Group Members/Group Name: Stephanie Stewart, Kelsee Patrick, Felicia Clarke

Thematic Unit Theme/Title/Grade Level: The Constitution/ Three Branches of Government/ 3 Grade
Group Wiki space address: www.chooseabranch.weebly.com
Daily Lesson Plan Day/Title: Legislative Branch (Day 2)
Lesson Length (ie. 30 minutes): 70 minutes
rd

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!

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

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.]
The Constitution is the supreme law of the United States. Its first three articles contain the doctrine of the
separation of powers, whereby the federal government is divided into three branches: the legislative,
consisting of the bicameral Congress; the executive, consisting of the President; and the judicial, consisting
of the Supreme Court and other federal courts. It is important for students to know how their government is
constructed and how it was formed. Developing knowledge of this information will help students to become
informed participants in a democracy. Students will be made aware of the men and women who make
important decisions regarding their lives, their country, and the world.

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:
Students will recognize how laws are made and where they come from.
Students will describe the function of the legislative branch.
Students will identify the two parts of the federal Congress and the way in which representation is
determined.
Students will
understand the purpose of their state representatives.
Do you cross the curriculum? What other content fields (language arts, science, math, the arts, physical
education, technology) do you address in this lesson?
NGSS Theme: Power, Authority, and Governance
SS.3.C.1.1
Explain the purpose and need for government.
SS.3.C.1.3

allowed. You must have a minimum of

3 standards 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/index.as
px.

Explain how government was established through a written Constitution.

SS.3.C.3.4
Recognize that the Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land.
LAFS.3.RI.1.3
Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in
technical procedures in a text, using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause/effect.
LAFS.3.SL.1.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation
and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with
care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to
the remarks of others.
Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.

Student Activities &

Procedures
Design for Instruction

This is the heart of the lesson plan. Be specific. Describe lesson in a step-by-step, numbered
sequence, including teacher and student activities. Be sure to include key questions for discussion,
collaborative structures, etc. (This section includes EVERYTHING and should be highly detailed!)

What best practice strategies will be

implemented?
How will you communicate student
expectation?
What products will be developed and
created by students?
Consider Contextual Factors
(learning differences/learning
environment) that may be in place in
your classroom.

1. Begin with a group discussion and bring everyone to the carpet. Begin to discuss the school and
classroom rules. Ask students What are the classroom rules? Have students raise their hands
and begin making a list on the board. Then ask What are our school rules? and write those on the
board. Then begin a discussion by asking What purpose do the rules serve? Why do we need
them? Lead the class to see that rules serve to maintain order and keep people safe. After
students understand that, have them start thinking about rules in our community and what those
are called. (5 minutes)
Procedures:
2. Explore the concept of laws as being a name for rules that apply to our whole society. Ask students
to name laws with which they are familiar and to postulate the purpose of laws. If students are not
able to think of laws, prompt them with ideas about theft, traffic and driving, or vandalism. Ask
students, How do we get the rules for our school? Point out that a committee made up of
teachers, staff members and parents usually makes them and that other staff members usually
select the committee. Explain that the legislative branch creates U.S. laws, which is a group of
people elected from among the citizens. Mention that the U.S. Constitution sets the eligibility
criteria for members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. (5 minutes)
3. Show the short video about the legislative branch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX9HkrJFcuI.

Summarize for the students that the legislative branch is also known as congress and that it is
made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Also make sure that they understand
that this is the branch that makes laws. Make sure they know that the Senate has two members
from each state regardless of size, and that the House of Representatives has more
representatives the more populated it is. Make sure that they understand while creating laws, the
main thing they need to follow is to make sure that it is constitutional. Also make sure that they
understand that each group balances each other out. (10 minutes)
4. After they view the video and you summarize assign students to groups of three or four and pass
out a piece of chart paper to each group. Have students create anchor charts with the information
they have just learned. Continuously monitor each group by walking around to make sure that the
information they are writing down is correct. (10 minutes)
5. After they have finished have them hang the posters up around the room. Have them take a gallery
walk around the room to observe the other groups charts to make sure that they have a sufficient
amount of information before moving on to the next part of the lesson. Encourage students to take
notes for their personal use as they walk around the room. (5 minutes)
6. Next show the video Im Just A Bill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFroMQlKiag This video will
tell them all about how a bill becomes a law by going through congress. Make sure they
understand that anyone can come up with an idea for a law and tell their representatives about it.
Then it is up to their representatives whether or not they want to push that will along further. (5
minutes)
7. Next the students are going to write letters to their representative about a law or something else
that they would like to see done in their community. Probe students to explore their critical thinking
skills by asking about things they do or see in their everyday lives, or about things they have heard
about in the news. The teacher will make sure it is something the student is passionate about.
Have them write at least 2 paragraphs in proper letter format. Seal them up and have them address
the letter and put a stamp on it. Collect them and tell the students that you will mail them and
hopefully get a response. (10 minutes)
8. Next, have students (either with laptops or in a computer lab) go to the website
http://www.ducksters.com/history/legislative_branch_questions.php and complete the quiz. Have
them take the quiz until they get all of the answers correct and have a complete understanding of
the legislative branch, as they will need to receive information later in the week. (15 minutes)
9. Last, pass out a post it note to each student and have them write one fact that they have learned
about the legislative branch. On their way out, have them stick it on the board as an informal

assessment to see if there is anything else you need to refresh them on. (5 minutes)

Resources/Materials

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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX9HkrJFcuI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFroMQlKiag
http://www.ducksters.com/history/legislative_branch_questions.php
chart paper, markers, paper, pencils, envelopes, stamps, whiteboard, dry erase markers, post it notes

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
planning/presentation notes

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:
Students will answer a 20 question multiple choice- true/false test.
Unit Post-Assessment: Students will be required to choose two of the following activities:
o Create a timeline leading up to the Constitution, at least 15 events.
o Research a past president and create a Who Am I.
o Create a law you would like to see enforced in school.
o Create a song to help your classmates remember each branch of government and their respective
functions.
o Write journal entries from the perspective of a judge, legislator, and the President.
o Draw an advertisement for one of the branches of government. This illustration must include
drawings that indicate its purpose.
o Interview someone in the community who uses the Constitution in some way in their job. These
people include lawyers, public advocate or some other civic official. Write down how they use the
Constitution everyday in their career and how it relates to their everyday lives.
Daily Lesson Plan Assessment:
o Creating an anchor chart as a group.
o Writing letters to their state representatives to see that they understand what a representative is for.
o Quiz on the computer.

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.

Exit slip.

ESOL/Students with Learning Differences:

Group work would be extremely beneficial to these students as would the videos with pictures. I would be
sure to pair them with stronger students who could help them. I would also allow them to draw pictures to
their congressman if they preferred to do so.
Gifted/Talented:
These students could lead their group in the group work, and be sure that the information they are
collecting is accurate. This lesson would also allow them to think critically when thinking of an issue they
want to address.

Make comments here related to ideas for homework, parent involvement, extension to the lesson plan, etc.

Additional Comments and

Notes

I would encourage students, with their parents help to go to

https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/ushistory/usconstitution/preview.weml to use the interactive tools
and games related to the government.