Social Studies Lesson Plan Template

Group Members/Group Name: __Jaclyn Michel, Amber Alcock, Kathryn Dobring, Marielle Cox, Meridith Doerstling
Thematic Unit Theme/Title/Grade Level: __4th Grade____________________________________
Group Wiki space address: ___http://branchesofgovernmentucf.weebly.com/___________________
Daily Lesson Plan Day/Title: ____Executive Branch_________________________________
Lesson Length (ie. 30 minutes): ____30-45 minutes_______
Rationale for Instruction
A rationale is an essential part
of thoughtful planning of
classroom instruction. This is a
brief written statement of the
purpose for instruction and the
connection of the purpose to
instruction that has come
before and will follow.
Learning Objectives
What will students know and
be able to do at the end of this
lesson? Be sure to set
significant (related to NGSS
Themes, CCSS, and NGSSS),
challenging, measurable and
appropriate learning goals!

Why this lesson is a necessary element of the curriculum? [An example from Broward County Schools
Elementary students should begin to understand that as citizens of the United States, they have both
rights (privacy, speech, religion, movement, assembly) and responsibilities (voting, obeying the law,
helping in the community). Students should be willing to exercise both their rights and responsibilities.]
Elementary students should have an accurate understanding of the division of American government
that make the United States. As U.S. citizen students should develop an understanding of each branch of
government the roles and responsibilities each branch and how they all work together.
Depending on the topic, grade level and length of time required for lesson, 3-5 objectives may be
acceptable. Remember a learning objective is a statement in specific and measurable terms that
describes what the learner will know or be able to do as a result of engaging in a learning activity as
well as how that learning will be demonstrated. All learning objectives should begin with:
The student will be able to identify the Executive Branch as well as their responsibilities.
The students will be able to explain the historical concepts of the executive branch after reading
informational text.
The students will be able to explain what the purpose of government is and how it provides for people in
the United States.

NCSS Theme/Next
Generation Sunshine State
Standards/Common Core
Standards (LAFS/MAFS)
List each standard that will be
addressed during the lesson.
Cutting and pasting from the
website is allowed. You must
have a minimum of 3 standards

Do you cross the curriculum? What other content fields (language arts, science, math, the arts, physical
education, technology) do you address in this lesson?
SS.4.C.3.1 Identify the three branches (Legislative, Judicial, Executive) of government in Florida and
the powers of each.
LAFS.4.RI.1.3 Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text,
including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
Cognitive Complexity: Level 3: Strategic Thinking & Complex Reasoning
Modified 5/15 Van De Mark from document created by L. Spaulding

that represent multiple content

areas identified in this portion
of the lesson plan.
These can be downloaded from
the Florida Dept of Education
www.cpalms.org/homepage/ind
ex.aspx.

Social Studies Lesson Plan Template

IV. Power, Authority and Governance
Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people create and
change structures of power, authority, and governance, so that the learner can:
a. Explain the purpose of government;
b. Give examples of how government does or does not provide for the needs and wants of people,
establish order and security, and manage conflict;

Student Activities &

This is the heart of the lesson plan. Be specific. Describe lesson in a step-by-step, numbered sequence,
Procedures
including teacher and student activities. Be sure to include key questions for discussion, collaborative
Design for Instruction
structures, etc. (This section includes EVERYTHING and should be highly detailed!)
What best practice
1. The first thing I would do to introduce this lesson would be to have the students orally answer
strategies will be
questions pertaining to the Executive branch. This would be my pretest and would give me an
implemented?
idea of how much/little the students know about the Executive Branch. (Five artifacts here)
How will you communicate
**Prior to the unit as a whole, I would give them the Three Branches of Government Worksheet
student expectation?
and have them fill in as much as they know.
What products will be
2.
Next, I would have the students take notes on the Executive Branch. I would put together a short
developed and created by
slide show and maybe show a video. I would have the students know the answer to the
students?
questions: who makes up the Executive Branch and what are their responsibilities? After the
Consider Contextual
PowerPoint/lecture, the students would be able to identify the President, his roles, and how long
Factors (learning
a term is as the President.
differences/learning
3. Following this, I would have them do the If I Were President page. Each student would fill in
environment) that may be in
the worksheet with what they would do if they were President for a day. After this is completed,
place in your classroom.
I would ask for a few volunteers to share what they wrote.
4. Next, I would have the students do a fun activity that incorporates finding smaller words within
larger words. I would have them do the How many words can you make out of presidents? I
would time them (5-10 minutes) and at the end of this time, each student would tally up the
amount of words they had. The student who had the most words would be the winner (or you
could take the top 3) and he/she would get a homework pass or another type of reward.
5. Finally, we would end the lesson with a quick review and a five-question test.
This is where I would introduce a mini-project of President Wanted. The students task is to
design a sign asking for help to find a President. On the sign, they need to list off at least five
duties of the President/Executive Branch. They would need to be creative and add color to it.
This would be due the following week to give them enough time to create their poster. Parents
could assist with this small project.
Modified 5/15 Van De Mark from document created by L. Spaulding

Resources/Materials

Social Studies Lesson Plan Template

ALL resources including but not limited too; internet sites, professional resources- books, journals
(titles and authors), childrens literature, etc. should be noted here. Citations should be in APA format.
Government of North America. (n.d.). Retrieved June 3, 2015 from
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/northamerica/after1500/government/
Giesecke, E. (2000). Local government. Chicago, Ill.: Heinemann Library.
Giesecke, E. (2000). National government. Chicago, Ill.: Heinemann Library.
Giesecke, E. (2010). State government (Rev. and updated. Ed.). Chicago, Ill.: Heinemann Library.
Hamilton, J. (2005) Branches of Government. Edina, Minn.:ABDO Pub.
Leavitt, A. (2009). The Bill of Rights in Translation: What it really Means.
PBS KIDS The Democracy Project. (n.d.). Retrieved June 3, 2015, from http://pbskids.org/democracy/
The Bill of Rights APP
U.S. Government. (n.d.). Retrieved June 3, 2015 from
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/subjects/government.htm

Assessment
How will student learning be
assessed?
Authentic/Alternative
assessments?
Does your assessment align
with your objectives,
standards and procedures?
Informal assessment (multiple
modes): participation rubrics,
journal entries, collaborative

U.S. Government Presidents Justices APP

Be sure to include Pre/Post assessment for your entire unit plan and progress monitoring/ alternative
assessment for individual, daily lesson plans!
Unit Pre-Assessment: Three Branches of Government Worksheet
Unit Post-Assessment: Three Branches of Government Worksheet with two extra short-answer
questions
Daily Lesson Plan Assessment: Five questions pertaining specifically to the Executive Branch (this can
be adjusted for ESOL, etc)
The students must answer 4/5 of the questions correct to be able to move forward with the lesson.
Modified 5/15 Van De Mark from document created by L. Spaulding

planning/presentation notes

Exceptionalities
What accommodations or
modifications do you make for
ESOL, Gifted/Talented
students, Learning/Reading
disabilities, etc.
These accommodations and/or
modifications should be listed
within the procedures section
of the lesson plan as well as in
this section of the document.

Additional Comments and

Notes

Social Studies Lesson Plan Template

***Materials that will be used for assessment and examples of completed tasks and projects must be
included with the lesson plan.

ESOL:
If possible, give examples/test in first language when they are brand new
Bilingual dictionary
Essay format versus verbal format
Simple words such as true or false tests
Allow room for grammatical error
One on one time
Visual aids
Students with Learning Differences: (Some listed above could be included in this section as well)
Additional time to complete assignments
Extra practice
Repeated instruction
Gifted/Talented:
Additional assignments
Complex adjustments to the regular assignment to help challenge the student
Projects and special presentations
Make comments here related to ideas for homework, parent involvement, extension to the lesson plan,
etc.
Ideas for homework would be to write a summary on what we have learned about the Executive Branch
and draw a picture to go with it. This picture could be in a code of arms format with four things that
the student thinks are the most important part of the Executive Branch.
For extension, projects and presentations could be added. This could potentially involve the parents.

Modified 5/15 Van De Mark from document created by L. Spaulding