Unit Plan Nick Sitzman - Social Studies

Unit Title: Foundations of Gov.

Time Frame: 11 Days
Course: U.S Government
Grade Level: 12

CURRICULUM/STANDARDS
Arizona Social Studies Standard Concept 1: Foundations of Government PO 1, 2, 3,4. Concept 2 Structure of
Government PO 1,2,3.

KEY THEMES/QUESTIONS
What
What
What
What
What

is government, and why do we have government?

groups or individuals have influenced the creation of the U.S. Government?
is a Social Contract and how did this inspire the Declaration of Independence?
is the purpose of a Constitution?
led to the adoption and ratification of the U.S. Constitution ?

ASSESSMENT
Students will write a break up letter with a country or, state, city, county (analyzing principles behind the
Declaration of Independence)
Students will hold a mock Constitutional Convention to make rules governing their own country.
Students will write a short reflection on the mock convention
Declaration Quiz

RESOURCES/MATERIALS
American Government Text Book. Political Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal. Federalist no. 10.
James Madison Convention Notes

Unit Calendar
(For each class period, list the topic of the day, as well as main learning activities. You may list standards if you
choose.)
(Insert or delete days of the week as appropriate for your school district calendar. Add or delete weeks depending
on the length of your unit.)

MONDAY
What is
government?
Bell work - What
part of government
do we interact with
the most?
Breaking down
government power
point and writing
assignment
Analyzing the
Declaration
Continued
Continue with
breakdown of the
text of the
Declaration
Short Answer quiz

TUESDAY
Origins of
Government
Greek Democracy,
and The Roman
Republic
Fundamentals of
Democracy Power
Point
Federalist No. 10
Factions assignment

WEDNESDAY
Thomas Hobbes, John
Locke, and the Social
Contract
Hobbes and Locke
power point. Social
Contract writing
assignment

THURSDAY
Magna Carta and the
English Bill of Rights
Purpose of the Magna
Carta and English Bill
of Rights
Life Liberty and
Property power point

The Articles of
Confederation- Why
we needed a new
government
Life under the articles
assignment

Forming a new
government- The
Constitutional
Convention
James Madison notes
assignment

Anatomy of the
Constitution
Plans and
Compromises
assignment

FRIDAY
Break up letter
Analyze the
Declaration of
Independence
Analyzing the
Declaration
assignment

Creating a
constitution
What were the
issues that the
founders faced
when making the
Constitution Bell
work
Mock Constitutional
Convention Set up

groups and begin

debate
What difficulties
have you seen in
forming a new
constitution
Mock Constitutional
Convention
continued
Post Debate
reflection exit ticket