Constitutions and Charters: UbD Framework Curriculum Design

Overview
Unit Name: Constitutions, Charters, and Contracts

Teacher: Dylan Frendt

Subject: Social Studies

Grade: 09-10

Briefly give a narrative overview of the learning unit:

Societies create governments in order to prevent chaos and establish order. This order almost always takes the form of a government. While the
exploration of government, civics, and democratic virtue is often a task reserved for students in eleventh and twelfth grades, younger high school
students should understand that the rules, policies, and procedures that are enforced in their school and classroom are a mirror of the rules, policies, and
procedures that we create and enforce with our governing institutions. By devoting a unit to having the students create their own classroom
constitution and their own expectations, I hope to provide them the space to be involved with civic discussions that have a practical purpose. This
lessons seeks to involve students with the democratic process, in their classroom, so that they can be exposed to critical thinking and writing and so that I
can also gain an understanding of their current learning portfolio as it relates to reading, writing, critical thinking, and willingness to engage in
discussion.
Desired Results
Established Goals:
PA Core Standards for Reading in Social Studies:
CC.8.5.910.E.Analyzehowatextusesstructuretoemphasizekeypointsoradvanceanexplanationoranalysis.
PACoreStandardsforWritinginSocialStudies:
CC.8.6.910.B:Introduceatopicandorganizeideas,concepts,andinformationtomakeimportantconnectionsanddistinctions;includeformatting
(e.g.,headings),graphics(e.g.,figures,tables),andmultimediawhenusefultoaidingcomprehension
CC.8.6.910.C:Produceclearandcoherentwritinginwhichthedevelopment,organization,andstyleareappropriatetotask,purpose,andaudience.
Understandings:
Essential Questions:
Governments have a basic foundation of rights, privileges, and
Who decides the basic foundations found in government documents?
consequences that is often written down.
What are some of my rights as a citizen or human being?
It is the duty of the people to work to update, correct, and change How do these rights differ from place to place?
these rules and the laws that exist because of these rules.
How do rights differ from time to time?
All people can be involved in this process and should learn to
How can I be involved in updating the rules?
understand how to get involved.
What are the barriers to being involved in the process?

Constitutions and Charters: UbD Framework Curriculum Design

Assessment Evidence
Performance Tasks:
Other Evidence:
Constitutional Amendment for this assessment, students will
Entrance Slips students will be prompted to respond to entrance
be charged with drafting their own amendments for our
slips, which will be one or two of the essential questions relayed
Classroom Constitution. Students will be put into groups and
in the Desired Results portion of this curricular design. This
the groups will be responsible for either a pre-assigned portion
assessment will not be graded, but will be used to gauge initial
of the Constitution, or for figuring out what else could be
understanding of what we will hopefully accomplish, in class.
added to any of the parts. Students will be assessed on their
Exit Slips students will conclude the class by responding to the
ability to draft and agree upon an amendment, for their
questions from their entrance slips on exit slips. This
individual contribution, and on their discussion.
assessment will not be graded, but will be used to see what
Constitutional Convention this assessment will be held on
understandings were gained from the individual lesson.
the final day of class and will lead to the draft, vote, and
adoption of a Classroom Constitution. Students will engage
in a convention where they will vote on the individual
components of their Classroom Constitution. They will be
evaluated on their contribution to the discussion, their
comments and critiques on other students work, their own
submissions to the convention, and on their ability to pass or
not pass on a final product.
Classroom Constitution the final assessment for the unit will
be the final Classroom Constitution. This constitution will
lay out classroom rules and procedures as they relate to:
attendance, grading, assignments, homework, readings, due
dates, grading scale, and other academic and behavioral
components. The Constitution will be the culmination of a
week of debate and discussion highlighted in the
aforementioned performance tasks.

Constitutions and Charters: UbD Framework Curriculum Design

Da
y
1

Essential Question(s)

Resources/ Materials

Learning Activities

Who decides the

basic foundations
found in government
documents?

Slips of paper for Entrance

Slip and Exit Slip.
Computer and projecting
device for playing of
slideshow and playing of
video.

What are some of

my rights as a
citizen or human
being?
How do rights differ
from place to place?
How do rights differ
from time to time?
How can I be
involved in updating
the rules?

Slips of paper for Entrance

Slip and Exit Slip and
quotes on rights.
Butcher paper, markers, and
colored pencils for What
are my rights? activity.

What makes it hard

for you to engage be
involved in making
the rules?

Computers
Slips of paper for Entrance
Slip and Exit Slip.

Computers
Slips of paper for Entrance
Slip and Exit Slip.

Prearranged desks
Computer for self
Gavel
Recording device

Entrance Slip will ask students the essential questions for the day.
A picture slideshow of images of ancient and modern constitutions will play in the backgrou
Teacher will discuss constitutions broadly and briefly.
Youtube Video Founding Fathers Rap or similarly themed humor video will be played.
Students will be assigned to groups to discuss essential question with one another.
Exit Slip will ask students to re-reflect on essential question. Done in group.

Entrance Slip will ask students the essential questions for the day.
Students will divide into groups. There will three pieces of butcher paper on the walls around
room. The butcher paper will ask the essential questions, and students will travel in groups an
write down free thought on the essential questions. I will help with any of their questions. Thi
will be followed by a debrief.
Students will be handed slips of paper with various, brief quotes on rights. Students will reflec
quietly for a few minutes, then discuss as a group.
Exit Slip will ask students to re-reflect on essential questions.
Entrance Slip will ask students the essential question for the day.
Students will be put into groups. They will be presented with my Classroom Constitution in
print out and on the computer, and asked to read it and provide feedback. Feedback will be du
by end of class.
Exit Slip will ask students to re-reflect on essential question. Done in group.
Entrance Slip will ask students the essential question for the day.
Students will count off into groups. Students will be provided with previous feedback from
yesterdays assignment and asked to use that to suggest changes to my pre-written Classroom
Constitution. They will write these suggestions down and submit them to me by the end of
class. They will be the amendments portion of assessing.

Students will participate in a Constitutional Convention. Each group will present its
recommended changes and have to defend those changes against other students in the class. Af
a set time, I will bring discussion to a close and ask for a vote for or against whatever form of
compromise they come up with. This will be replicated for all of the sections, until there is a
finished product. This will take the entirety of class, and will serve as the final assessment.