Tusculum College Lesson Plan Template

Summer 2013
Name: Olivia Lobertini
Subject/Grade: Social Studies/2nd grade
Estimated Time Frame: Unit: 6 days Lesson: 30 minutes
Standard(s):
Social Studies: 2.25: Create a graphic organizer to explain the three branches of government and the basic roles
of each.
CCSS: W.2.7: Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a number of books on a single topic to
produce a report; record science observations).
Big Idea(s)/Essential Question(s): What is the importance of the three branches of government and what are their
individual roles?
New Learning:
Vocabulary
Unit vocabulary: executive, legislative, judicial, federal, court, congress, president
Lesson vocabulary: roles, branches
Concepts Understand the executive branch is led by the President and this is the branch
that sees that laws are obeyed. Understand that the legislative branch is Congress and that is
the branch that makes our countrys laws. Understand that the judicial branch is led by the
Supreme Court and that this branch makes sure laws are fair.
Skills Identify the roles of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government
and their importance. Being a good group partner by contributing to the work their group will
do to find information about their assigned branch of government. Students will be able to
explain the branch of government they were assigned to the class.
Applications Complete a graphic organizer and a poster board explaining their branch of
government to the class including who leads the branch, where the branch is based, and
what the branchs job is in our government.
Learning Target(s)/Objective(s):

I
I
I
I
I
I

CAN
CAN
CAN
CAN
CAN
CAN

explain the job of the executive branch of the government.

explain the job of the legislative branch of the government.
explain the job of the judicial branch of the government.
identify who leads these three branches.
explain where these branches are located.
explain how these branches work together.

Summative Assessment:
There will be a summative assessment during this lesson even though this is day 5 of a 6 day lesson. The
summative assessment will be filling out their graphic organizer (attached) and presenting their groups poster
board to the class with the information about their assigned branch. This will be a recorded grade.
Instructional Strategies/Activities:
Direct Instruction Explaination of lesson
Indirect Instruction Reading to comprehend
Interactive Discussion
Direct Modeling graphic organizer
Materials and Resources:
Vocabulary list
Students iPad
Bubbl.us
Book: Our Government
Poster board
Paper
Markers
Scissors
Tape
Glue
Smart Board
Enlarged copies of worksheets

INSTRUCTIONAL STEPS
BEGINNING
Assessment

Remind students of the topic for the unit.

Class, this week we have been talking a lot about
our government. Yesterday specifically we talked
about OUR responsibility in our government. We
talked about how important it is to vote and obey the
laws. But now Im wondering where do our laws
come from?! Have you ever thought about where our
laws are made? (pause to let student think)
Ask students: Does anyone have any ideas? Who do
you think makes our laws? (Students hopefully raises
hand to answer and offer semi correct answers).
Youre on the right track! Today we are going to find
out who makes our laws. And I bet these names will
sound familiar to you because we have already talked
about them this week.
Give students a sheet with this units vocabulary. Ask
students to look over it for a minute and think about if
they can see any words we have covered or guess
any words that may have something to do with
creating laws.
Hook: Our classroom has rules and the rules are a lot
like laws, arent they? At the beginning of the year I
created some rules for us to follow so we would have
the best class possible. You ALL have done such a
great job following those rules and thats how we as
citizens follow laws.
Go over the I CAN statements with the class:
I CAN explain the job of the executive branch of the
government.
I CAN explain the job of the legislative branch of the
government.
I CAN explain the job of the judicial branch of the
government.

Pre-Assess: Ask
students if they
know where or
how laws are
made?
Allow
students time to
think and answer
to see if anyone
has any previous
knowledge
of
this topic.

Anticipated Learning
Difficulties/Misunderstandings
and Strategies to Address
Them

The
slightly
hearing
impaired student will sit
near the front of the class,
as close to the teacher as
possible.
The
visually
impaired
students will receive the
units vocabulary with an
enlarged font.

I CAN identify who leads these three branches.

I CAN explain where these branches are located.
I CAN explain how these branches work together.
Tell the students to get out their copy of Our
Government and read pages 8-15 again as a
refresher on the topics we will be discussing today.

MIDDLE
Assessment

Content Input ( I do activities):

Explain to the students that today we are going to
understand and explain the jobs of the executive,
legislative, and judicial branches of government. We
are also going to identify who leads each of these
braches and how they work together.
Ask students to think about what they just read on
pages 8-15.
Ask the following questions and ask that students
hold up 3 fingers if they understand, 2 fingers if they
understand part of the question, or 1 finger if they
dont really understand.
Who makes sure our laws are fair?
Who leads the legislative branch?
What does the President have to do with laws?
Guided Practice (We do):
Demonstrate on the Smart Board how the students
will use their graphic organizer app (bubbl.us) to
make their graphic organizer. Have the students help
you fill in parts of the graphic organizer.
The next part of our graphic organizer asks what the
job of the executive branch is Well that sounds
familiar. Where do I remember that from? (raise hand,

(I DO) During this

part
of
the
lesson, students
will
use
their
fingers
to
represent
and
show the teacher
how well they
are following the
book/lesson.
Students who are
not following well
can be pulled for
small
group
while the other
students work on
their
graphic
organizer.

(We DO) During

this part of the

Anticipated Learning
Difficulties/Misunderstandings
and Strategies to Address
Them

Take note of students who

do not understand the
questions or know the
answers, they can be
pulled for small group
instruction.

Take note of students who

do not show thumbs up or
raise their hand for the
questions asked and pull
them aside when students
are working on their
graphic organizers for
group work. They may

says the book). Thats right! We just read about this

didnt we. Without saying the answer out loud, raise
your hand if you remember reading what the job of
the executive branch is.
Explain that the students are going to try to finish the
graphic organizer on their own before breaking off
into their small groups for the second part of the
lesson. The students are allowed to use their books as
a research material.
Once the students have created their graphic
organizer and the small group instruction has been
completely, the teacher will pull the graphic organizer
up on her smart board so they can fill it in as a class.
Before the class fills it in together, take up the
graphic organizers. This is a recorded research grade.
Once the graphic organizer on the smart board has
been filled in correctly, discuss as a class each branch
of government and how they contribute to laws.

Independent Practice (You do; may include Homework):

Have students break into their three 6 person small
groups (very small school) and pass out the
materials they will need for the independent practice
portion. (A poster board, paper, scissors, markers,
and glue).
Explain to the students that using their book, Our
Government, and the graphic organizer on the smart
board they are going to create another graphic
organizer on bubbl.us and then use what they created
to make a poster board. (Assign branches). These
posters will hang beside the government tree the
class will create tomorrow.
The groups will also present their poster board to the
class the next day and will need to write a speech
they will all contribute to.

assessment,
thumbs up will
indicated when
students
know
the answer to
the
question
presented. This
will be the only
time
thumbs
up will be used
in this lesson, as
it gets repetitive.
(We
DO)
The
teacher will walk
around the room
and monitor the
students
work
on their graphic
organizers. If the
teacher sees a
student making a
mistake, ask the
student
to
reference where
they found that
answer in the
book. When the
student
cannot
find it, suggest
they reread the
passage and look
for another way
to answer the
question.

require extra assistance

when doing their graphic
organizer.
Visually impaired students
will receive a copy of the
graphic organizer with
enlarged fonts
Hearing impaired student
will sit as close to the
teacher as possible.

Visually
impaired
and
hearing impaired students
will not be placed in the
same group, but will be
expected to contribute as
much
as
any
other
student.

You
Do:
The
teacher will walk
around
the
classroom
and
observe to make
sure
every
student
is
participating and
on task.
You do: Teacher
will discuss the
specific
branch
of
government
each group is
working
on
during
the
allotted time.
END

I
I
I
I
I
I

After the lesson is complete, the teacher will review the branches of government and their roles with the students
Discuss with the students how important they think the different branches of government are now that they have
had the chance to research them a bit more.
Cover the I Can statements again:
CAN explain the job of the executive branch of the government.
CAN explain the job of the legislative branch of the government.
CAN explain the job of the judicial branch of the government.
CAN identify who leads these three branches.
CAN explain where these branches are located.
CAN explain how these branches work together.
Tell the students again what they will be working on tomorrow for the last day of the unit. Announce that the
poster will take the place of a summative exam.
TEACHER REFLECTION

Reflection on Lesson Plan and Delivery (to be completed after lesson is taught):
Lesson has not been taught yet.
Hewitt, A. (2010). Our government (pp. 8-15). Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society.