COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP

PROJECT-BASED LESSON
Candidate:
Yessenia Flores

Date:
May 24, 2015

Lesson Title:
Grade Level:
The Beginning of Something Great
5th
Type of Lesson: Project-Based
Duration: 1-2 weeks
Subject Matter: Social Studies
Lesson Content Description:
Students will have an understanding of why the Constitution was made
and why it is so significant to todays society
Content Standard:
7.0 students describe the people and events associated with the
development of the U.S. Constitution and analyze the Constitutions
significance as the foundation of the American Republic
Lesson Objective:
Assessment:
Formative: observation, poll everywhere
Summative: Newspaper Article the students have created
Technology:
Materials:
We the Kids Book by David Catrow
School House Rock- the preamble
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHp7sMqPL0g
Timeline Framework: Delegates to the Constitutional Convention,
the work begins, writing the Constitution, The Great
Compromise, Signing of the Constitution, Ratifying the
Constitution, Bill of Rights, Powers of Federal Gov., 3 branches of
Gov., Checks and Balances, Amendments
(Note: this website also provides a timeline of the development
of the Constitution
http://constitutioncenter.org/timeline/html/cw02.html
Webquest: you can use this webquest OR use this as a reference
for the desired assignment
http://www.eduwebs.org/Webquests/constitution/constitution.htm

INTO
Day 1
Start off by asking the class If you had the chance to run the
country and make laws, what would you do?
Allow students to get into groups and discuss the topic
If students have phones, have them text their answers to poll
everywhere (Note: this is a website where you can create
questions and students can answer anonymously)
Walk around listening to the conversation the students are
having
As the students are coming up with ideas as a group, explain to
them that that will be the main topic at hand
Have the groups write down their definitive answers on a large
piece of butcher paper
Collect what theyve come up with as it will be passed back later.
THROUGH
Day 2-5 Webquest!
In groups of 3-4 have students work on webquest. The
assignment is to write a newspaper article, as many of the
students in the school dont really know what the Constitution is.
They are to answer 4 main questions as found on the webquest.
(Note: The resources to gather the information are also found on
the webquest)
As soon as students have the required information they should
develop a 6 paragraph essay (as a group) to be part of the
newspaper
Week 2 Day 1-2
Rough drafts of essays should be turned in and revised, have
students write their final copy
Once the class is finished, have students present their
newspaper to students in the school (Note: Talk to teachers of
different grade levels if its ok that students present in
classroom)
Have students share their experiences as a class, what they
liked, what they found difficult
Day 3-4
Read a loud the We the Kids book so that students can see in
different words the preamble
Introduce the preamble using the youtube video. Have students
sing along

BEYOND
Day 5
Bring out the large butcher papers the students worked on in the
beginning of the lesson topic.
Have students reflect if what they learned about the Constitution
matches what they wrote down as a group