UBDTemplate

Topic/Theme: 3 branches of the U.S. Government- Legislative, Judicial, and Executive

Time frame: 3 weeks
Class/Grade Level: 10th grade
Established Goals:

(Includingstatestandards)
S.S.912.PSCL3Understandthepurposeandfunctionofeachofthethreebranchesofgovernmentestablished
bytheConstitution.
S.S.912.H.3Understandhowandwhypeoplecreate,maintain,orchangesystemsofpower,authority,and
governance.
S.S.912.H.4Understandtheroleofindividualsandgroupswithinasocietyaspromotersofchangeorthestatus
quo.

Understandings:
Studentswillunderstandthat
1) Governmentiscomplicatedandisnotperfect.
2) TheUnitedStatesgovernmentwasformedinordertoserveitscitizens.
3) Societalissuescancauseagovernmenttomakedecisionsthatimpactthecitizens.
4) Thestrengthofanationisbasedontheleadershipofthatnation.
5) Futuregenerationsareimpactedbygovernmentaldecisions.
6) The3branchesarecrucialtoeverythingpoliticalintheUSA.
7) Governmentputssafeguardsintoplacetokeeppowerfromcorrupting.

Essential Questions:

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1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)

Shouldgovernmentexisttoservethecitizens?
Whataretherolesandresponsibilitiesofgovernment?
Whatispower?
Howispowergained,used,andjustified?
Whydoesagovernmenthaverules/laws?
Howdogovernmentsbalancetherightsofindividualswiththecommongood?
Whatisdemocracy?

Knowledge:
Studentswillknow

1) HowtheConstitutionwaswritten.(U1,2,5)
2) WhotheFoundingFatherswereandtheirroleintheformingofgovernment.(U2,4)
3) ThedifferencesbetweenFederalistsandAntiFederalists.(U1,2,5)
4) Howanindividualiselectedintothethehouseandthesenate.(U2,4,6)
5) WhattherolesoftheLegislativebranchare.(U1,2,3,4,6)
6) Therequirementstobepresident.(U1,2,3,4,6)
7) Theroleofthepresident.(U1,2,3,4,6)
8) HowthePresidentisimpactedbychecksandbalances.
9) WhatthefundamentalsoftheU.S.courtsystemare.(U3,6)
10)Thedifferenttypesoffederalcourts.(U1,2,3,6,7)
11)HowtheSupremecourtworksatafundamentallevel.(U2,3,6)
12)TheImpactoflawsonfuturegenerations.(U6,7)
13)TheroleoftheJudicialsystem.(U1,2,3,6)
14)Howimportantchecksandbalancesare.(U6,7)
15)Thehistoryofhowthethreebrancheswereestablished.(U2,4,5)

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Skills:
Studentswillbeableto

1. Describethefunctionofthethreebranchesofgovernment(U1,2,6,7)(K4,5,6,9,13).
2. Read/examinedocumentsandanswerquestionsaboutitSeeSectionforSpecificdocument.(U2,4,6)(K1,2,3,
5,7,13,15).
3. Writesummariesofthebasicsofdemocracy.(U1,2,4,6,7)(K1,2,3,4,5,6,7,13).
4. Readavarietyoftexts(articles,websites,etc)(U4,5,6,7)(K1,2,3,4,5,6,9,12,13,15).
5. Presenttotheirpeers(theirknowledgeandunderstandingofgovernance.)(U1,2,3,4,5,6,7)(K1,2,4,5,6,9,
11,13,15).
6. Activelyengageindiscussion,(U1,2,4,5,6)(K2,3,5,7,11,13,14,15).
7. Assessdocumentariesandothermultimediaoutletsregardingtherolesofgovernment.(U1,4,5,6)(K5,7,13,
15).
8. Explaintextbasedevidence.(U2,3,6,7)(K4,7,8,13,14,15).
9. Describethehistoryofthethreebranchesandwhentheywereestablished.(U1,2,4,6,7)(K1,2,5,7,13,14,15).

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Topic/Theme:
Time frame:
Class/Grade Level:
Performance Tasks/Formal Assessment:
Task/Assessment

U(orKorS)

A2FoundingFathersActivity
FoundingFathersActivityStudentswillgetintogroupsof34.TheywillbeassignedaFounding
Father:Madison,Washington,Hamilton,Morris,Mason,andFranklin.Studentswillhave20min
togatherinformation/factsandturninattheendofclass.

(U2,3,4,5)
(K2)
(S1,4)

A4PickasideFederalistsPPslidelectureFederalistvs.AntiFederalistClasswillgetinto2teams
studyeachgroupandpresentacompellingargumentfortheirside.

(U4,)
(K3)
(S3)

A7LegislativeBranchActivity
StudentswillreadhandoutofLegislativeBranch.Oncethatisdonetheywillanswerthe
questionsthataccompanythehandout.

(U6,7)
(K4,5)
(S1,2,8)

.A10LaptopHouseandSenateactivity
Thisactivitytheywillgetthelaptops.Theywillbeabletowritetheiranswersrightonthe
documentandtheywillalsothenbeabletoclickdirectlyonthelinksembeddedintheworkshee

(U6,7)
(K4,5)
(S1,2,8)

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A12GovernmentCrossword
Theywillbegivenacrosswordpuzzlethathaskeytermsrelatedtothe3branches.Theywillfirst
trytodotheworksheetwithoutanyassistance.Iftheycannotgetthewordstofillintheblank
theywillbeabletouseanyresourceneededtocompletetheblankswiththecorrectwords.They
willnotknowthisgoinginbutwillonlybegiventothemiftheneedarises.

(U4,6,7)
(K4,5,6,7,
11,13)
(S2,9)

A133BranchIpadactivity
(U2,4,5)
EachstudentwillreceiveanIpad.Therewillbe9photosofdifferentGovernmentofficialsonall
(K5,7,13)
thewalls.Using..thestudentswillpointtheIpadatthephotosand35linkswillpopupthat
(S1,4,9)
theycanclickon.TheywillwritetheName,title,statetheyarefrom,andthebranchthey
representonasheetofpaper.Alongwiththattheywillchoose3ofwhichtheywanttowritemore
indepthabout.Eachpersonwillbewrittenaboutin35sentencesandincludeinformationabout
anythingtheyhaveaccomplishedinoffice.
A17ExecutiveBranchLaptopAssignment
Studentswillgetthelaptopsforthisassignment.Theywillbeabletolookatthewhitehouse
websiteandseewhatinformationisbeingreleasedbytheExecutivebranch.Theythenwillfill
outtherestoftheworksheetandturnin.

(U14)
(K6,7,8)
(S2,3,7)

A20ExecutiveBranchReview
Studentswillgetwithapartnerandwritedown3thingstheylearnedfromlastclass.(turnin)

(U14)
(K6,7,8)
(S2,3,7)

A21IfIWerePresidentActivity:
IfIwerePresident,thisiswhatIwoulddo?Studentscanfocusonkeyissuesinsociety,international
crisisandconflicts,economy,etc..Studentswillthensharetheirthoughtswithanotherpairofstudents.

(U14)
(K6,7,8)
(S2,3,7)

A22JudicialBranchintro
Studentswillworkingroupsof23andwillwriteeverythingtheyknowaboutthejudicialbranch.
Theywillshareeverythingthattheyknowaboutthejudicialbranchinthosegroups.

(U57)
(K913)

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A25JudicialBranchActivity
StudentswillreceivehandoutonjudicialBranchandthenfillouttheanswersandturnthatin.

(U1,6,7)
(K913)
(S2,3,8)

A9
Essayonthebranchesofgovernment
Theculminationofourunitwillbeanessaytheywillwritecoveringeverythingthattheyhave
learnedthroughoutthelastcoupleclassperiods.Theywillwritea6paragraphessay.(Intro,3
paragraphsoneachbranch,1morecoveringchecksandbalances[anythingelse],anda
conclusion.)

(U17)
(K415)
(S1,3,79)

Other Evidence/Informal Assessment:

Task/Assessment

U(orKorS)

A1Firstdaygroupworkoncharts
Justsees
Breakstudentsupinto3groupseachlookatabranchwritewhattheyknow,thenpassoffposter whatthey
boardtoseewhatthenext2groupsknowabouteachbranch.Oncethatisdoneposteach
know
posterboardoneastwall.Thisshowsthestudentswheretheyarebeginningtheunitwiththeir
levelofunderstanding.
A3,5,8,10,BellRingersthataresetnowbutcanbesubjecttochangedependingonhowfastwe
movethroughthematerial.Theycanbeseeninthelearningplan

Determined
byquestion
duringunit

A14,19,24BellRingersthatwillbedeterminedonaccordingtowhatwehavecoveredthelastfew
classperiods.

Determined
byquestion
duringunit

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A6ClassdiscussionFoundingFathers
FoundingFathersActivityStudentswillgetintogroupsof34.TheywillbeassignedaFounding
Father:Madison,Washington,Hamilton,Morris,Mason,andFranklin.Studentswillhave20min
togatherinformation/factsandturninattheendofclassaswellastalkaboutthembrieflytothe
class.

(U1,2,4)
(K13)
(S3,6)

A16PresidentialOathStudentswillreadthePresidentialOath.Eachstudentwillrewritetheoathin
theirownworlds,summarizingitsmeaning.

(U4,5)
(K68)
(S2,8)

A18PresidentgroupDiscussionParticipation
(U1,4,7)
Afterwehavediscussedwhattheexecutivebranchiswewilltalkaboutwhatthekidsthinkthe
(K68,14)
presidentactuallydoes.Iwillhavehalftheboardascanandtheotherhalfcannot.Students
(S5,6)
willtaketurnsraisingtheirhandsonwhattheythinkthepresidentdoesandillwriteeverythingup
there.Oncethatisdonewewillgothrougheachonetogetherandtheywillseeifasaclassthey
thinkitiswhatheactuallydoes.Ifcorrectiwillexplainwhatthatisandifnotwewillcrossitoff.
A?Exitslips
Therewillbeperiodicexitslipsofwhatwehavecoveredinclassthatday

Dependson
eachexitslip

A23YoutubeClip
ThisclipisabriefoverviewofwhattheJudicialSystemisanddoes.Wewillthendiscussthe
contentsofthisvideo.

(K914)

A26EndofUnitposters
TherewillbeanendoftheUnitpostersimilartotheoneatthebeginningbutjustwithmore
detail.Aseachbranchisintroduced,anotherposterboardwillbemountedonthewestwall.
Eachtimetheclasslearnssomethingnewaboutaspecificbranch,astudentwillwriteonthe
newposterboard.Thegoalisforthestudentstoseetheleveloftheirunderstandingatthe
beginningoftheunitandwheretheyarenowattheendoftheunit.Andforwhenthis

(U17)
(K413)
(S3,6)

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assignmentisuseditwilljustbeusaddinganythingtheythinkwillbeneededorquestionsthat
theyneedclarified.Thiswillleadthemintoworktimeontheirpapersandanyquestionsthatthey
mayneedclarified.

Monday
(Week 1)

Align

Wednesday(W
eek 1)

Align

Friday(Week
1)

Align

Tuesday(Week
2)

Align

Group
Activity:
Studentswill
getinto3

A1

BellRinger5
Whydidyou
chooseyour
founding

A3

BellRinger5
Studentswill
beasked
Betweenthe

A5

BellRinger5 A8
mins
Whatdoyou
thinktheuse

Thursday(Wee
k 2)

Align

BellRinger5 A11
Howmuch
woodcoulda
woodchuck,

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groups.Each
groupwill
startwitha
branchofgov.
Theywillwrite
everything
theyknowin
5minutes,
thenrotateto
thenext
groupuntilall
groupsare
done.15min

father?

anti
federalists
and
federalists
whichdidyou
choosefrom
yesterday?In
two
sentences
explainwhy?

Introtothe

UnitedStates
Constitution
PPointSlides
lecture
Constitutional
,20min

Pickaside
A4
activityPP
slidelecture
Federalistvs.
AntiFederalis
tClasswill
getinto2
teamsstudy
eachgroup
andpresenta
compelling

Checksand
Balances
IntroPPoint
lecture,20
min.

ofthe
legislative
branchtoyou
is?

Review
Handoutfrom
daybefore.
Refresh
anythingthey
stillfeel
groggyon.15
mins

chuck.Ifa
woodchuck
couldchuck
wood?

A7
Con
tinu
ed

Group
Activity.
Government
Crossword
Puzzle
Studentswill
bewitha
partner.Use
laptopsto
lookupthe
information

A12

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argumentfor
theirside.50
min
Group
Activity:
Founding
Father
Uncovered
PPslide40
min

A2

Summary:
Contributing
causes,Main
Causes,and
LongTerm
Effectsof
Gov/Constituti
onSlide,20
min

andcomplete
crossword.20
min

Group/Class A6
discussion:
TheFounding
Fathersdid
notwantthe
nationalgov
tohaveallthe
power.Why?
Whydidthe
Founding
Fathersinsist
on
checks/balan
ces?How
wouldthe
UnitedStates
government
function
without
checks/balan
ces?20min

Handoutfinal
paper
information.
Talkabout
whatis
requiredof
them.20
mins

A9

Review
A13
Crossword
answers
questions10
min.

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Intro:
Federalists/
AntiFederalis
t15min

Overview

Lectureofthe
3branchesof
gov.Inform
thestudents
thattomorrow
willstart
examiningthe
3branchesof
gov.15min

Intro:
Constitution:
Powerpoint
lecture.20
min.

Studentswill
getlaptops
A10
andworkon
Senateand
theHouseof
Representativ
esworksheet.
30mins

Legislative
Branch
Activity25
min

A7

.Review
worksheets
andgoover
answers15
min

A9
Con
tinu
ed

Monday
(Week3)

Wednesday
(Week3)

Friday
(Week3)

BellRinger5 A15 BellRinger5 A19 BellRinger

5

A24

Executive
BranchIntro:

Executive
A16 Branch

A20 Lecture:
Examinethe

Summary

Activity:3
A14
Branches
IPADactivity
55min.

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Studentswill
readthe
Presidential
Oath.Each
studentwill
rewritethe
oathintheir
ownworlds,
summarizing
itsmeaning
10min

Review:
Studentswill
getwitha
partnerand
writedown3
thingsthey
learnedfrom
classon
Monday.(turn
in)10min

roleofthe
Supreme
Court,how
Justicesare
appointed,
andthe
various
opinionsthey
cangive15
min.

Executive
Branch
Laptop
activity20
minutes

A17

Group
Discussion:
Whatare
somethings
thePresident
oftheUnited
Statesis
allowedtodo

A18 Group

Activity
A21
studentswill
staywiththeir
partners.
Theywill
answerthe
question.If

Worksheet
onJudicial
Branch20
min

A25

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andnot
allowedto
do?
Whiteboard
willhave2
columns:
Canand
Cannot
studentswill
writethings
thePresident
isallowedto
doornot
allowedtodo
willdiscussas
aclasseach
itemwritten
20min.

Summary:
Briefly
discussthe3

Iwere
President,this
iswhatI
woulddo?
Studentscan
focusonkey
issuesin
society,
international
crisisand
conflicts,
economy,
etc..Students
willthen
sharetheir
thoughtswith
anotherpair
of
students.(turn
inattheend)
20min.

Intro:Judicial
Lastposter
Branch
A22 Activity
RapidFire

A26

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Executive
Powersbuild
offprevious
group
discussion
10min

Activity
students
quicklyshare
whatthey
knowabout
theJudicial
Branch10
min

Lecture:
Powerpoint
slides
studentswill
focuson
Executive
Orders,
Executive
Privileges,
andhow
Presidents
haveuse
theminthe
past25min

Lecture:

Powerpoint
Slides
studentswill
learnbasic
characteristic
softhe
Supreme
Courtand
whoarethe
Supreme
CourtJudges.
25min.

YouTube
clip:ArticleIII

WorkTime:
A8
Studentswill con
havethe
t
remainderof
theblockto
beginworkon
theirPaper
andbeable
tobounce
questionsoff
ofthe
teacher..20
min.

A23

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forDummies:
TheJudicial
Branch20
min

WorkDay
Studentswill
bewriting
theirFinal
Essay.
Studentscan
gethelpin
writingthis
45min.

FinalEssay
Due

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