EGP 335.

535 Lesson Plan

Dr. Leaman, Spring 2017

Lesson Plan Details If I Were in the Executive Branch, Lesson 6, Caroline Curtis
Expected Duration: 45 minutes
Social Sciences
Concepts [list of big ideas to be addressed in lesson]
o The executive branch of government exists to enforce laws
o The actions of the executive branch affect American citizens
Vocabulary and operational definition
o Executive branch- branch of US government that enforces laws
o Secretary of Agriculture- makes sure food is safely grown and prepared, make
sure land is protected so farmers can grow their food
o Secretary of Labor- makes sure Americas workforce is strong by enforcing job
training, safe working conditions, minimum wage, discrimination in the
workplace, and unemployment insurance
o Secretary of Health and Human Services- helps keep Americans healthy by
providing Medicare and Medicaid, and oversees the FDA and CDC
o Secretary of Housing and Urban Development- provides national housing to
poorer families
o Secretary of Transportation- makes sure theres fast and safe transportation
around the US, manage federal highways and the Federal Aviation
Administration
o Secretary of Energy- advances the national, economic, and energy security of the
country, and helps find new sources of clean, reliable energy through research
and innovation
o Secretary of Education- makes sure the US is competitive and available for all,
gives financial aid to the states who need it most
o Secretary of Homeland Security- prevent and disrupt terrorist attacks within the
US
o Secretary of Commerce- promotes economy, support business and industry, issue
patents and trademarks, assists with international trade agreements
o Secretary of Defense- provides the military that defends our country, Army,
Navy, Air Force, as the countrys largest agency it is headquartered at the
Pentagon in Arlington, VA
o Secretary of the Interior- conserves Americas land by managing national
parks, natural resources, land, and wildlife
o Secretary of Justice- enforce the law and protect public safety, ensures that
criminals are prosecuted and everyone gets fair justice, including the FBI
o Secretary of State- as the presidents top foreign advisor, they handle
diplomatic relationships with more than 180 countries
o Secretary of Treasury- manages money for US financial systems, makes
money, collects taxes, makes sure the government has enough money to keep
running
o Secretary of Veterans Affairs- gives benefits to veterans so they are taken care
of after their servide
Skills [taught, practiced during lesson]
o Students will learn to organize new facts into a graphic organizer
 o Students will cite text to complete a writing activity to explain their role as a
member of the executive branch of government
Goals of Lesson [overarching learning children work toward but do not master in this
lesson]
o Students will understand the roles and duties of the members of the US
government and how their actions affect American citizens.
o Students will have an awareness of civic responsibility as a citizen of the United
States.

Integration of Learning Outcomes/Objectives

Students will describe the duties and responsibilities of the members of the Executive
Branch of government through a writing activity.
Students will be able to identify three roles of a chosen member of the executive branch
Students will be able to draw information from The Executive Branch of Government by
Julia Hargrove to tell the teacher one duty, role, or fact pertaining to the members of this
branch.

Standards PA Civics, History, Economics, Geography &

NCSS Themes I - X with subthemes
VI Power, Authority, and Governance. NCSS.1.6.b help students to explain the purpose
of government and how its powers are acquired, used, and justified
5.3.6.C. Explain how government actions affect citizens daily lives
5.3.6.D. Describe how local, state and national governments implement their services.

Anticipatory Set
Teacher will play Hail to the Chief video and ask if students have heard it before and
who it is usually played for (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq8HzYcEBh8)
Students who learn best through musical opportunities will benefit from listening to the
anticipatory set song Hail to the Chief
Since this was an election year, you may have heard this song recently. Teacher will
explain the song is played for the President of the united States (POTUS) who is one
person or part of the executive branch of government. The executive branch also consists
of the Vice President (VP) and the Cabinet. Turn and talk to your partner if you know the
name of both our current POTUS and VP.
Students who have interpersonal learning styles can benefit from the turn and talk
activities through the lesson

Procedures
Earlier in this unit, we have already learned about one of the three branches of
government, the legislative branch. Today we are going to learn about another branch, the
executive branch. Who can remind me what we learned in our previous lessons about the
roles of the POTUS and what they do for the country?
It is the role of the executive branch to enforce laws that are fair for all Americans.
Explain Many people help the president manage the business of the executive branch.
His most important advisers are the members of the Cabinet. Over the years, the size of
the Cabinet has changed. George Washington's first Cabinet had just four secretaries.
There was one each for the departments of (1) Foreign Affairs (now known as the
Department of State), (2) the Treasury, (3) War (now known as the Department of
Defense), and (4) an Attorney General. The modern Cabinet has fifteen heads of
 departments, as well as a number of other important officials. Secretaries of Agriculture,
Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation,
Energy, Education, and Homeland Security are among some of the other Cabinet
members from http://www.congressforkids.net/Executivebranch_presidentscabinet.htm
When we learn new information during reading, it is helpful to collect the facts in a
graphic organizer. This will especially help us today when we organize which roles go to
which members of the executive branch of government. When I learn something new, I
will put it here in the President column so I know whos duty it is.
Lets use this graphic organizer to help us remember the roles of the POTUS, VP, and the
Cabinet when we read The Executive Branch of Government by Julia Hargrove. You can
sort the information you learn under the column of the executive branch position it
belongs to. Learning these roles will help us better understand what it means to be a
leader of the country, and will help us know more about how and why a POTUS is
elected.
Students who need extra support can work in a small group to complete the graphic
organizer
Students who need additional support can use a worksheet with visuals added to it
Students who need support with fine motor skills can use a wide-grip pencil or a slanted
desk
Students who can become off-task easily can sit in an area in the class with minimal
distractions
Students who need more of a challenge from this lesson can complete the graphic
organizer then continue on to explain the possible ramifications of their chosen actions
from the activity
Teacher will read the book and incorporate pre-determined stopping points throughout to
discuss which information should be written into the graphic organizer.
Now that weve read the story and filled out our graphic organizers, be sure to keep them
with you for the next activity. Can anyone tell me a role of someone in the executive
branch that they were surprised to learn or did not know before?
Teacher will record which students can explain verbally a role, duty, or fact learned from
the text.
Lets keep our graphic organizers on our desk while I distribute lined paper for our
writing activity. Be sure to put your name on the front. Here, you will choose one
position in the executive branch and tell us what you would do with your power. How
would your actions make sure that laws are enforced fairly for everyone? Be sure to
include three of your duties while holding the position.
Work by yourself for this writing activity and I will walk around to help anyone who
raises a quiet hand.
Teacher will collect writing pieces after closure.
Teacher Notes
o The executive branch is comprised of the President, the Vice President, the
Executive Office of the President (EOP), and the Cabinet
o The President enforces and implements laws written by Congress and appoints
the Cabinet, and is the Commander in Chief of the armed forces and the head of
state and head of the US government
o The Vice President steps in and becomes President if necessary
o The Cabinet oversees day-to-day operations and administration of federal laws
 o The Cabinet appoints leaders of executive departments including the CIA and
EPA, and while they are not part of the Cabinet they are under the authority of
the President
o The President appoints federal judges and other federal officers
o The EOP is the immediate staff of the President
o The President can sign legislation into law or veto Congress bills, can negotiate
with other countries, sign treaties with the approval of 2/3 of the Senate, can
issue executive orders
o The President can extend pardons and clemencies for federal crimes, and are
expected to deliver a State of the Union address to tell the nation their plans for
the year
o The President must be at least 35, a natural born citizen of the US, and have lived
here for 14 years
o the President is not, in fact, directly elected by the people. Instead, on the first
Tuesday in November of every fourth year, the people elect the members of the
Electoral College. Apportioned by population to the 50 states one for each
member of their congressional delegation (with the District of Columbia
receiving 3 votes) these Electors then cast the votes for President. There are
currently 538 electors in the Electoral College.
o The President and the First Family live in the White House at 1600 Pennsylvania
Ave. in Washington, D.C., which is where the Oval Office is located and the Air
Force One aircraft is
o The Vice President is ready to take on the Presidents job at any time, including
the President dying, resigning, or any other reason he cant continue his job
o The VP is elected by the Electoral College with the President (VP used to be
Presidential runner up until 1804)
o Each individual President outlines the role of the VP, who has an office in the
West Wing and since 1974 lives at the United States Naval Observatory in
Washington, D.C.
o The EOP informs the public about the Presidents messages and involves some of
the Presidents closest advisors, and the roles of its 1,800 employees are
constantly changing along with the Presidents needs and priorities
o As a part of the EOP, The Press Secretary gives daily information on the
President to the media
o The Cabinet is appointed by the President and is made of 15 executive
departments
o The Cabinet includes the Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce,
Department of Defense, Department of Education, Department of Energy,
Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security,
Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of the Interior,
Department of Justice, Department of Labor, Department of State, Department of
Transportation, Department of the Treasury, Department of Veterans Affairs all
with their own specific roles and jurisdictions

Differentiation
Students who learn best through musical opportunities will benefit from listening to the
anticipatory set song Hail to the Chief
 Students who have interpersonal learning styles can benefit from the turn and talk
activities through the lesson
Students who need extra support can work in a small group to complete the graphic
organizer
Students who need additional support can use a worksheet with visuals added to it
Students who need support with fine motor skills can use a wide-grip pencil or a slanted
desk
Students who can become off-task easily can sit in an area in the class with minimal
distractions
Students who need more of a challenge from this lesson can complete the graphic
organizer then continue on to explain the possible ramifications of their chosen actions
from the activity

Closure
When you and your partner are done writing, turn and talk to share what role you chose
and explain what actions you would take with your power. When you listen to your
partner, tell them why or why not their enforcing of the laws are fair, and listen to them
when they tell you whether they think you enforced your laws fairly as a member of the
executive branch.

Formative/Summative Assessment of Students (P-12)

Summative- Students will identify three duties of a member of the executive branch
through a written activity. (0-2 duties listed correctly= 0 points, 3 duties listed correctly =
full credit).
Formative- Teacher will record which students draw information from The Executive
Branch of Government by Julia Hargrove to tell the teacher one duty, role, or fact
pertaining to the members of this branch.

Materials/Equipment
Student Materials
Pencil, lined paper
Teacher note sheet with references
See teacher notes above, referenced listed below
https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600/executive-branch
https://www.usa.gov/branches-of-government
https://bensguide.gpo.gov/a-executive
http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0774837.html

Technology
Teacher will use smart board to project the image of the video playing the song from the YouTube
link: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq8HzYcEBh8)

Reflection on Planning
Write your reflection on the plan, its development, and ways to improve it.
Writing this lesson plan required a lot more research than I expected. It is very important
that the teacher is knowledgeable about the topic beyond what they are teaching in order
to know it themselves and to answer any questions that may arise as students are
learning. Potential successes include the worksheet and writing activity going well and
 being detailed enough for a fourth grader to understand how to complete them. My
concerns for this lesson are the time requirements involved. I worry that the lesson will
either be too little time or not enough time.
Current Event
http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/16/europe/netherlands-dutch-results/index.html
In Holland, Prime Minister Mark Rutte was reelected to continue his term.

Lesson Plan Element Point Value

40 points total

Lesson Plan Details 2

Integration of Learning Outcomes/Objectives 3

Standards PA Civics, History, Economics, Geography & NCSS 3

Theme/subtheme

Anticipatory Set 2

Procedures 6

Differentiation 2

Closure 2

Formative/Summative Assessment of Students (P-12) 3

Materials/Equipment , Citation of Sources 2

Technology

Reflection on Planning

Teacher Content Notes 10

Global Current Event 5