Marquette University

Lesson Plan Template (REVISED 8/15/13)

Lesson Title-We the People, Two-day lesson (Day 2)
Date 10/29/15 (Current Events, Political Science, Writing, Technology)
Unit Title-U.S. Constitution

Subject/Grade Level/Lesson Duration

S.S. 4th grade, 45 min. lesson

Section A. Lesson Preparation

Essential Question? What does it mean to be a perfect union?
Rationale Why is it important for students to learn the content of the lesson?
It is important for students to learn the content of this lesson, because it provides
students with an understanding of how nation aims to be one with one another.
Description of Learners What factors must be considered in order to accommodate the
diversity of learners in your class?
1. What are your students developmental assets? (Cognitive? Physical? Social? Emotional?
Motivational?) There are 24 students in my class at Milwaukee Environmental

Science. More specifically, there are 18 males and 6 females. All of the students
in the class qualify for free breakfast and lunch at school. Many of my students
are average size for their age; however, some of them are on the smaller side.
Cognitively, many of my students are behind. A few of my students are
performing above grade level in math. There are four students in the class who are
identified as having special education needs. Of these students, one of them is
identified as having an emotional behavior disorder, one is identified as being
cognitively delayed and two are identified as having a learning disability. Many of
the students in my class are outgoing and love to engage in conversation with one
another. There are no English Language Learners in the classroom and the
ethnic/racial makeup of my class is 98% African American and 2% White.
Furthermore, some of my students are very motivated to excel in school, while
others have a lack of interest in learning.
2. How can the personal/cultural/community assets of your students can be utilized in this
lesson? In this lesson, I can take my students need for inclusion and fair treatment and
allow my students to fully participate and voice their opinion about what it means to
form a more perfect union. By learning about the Preamble, my students will be able to
express their feelings about what it means to live in a world that doesnt always portray
equality for all citizens.
3. What prior knowledge, skills, and understanding must students have in order to
successfully engage in this lesson? This lesson will be the second part of our unit on the
Constitution, specifically the Preamble. Students will need to recall the basic material we
covered on day one, which included the location of the Preamble, the importance of it
and the ways it has helped shape our nations identity.
4. What preconceptions/misconceptions/misunderstandings/errors might students have
about the concepts in this lesson? Students may misunderstand how the Preamble is

carried out in society today. In order to clear up this confusion, students will research the
different ways our nation carries out the meaning and messages stated within the
Preamble.
5. What are individual learning needs in this class? What
supports/modifications/accommodations to instruction or assessment may need to be
made? (Content? Process? Product?) There are four students in the class who are

identified as having special education needs. Of these students, one of them is

identified as having an emotional behavior disorder, one is identified as being
cognitively delayed and two are identified as having a learning disability. In order
to better reach the needs of these students, I will use visual as well as auditory
aids to help those students identified as having a learning disability. By
differentiating the learning process, students will be able to learn in a way that
best suits their learning style. In addition, I will allow my student who is
identified as having an emotional behavior disorder to work with a partner when it
comes time to complete this lessons activity (day 2). This student benefits from
working with others and is able to stay on task when he has someone working
alongside him. Lastly, I will provide one on one instruction for my student who is
identified as being cognitively delayed. Through this, I will be able to explain in
depth the meaning behind each of the phrases listed within the Preamble.
6. What might be common preconceptions/misconceptions/errors/misunderstandings
relating to the content of this lesson? How will you identify and address them in this
lesson? Students may misunderstand the meaning behind in order to form a more
perfect union. The reason being, many of my students are aware of how our nation is not
unified, especially when it comes to race and equality.
Objectives/Learner Outcomes and Assessments (formal and informal)
1.

List the measurable learning outcomes (knowledge, skills, dispositions) that students are
expected to demonstrate as a result of the lesson?
1. -Students will recall key phrases of the Preamble.
2. -Students will describe the meaning behind each of the phrases stated within the
Preamble.
3. -Students will name ways the Preamble is used within society today.

2.

For each of the above outcomes, what ASSESSMENTS will you use to evaluate each of
your learning outcomes? (Give a brief description).
1. (Fill in the blank Preamble)- students will be asked to fill in the key words and
phrases missing from a printed copy of the Preamble
2. (Preamble Match)-students will be asked to match the key phrases of the Preamble
to their meaning using a flashcard activity
3. (Current Events)- students will research the different ways the Preamble is carried
out by our nations government today and write about their findings in their
notebooks
*Ideas/activities found on Teachers Pay Teachers
- https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Constitution-Preamble-

1931465

Standards Addressed What Core State Standards (English/Language Arts, Math, Disciplinary
Literacy) or Wisconsin model academic standards (Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language)
are specifically addressed in the lesson? Please list the number and text of the standard. If only a
portion of a standard is being addressed, then only list the relevant part(s).

B.4.5 Identify the historical background and meaning of important political values such
as freedom, democracy, and justice.
B.4.9 Describe examples of cooperation and interdependence among individuals
Materials/Resources/Technology List all materials/resources/technology needed to support
instructional procedures in this lesson.
-24 sets of flashcards for the Preamble Match activity
-24 copies of the fill in the blank Preamble worksheet
-computers for students to access articles pertaining to our nations government
Section B: Introduction to Lesson
Purpose How will you state the purpose of the lesson?
The purpose of todays lesson is to define and explain the meaning behind each of the
phrases stated within the Preamble. In order to help students define the meaning behind
each of the phrases stated within the Preamble, I will ask them the following questions.
Why are the phrases stated within the Preamble important? What specific purpose does
the Preamble serve overall?
Prior learning What do students know? What can they do? What are they learning to
do? How will you make connections to prior learning?
-Prior to this lesson, students will know the location of the Preamble, why it is important
and how it has helped shape our nation.
-In order to gain more knowledge, students will learn the meaning behind each of the
phrases stated within the Preamble.
-Students will learn how to recognize the different ways the Preamble is carried out by
our nations government today.
-I will have students connect what they learn about today to what they know about
Wisconsins state government and political leaders.
Connections to personal/cultural/community assets How will you make connections to
your students strengths as a way to motivate students to engage in the learning activities
you have planned? (HOOKS)
-I will engage students in the lesson by having them read aloud our class mission from
our previous lesson to the other fourth grade class. My students love having the
opportunity to share their work with others.
Section C: Content/Procedures/Sequence (Include estimated time for each activity)

Content outline

Instructional strategies/learning tasks/sequence of

activities (include what you and the students will be
doing that supports diverse student needs)

Introduction activity
(5 min)

Students will read aloud our class mission to the other

fourth grade students.

What is the meaning?

(10 min)

In order to help students understand the meaning behind

each of the phrases stated within the Preamble, I will
provide them with a definition of each phrase (I will
place these definitions on the overhead as well as
verbally explain them.) This overview will help students
with the activities to follow. I will check in with
students to see if further clarification will be needed.

Centers (25 min)

Students will rotate between three centers and complete

the following activities at each center. (8 min. at each)
1. (Fill in the blank Preamble)- students will
be asked to fill in the key words and phrases
missing from a printed copy of the
Preamble
2. (Preamble Match)-students will be asked
to match the key phrases of the Preamble to
their meaning through a flashcard activity
3. (Current Events)- students will research
the different ways the Preamble is carried
out by our nations government today using
the computers in our classroom. Students
will write down their findings in their
notebooks.
(When creating groups for centers, I will
make sure to pair my student who is
identified as having an emotional behavior
disorder with someone he is comfortable
working with)

Closing (5 min)

Review the overall meaning behind the phrases listed

within the Preamble and have students share a small
portion of what they discovered in their research about
the Preamble is carried out by our nations government
today
Questions to be asked: Why are the phrases stated
within the Preamble important? What specific purpose
does the Preamble serve overall?
Section D: Closure
Summary of lesson How will you bring the lesson to a close? (One-two statements that
you will say at the end of the lesson) Boys and girls, it is important to consider the
meaning behind each of the phrases listed within the Preamble, because they helps us
understand the identity of our nation. Furthermore, they provide us with a vision for the
future of our nation.

Assignment What independent work will be assigned?

I will have students write about the phrase they most identify with in the Preamble.
Students will write three to four sentences on why they choose the specific phrase they
did and how it connects to their personal life.
Section E: Self-Assessment and Reflection (To be completed only if and after you teach the
lesson)
1. Was the lesson successful? What DATA or EVIDENCE support your conclusions?
2. Based on your conclusion above about what your students know and are able to do
(individually and collectively), what next steps in instruction are you planning?
a. For the class as a whole:
b. For individuals with specific learning needs within the class