EGP 335.

535 Lesson Plan

Dr. Leaman, Spring 2017

Lesson Plan Details: Role of President and History of Past Presidents, 5, Leah Miraglia

Expected Duration: 60 minutes

Social Sciences: Civics, Geography, Economics, Anthropology, and History

Concepts: History of four important presidents in US; Why the role of being president is
important; Why past presidents are influential; Debating; Voting as a part of democracy

Vocabulary:
Debate- a formal discussion on a particular topic in a public meeting or legislative
assembly, in which opposing arguments are put forward
Vote- a formal indication of a choice between two or more candidates or courses of
action, expressed typically through a ballot or a show of hands or by voice.
Democracy- a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members
of a state, typically through elected representatives

Skills: Read, write, orally speaking, cognitively thinking, debating, compare and contrast

Goals of the lesson: Gain knowledge on history of United States president(s).

Integration of Learning Outcomes/Objectives

Students will construct and write down information about past presidents roles of their
achievements, campaigns, events, triumphs, and legacys.
Students will present information about past presidents they constructed with their group
to their classmates.

NCSS Themes I - X with subthemes

Culture
NCSS.1.1.d ...encourage learners to compare and analyze societal patterns for
preserving and transmitting culture while adapting to environmental and social
change;
Time, Continuity and Change
NCSS.1.2.b ...have learners apply key concepts from the study of history such as
time, chronology, causality, change, conflict, and complexity to explain, analyze,
and show connections among the patterns of historical change and continuity;
People, Places and Environment
NCSS.1.3.f ...ask learners to describe how people create places that reflect
culture, human needs, current values and ideals, and government policies;
Power Authority and Governance
NCSS.1.6.g ...challenge learners to apply concepts such as power, role, status,
justice, and influence to the examination of persistent issues and social
problems;
 Global Connections
NCSS.1.9.b ...help learners to explain conditions and motivations that contribute
to conflict, cooperation, and interdependence among groups, societies, and
nations;

Standards PA Civics, History, Economics, Geography

Civics

Standard5.3.4.G
Identifyindividualinterestsandexplainwaystoinfluenceothers.
Standard5.2.4.C
Describetherolesofleadershipandpublicserviceinschool,community,state,
andnation.

History

Standard8.3.4.C
ExplainhowcontinuityandchangeinU.S.historyhaveinfluencedpersonaldevelopmentand
identity.

Standard8.1.4.B
Distinguishbetweenfactandopinionfrommultiplepointsofview,andprimarysources
asrelatedtohistoricalevents.

Economics

Standard6.3.4.B
Describetheimpactofgovernmentinvolvementinstateandnationaleconomicactivities.

Anticipatory Set

Teacher: Does anyone know the presidents on the US Currency?

Teacher shows class the dollar bill, nickel, dime, and penny.
Teacher: Where do we use money?
Students raise hands and respond.
Teacher: We use this money everyday to buy groceries, medicines, clothes, and almost
anything you can think of in the United States.
Teacher: Have you stopped to look to see the men on these coins and why they mean to
our country to be on there?
Teacher shows timeline of four presidents. Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Jackson
These are four influential presidents of the United States.
 Today we are going to learn about why each one of these presidents are important to us in
both the past and present!

Procedures

Teacher will read allowed names on the timeline in order to the class.
Teacher: First on our timeline is George Washington. He was the first president of the
United States.
Teacher will continue to read facts about George Washington from the timeline. The facts
on the timeline include, name, birthdate-death, spouse, hometown, the corresponding
number of when they served the role of presidency.
After the 5th fact read, teacher will ask one of the students to begin reading the rest of the
facts.
Teacher will ask the students who is next on the presidency timeline?
The students will respond with Thomas Jefferson.
Teacher will ask student to read facts about Thomas Jefferson on the timeline. The facts
on the timeline include, name, birthdate-death, spouse, hometown, the corresponding
number of when they served the role of presidency.
Teacher will ask the students who is next on the presidency timeline?
The students will respond with Abraham Lincoln.
Teacher will ask student to read facts about Abraham Lincoln on the timeline. The facts
on the timeline include, name, birthdate-death, spouse, hometown, the corresponding
number of when they served the role of presidency.
Teacher will ask the students who is next on the presidency timeline?
The students will respond with Theodore Roosevelt.
Teacher will ask student to read facts about Theodore Roosevelt on the timeline. The
facts on the timeline include, name, birthdate-death, spouse, hometown, the
corresponding number of when they served the role of presidency.
After each president on the timeline is reviewed, teacher will inform students that there
are many presidents that have made a difference to the United States other than just these
four. Teacher will inform students that our founding fathers like Lincoln, Washington,
and Jefferson are important presidents to learn about.
Teacher: Students, remember when we spoke about the role of being president of the
United States yesterday?
Students respond.
Teacher: we agreed that being president is a very important job.
For our activity today, teacher will split you all up into four groups.
Teacher: each group represents one of these four presidents.
Teacher: you want to learn as much as possible about your selected president. Mainly you
want to be able to defend your president by knowing as much as you can about him in the
15 minutes youre given. Please write all your facts on a piece of paper using the
resources provided on your table with your names on it. In addition, write down three or
more challenge questions you will ask the other team about the opposite teams selected
president. Teacher will collect the fact/question sheets after the debate.
For students that have IEPs, teacher will provide resources such as pictures, certain
websites, and leveled reading texts to support facts about the history of presidents.
For students that have GIEPs, teacher will provide resources for students to use with
accelerated facts about president facts
 Teacher: now what you will do with this information is debate with your peers why your
president was one of the most influential presidents in the United States.
Teacher: at the end of the debates, the class will come down to a final vote who had the
best debate about their selected president.
Teacher: whoever wins will get a prize.
Teacher thoroughly exclaims the importance of knowing history about our presidents.
Teacher will split students into four groups (Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, Roosevelt)
Teacher hands out books and an iPad to look up resources about their president.
Teacher starts a timer of 15 minutes.
Teacher informs students that everyone needs to be part of the debate in saying a
fact/question. It will be counted towards participation of the assignment.
Students look up information about their president and construct 3-more questions about
opposite teams president.
Formatively: Teacher will walk around to each team during their discussions on finding
facts including achievements, campaigns, events, triumphs, and legacies. Teacher will
overlook their fact/question sheets to make sure they are constructing information as a
group.
Teacher stops timer after 15 minutes.
Teacher asks the first two teams to go (Washington and Lincoln.)
Students begin to debate.
For students with IEPs and the entire class, they will have a copy of the facts/questions
their team is asking the opposing team.
Other students watch debate.
Formatively: Teacher will observe the presentations amongst both teams at a time.
Summative: Teacher will assess their oral presentation skills. For example, presenting in
a unique way, talking loudly, and clear. Teacher will write down the number of times they
participated in the debate. Each student is required to participate once by either asking a
question or answering a question in the debate
Teacher calls next two teams to debate.
Students watch the debate.
Formatively: Teacher will observe the presentations amongst both teams at a time.
Summative: Teacher will assess their oral presentation skills. For example, presenting in
a unique way, talking loudly, and clear. Teacher will write down the number of times they
participated in the debate. Each student is required to participate once by either asking a
question or answering a question in the debate
Teacher will ask if any teams want to challenge another team (reminding them they do
not have prior challenge questions because that was for the first round of the debate)
Students ask for one team to go against another.
Both teams debate.
Formatively: Teacher will observe the presentations amongst both teams at a time.
Summative: Teacher will assess their oral presentation skills. For example, presenting in
a unique way, talking loudly, and clear. Teacher will write down the number of times they
participated in the debate. Each student is required to participate once by either asking a
question or answering a question in the debate
Teacher asks if there are any more challengers.
Students decline.
Teacher declares voting time.
Students declare the winning team.
Teacher will collect the fact/question sheets from students.
 Summative, students will hand in their fact sheet from their team discussions after the
debate.
For students that have GIEPs and the entire class, Teacher will assign extra credit to bring
in facts about the current president for the following day. It can be any interesting fact
about the current president.

Differentiation
For students that have IEPs, teacher will provide resources such as pictures, certain
websites, and leveled reading texts to support facts about the history of presidents.
For students that have GIEPs, teacher will provide resources for students to use with
accelerated facts about president facts.
For students with IEPs and the entire class, they will have a copy of the facts/questions
their team is asking the opposing team.
For students that have GIEPs and the entire class, assign extra credit to bring in facts
about the current president for the following day. It can be any interesting fact about the
current president.

Closure
Teacher informs students to raise their hand once when the president they feel had the
best debates name is called.
Teacher says all four presidents names.
Students vote on one team who they felt one the debate by raising their hand.
Teacher announces winner and ask why those particular students liked the debate about
that president.
Teacher reiterates why a presidents role is important.
Teacher reiterates how history can repeat itself and how we can have a great and not so
great presidents based off past presidents accomplishments.

Formative/Summative Assessment of Students (P-12)

Formatively: Teacher will walk around to each team during their discussions on finding
facts including achievements, campaigns, events, triumphs, and legacies. Teacher will
overlook their fact/question sheets to make sure they are constructing information as a
group.
Formatively: Teacher will observe the presentations amongst both teams at a time.
Summative: Teacher will assess their oral presentation skills. For example, presenting in
a unique way, talking loudly, and clear. Teacher will also write down the number of times
they participated in the debate. Each student is required to participate once by either
asking a question or answering a question in the debate.
Summative, students will hand in their fact sheet from their team discussions after the
debate.

Materials/Equipment-
Lined paper
Pencils
Timeline
 Resource books

Student Materials
Internet
ThePresidentsFactBook:TheAchievements,Campaigns,Events,Triumphs,and
LegaciesofEveryPresidentbyRogerMatuz
Picturebook

Technology
iPad

Reflection on Planning

I believe if my students are educated about past presidents they can start to relate
current events to new knowledge. This lesson has the potential to enhance an interest in
politics that can inspire our learners in a classroom group discussion. I am concerned that
some students will be shy to speak up during the debate. It is important I remind the
students to have good teamwork skills in order to include everyone.

Rubric for each student during debate: This rubric will assess a students oral
language skills during the debate portion of the lesson with the following elements
(projective, content, clear, and eye content. I feel these are important elements in
oral language for fourth grade.

Skills Participated Participated

Yes X No
Projective

Content

Clear
Eye Contact

Teacher Notes
3 basic requirements to become president: natural born citizen, 35 years old, US
resident for 14 years.
In order for American government to work, cooperation among the three branches
is necessary. The nation's chief executive, the president, is the head of the
executive branch.
The president is the manager or director of the federal government.
The president sees that the government runs smoothly and that the laws of the
land are enforced and obeyed. He promises to preserve, protect, and defend the
Constitution.
The president and vice president serve for a term of four years and can be re-
elected to a second term.
The president is nearly as powerful as congress.
Before making a decision, he must still have congressional approval for many of
his actions.
At the beginning of each session of Congress, the president must report on the
State of the Union. The president gives his opinion, in this important speech, of
how the country is doing and presents his ideas about what needs to be done in the
coming year. The work of government moves along smoothly when the president
and Congress cooperate. Otherwise, very little can be accomplished -- this is
called "gridlock."
The president, as Head of State, acts as the ceremonial head of our government.
He travels to other countries to meet with heads of foreign governments. He
greets distinguished visitors to the White House.
The president works out treaties or agreements with other nations concerning
trade and the aid that the United States gives to needy countries. He appoints
ambassadors to represent the United States in foreign countries. The president
also serves as the Commander in Chief of the armed forces. He can send them
anywhere in the world to protect our interests or to keep peace in troubled places
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.
New laws are first introduced as "bills" in the two bodies of Congress. A bill has
to be approved by both the House and the Senate through a series of votes and
debates. Once Congress has approved a bill, it is sent to the president, who heads
the Executive Branch. The president has several options about what to do with a
bill. He may sign it into law, send it back to Congress to be changed, or veto the
bill.
When a new president is elected to office, he or she takes an oath that lists many
heavy responsibilities. Abuse of power or failure to uphold these responsibilities
cannot be tolerated. The Constitution gives the House of Representatives the right
to impeach the president. Impeachment means that a charge of misconduct is filed
against the president. A majority of the members of the House must vote for these
charges in order to impeach the president.
After the charges of misconduct are filed, the Senate has the power to try
impeachment cases like a court. Two-thirds of the senators must vote for
conviction. The president may be removed from office and never allowed to hold
a government position again if he is found guilty.
Our 17th president, Andrew Johnson, was impeached while in office. Thirty-five
senators found him guilty -- just one vote short of the two-thirds vote necessary to
convict him.
President Richard Nixon resigned from office rather than face impeachment
charges in the Watergate scandal in 1974. President Bill Clinton became the
second president to be impeached by the House in 1998. Later, the Senate found
him not guilty
The president has so many important tasks. There is little time for rest or leisure --
although he finds time for some very enjoyable duties. A few examples are
lighting the White House Christmas tree, throwing the first ball to open the
baseball season, rolling eggs on the lawn at Easter, and entertaining at the White
House.

List your references.

https://www.congressforkids.net/Executivebranch_president.htm

https://www.icivics.org/games/win-white-house
http://pbskids.org/youchoose

Current Event

https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2017/04/27/how-trump-first-days-compares-
past-presidents-hint-they-not-that-different/VFg3Dc5K3AN0Mp2IsMPsXM/story.html

My lesson plan focuses on the presidents of the past decades, which compare to President of
the United States decisions and promises to the United States today.