Teaching for Understanding

Using the backward design model, first complete the blue boxes to identify the purpose and scope of the unit. Then complete the yellow boxes to sequence the learning plan for accomplishing those goals.

6 Days

Unit Title:

The Balance of Powers: Checks and Balances

LEARNING GOALS

(17) Government. The student understands the framework of government created by the U.S.
Constitution.

TEKS Connection/Driving
TEKS

Length:

The student is expected to:

(A) identify and explain the basic functions of the three branches of government;
(B) identify the reasons for and describe the system of checks and balances outlined in the U.S.
Constitution
THROUGHLINES
Enduring Understandings

GENERATIVE TOPICS
Essential Questions

Leaders have specific roles and responsibilities.

A specific sequence of events effected the creation of our National Government
The best decisions are not made alone.

Is unlimited power a bad thing?

How are you part of your government?
Why is it necessary for each branch to check one anothers decisions?
When is it necessary to get a consensus on a decision?

UNIT GOALS
The student will know:

The System of Checks and Balances

provides the 3 branches a way to secure the blessings of liberty
was an effect of British Rule
was created in an attempt to limit the power of our countrys leaders

 Make an informed decision (a decision that reflects a consensus)

Identify the roles and responsibilities of leaders.
Evaluate the effectiveness of the balance of power, and the chain of command in a system.

The student will be able to:

ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY
CHECKS

BALANCES

BRANCHES

CONSENSUS

LIBERTY

LESSON(S)

PERFORMANCE OF UNDERSTANDING

ONGOING ASSESSMENT

What will students do to learn the content?

How do they show what they know?

How do you know they know?

1. They will participate in a hands-on activity to process They will be recording information in their ISN, presenting They will play a game, take a written test, construct a
their small group work to the class, using manipulatives,
visual to explain 3 branches and checks and balances, and
a visual, read information from the text, use
and taking a written test.
participate in Whip around activity
manipulatives
Students will be able to reconstruct a visual (or create their own) and explain in writing the way the three branches use checks and balances to secure
SUMMATIVE
liberty. As well as answer the following question: How does each branch of government use consensus in their jobs?
ASSESSMENT

LEARNING PLAN
INITIATING,
CONSTRUCTING AND
UTILIZING

Procedures:
Day One
Experiential Exercise: (Preview Lesson 14 from History Alive!) Have students try to balance a book on the end of a pencil. Let
them struggle for a minute, and then have them quickly form groups of three. Tell groups to now try to balance a book on the ends of
three pencils. Have them then talk about which method was more successful. Place a sticky note with the word Liberty written on it
in the center of each of their balanced books. Ask why they think you put the word Liberty on the book and what this structure could
represent. Tell students that this lesson will show them how creating three branches of government helped to establish a stable,
lasting U.S. government after the Articles of Confederation failed.
Writing for Understanding:

Introduce Chapter 14 in History Alive? Americans Past. Tell students that in this lesson they will learn how the United
States created a more stable form of government after the Revolutionary War. Have students read Section 14.1. Be sure to
explain the key terms.
Introduce Graphic Organizer Transparency 14: The Constitution: Like a Threelegged Stool. Project Graphic
Organizer Transparency 14 and ask these questions: What do you see here? What does the stool represent? In what ways
is the Constitution like a threelegged stool? Explain that like a onelegged stool, the central government under the Articles
of confederation was weak, unstable, and ineffective. Tell students that they will learn how the delegates at the Constitutional
Convention redesigned the government to create three strong branches (legs) to better meet the needs of the growing nation.
Have the students write their understanding of the experience and draw a visual in their ISN. Have each student share their
writing individually to the class. Teacher stamps ISN if student shows understanding. Students make a prediction in their ISN:
What branch of the US Government is most powerful? Revisit predictions at the end of the lesson.

Day Two & Three

Reading: Now have small groups break up to read about each of the branches of government with the understanding that they will be
presenting it to the class. Have students look at Reading Notes 14 (pages 56-57 of History Alive Interactive Student Notebook). As a
class, complete Section 14.2 in order to model process to class. All groups are to read and complete Sections 14.3 and have it
checked by teacher. Assign each group to complete one branch of government (Sections 14.4 Legislative Branch, 14.5 Executive
Branch, 14.6 Judicial Branch). You may have 2 groups do each branch to have information presented twice. Groups design some
way to report their information to whole group and notes are checked. Use Guide to Reading Notes 14 to evaluate their responses and
proved students with additional ideas on how to complete their notes. After each report they will take a colored cube that represents
that branch and they will set it on a spring scale in the front of the room. Everyone will take notice of the measurement. (There will be
three spring scales and the final visual will be each of the colored cubes equally measured on the spring scales.) Students will draw
that representation and reflect on what they think we did that purposefully.
Day Four
Skill Building Activity:
1. Divide students into mixed-ability pairs.
2. Introduce students to the activity. Remind students that they have learned about the key elements of the Constitution. Explain
that now they will play a game that will test their knowledge of the powers held by each branch of government.
3. Pass out Student Handout 14A: Constitutional Power Cards and Student Handout 14B: Illustrations for Constitutional Power
Cards to each pair. Have students cut out the Power Cards and the illustrations along the dashed lines. (To save time, you
may want to have these pre-cut and placed in baggies ready to pass out to each pair)
4. Have pairs match illustrations with Power Cards. Tell pairs to carefully examine each illustration and determine which
constitutional power it represents. Then have them place the illustration on the corresponding Power Card. This matching
process helps students reinforces their understanding of constitutional powers. Use Information Master 14: Constitutional
Situations, which shows all the completed Power Cards, to check their answers. Once you have approved their work, have
pairs glue or tape the illustrations to the Power Cards. Then have them sort the cards by branch into three piles.

5. Review the powers and their meanings with students.

Day Five
Assessment Part One:
1. Review the guidelines for the game. Tell students they will now play a game in which you will reveal nine situations, each
requiring action by one or more branches of the federal government. Explain to students that for each situation they will:
have one minute to identify all the Power Cards that any of the branches might use in that situation. In Situations 1
through 4, only one Power Card can be played; in Situations 5 through 9, more than one can be played.
put the Power Cards in the proper sequence to show which branch would act first, second, and last.
receive one point each time they select the correct Power Card(s) for a situation.
2. Project the transparency of Information Master 14 and reveal the first situation without showing the answer. Tell students there
is only one card that can be played in this situation. Give pairs one minute to select the Power Card that describes the power
that would be exercised in the situation.
3. Have several pairs share their responses, and then reveal the correct answer on Information Master 14. Encourage students
to use their Reading Notes to explain their Power Card selection.
4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 for each of the remaining situations. Make sure to tell pairs how many cards they are looking for in
each situation. (NOTE: For Situation 7, the answer reveals that if the United States is attacked by another country, Congress
can declare war [first] and the President can use his/her power as Commander in Chief to use armed forces [second]. This is
not, however, always how the powers are exercised. Several times in history, the President has used armed forces abroad
without a formal declaration of war by Congress. In 1973, the War Powers Act was passed to place stricter limits on the
Presidents war-making powers.)
5. Hold a class discussion. After you have played all nine rounds, have students read Section 14.7. Then ask these questions:
What powers does the legislative branch have to check, or limit, a power of the other branches? The executive
branch? The judicial branch?
At the beginning of the game, which branch did you think would be the strongest? Why? Which do you now think is
strongest?
Count the number of time each branch had the final say (was the last card) in these situations. What does this tell
you about the three branches?
Why do you think the writers of the Constitution created this system of checks and balances?
Day Six
Assessment Part Two:
1. Students participate in Whip Around Activity.
2. Students will take a written test in which they will have to reconstruct a visual (or create their own) and explain in writing the
way the three branches use checks and balances to secure liberty. As well as answer the following question: How does each
branch of government use consensus in their jobs?

Extension Activity One: (Processing 14 Lesson from History Alive! Americas Past) Teacher pre-selects 6 articles (2 articles/branch)
that describe an action carried out by one branch of the federal government. Students write a summary of the articles that includes:
1. A sentence that states whether the action was carried out by the legislative, executive, or judicial branch.
2. A description of the power(s) that the branch exercised.
3. An explanation of how the power(s) could be checked by one of the other two branches.
4. Writing that is free of spelling and grammatical errors.
Extension Activity Two: (Prior to the lesson, get thank you cards or stationary) Each student is given a card and they will become
either a supreme court justice, the president, or a congress member and they will have to write 2 thank you cards to the other two
branches for the role that they play in the government. (Ex. Dear President, Thank you for not vetoing. . .thank you for recognizing our
side of the issue and signing into effect the bill allowing it to become law. . . .Sincerely, Congressman X/ Dear Supreme Court Justice,
Thank you for rejecting the unconstitutional treaty, thank you for always examining the documents and laws to make sure they are
constitutional, thank you for your interpretations of treaties. . .) This will allow students to show their understanding by writing a thank
you letter, but also give it a positive spin in that they are appreciative of the roles that they provide the country as a citizen.
Modification: Only write one thank you
Resources that need to be attached with lesson:
1. Reading pages from History Alive! Americas Past (Sections 14.114.7)
2. Reading Notes 14 (Pages 5657 of Interactive Student Notebook)
3. Guide to Reading Notes 14 (page 199200 of History Alive Lesson Guide 2)
4. Student Handout 14A and 14B (pages 194198 of History Alive Lesson Guide 2)
5. Information Master 14 (192-193 of History Alive Lesson Guide 2)
6. Processing 14 (page 58 of Interactive Student Notebook)
7. Graphic Organizer 14: The Constitution: Like a Three-Legged Stool (History Alive kit)
8. Assessment 14 (pages 190191 of History Alive Lesson Guide 2)
To DO:
Find 6 articles on each branch of government
Write instructions for Whip Around Activity
Scan in all History Alive Materials