Lesson Planning Form for Accessible Instruction Calvin College Education Program

Teacher
Date

Matt DeKryger
11/4/14

Subject/ Topic/ Theme

Civics/Legislative Branch

Grade ____11______

I. Objectives
How does this lesson connect to the unit plan?
Political Parties outline their stance on an issue at their National Conventions every four years, but that does not mean that individuals have to agree with their party on
every platform. People are often labeled liberal or conservative, but that does not mean they fall into that category on every issues. Last lesson we began looking at
political positions, and in the future we will be exploring issues in greater depth. This lesson focuses on allowing students to identify where they fall in America's
parties so that in the next lessons they have a core of beliefs in which to explore issues with. Third parties are also highlighted as a way that people can cover issues
that they disagree with or are neglected by their party.

Learners will be able to:

cognitiveR U Ap An E C*

Identify with a political party

Evaluate where Democrats & Republicans differ in their stances on public issues.
Analyze how party stances can vary by region
observe the complexities behind identifying with a party members of each party are all across the board/spectrum

physical
development

socioemotional

An,
E, U
An
U,

Common Core standards (or GLCEs if not available in Common Core) addressed: C1.1.4 Explain the purposes of politics, why people
engage in the political process, and what the political process can achieve (e.g. promote the greater good, promote self-interest, advance solutions to public issues and
problems, achieve a just society). C2.2.3 Use past and present policies to analyze conflicts that arise in society due to competing constitutional principles or
fundamental values (e.g. liberty and authority, justice and equality, individual rights and the common good). C2.2.5 -Use examples to investigate why people may
agree on constitutional principles and fundamental values in the abstract, yet disagree over their meaning when they are applied to specific situations. C3.5.2
Describe the origin and evolution of political parties and their influence. C6.1.1 Identify and research various viewpoints on significant public policy issues.
(Note: Write as many as needed. Indicate taxonomy levels and connections to applicable national or state standards. If an objective applies to particular learners
write the name(s) of the learner(s) to whom it applies.)
*remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, create (p. 516 Woolfork)

II. Before you start

Identify prerequisite
knowledge and skills.

-sense for where you stand on public issues

Pre-assessment (for learning):

-worlds smallest political quiz from last lesson started getting the ball rolling for students to think
where they fall politically
Formative (for learning):

Outline assessment
activities
(applicable to this lesson)

What barriers might this

lesson present?
What will it take
neurodevelopmentally,
experientially,
emotionally, etc., for your
students to do this lesson?

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-students discuss misconceptions or questions they have about America's two parties with each other or
with me.
Formative (as learning):

-Based on student's discussion or knowledge, I assess how in-depth I need to provide background
information or clarify for understandings.
Summative (of learning):
Provide Multiple Means of
Representation
Provide options for perceptionmaking information perceptible
-info is presented visually,
discussed audibly, and students
explore it while completing note
packet page.

Provide Multiple Means of Action

and Expression
Provide options for physical actionincrease options for interaction
-students can work alone or with a
partner to fill out Party Stance
page.
-computers in classroom are used to
fill out Party Stance page.

Provide options for language,

mathematical expressions, and
symbols- clarify & connect
language
-clarify vocabulary
-give students time to work or think
through a quote and form an answer

Provide options for expression and

communication- increase medium
of expression
-students use computers, phones, or
whatever they want to compose
their answers on work sheet.

Provide Multiple Means of

Engagement
Provide options for recruiting
interest- choice, relevance, value,
authenticity, minimize threats
-students pick 5 topics that interest
them on the Party Stance page
worksheet
-students will have 9-12 minutes to
complete, & a clock will be set to
keep students on task.
Provide options for sustaining effort
and persistence- optimize challenge,
collaboration, mastery-oriented
feedback
-students have option of working
together to complete Stances on
Issues sheet.
-students welcome to fill in more
than 5 if time allows

Provide options for comprehensionactivate, apply & highlight

-show how party lines vary in
different parts of the country,
liberal in some areas may be
conservative in others no set rule,
but there are regional patterns.
-both parties support many of the
same thing, just the way they go
about them is different

.Provide options for executive

functions- coordinate short & long
term goals, monitor progress, and
modify strategies
-short-term lesson: find where you
stand (Dem/Rep; Lib/Cons)
-longer-term lesson: use this as
building block for future
lessons/simulation later in unit.

Materials-what materials
(books, handouts, etc) do
you need for this lesson
and are they ready to
use?

Pages 13-16 in the note packet

-political Spectrum (p. 13)
-Stances on Issues (p. 14-16)

How will your classroom

be set up for this lesson?

Same as before: 5/6 students per table at 6 tables.

Provide options for self-regulationexpectations, personal skills and

strategies, self-assessment &
reflection
-students should assess where they
fall politically throughout the lesson,
but especially while exploring party
stances on public issues.

III. The Plan

Time

Components
Motivation
(opening/
introduction/
engagement)

-Both Parties have wide views on a variety of

issues. Today we will be exploring a number of
these differences
-Tell students: Remember, both parties are against
crime & poverty. Both parties promote education,
religion, and the National defense.
-differences is subtle
-has to do w how they see the role of the gov't

10

15

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Describe teacher activities

AND
student activities
for each component of the lesson. Include important higher order thinking questions and/or
prompts.
-Open lesson by giving brief history of
-Actively engage & listen
Democrats & Republicans
-Open up to Political Spectrum page in notes
-They had different meanings than they do today.
-Follow along through page as teacher goes over it
-Go through political spectrum page, defining
any confusing vocabulary and clarifying any
questions students have.
-Note how even within parties, there are wide
varieties of beliefs.

Development
(the largest
component or
main body of
the lesson)

-give students 10 minutes to complete

-6ish minutes should be enough because they do
not need to do research.
-Ask Qt: Where would you place yourself on the
political spectrum and why?
-Students will discuss this using a conversation line
-think of this as speed dating.
-one line faces the other and talks for 1:30, then
the other talks for 1:30.
-repeat procedure 3-4x as time permits

-Open up to Stances on Issues sheet

-each student picks at least five of the major issues
that interests them the most.

-need to indicate HOW the party proposes to

address issue
-work alone, with partner, use any media phone,
computer, etc.
-Next, have students talk with other students to fill
in 5 more issues that they did not choose.

-students talk with adjacent student to get a feel for

where others are politically, as well as possibly
provide new insight for their own ideals.

-students will have realized that one party will not

address their beliefs on every issue
-introduce students to the idea of third parties.
-Actively listen and engage, partaking in discussion
Closure
15
-over time, factions have attempted to break up the
when necessary/appropriate.
(conclusion,
two-party system by creating new parties to meet
culmination,
specific needs when the two parties are not
wrap-up)
adequately addressing them.
-Third parties can:
-focus on a single issue: Free Soil Party
-push for ideological change: Libertarian,
Socialist Labor Party
-splinter off major parties: Tea Party, Bull
Moose Party
Your reflection about the lesson, including evidence(s) of student learning and engagement, as well as ideas for improvement
for next time. (Write this after teaching the lesson, if you had a chance to teach it. If you did not teach this lesson, focus on the
process of preparing the lesson.)
This lesson will have much more familiar political terms than the previous lesson because of the heavy discussion about
Democrats and Republics. It is important to run through the party stances on issues before the lesson is taught because it
makes it easier to assist students while they explore. I need to be careful because many people get worked up about politics
and party lines, however, it is important to remain composed and objective.

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