Lesson Plan Guide

Teacher Candidate: Jyazmine Pearson Date: 24 April 2018

Grade and Topic: Grade 5, Social Studies Length of Lesson: 55 minutes for 2 days

Mentor Teacher: Jennifer Townes School: Sheffield Elementary

UNIT/CHAPTER OBJECTIVE/GENERALIZATION/BIG IDEA:

● Given the three branches of government, students will be able to create a PowerPoint identifying and

describing the three branches of government with 100% accuracy.

LESSON OBJECTIVE:

● Given a branch of government, students will be able to name who oversees that branch.

● Given a branch of government, students will be able to provide 4 responsibilities that the branch given

has.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED:

● 3.28 Discuss the structure and purpose of government.

● 4.1.1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the nature and operation of

technology systems.

● 5.1 Students will use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information
from a variety of sources.

MATERIALS:

● Pencil
● Laptop or Desktop
● Students will use computers to create their assignment. Computers are being integrated into this lesson,
to improve students’ technology use skills.
● http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/usa_game/government/index.htm
● https://www.congressforkids.net/Constitution_threebranches.htm
BACKGROUND and RATIONALE:

● Students will demonstrate a clear understanding of what the three branches of government are, who
oversees them, and a fact about them.
● Academic language will be addressed in methods courses and is not addressed in IDT 3600.
● This lesson plan has the same social studies focus as the previous lesson plan.
● Once students have knowledge of the three branches of government and their responsibilities, then I can
teach them more about the overseers of the three branches.
● The lesson use will be modified to meet the needs of diverse learners.

PROCEDURES AND TIMELINE:

● Introduction: To motivate the students, I will allow them to choose from a set of roles that related to the
lesson content. (So, tell me if you could be any of the three, who would you be? The President, A Judge
or The Officer of Congress? Today we're going to learn about each of the positions, well your positions
and the role you play in the government.)

● Procedures:
Day One ( 55 minutes )
Teacher’s Procedures: Students’ Procedures:

 Assign students to a team of 3  Once assigned group, students will gather together with their team’s laptop and
and give each team a laptop. wait for further instruction.

 Inform students of their first Complete task 1.

two tasks that’ll will provide  Go to http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/usa_game/government/index.htm and
them with the information click "branches of government game" and play the game twice
needed to complete their
*make sure to take notes on the responsibilities of each branch of government*.
assignment.
 Monitor students to ensure that
they’re only using the laptop for Complete task 2.
the task at hand.  Go to https://www.congressforkids.net/Constitution_threebranches.htm and
 Make sure students are taking read each paragraph with a big star beside it.
the appropriate notes needed for *be sure to take notes on who is head of each branch*
their assignment.

 To ensure that students took the  Complete matching activity handout using notes that were supposed to be taken
appropriate notes needed for during task 1 and 2.
assignment, have students
complete matching activity
handout using their notes.

 Grade matching activity  Look over matching activity handout to see if there were any incorrect answers
handouts and return to students. that had to be corrected.
(wrong answers will be
corrected)
 Day Two: ( 55 minutes )
Teacher’s Procedures: Students’ Procedures:

 Instruct students to get back in their groups from
the previous class. Explain to students today’s
assignment. Pass out laptops to each group and
instruct them to get out their matching activity
handout and notes from previous class.
 Get in groups from previous class and get out their
matching activity handout and notes from previous
class.

 Instruct students to choose between the three which  Each team member will choose between the three
role they want to take on: which role they want to take on:
o President o President
o The Congress o The Congress
o The Supreme Court o The Supreme Court

 Explain to students that:  Listen as teacher gives further instruction.

Once every team member has chosen a role, then

whatever branch of government that role oversees,
is that team member's responsibility for the
assignment. If task 2 has been completed, then
each member will know which branch of
government their role oversees. Students can also
refer to matching activity handout for reassurance
of the branch their role oversees.

 Once each member has chosen a role and
understands which branch of government their
responsibility for the assignment is. Instruct
students to:
o Log onto the laptop given to your team
under the user i.d. Student.
o Open "PowerPoint".
o Once opened click "blank presentation".
o Under the "file tab" click "save as" then
double click "browse".
o A small window will pop up. Under "This
PC" click documents. This is where you
will save your PowerPoint.
o Under "File name" titled your
PowerPoint "Branches of Government
Presentation" and click "save".
 Once each member has chosen a role and
understands which branch of government their
responsibility for the assignment is. Students will:
o Log onto the laptop given to their team
under the user i.d. Student.
o Open "PowerPoint".
o Once opened click "blank presentation".
o Under the "file tab" click "save as" then
double click "browse".
o A small window will pop up. Under "This
PC" click documents. This is where the
students will save their PowerPoint.
o Under "File name" students will title their
PowerPoint "Branches of Government
Presentation" and click "save".
 o Once you've save your PowerPoint it will o Once they’ve save their PowerPoint it will
take you back to the home screen, with the take them back to the home screen, with
title of your PowerPoint at the top. the title of the PowerPoint at the top.

o Under the "home tab" click "new o Under the "home tab" click "new
slide" three times and now you should have slide" three times and now the PowerPoint
4 blank slides will have 4 blank slides

 Handout instructions for assignment and go over it  Listen and follow over instructions with teacher.
with students. *instruction handout will be
attached at end of lesson plan*

 Instruct students to start on assignment.  Began assignment.

 Monitor students and be available for any questions  Ask teacher for any assistance you and your
students may have or help that students may need. teammates may need.

Closure:

To close the lesson, I will have the students present their PowerPoints.

ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE:

PowerPoint and Matching Activity Grading Rubric:

Criteria 1 2 3

Identify the three one branch of government two branches of three branches of
branches of government. was identified. government were government were
identified. identified.

Name/Identify the overseer of one branch overseer of two branches overseer of all three
overseer of each branch. was named/identified. were named/identified. branches were
named/identified.

Provide 4 responsibilities one-two responsibilities three responsibilities were four responsibilities were
for each branch of were provided. provided. provided.
government.

MODIFICATIONS:

I am aware that modifications will be made for students who did not master the objectives and for those ready
for enrichment. However, modifications are not covered in this course and are not part of this particular lesson.
Hi teams! Today using PowerPoint you all will create a presentation naming the three
branches of government, and providing 4 responsibilities for each branch.

Task #1

Go to https://www.congressforkids.net/Constitution_threebranches.htm and read each

paragraph with a big star beside it.

*be sure to take notes on who is head of each branch*

Task #2

Go to http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/usa_game/government/index.htm and click

"branches of government game" and play the game twice.

*make sure to take notes on the responsibilities of each branch of government*

First, you'll be assigned to a team of 3 students and each team will be given a laptop.

Step 1:

Each team member will choose between the three which role they want to take on:

 President

 The Congress

 The Supreme Court

Once every team member has chosen a role, then whatever branch of government that role
oversees, is that team member's responsibility for the assignment. If task 2 has been completed,
then each member will know which branch of government their role oversees. Refer to
matching activity handout and notes from task 1 and 2 for reassurance of the branch your
role oversees.
Step 2:

Once each member has chosen a role and understands which branch of government their
responsibility for the assignment is:

 Log onto the laptop given to your team under the user i.d. Student.

 Open "PowerPoint".

 Once opened click "blank presentation".

 Under the "file tab" click "save as" the double click "browse".

 A small window will pop up. Under "This PC" click documents. This is where you will save
your PowerPoint.

 Under "File name" titled your PowerPoint "Branches of Government Presentation" and
click "save".

 Once you've save your PowerPoint it will take you back to the home screen, with the title of
your PowerPoint at the top.

 Under the "home tab" click "new slide" three times and now you should have 4 blank slides

Step 3:

Slide 1 will consist of:

 a Title "The 3 Branches of Government" centered in the middle of the slide

Example: The 3 Branches of Government

 the three authors/each team members name

Example: Created by: , ,

and
Step 4:

Slide 2-4 will go into detail about each branch of government.

Slide 2= Executive Slide 3= Legislative Slide 4= Judicial.

Each slide will consist of:

 Name of branch.

Example: The Police Department

 Who oversees the branch?

Example: The Police Commissioner is a head of the police department.

 4 responsibilities of the branch.

Refer to task 1 and 2 or the notes you should have taken on task 1 and 2 if you are having
trouble with this part.

Example:

o help make sure laws are enforced

o fights crime

o protect civilians

o solve crimes

 Image pertaining to the branch of government.

Example:
How to find your image? On Google, type in the name of your branch and images pertaining to
your branch will pop up. Once you've chosen an image, right click and click "save image as" once
the small window pops up click "save".

How to place image onto slide? Under the "Insert tab" click the icon
titled "Pictures" under "This PC" click "Pictures" scroll to the picture you chose to save click it an
then click "insert". The picture will appear on slide.

Once steps 1-4 have been completed, click the icon and all changes made to your
PowerPoint will be saved.
Name: ________________________________________________ Date: __________________

Instructions: Using the word blank, match each description to the correct branch of
government.

1. 1. 1.

2. 2. 2.

3. 3. 3.

4. 4. 4.

Word bank:

o interprets laws o enforces laws o crafts bills

o decides if laws o approves or o can overturn

are vetoes congress’ vetoes to pass
constitutional bills bills

o decides court o directs military o can impeach

cases president

o settles cases o writes federal o must approve

between 2 or budget president’s
more states budget