Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Thematic Unit Theme/Title/Grade Level: The Foundation and Structure of the United States Government- 3 Grade
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Rationale for
Instruction
A rationale is an essential
part of thoughtful planning of
classroom instruction. This is
a brief written statement of
the purpose for instruction
and the connection of the
purpose to instruction that
has come before and will
follow.
Learning Objectives
What will students know and
be able to do at the end of
this lesson? Be sure to set
significant (related to NGSS
Themes, CCSS, and
NGSSS), challenging,
measurable and appropriate
learning goals!
Why this lesson is a necessary element of the curriculum? [An example from Broward County Schools Elementary
students should begin to understand that as citizens of the United States, they have both rights (privacy, speech,
religion, movement, assembly) and responsibilities (voting, obeying the law, helping in the community). Students should
be willing to exercise both their rights and responsibilities.]
The Constitution is the supreme law of the United States. Its first three articles contain the doctrine of the separation of
powers, whereby the federal government is divided into three branches: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral
Congress; the executive, consisting of the President; and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal
courts. It is important for students to know how their government is constructed and how it was formed. Developing
knowledge of this information will help students to become informed participants in a democracy. Students will be made
aware of the men and women who make important decisions regarding their lives, their country, and the world.
Depending on the topic, grade level and length of time required for lesson, 3-5 objectives may be acceptable.
Remember a learning objective is a statement in specific and measurable terms that describes what the learner will
know or be able to do as a result of engaging in a learning activity as well as how that learning will be demonstrated. All
learning objectives should begin with:
The student will be able to compare and contrast the process of writing a constitution present day versus 1787.
The student will be able to identify the purpose of the United States Constitution.
The students will be able to define a constitution.
The students will apply their knowledge of a constitution to create their own Classroom Constitution.
The students will be able to recognize James Madisons contributions to the Constitution of the United States of
America.
NCSS Theme/Next
Generation Sunshine
Do you cross the curriculum? What other content fields (language arts, science, math, the arts, physical education,
technology) do you address in this lesson?
State
Standards/Common
Core Standards
(LAFS/MAFS)
List each standard that will be
addressed during the lesson.
Cutting and pasting from the
website is allowed. You must
have a minimum of 3
standards that represent
multiple content areas
identified in this portion of the
lesson plan.
These can be downloaded
from the Florida Dept of
Education
www.cpalms.org/homepage/i
ndex.aspx.
defined our nations framework and protected our democratic form of government for more than two centuries.
After the Constitution was ratified (approved), worries about the protection of individual freedoms were answered by the
Bill of Rights, a set of ten Constitutional amendments passed in 1791. These additions to the Constitution promised that
the federal government would protect the rights of individual citizens.
2. After provided the students these information allow students time to record their responses to these three important
questions in their journals and then discuss in a group of three to four:
1. What is a constitution?
2. Why do you think the Founding Fathers believed that rules about
government should be written down?
3. Do you agree or disagree with this? Why or Why not?
After the students have had time to discuss bring back students whole group. Reveal that a constitution is a plan or set
of rules that helps people live together peacefully and happily. Ask students what they recorded in their journals and
compare/contrast it to the definition above. Have students then discuss their answers to questions two and three.
3. Next the teacher will introduce the Father of the Constitution to the students. The teacher will explain to the students
that James Madison was a founding father from the state of Virginia (ESOL: point out Virginia on the map). James
Madisons ideas about how the government should run laid the foundation for the Constitution. The teacher will play a
read-aloud about composing the Constitution from James Madisons point of view (Gifted). Click here to listen to the
read aloud:
http://v7.k12.com/constitutionday/lessons/2-3/lesson_holder.htm?preloader.swf?Title=Preview%20%20CH_02_03_01&userType=1000&lessonFile=content_lesson_37036.txt&previewMode=1&subjectID=4&uiType=33&
targetType=1&stateAbbrev=PA&envID=1%27
During the read aloud have students write down information that they found interesting in the story. For ESOL students
print out a transcription of the story and they may highlight the information they found important. After the reading have
students take turns sharing the points they captured from the story.
4. The teacher will tell the students that they are going to write a classroom Constitution. Explain to the students that a
law has just been passed that requires every third grade classroom in the country to create its own constitution. Inform
students that the class is going to work together to create a constitution. Like the United States Constitution this
document will be created by the people for the people. The teacher will brainstorm with the class to discuss rules they
think they need enforced in their classroom this school year to maintain order and fairness. Write their responses
underneath the heading on the board or chart paper. Then place students in groups of 3-4. Instruct them to choose 3
rules from the list they brainstormed and generate 3 Classroom Standards. Each standard should be stated in the
positive. For example, if one of their rules was "Don't yell in the classroom," then a positively stated Classroom
Standard would be: "We will use our inside voices in the classroom." Have the students share their standards and
record their responses on charts paper. Review the process of brainstorming, editing, and revising the Classroom
Standards. Discuss the following questions with the class:
Resources/Materials
ALL resources including but not limited too; internet sites, professional resources- books, journals (titles and authors),
childrens literature, etc. should be noted here. Citations should be in APA format.
Materials
Computer (internet access), map of the original thirteen colonies, constitution poster, markers, paint, colored pencils,
computer paper, white board, poster board, dry erase markers, composition notebooks, pencils, transcription of the
James Madison read-aloud, and progress monitoring rubric.
Websites
Studebaker, D. (2012, November 11). The Constitution and Constitution Day A Beginners Guide. Retrieved June 12,
2015 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEy4sg2-kp4.
Kids.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web Portal for Kids. (n.d.). Retrieved June 2, 2015, from
https://kids.usa.gov/sites/all/themes/kids/images/Three_Branches_Govt.png
Reading Room-James Madison Remembers. (n.d.). Retrieved June 12, 2015, from
http://v7.k12.com/constitutionday/lessons/2-3/lesson_holder.htm?preloader.swf?Title=Preview%20%20CH_02_03_01&userType=1000&lessonFile=content_lesson_37036.txt&previewMode=1&subjectID=4&uiType=33&
targetType=1&stateAbbrev=PA&envID=1%2527
Assessment
How will student learning be
assessed?
Authentic/Alternative
assessments?
Does your assessment align
with your objectives,
standards and procedures?
Informal assessment
(multiple modes):
participation rubrics, journal
entries, collaborative
planning/presentation notes
Be sure to include Pre/Post assessment for your entire unit plan and progress monitoring/ alternative assessment for
individual, daily lesson plans!
Unit Pre-Assessment:
Students will answer a 20 question multiple choice- true/false test.
Unit Post-Assessment: Students will be required to choose two of the following activities:
Create a timeline leading up to the Constitution, at least 15 events.
Research a past president and create a Who Am I.
Venn Diagram
Drawing/painting of We the People
Student self-evaluation on the 1,2,3 Progress monitoring rubric
***Materials that will be used for assessment and examples of completed tasks and projects must be included with the
lesson plan.
Exceptionalities
What accommodations or
modifications do you make for
ESOL, Gifted/Talented
students, Learning/Reading
disabilities, etc.
These accommodations
and/or modifications should
be listed within the
procedures section of the
lesson plan as well as in this
section of the document.
ESOL/ Students with Learning Differences: Students are given additional visuals to increase comprehension,
opportunity to work in cooperative groups, ability to draw pictures instead of writing complex sentences, teacher
modeling, and the use of scaffolding.
Gifted/Talented: Interactive natures of the lesson, opportunity to think critically, analyze and interpret materials, work
independently, and gain information through different points of views.
Make comments here related to ideas for homework, parent involvement, extension to the lesson plan, etc.
Additional
Comments and
Notes
Teacher will recommend students read the following bibliography about James Madison to further their understanding of
the Father of the Constitution:
Mulhall, J. (2005). James Madison. Huntington Beach, Calif.: Teacher Created
Materials.
Students will share the classroom constitution with their families.