd website: http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/usa_game/government/balance_of_power_2.18.swf
3rd
website: http://pbskids.org/democracy/
Theoretical
Perspective: Students need to understand this information so they
know the different
branches of the government and how it works so when they are
older in life they
can understand how the country runs. The voting website can make
it easier for
kids to see how to vote themselves when they are old enough and
the process
their parents have to go through.
Procedure:
A. Introductory Activity
· Introduce
the topic of the three branches of government by
asking the students if they know anything
about them. If they
do, what do they know?
B.
Step-by-Step
Descriptive Outline
· Teach
the students what the three branches of government
are.
· List
the main duties and responsibilities of them.
· After
all the students have clear knowledge of all the
branches, tell them to go on the “classroom website”
(portaportal.com).
· At
the classroom website, there will be a link to a website
names “Checks and Balances Game.”
· Teacher
will pass out a handout that will have instructions
on how to complete the game.
· Afterwards,
students will go back to the classroom website
where there will be another website link. The name of this game
is “The
Democracy Project.”
· Here
the teacher will instruct the students to click where
is says “How the Government Works for You” near the bottom of
the page.
· This
is where the students can click on any of the places
within the “town”-it will provide information on how the
government works with
every one of those places.
· Instruct
students to click on any five places and read the
information that follow.
· After,
tell the students they can either do the “step inside
the voting booth” or “be president for a day!” games. Each
student can complete
one of these activities.
· When
they are done with the activity of their choice, tell
them to write three ways the government works for them and their
town. They may
write these on the back of the handout.
C.
Closure
· Gather
students back at their desks.
· The
teacher will ask the students to say one of their
reasons the government works.
· Ask
who chose the “president” activity and who did the
“voting booth” activity. Ask the students to explain what they
did and if they
learned anything. Also, do they want to say anything else about
their activity?
D.
Adaptations for
Different Learners
· Bold
or italicize important words on the handouts.
· Make
sure to walk around the room to help struggling
readers/non-native speaker in case they need help interpreting
information.
· Keep
in mind that this is a history lesson, not an English lesson,
so do not mark down or penalize students’ answers because of
grammar mistakes,
misspelling, etc.
· Have
an English dictionary in the room.
· Seat
troubled students near teacher.
· Ensure
the students are clear with instructions before
moving on with activities.
E.
Homework
·
Go home and
ask parent/guardian what political party they root for and why?
(If the
parent/guardian is fine with giving this information).
Evaluation:
Objectives:
1.
Students
will be able to recognize the 3 branches of government and their
responsibilities.
-In order to show their
understanding
of the different branches of government, students will complete
a handout using
the information learned during the checks and balances web
activity. -The
handout is made up of fill in the blank sentences, where the
students will be
able to choose the correct work from a word bank.
-This activity will be
used to
determine if students have met the objective after while they
complete the
checks and balances activity. Students will fill out the handout
as they go
through the activity
2.
Students
will know and be able to explain how the government works for
them.
-By completing the “How
government
works for you” activity, students will be able to see how they
are affected by
the government in different ways.
-After completing the
activity students
must write 3 ways that the government on the back of the handout
affects them.
-This activity will be
used to
determine if the students met the objective after they complete
the how
government works for you activity.
Concerns or Questions
about Lesson.
1) Sit down at a computer and log in
with your
school username.
2) Once you are logged in, open up
Internet
Explorer.
3) Type this link into the search
bar at the top of
the page… http://guest.portaportal.com/jwyse
4) Go to the 6th grade tab and click
the first link
under that tab titled Checks and Balances Game
5) Read The Introduction and then
click on the
yellow arrow in the bottom right hand corner. (Keep in
mind, which bodies
of our government make up each branch.)
Executive = The President and His
Cabinet
Legislative = Congress and Senate
Judicial = The Supreme Court
6) Take a few minutes to read the
specific duties
of each individual branch of government.
7) When you feel as though you have
memorized the duties
of each branch, read the instructions and then click on the
yellow arrow.
8) There will be sentences with
blank spaces that
compare 2 different branches of government. Drag the words at
the bottom of the
page that fit the best in the blank spots in each sentences.
9) Once all the sentences are
completed and the
scale at the bottom of the page is balanced, you know you have
filled in the
sentences correctly and that those branches of government “check
and balance”
each other evenly.
10) Review your answers, if you have
any questions
ask the teacher, if not then click the yellow arrow to move on.
11) Repeat the clicking and dragging
process until
your sentences are completed and the scale is balanced.
12) Review your answers and then
click the yellow arrow
to move on.
13) Repeat the clicking and dragging
process until
your sentences are completed and the scale is balanced. (Use
your knowledge
from the previous two comparisons to help you fill in the blanks
about these
branches.)
14) When you finish, click on the
yellow arrow, the
site will tell you how many mistakes you made in attempting to
complete the
sentences about each government branch.
15) You now have 2 choices, you may
either practice
with this activity again, or move on the presidential website.
16) To go to the “Be a President”
site, go back to
the first link and go to the 6th grade tab, then click on be a
President.
17) Once on The Be a President site,
you may either
explore the “How Government Works for You” activity, the “Step
Inside the Voting
Booth” activity, or the “Be President for a Day” activity.
18) For
Extra Credit, write on a separate piece of paper 3 facts about
our government,
voting, or the presidency that you learned. (At the end of
class be sure
to logoff your computer and push in your chairs.)
Worksheet
Name: ____________________
Date:
___________
We have been learning
about the
government and the different responsibilities of each of the
three branches.
It is now time to review what we have learned. Your
mission is to
fill in the blanks using the words in the provided word bank
(every word will
be used once). You will find the information needed in
order to fill in
the blanks while completing the checks and balances activity
online. Good
Luck!
|
Supreme Court |
Impeach |
|
Laws |
Veto |
|
President |
Subpoena |
|
2/3 majority |
Laws |
|
Treaties |
Constitution |
|
Life |
Appoints |
|
Court |
Cabinet |
Executive
Branch
1.
Makes
__________ with other countries.
2.
Carries
out __________.
3.
President
chooses and _________ Supreme __________ justices for a
__________ term.
Legislative
Branch
1.
Can
__________ President for misconduct.
2.
Overrides
President __________ with __________ vote.
3.
Must
approve Presidential appointments for the __________.
Judicial
Branch
1.
Can
declare laws to be against the __________.
2.
Can
__________ evidence against the _________ and his __________.
3.
Interprets
__________.