Direct Instruction Lesson Plan Template

Name: Debbie Kivuti

Grade Level/Subject: Second, Integration of Social
Studies/ Reading - Voting

Central Focus/Big Idea of the

Lesson:
Identifying Key Details.
Citizens participate in their
community.

Essential Standard/Common Core Objective:

Date taught:
10/26

2.C&G.2 .2 Explain why it is important for citizens to

participate in their community.

Daily Lesson Objective: Students will be able to identify the process of voting.
21 Century Skills:
st

Communication & Collaboration: Students will learn

about the process of an eligible citizens duty in a
simplified voting process, analyzing the pros and cons
of each scenario.

Academic Language
Demand (Language Function
and Vocabulary):
Language function: Identify
Vocabulary: Constitution,
democracy, campaign.

Prior Knowledge: Students will need to know what a T chart is, as well as pros and
cons. They should also recognize what is a citizen.
Activity
1. Focus and Review

Description of Activities and

Setting
Teacher: So yesterday we
talked about what it means to be
a part of a community. And we
talked about Rights and
responsibilities? Can someone
please remind us what the
difference between rights and
responsibilities is? If you have
been watching the news you
may have noticed that there are
a lot of people talking about the
up and coming elections! Now,
none of you are old enough to
vote, but today we are going to
be learning about an important
part of the United Stated
government, and that is the
process of voting!
Inquiry: (Turn and talk) Have you
ever voted for something? What

Time
5 mins

was that experience like?

2. Statement of Objective
for Student

Today, you will identify what it

takes to become President of
the United States, and then you
will be able to take part in the
voting process by actually voting
at the end of class!

1 min

3. Teacher Input

Teacher: You may have been

told by now that anyone has the
potential to be anything they
want, even the President! But it
is important that there are laws
put in place about becoming
President. Why? Because the
President of the United States
will be representing the people
of the United States of America
for as long as they are in charge.
Every four years, if you are an
American Citizen, then you have
the right to vote for the
President, and other local
government elects. When
America was becoming its own
country, we wrote a rule book to
help guide our country. This is
called the Constitution. While the
Constitution has changed
dramatically since the 1700s,
we use the Constitution when
making decisions today. One of
the parts of the Constitution are
some qualities that we want in
our leader as Americans. One
of the requirements of rules is
that the person running for
President is a natural born
American Citizen. This means
that a person must be born in
America to run for President.
Also, the person running but be
at least 35. Does anyone know
the age of our youngest
President so far? President
Theodore was 42 when he
became President. Can anyone
guess the age of Americas
oldest President? 69! The

7-10 mins

Constitution also allows that

people who are citizens are
allowed to participate in voting,
which is when you write your
name and chose one thing over
another. For example, if I have
the choice between picking ice
cream to eat for dessert or
cookies. I am going to take time
to consider to good things and
bad things, or pros and cons of
my decision. So, to help me way
to god things and bad about
either choice I am going to use a
T-chart. Lets group think and
come up with the pros and Cons
of choosing Ice cream. (Write
students answers down). How
about cookies? So now, I am
going to consider both sides,
and make my decision.
Tomorrow I will show you my
choice! As for today, you are
going to get to practice voting!
4. Guided Practice

Teacher: As a class we are

going to decide whether it is:
You are in school, and you have
only this in mind: no rules, just
fun. What could happen? List 3
pros and 3 cons of this kind of
school day in your Social
Studies Journal. Then in 10
minutes I will pass out stickies
and we will create a class Tchart. Lets group think again
about the pros and cons of
having a school that works
without rules? Then we will vote.

Take 10 mins to allow students

to write deas about a school
without rules.
Great job! Thank you for those
who participated! Now we are
going to take a vote as class.
When you vote for President or
any other government official
you have to fill out a voter
registration card.This lets the

15 mins

people in charge know that you

are, in fact, allowed to vote. Take
2 minutes to fill out your voter
card. I will go ahead and say
that everyone in this class is
allowed to participate. After you
fill out your voter card with just
your name and date of birth.
Then on your ballot write down
either A or B. A is you agree that
school should be without rules.
B is for rules. Or C which means
that you think there should be
rules.
Then present ballots, and ballot
box with either with a school
with rules and a school with out
rules for students to vote
labeled. Give students 2 minutes
to cast their vote. If there are
undecided voters, allow one
volunteer from each side to
convince the voter to join their
team.
5. Independent Practice

Teacher: As I count the ballots

and tally to see which side won,
I want you write why you chose
one way or the other. Think
about why we need rules, or why
you dont think we need rules.
This is free writing, but I want
lots of details. In your paragraph
I need you to answer the
question why. If you get done
with 1 write what you learned
about voting in a democracy!

5-7 mins

6. Assessment Methods of
all objectives/skills:

Summative: Collect the Writing Journals with

completed T charts for grading.
Formative: Students participation in the discussion
questions: Who is allowed to Vote in the U.S.?
Why do people vote?
What happens when people in a community vote?

7. Closure

I would like to have a couple

volunteers share what you wrote
in your Notebooks. (Allow 2 or 3
students to share their ideas)

5 mins

Finally, count the ballots and

declare the winner!
I have a quick exit ticket, I would
like you to complete:
Who is allowed to Vote in the
U.S.?
Why do people vote?
What happens when people in a
community vote?
Great work today citizens!
Today we learned about what it
means to participate in a small
election. This is similar to the
bigger elections that happen
every two years for local
elections and every four years
for president. I hope you learned
that every voice matters, and
that is why it is important to
exercises your right to
participate and vote!
8. Assessment Results of
all objectives/skills:

Students will be graded on completion of T chart and

2 sentences. 1 point for each pro/con and 1 point for
each sentence. Out of 10 points possible, students
who have mastered the concept must earn 8 points.

Targeted Students
Modifications/Accommodations:

Student/Small Group
Modifications/Accommodations:

English language learners can receive

one on one help while students are
completing exit ticket, in oder to for
directions and pros and cons chart to
be explained.

Students who finish early can write a

paragraph on why they chose the side that
they did.
Students who need more time can be reread the instructions too, and aided in
using the pros and cons chart to make a
decision.

Materials/Technology:
(Include any instructional materials (e.g., worksheets, assessments PowerPoint/SmartBoard slides, etc.) needed to implement
the lesson at the end of the lesson plan.)

1 writing journal per student, 1 marker, 2 Large T charts, 1 ballot boxes, 1 ballot per
student, 1 voter card per student
References:
Reflection on lesson: (Write several paragraphs about what you learned from this
lesson. What were the strengths? What were the weaknesses? What did you learn

about teaching and student learning? How would you teach this lesson differently in
the future?