Social Studies

Lesson plan #: 3 1. Type of Lesson: Students explore the structure an

function of the government and how the three
Span of time: 1 day branches provide a check and balance system to
ensure no group or person becomes overly powerfu
Objectives Enduring Understanding, Knowledge, Skills
1. Enduring The government is balanced so that the peoples voi
Understanding (big remains the primary force and no one group or pers
takeaway): can come to power.
1. Enduring Understanding

2. Knowledge, know -What are the roles and responsibilities of democratic

whats. Students will citizen?
learn that:
-Who protects our rights?

3. Skills, know hows. -How is the government run by the people

Students will learn
how to: 2. Knowledge
-how a democracy functions
-how the three branches of government balance each othe
out
-the power within each branch
3. Skills
-identify duties of each branch of the government

KEY ACADEMIC MATERIALS NEEDED FOR THIS LESSON

VOCABULARY
--democracy -rope
-judicial branch -branches
-legislative branch -note cards
-executive branch -string
-president -guided notes
-vice president
-power point
-congress
-senate
-representatives
-house of representatives
-supreme court
-checks and balances
FORMATIVE
ASSESSMENT
What formative 1. Assessment on knowledge and skills:
assessment will give you The guided notes, and question on checks and balances. T
information on each of branch mobile arranged into the correct branches of
your students learning government will also display understanding.
outcome(s)?

*Specify whether the

2. Assessment on Enduring Understanding (did they
assessment activities are meet the overall goal?): Displays knowledge of powers
homework. within each branch which displays idea that each branch ha
powers to maintain balanced power.

LESSON PLAN Describe with detail how the lesson will be introduce
Class begins and
1. How will your intro
communicate the Warm up hook: Get a rope tie it in a circl and have 3
usefulness of the students holding it evenlly spaced out so that it appears to
learning content? How be a triangle. Have all studens lean back gently and balan
will you connect the
Then have one student tug and the others tug back, have
learning to their
personal experiences?
them all tug.
What do you notice happens during this acitivity? If one
2. How will you draw student was pulling harder the other 2 could pull back on
upon their prior them right? Not one person could ever have complete
knowledge? control. Not one person could ever be too powerful This is
how our government works and this idea is called checks a
balances within our government. There are 3 branches in o
Democracy. The Legislative, Judicial, and Executive branch
These branches provide a balance of power so no one pers
or group has more control.
Through the Learning A)
(A) Descri Lecture (15 mins): Lecture on the branches in the
be the main government, their powers, and the people in the current
activities of your poitions. Take notes on the guided notes worksheet. (
lesson plan, https://www.wisc-online.com/learn/social-science/political-
estimating the
science/soc5904/the-duties-of-the-three-branches-of-
amount of time
that each activity
governmen)
will take. -The Legislative branch. First, can anyone try and guess wh
this branch does just by evaluating the word? Are there any
(B) How smaller words within it that can help us understadn the
do the activities meaning? Well legislate means to make laws, so what can w
help your guess the legislative branch does? (makes laws). Yes, the
students learn? legislative branch makes laws. (click on legislativebranch in
powerpoint) It also votes on whether a bill should become a
law. A bill is a draft of a proposed law. If we wanted to add a
rule to our class consitution, it would first be a bill and after
the consent of the branches, would become a law. The
legislative branch also approves appointments for federal
judges and has the power to declare war. The Legislative
branch also passes the national budget or decides how mu
money will be put into different things such as healthcare, t
military, and infrastrucutre such as our roads.
-Now the Executive Branch. Can anyone try and guess wha
this branch does just by evaluating the word? Are there any
smaller words within it that can help us understadn the
meaning? Executive? The executive is like the boss of a
company, the president is similar to the boss of our country
The executive branch consists of the president, vice preside
and his cabitnet. The President appoints federal judges and
other government officials, gives the State of the Union
speech, sends bills to Congress, commands the armed forc
and meets with leaders of other nations. Do any of you kno
who our president is? The executive branch also consists of
the cabinet which is nominated by the president and
approced by the senate. The cabinet is different then cabin
you have in your kitchen, they debate national problems an
how they can be solved as well as proposing bills. The
executive branch carts out laws and sees that laws are
enforced.
And finally there is the Judiciary branch. Can anyone try an
guess what this branch does just by evaluating the word? A
there any smaller words within it that can help us understa
the meaning? Judge? Yes the judicial branch is compromise
of judges and all the courts of the lands so that includes
district courts, for example we are in the ** school district,
courts have districts too. Then there are state cours and
 courts of appeal and the Supreme Court which is the highe
coourt in the national court system. The Supreme Coirt is
composed of 9 justices noninated by the president and mus
be approved by the senate. The Judicial brnach interpret an
defines laws in specific cases as well as punishes lawbreake
The branch also determines if any laws go against the
consitution.
Together these three branches proved a seperation of powe
through checks and balances. These balances are also
elaborated in this video, take additional notes on the
branches powers as you will need them later
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=0bf3CwYCxXw#action=share)
Work through some of the checks and balances present in t
government on the worksheet and label which branch is
providing check and balance for what branch. You may get
help or discuss with neighbors.
Activity (30 mins): Today we are going to create real
branches for the branches of government. The governemnt
would be threatened if a branch became to strong or too
weak, just as a real tree would.
Have students break up into groups of 4-5 and they will be
given one branch, string, and notecards. Students will crea
a mobile that has a string leadinging to each branch of the
government. There will be leaf notecards with charecterisit
of each of the branches and the studnets have to choose
which each belongs to. The cards could be who works there
what they do, or like statements.
B)
Students will receive the information visually and auditory
through the quick lecture and powerpoint. Students will the
be activley engadged and have to colaborate with their pee
by communicating and physically arranging the cards into t
correct branch of government.

DIFFERENTIATION
FRAMEWORK
How will you differentiate LANGUAGE SUPPORT FOR ELLs
your lesson to meet I provide guided notes for student to aid student in underst
diverse students needs? throughout the powerpoint but also to be a vocabuilary ref
for students who struggle.m
EXCEPTIONAL LEARNING NEEDS
Students are working with groups so I would have time to g

CLASSROOM
MANAGEMENT
How will you foster a positive
learning environment that
will enhance all students
learning and growth?
Describe your strategy for
classroom management. If
a student or several were
to disrupt the class
activities and lessons, how
will you respond?
exceptional learning needs students additional attention
during group time to clarify ideas.
Seating/Classroom Arrangement (only if special arrangement
needed for this lesson)
Special Rules/Procedures (only if special rules/procedures require
for this lesson)
They must stay on task to have branch hung on the
class government tree either in the classroom or the
hallway. Students will be motivated to work when
there work is posted for others to see.