Educ 122-222 Elementary Social Studies: History Lesson Plan

Direct Instruction

Presentation w/ Adv
Organizer

Your Name(s): Heather Antunez

Concept Attainment

Cooperative Learning

Inquiry Teaching

Grade Level: Fifth Grade

Subject: History
Lesson Title: Who are the Founding Fathers?
Content standards:
II. Time, Continuity and Change
III People, Places and Environments
V. Individuals, Groups and Institutions
VI. Power, Authority Governance
X. Civics Ideals and Practices
Materials Needed:
Childrens book: A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution by Betsy Maestro
Map of the United States in 1787
Images of the U.S. Constitution
The Scene at The Signing of the Constitution, reproduction oil Painting by Howard Chandler
Brief Descriptions on slips of paper of Founding Fathers for Preparation Activity
Various Expository texts and reference materials for student research
Computers and Internet access
Our Founding Fathers Graphic Organizer
Project Checklist for Assessment
Founding Fathers Game for another lesson after presentations
Prerequisite Skills:
Students need to have to have knowledge of the term Constitution and understand the need for a moral and
just government.
Students need to have some knowledge about early colonial America in 1787 and knowledge of the Articles of
Confederation.

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ABCD Objectives:
Students will research a founding father and demonstrate knowledge of his contributions in the establishment
America in a written and oral presentation.
Interaction with Students:
1. Provide objectives: (What are students going to learn?)

Students will locate facts from multiple expository text sources.

Students will evaluate information to produce a final product.
Students will summarize information about a Founding Fathers contribution in the establishment of
America.
Students will orally present their findings to the class.

2. Procedures: (may include direct instruction modeling, grouping, cooperative learning, etc)
Anticipatory Set- (Getting students attention and building background knowledge)
Show students Map of the United States in 1787, and explain that this was the United States of America in
1787 after the Revolutionary when the colonists were freed from England. After the war the new nation had
lots of problems, and the leaders were faced with a great challenge to create a new government.
Show students The Scene at The Signing of the Constitution, reproduction oil Painting by Howard Chandler.
Today, I am going to read a book that explains some key issues faced by the delegates and how the
Constitution was drafted and ratified.
The teacher will read aloud the book: A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution by Betsy Maestro.
Discussion Questions
Why did the Continental Congress call for a Convention, in Philadelphia?
Who attended the Philadelphia Convention? How do you think they were invited?
What were some of the key issues faced by delegates?
How did the delegates at the Convention resolve conflicts?
Why do you think the Founding Fathers believed that rules should be written down?
Not all of the delegates signed the constitution. If you were a Founding Father would you have signed the
Constitution?
Instruction
Explain to students that fifty-five delegates attended the Constitutional Convention. The oldest person was
Benjamin Franklin, age 81 and the youngest delegate was Jonathan Dayton, age 26. James Madison is known
as The Father of the US Constitution. These men discussed and argued for four months before nine out of
the 13 states came to an agreement. On September 17, 1787 the U.S Constitution was signed. Today, the U.S.
Constitution is the oldest written constitution in operation in the world.
Preparation Activity-Group Activity
Students will each be given a slip of paper with some brief information (only a sentence or two to help
generate students interest) about one of the signers of the Constitution. The will read about the person on
their slip of paper and then go mingle with other students, and share who they are and what information they
have about them. Students will be encouraged to gather with signers who may have been named as friends.
Do you find any friends or signers who shared the same views?
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Did you any influential women? Why not?

Are there any supporters and who are the opponents?
Why are leaders important?
Which Founding Father would you like to know more about?
Modeling
The teacher will present some information about James Madison, The Founding Father:
A picture or portrait will be displayed.
Why he is most famous?
His early life and career
Two major contributions to the founding of America
Family
What happened to him later in life?
Fun Fact
Reading & Writing-Independent Work
Students will be instructed to choose a Founding Father and to research and write about for an oral
presentation to the class. Each report and presentation must include the following:
A picture or portrait of the Founding Father.
Why he is most famous?
His early life and career
Two major contributions to the founding of America
Family
What happened to him later in life?
Fun Fact
Speaking, Writing & Listening
During oral presentations students will be provided with a graphic organizer to take notes of what the
Founding Father was famous for and a contribution to the nation.
3. Check for understanding and provide student feedback: (How will you know students understand the
skill or concept? How will they know they get it?
The teacher will provide ongoing informal assessment during discussion and through the observation and
monitoring of students throughout the lesson.
4. Assessment / Closure: (How do you evaluate student progress or provide closure to this lesson?) Attach
rubric, checklist or assessment document.
The teacher will assess each students individual report by a checklist of criteria that should be included in the
report and presentation. The teacher will perform an informal assessment of knowledge about the Founding
Fathers when students will later use their graphic organizer with presentation notes to play a game Which
Founding Father?
Founding Father Project Checklist:

Why he is most famous?

His early life and career
Two major contributions to the founding of America
Family
What happened to him later in life?
Fun Fact
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A Portrait of the Founding Father

5. DIFFERENTIATION of Content, Process or Product:

a. Adaptation for students who need extra help, time, or attention
Give students learning activities that allow them to demonstrate their knowledge of contributions of the
Founding Fathers with multiple mediums such as an oral report, or an illustration or use of technology.

Provide additional scaffolding and support for students who have difficulty with learning tasks.

b. Extension for students of high ability? (Remember, assigning gifted students to be the tutor for others is
not sufficient academic challenging for students who have mastered the lesson).
Through guided inquiry and research gifted students can have an opportunity to get to know one of the
founding fathers and investigate a contemporary American issue (such as censorship, environmental policy,
health care reform, immigration, etc.) from his perspective in order to answer the question: How would a
founding father respond to a contemporary American issue.
6. References (Curriculum materials, previous teachers, online websites, your past experiences, etc):
Founding Fathers Life in A Box Activity
http://www.kshs.org/teachers/professional/pdfs/d_robison_founding_fathers.pdf
We The People Literacy Integration
http://www.civiced-ri.org/mpu.pdf
Visualizing the Framers of the Constitution
http://edsitement.neh.gov/constitution-day/visualizing-founders
Founding Fathers Sound of on Contemporary Issues:
http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/models/declaration/index.html
Map of the United States in 1787
http://wps.ablongman.com/wps/media/objects/244/250679/carnesmg/M129.gif

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