Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Date: 1/26-27
School: Blevins
Content Area: U.S. History
Title: Constitutional Convention Simulation
Approx. Time
Anticipatory Set
Teaching/
Presentation:
(Select the most
appropriate teaching
model.)
-direct instruction
-presentation model
-concept teaching
-cooperative
learning
-inquiry
Teaching Strategy:
Guided Practice
Workshop model
2 Group discussions:
&
Differentiation
1st: Delegates from the same state/role will read through their role
descriptions, fill out their questionnaire and come to a consensus on
what issues they deem important to their state to maintain in the
convention debate. Teachers will circulate to provoke conversation
on why states should support or oppose issues addressed in the
convention.
2nd: 1 delegate from each role/state participate in a Constitutional
Convention simulation in which each state poses their stance on the
four issues proposed in the convention. Each convention group
must come to a consensus on the four issues. Teachers will facilitate
productive discussion during the conventions to ensure learning
targets are being addressed, students know when and when not to
concede and how compromise works in a collaborative setting.
The four issues are:
1. How will state be represented in the Legislative Branch?
2. Describe the powers given to the Executive Branch.
3. Who will be able to vote and/or hold office?
4. Will the Federal Government be superior or equal to state
governments? Explain why.
Teaching Strategy:
(Independent
Practice)
Closure
Materials
Purpose of Lesson/
Standard Addressed
Co-Teaching
Strategy and
Rationale
For this lesson we used the one teach, one assist coteaching strategy. The lesson began with a Crash Course
video on the Articles of Confederation followed by a
discussion of the video led by the lead teacher. Following the
video, the class took notes on a mini-lecture about the
articles and the Constitutional Convention. This lecture was
ran by the lead teacher while one support teacher monitored
engagement and the other support teacher assisted specific
students. These two activities took up close to half of the
period. The other half of the period was a Constitutional
Convention simulation which was student ran. For these two
reasons the one teach, one assist co-teaching strategy was
chosen. The support teachers were able to address
individual students needs while the lead teacher lead the
class through the introductory material and delivered
direction for the simulation.
as well. While the lecture and video could have been lead by
any specific teacher, or all three teachers, the convention
could have had teachers assigned to teach convention jigsaw
group to help guide productive and engaging conversation.
All three teachers circulated the room and asked guiding
questions to all of the convention groups. It would have been
beneficial to the level of discussion if one teacher had been
assigned to each convention group to gauge understanding
and ask questions that would challenge the students thinking
and level of engagement.
Were there any other
co-teaching
strategies used in
this lesson. If so,
Why?
1.
2.
What changes, omissions, or additions to the lesson would you make if you
were to teach again?
If I were to teach this lesson again I would shorten the background readings for each role.
The reading allowed the students to gain an understanding of the context for each argument but it
took away from time that could have been used for a longer discussion in the mini delegate
debate groups.
3.What do you envision for the next lesson?
The next lesson will cover federalist and anti-federalist ideas, significant players and
Shays Rebellion. The next lesson will readdress how different points of view caused
the beginnings of two separate political parties and violence in Shays Rebellion.
Direct
Presentation
Concept
Cooperative
Inquiry
Instruction
Model
Teaching
Learning