Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Sabrina Savage
Unit Outline
Unit Title: Civics/Government
Grade Level: 3
Standards
O2.S3.C2.PO2. Recognize that there are different levels of government (e.g., local, state, national)
O2.S3.C3.PO1. Identify the basic concept of how laws are made (e.g., law proposed, discussed,
amended, voted on).
O5.S3.C1.PO1. Describe national symbols and monuments that represent American democracy and
values: d. U.S. Capitol
O6.S3.C1.PO4. Describe the significance of national holidays: a. Presidents Day; e. Constitution Day
O8.S3.C1.PO3. Describe how people in the community and state work together to achieve common
goals
O8.S3.C4.PO2. Describe the importance of students contributing to a community (e.g., service projects,
cooperating, volunteering)
Key Terms: local, state, federal, executive branch, legislative branch, judicial branch, senate, house of
representatives, checks and balances, judge, jurisdiction, Constitution, president, congress, mayor,
commissioner, draft, bill, debate, 2/3 majority, veto, impeach, cabinet, volunteer, cooperation, participation
Requisite Knowledge: Students should have a general understanding of who makes up our government, and
how laws are enforced. They should have an understanding of the overall purpose of a government, and the
laws they create. Students should know about the White House, the current president, and some of the jobs of
the President. Students should have a general idea of voting, and responsibilities of being a citizen. Students
should be able to identify examples of good teamwork theyve experience and/or witnessed.
Knowledge Gained from Unit
1
Describe steps that can be taken to make the community a better place
Instructional Sequence
Day one and two: Levels of Government (see lesson plan page 5-6)
Day three: Branches of Government (see lesson plan page 7-8)
Day four: How Laws are made (see lesson plan page 9-11)
Day five: National Symbols
Standard: O5.S3.C1.PO1. Describe national symbols and monuments that represent American
democracy and values: d. U.S. Capitol
Objective: Students will be able to explain the importance of the U.S. Capitol.
Summary: Students will work with a partner to take a virtual field trip to the U.S. Capitol. Afterwards,
they will complete a brief webquest about specific functions and interesting facts about the US Capitol.
Standards
o
O8.S3.C1.PO3. Describe how people in the community and state work together to achieve
common goals
Objectives
o Students will be able to apply their knowledge of the government, and describe how officials
work together to achieve a common goal.
o Students will be able to develop and propose a plan that involves helping the community.
Summary
They will create a plan, rough draft, and final draft of their story
o With a partner, develop a public service announcement for the school, city, state, or country. In
your announcement, describe what it is people need to get involved with (e.g., service projects,
volunteering, etc.) Explain why they need to get involved, and how it will make a difference.
They will make a final draft of their script for the PSA to be recorded
Materials: Lined paper, story graphic organizer, video camera, campaign graphic organizer
Components
Grade Level: 3
Description of Plan
# of mins
1. Content Standards
Choose ONE standard. Be sure to
write out the entire standard, not just
the number.
NA
2. Learning Objectives
Choose ONE objective that leads
toward mastery of the standard
Must be specific, measurable, and
realistic.
Must have at least two parts:
learning and behavior
Day one: Students will be able to compare and contrast the levels of
government, to the structure of their school.
NA
3. Anticipatory Set:
Sometimes called a "hook" to grab
the student's attention
Focuses student attention on the
objective and the purpose of the
lesson
Activates prior knowledge
Requires ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
from ALL learners
4. Teaching-Input:
Using effective and varied strategies,
provide information for students to
gain the knowledge, strategy, or skill.
Day one:
10 minutes
Day two: Call on students to write each level on the board horizontally
-Have different students fill in people and responsibilities of each level of
government
-Students at their seats will be filling in a graphic organizer to take notes
Day two:
5 minutes
Day one: Have students compare and contrast the structure of their
school to the structure of the government
-What are some similarities?
-What are some differences?
-What works well, what could work better?
Day one: 5
minutes
5. Teaching-Modeling:
Demonstrate and show examples of
what students are expected to do
(how to solve the problem, answer
the question, do the activity etc.).
Day two: Students will be able to define the levels of government, name
who is responsible at each level, and describe their duties
Day one:
5 minutes
Day two:
5 minutes
Day two:
NA
-Students will now receive a Venn diagram of their own where they will
compare and contrast the structure of the school to the structure of the
government
Day one:
10 minutes
Day two:
5 minutes
7. Guided Practice:
An opportunity for each student to
demonstrate new learning by
working through an activity or
exercise with the teachers
guidance.
Day one:
5 minutes
8. Closure:
Actions or statements made by
teachers AND students that
summarize lesson objectives.
Essential for helping students
integrate ideas, make sense out of
what has just been taught, and to
improve their chances of retention
and transfer.
-Ask students to make connections between what it might be like to become President of the
U.S. versus becoming the principal of the school
-Ask students to take a stand on whether one position is more important than the other, and
defend their answer
9. Independent Practice:
AFTER proper closure, it is important
to provide time for additional practice.
It may be group or individual work in
class or it might be homework.
Homework: After day two, students will write a brief paragraph answering the closing question
from class. They will list at least 3 reasons why they believe their answer is right.
NA
10. Assessment:
The formative and/or summative
assessments that are aligned with the
objective.
Summative assessment will occur at the end of the government unit. Students will be expected
to define key terms and recall information about the levels of government.
Formative assessment will take place during class while observing student discussions. They
will also be graded on the thoughtfulness of their
NA
11. Differentiation:
How you will reach diverse learners
by varying the:
Content
Process
Product
Students have the opportunity to access all knowledge presented in this lesson through online
activities, and in class discussion. They will receive graphic organizers to assist in quality note
taking. They have the opportunity to learn from interactions with the teacher, and interactions
with their peers.
NA
Students are expected to think critically about what makes a good leader at
each level of government. They must apply that knowledge to writing a
campaign that will persuade their peers to vote for them. They must
demonstration effective communication when delivering their campaign
speech.
NA
Day two:
40 minutes
Grade Level 3
In small groups, students will spend a week reading the book Flat Stanley Worldwide Adventures: The US Capitol
Commotion prior to beginning this lesson. They will follow guided reading questions that will introduce various parts of
our government from the book. The branches of government are introduced in chapter 4. Prior to this lesson, students will
complete reading chapters 1-3. They will read chapter 4 for this lesson, and complete the book on the following days.
Components
1. Content Standards
Choose ONE standard. Be sure to
write out the entire standard, not just
the number.
Description of Plan
Reading: Strand 1. PO 1: Predict events and actions, based
upon prior knowledge and text features
PO 4. Answer clarifying questions in order to comprehend text.
# of mins
N/A
3. Anticipatory Set:
Sometimes called a "hook" to grab
the student's attention
Focuses student attention on the
objective and the purpose of the
lesson
Activates prior knowledge
Requires ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
from ALL learners
5 minutes
4. Teaching-Input:
Using effective and varied strategies,
provide information for students to gain
the knowledge, strategy, or skill.
5 minutes
5. Teaching-Modeling:
Demonstrate and show examples of
what students are expected to do (how
to solve the problem, answer the
question, do the activity etc.).
5 minutes
N/A
N/A
5 minutes
7. Guided Practice:
An opportunity for each student to
demonstrate new learning by working
through an activity or exercise with
the teachers guidance.
-In groups based on reading level, students will complete chapter 4. They will take turns
reading, one page at a time. While they read, they will complete a guided comprehension
question check that will later serve as notes for their lesson.
-Connect the three branches of government from the book
-Take a virtual field trip to the White House: https://www.whitehouse.gov/about/inside-whitehouse/interactive-tour
10 minutes
8. Closure:
Actions or statements made by
teachers AND students that
summarize lesson objectives.
Essential for helping students
integrate ideas, make sense out of
what has just been taught, and to
improve their chances of retention
and transfer.
5 minutes
9. Independent Practice:
AFTER proper closure, it is important
to provide time for additional practice.
It may be group or individual work in
class or it might be homework.
-Students will work independently to construct a tree with three branches. Each branch will
represent a branch of the government, and the leaves above them will be important information
about that branch of government. For example, what their duties are, and who belongs to the
branch. They can use notes from the book, and information from the lesson to fill out what they
feel is most important.
-Students will begin constructing their tree in class, while I check for understanding of the
assignment. What is not complete will be taken home for homework.
10 minutes
10. Assessment:
The formative and/or summative
assessments that are aligned with the
objective.
-Government Formative Assessment occurs when checking students understanding of how the
government is formed, and their final product of the tree branches of government.
-Reading Formative Assessment occurs while reading the book, and completing
comprehension checks along the way.
-Government Summative assessment will occur at the end of the Government unit. Some
questions on their test will cover material from the whole unit.
-Reading Summative assessment: Accelerated Reader Quiz on Flat Stanley when book is
complete
N/A
11. Differentiation:
How you will reach diverse learners by
varying the:
Content
Process
Product
-The class is required to read the same book, which introduces the government themed unit.
There are no variations of this book, so students will work in groups to complete the book with
others of similar reading abilities. ELL or students with a learning disability will receive more
one on one reading time with their group and the instructor. Students whose abilities exceed
the level of the book will be given an opportunity to create an enrichment project after finishing
the book.
N/A
Students are required to use critical thinking skills when analyzing their
reading. They need to be able to relate to the text, demonstrate understanding
through comprehension checks, and use knowledge about events in the book
to make possible predications for the future. They demonstrate creativity when
constructing their government tree, artistically and through summarizing
important information. Students work together to complete and understand
the major events in a chapter from their book. They must effectively
communicate their understanding of the text, and how it relates to the study of
our government.
10 minutes
Components
Grade Level 3
Description of Plan
# of mins
1. Content Standards
Choose ONE standard. Be sure to
write out the entire standard, not just
the number.
Outcome 2. Concept 3. PO1. Identify the basic concept of how laws are
made (law proposed, discussed, amended, voted on)
N/A
2. Learning Objectives
Choose ONE objective that leads
toward mastery of the standard
Must be specific, measurable, and
realistic.
Must have at least two parts:
learning and behavior
Students will be able to model the steps the government uses when
creating new laws, by participating in a various roles of government
officials.
N/A
3. Anticipatory Set:
Sometimes called a "hook" to grab
the student's attention
Focuses student attention on the
objective and the purpose of the
lesson
Activates prior knowledge
Requires ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
from ALL learners
5 minutes
4. Teaching-Input:
Using effective and varied strategies,
provide information for students to
gain the knowledge, strategy, or skill.
5 minutes
5. Teaching-Modeling:
Demonstrate and show examples of
what students are expected to do
(how to solve the problem, answer
the question, do the activity etc.).
5 minutes
5 minutes
7. Guided Practice:
An opportunity for each student to
-Students will form groups of 3 or 5 (dependent upon class size, try for an odd number in each
group)
-Students will have the opportunity to act as a participant in each group: Congressmen then
25 minutes
8. Closure:
Actions or statements made by
teachers AND students that
summarize lesson objectives.
Essential for helping students
integrate ideas, make sense out of
what has just been taught, and to
improve their chances of retention
and transfer.
-Review all steps the bills took to get to the final step.
-Discuss how many bills made it to the end versus how many were originally presented.
-Ask students if they think this process is easy or difficult, and explain why they feel that way.
-Once students have come to the conclusion that the bills process to becoming a law is long and
difficult, ask them why they think it should be long and difficult. Ex. Why cant one group be in
charge of passing the bill? Why cant the President make these decisions on his own?
(Integrate with previous lesson on the branches of government, and how it relates to checks and
balances)
5 minutes
9. Independent Practice:
AFTER proper closure, it is important
to provide time for additional practice.
It may be group or individual work in
class or it might be homework.
5 minutes
-Choose any bill that made it through all steps in the class activity. Write a formal letter to the
teacher or principle (depending on whether the bill is for the classroom or school as a whole)
explaining why you feel the bill should become a law. Discuss why it is important, and how it will
help students/the school. In your letter, describe the steps the bill took to get to the final decision
maker (the President). *Optional: Revise the bill to incorporate any better ideas
-On a piece of plain white paper, draw a diagram of the steps a bill takes to become a law. Label
each step appropriately. On the back, choose a bill that made it through all 3 steps in the class
activity. Draw a Venn diagram and fill in pros, cons, and similarities of the bill. *Optional: Revise
the bill to incorporate any better ideas
-Give students prompts. Answer any questions about guidelines.
10. Assessment:
The formative and/or summative
assessments that are aligned with the
objective.
-Assessment will occur during the guided practice phase to ensure all students are actively
participating in the discussion, and that no one student is dominating.
-Students writing will be based on accuracy of information, and thought when weighing positives
and negatives of a bill.
- Summative assessment will occur at the end of the Government unit. Some questions on their
test will cover material from the whole unit.
N/A
11. Differentiation:
How you will reach diverse learners
by varying the:
Content
Process
Product
Content: All students will be required to understand the basic concept of how a bill becomes a
law. Other students may take this further in their homework assignment to make amendment
proposals.
Process: Students will receive instruction through a very brief Prezi that explains how a bill
moves through each step to become a law. They will also see what happens when a group
disagrees with the bill. Students will view a brief video that reiterates the same general ideas.
Students will then practice each step in their groups.
Product: The student must demonstrate their understand of the steps by choosing one of the
appropriate homework assignments.
N/A
10
N/A
Appendices
(A) Lesson title: Levels of Government
(A1) Government versus School Structure
(A2) Levels of government flow chart
(A3) Campaign outline
(A4) Grading Rubrics
(A5) Venn Diagram
(B) Lesson title: Branches of Government
(B1 B2) Tree cutouts page
Flat Stanley Worldwide Adventures: The US Capitol Commotion
Accelerated Reader Quiz: Use Student Log in
Virtual Field Trip to the White House: https://www.whitehouse.gov/about/inside-white-house/interactive-tour
(C) Lesson title: How Laws are made
Steps to becoming a law: http://kids.clerk.house.gov/grade-school/lesson.html?intID=17
YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/tyeJ55o3El0
Writing prompt in lesson plan
Grading rubric (C1)
(D) Lesson title: National Symbols
Webquest: A tour of the Capitol: http://kids.clerk.house.gov/grade-school/lesson.html?intID=33
(D1) Webquest questionnaire
(E) Lesson title: Rights, Responsibilities, and Roles of Citizenship
(E1) Story graphic organizer
(E2) Short story rubric
(E3) PSA graphic organizer
(E4) PSA rubric
11
School Structure
Structure of Government
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13
Organization
Student's
campaign
is
easy
to
follow,
their
reasons
for
voting
are
clear
and
easy
to
understand.
The
student
organizes
most
of
their
campaign,
however
some
supporting
details
are
out
of
order.
Comments
Presentation
Student
speaks
The
student
speaks
clearly,
but
stumbles
slowly
and
clearly
to
on
some
parts
of
their
classmates.
It's
their
campaign.
They
obvious
they
need
to
adjust
their
practiced
what
they
speed
(slow
wrote.
down/speed
up).
Student
speaks
to
quickly,
and
stumbles
on
a
lot
of
their
campaign.
It
is
not
clear
that
they
read
through
their
final
draft.
Research
Student
Student
understands
demonstrates
an
most
of
the
duties
of
understanding
of
the
their
role,
however
responsibilities
of
some
duties
are
the
role
they
are
missing
or
mixed
up
campaigning
for.
with
a
different
role.
16
17
18
Comments
Organization
Student's
letter
is
correctly
organized
using
all
parts
of
a
formal
letter
(heading,
body,
closing,
etc.)
Research
Student
uses
knowledge
about
the
government
or
school
to
write
a
thorough
and
convincing
argument
for
their
bill.
Mechanics
19
Imagine you are an alien living on another planet. On your planet, there is one leader who tells
everyone what to do. However, this is no longer working well because the aliens do not always agree
with the demands of one person. Because of this, there is a lot of fighting and protests that are
happening. The alien planet is falling apart. You are elected to travel to Earth to research ways to help
your alien planets survival. After touching down on Earth, you quickly meet some friends from the
United States of America. Write about an adventure you have with your new friends. Describe some
things you learn about the country that you can teach to your alien country to help everyone improve
their teamwork, and chance for survival.
List your characters and use some descriptive adjectives to describe them.
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Beginning
Middle
End
21
Organization
Good
flow
of
ideas
from
topic
sentence
and
details
or
sequence
The
sequence
of
Parts
of
the
story
the
story
does
not
are
out
of
order
make
sense
Sentences
No
sentence
errors;
There
is
variety
in
length
and
type
of
sentence
Mostly
complete
sentences,
some
variety
in
length
and
type
Several
run-on
sentences,
and
shows
little
variety
in
length
and
type
Vocabulary
Grammar
No
errors
in
agreement,
number,
tense
Few
errors
in
agreement,
number,
tense
Some
errors
in
agreement,
number,
tense
Many
errors
in
agreement,
number,
tense
Punctuation
Uses
correct
punctuation
throughout
the
story,
uses
a
variety
of
punctuation
Many
errors
in
punctuation
Spelling
No spelling errors
Many
spelling
errors
Some
errors
in
Few
errors
in
punctuation,
does
punctuation,
uses
not
use
a
wide
a
variety
of
variety
of
punctuation
punctuation
Few
spelling
errors
Some
spelling
errors
Comments
22
With a partner, develop a public service announcement for the school, city, state, or
country. In your announcement, describe what it is people need to get involved with (e.g.,
service projects, volunteering, etc.) Convince them why they need to get involved, and how
it will make a difference.
Name of Project or Service: ___________________________________________
Where will the project or service take place: ______________________________
Who will this project benefit most? _____________________________________
Fill the cloud with strong
convincing words you will use
wit h persuasive language.
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23
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Research
Student
presents
accurate
information,
and
service
project
is
very
beneficial
to
their
cause
Student's
information
is
Student
needs
more
accurate,
the
project
research
to
fully
is
somewhat
understand
the
beneficial
to
their
needs
of
their
cause
cause
Organization
Student
presents
information
that
is
neatly
organized,
and
easy
to
follow
Student's
information
is
mostly
organized,
most
viewers
can
follow
the
announcement
Student
needs
to
revisit
their
graphic
organizer,
and
rewrite
information
in
a
way
that
their
audience
can
easily
follow
Clarity
Student
speaks
clearly,
slowly,
and
at
an
appropriate
level
Student
would
benefit
from
slightly
adjusting
their
delivery
speed
or
voice
level
Persuasion
Comments