Final Unit Plan

Melanie Cella
Grade: 4
Topic: The United States Constitution and Bill of Rights: Law and Order
Big Idea:
Rules and laws are important in helping to solve problems and protect individual rights.
The rules and laws implemented in America, The Constitution and The Bill of Rights,
have helped to form the American society we know today.

At-a-Glance:
Day Focus
Introduction/ Preamble 1. Hook: Before beginning the unit, the class will spend a day without
classroom rules; as a class, we will reflect, and connect the importance of
rules and laws
2. Read aloud of We the Kids to introduce Preamble and Constitution
Introduce key vocabulary: preamble, constitution, establish, protect, and
liberty
Discuss importance and main ideas in Preamble
3. Schoolhouse Rock Preamble Video; read over lyrics, identify vocab
within lyrics
4. Define one vocabulary word using any format and present to the class or
post in online discussion board
5. Homework: read over Schoolhouse Rock lyrics, note one thing learned,
define one vocab word as done in class
Constitution 1. Present homework assignment to review vocabulary and Preamble
2. Read aloud: Shh, Were Writing the Constitution (turn off lights, pretend
in 1700s); introduce and define new vocabulary words: compromise, ratify,
and veto; Class Discussion: How did the constitution fix many problems that
arose from the articles of confederation? Did all states want to adopt the
constitution?
3. Create class constitution using vocabulary and explain importance of
rules
4. Exit Slip: What did you learn? What would you like to learn more about?
What is still confusing to you?
5. Homework: rank classroom rules and explain reasoning
Bill of Rights 1. Homework Review: explain classroom rule rankings via online discussion
board
2. Video: Bill of Rights in 30 seconds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5GHLcKDlhc
Has the Constitution stayed the same since it has been created? What do we
know about the Bill of Rights? What do we want to find out?
3. Reading of Bill of Rights in groups: NEWSELA with different levels
-Fill in worksheet to summarize each amendment
-Vocabulary worksheet (draw picture, define)
4. Bill of Rights Puzzle Pieces: match amendment title to description
5. Homework: NEWSELA quiz based on classroom reading
Centers 1. Review NEWSELA homework quiz
2. Watch Review Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyeJ55o3El0
What have we learned so far in this unit?
3. Centers:
 a. Online game https://www.icivics.org/games/do-i-have-right
Pretend to be a lawyer and classify situations as whether they violate the
Constitution
b. Constitutional issues NEWSELA articles with reflection; read article on
controversy surrounding certain amendments; summarize and reflect
c. Matching game
Apply amendments to real life situations
4. Exit Slip: What did you learn? What still confuses you? What do you want
to learn more about?
5. Homework: Identify favorite section of Constitution or amendment
Extension Activity 1. Go over homework via online discussion post
2. Review Exit slip responses
3. Extension Activity:
Day 1: Explain activity, research, sloppy copy
Day 2: Organize and create product
Day 3: Presentations
4. Homework: unit reflection
 Unit Topic: Preamble
Day/Date: Day 1
Lesson Students will be able to understand why the United States Constitution was written
Objective: through analyzing the Preamble.
What do you want
students to get from Students will be able to define key vocabulary terms found in the Preamble.
this lesson?
NJCCCS: 6.1.4.A.1
New Jersey Core Explain how rules and laws created by community, state, and national governments
Curriculum Content protect the rights of people, help resolve conflicts, and promote the common good.
Standards being
addressed through this
lesson.
Procedure: Prior Knowledge: Students will come into this lesson with an understanding of
Detailed description of classroom and school rules.
how the lesson will be
executed; including the 1. Before this lesson, I will tell the students that we will go about our day without the
activation of prior classroom rules. We will not use our class positive behavioral support systems.
knowledge, instruction,
and student To begin the lesson, we will reflect on how the day went.
participation in the How did the day go without our rules? Were we able to get everything done? How did
learning process. everyone feel?
This will then lead us to connect into our subject matter.
Why are laws important? What do you think would happen if we did not have laws in
our country?
Who makes the rules in our classroom and in our school school? Who makes the rules
in our country?
In order to offer multiple means of expression, students can engage in the discussion
through raising their hand to give an oral response or through writing their answer on a
white board to hold up. Students may also used communication devices or an iPad to
type their responses.

2. Read Aloud: We the Kids: The Preamble of the Constitution of the United States

Prereading: Before engaging in the read aloud, we will go over key vocabulary words:
preamble, constitution, establish, protect, and liberty. I will have each vocabulary word
written on the anchor chart and we will define and draw a picture to represent each
word. I will ask the students to pay attention for these words as I read the story.

Reading: During the read aloud, I will use the projector to make the images and text
bigger for the students to see in order to provide multiple means of representation. I
will stop as we reach each vocabulary word, asking the students to redefine the words.
I will also stop to ask the following questions:
What is a community? Is our classroom considered a community?
Why is making life good for everyone, or promoting general welfare, important? What
are some ways we can do that in this classroom?
Why is the Preamble important? What does it do?

Post Reading: After the read aloud, I will ask the students to turn and talk to a partner
to think of one thing that the Preamble does. We will then share out with the rest of the
class.

3. Preamble Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHp7sMqPL0g

 As a class, we will watch The Schoolhouse Rock Preamble video. Each student will be
given the lyrics to the song to follow along in order to provide multiple means of
representation. Before watching the video, I will prompt students to read along as we
listen to the video, looking for why the Preamble and Constitution were written. I will
also hang out the lyrics with our vocabulary words highlighted in order to reinforce
them.
After watching the video two times, we will discuss why the Constitution was written
and when it was written. We will add our responses to our anchor chart.

4. Closure/ Formative Assessment: To bring the lesson to a close, the students will
choose one of their vocabulary words to define. The students may engage in this
activity by writing out the definition, drawing a picture of it, using it in a sentence, or
acting it out. The students can use their iPads or write out their responses.
Assessment: I will check for understanding through the continuous class discussions. I will make
How will you check for sure every student participate by allowing them to respond orally, through their white
student understanding board, or through their laptops.
of the lesson objective? I will check for understanding on what the Preamble does through the responses given
from turn-and-talk.
I will check for understanding of vocabulary through the closure activity of defining
one of the vocabulary words.
I will check for further understanding through the homework assignment.
Extension: Homework:
Homework, Center, For homework, the students will be instructed to read over the Schoolhouse Rock
Extra Practice, etc.- if Preamble lyrics again and to write one thing that the Preamble does. They will also be
appropriate asked to define one more vocabulary word, as they did at the end of the lesson in class.

Additional Notes/Considerations:
For special education students who may need it, I will give them the vocabulary words to review the night
before we engage in this lesson in order to help with familiarize themselves with the content before needing to
engage with the content in a whole class setting.
Some students will be given a side-by-side version of the lyrics with the meaning of vocabulary words listed on
one side.
 Unit Topic: The Constitution
Day/Date: Day 2
Lesson Students will be able to explain the main ideas presented in the United States
Objective: Constitution.
What do you want
students to get from Students will be able to define key vocabulary words in the United States Constitution.
this lesson?
Students will be able to generate effective rules for the classroom.
NJCCCS: 6.1.4.A.1 Explain how rules and laws created by community, state, and national
New Jersey Core governments protect the rights of people, help resolve conflicts, and promote the
Curriculum Content common good.
Standards being 6.1.4.A.2 Explain how fundamental rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution
addressed through this and the Bill of Rights (i.e., freedom of expression, freedom of religion, the right to
lesson.
vote, and the right to due process) contribute to the continuation and improvement of
American democracy.
Procedure: Prior Knowledge: Students will come into this lesson with knowledge of the Preamble
Detailed description of and the reason why the Constitution was written. Students will have an understanding
how the lesson will be of key vocabulary words preamble, constitution, establish, protect, and liberty.
executed; including the
activation of prior 1. To begin, I will have the students present their homework assignment of defining
knowledge, instruction,
and student one of the vocabulary words from the previous lessons. To incorporate multiple means
participation in the of action and expression, students can present in any format that they want, including a
learning process. drawing, acting it out, a written definition, or a song.

2. Read Aloud: Shh, Were Writing the Constitution

Prereading: Before reading, I will ask the students to brainstorm what it was like in the
1787, the year that The Constitution was written. We will then create an atmosphere in
the classroom to mimic this time period, such as turning off the lights.
I will review key vocabulary with the students: compromise, ratify, and veto. To
review the vocabulary words, I will place the students into four groups, assign them
each a word, and give them an opportunity to research their word to define to the class.
The students can use a dictionary, textbook, or laptop to define their vocabulary word
to offer multiple means of representation.
I will then tell the students to think about what it was like to write the constitution
while listening to the story. In order to help students remember to do this, I will write it
on the board.

Reading: During the read aloud, I will stop at each vocabulary word to reinforce its
meaning. Along the way, I will ask the following questions.
How did the constitution fix many problems that arose from the articles of
confederation?
Did all states want to adopt the constitution? Why or why not?
Why did Madison take detailed notes during the convention?
Who is given the title, Father of the Constitution? Do you think this title is fitting?

Postreading: After reading, we will discuss the significance before the Constitution.
After listening to this story, do you think it is easy to come up with rules and laws that
everyone will be happy with? What do you think was the hardest part? The easiest?
What makes you say that?
 3. Classroom Constitution:
We will then practice creating a constitution. The students will be separated into
groups, with each group responsible for creating two sections of our classroom
constitution. The students must use at least one vocabulary word in their two sections.
We will then come together as a class. Each group will present their sections and
explain why they believed these were important in for the well-being of every member
of the classroom. They must also point out the vocabulary word that they chose to
incorporate. As students give oral responses, I will write them down on an anchor chart
to create a class constitution.

4. Exit Slip: What did you learn? What would you like to learn more about? What is
still confusing to you?
Assessment: I will check vocabulary understanding through homework presentations, group
How will you check for vocabulary definition presentations, and incorporation of a vocabulary word into the
student understanding classroom constitution.
of the lesson objective?
I will check for understanding of the main ideas of the United states Constitution
through responses to the read aloud and through exit slip responses.

Extension: Homework:
Homework, Center, For homework, the students will rank the classroom rules in the order of importance to
Extra Practice, etc.- if them. Why did you choose what you chose for number 1? What did you choose what
appropriate you chose for the last ranked rule?

Additional Notes/Considerations:
If students do not feel comfortable presenting their vocabulary homework to the class, they will be given the
option of presenting to a small group of students.
Students will be able to research the definition of their vocabulary words through multiple means, either online
or through looking in books.
Students who need will be given a copy of the read aloud book in order to follow along with the story and
improve their comprehension skills.
 Unit Topic: The Bill of Rights
Day/Date: Day 3
Lesson Students will be able to explain the main ideas presented in the Bill of Rights.
Objective:
What do you want Students will be able to define and represent key vocabulary words: amendment,
students to get from prohibit, violate, controversy, and deny.
this lesson?
NJCCCS: 6.1.4.A.2 Explain how fundamental rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution
New Jersey Core and the Bill of Rights (i.e., freedom of expression, freedom of religion, the right to
Curriculum Content vote, and the right to due process) contribute to the continuation and improvement of
Standards being American democracy.
addressed through this
lesson.
Procedure: Prior Knowledge: Students will come into this lesson with an understanding of the
Detailed description of main ideas presented in the United States Constitution. They will have knowledge of
how the lesson will be key vocabulary words: preamble, constitution, establish, protect, liberty, compromise,
executed; including the ratify, and veto.
activation of prior
knowledge, instruction,
and student 1. Homework Review: To begin the lesson, we will review the homework assignment
participation in the completed for the previous lesson. Students will turn and talk to a partner in order to
learning process. share their rankings of the classroom rules. I will then ask if any group would like to
share their classroom rankings and the reason behind their ordering. If students do not
want to share, I will collect the homework and quickly skim it, sharing ideas of the
students with the entire class without calling out any students.

2. After reviewing the homework, I will share a video to introduce the Bill of Rights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5GHLcKDlhc
Before showing the video, I will give each student a copy of the lyrics of the video. I
will then ask the students:
Has the Constitution stayed the same since it has been created? What do we know
about the Bill of Rights? What do we want to find out?
After showing the video two times, I will ask the class
What is one thing that stood out to you from this video? What is something you would
like to learn more about?
The students will be able to answer these questions verbally, in their social studies
journals, or by typing them on our classroom online group chat.

3. The students will then be given a list of their next vocabulary words: amendment,
prohibit, violate, controversy, and deny. These vocabulary words will be found in their
readings for the day. They will also be given a worksheet to guide them in
summarizing each amendment. This worksheet will include a chart with space for the
amendment title, a picture, and a description. The students will be given access to this
chart via Google docs if they desire.
I will then place the students in groups by reading level and give them each their
assigned NEWSELA article of the Bill of Rights. As a group, the students will read this
article, first independently and then as a group, in order to define their vocabulary
words and complete their amendment note taking chart.
https://newsela.com/articles/primary-source-billofrights/id/18278/
The website allows students to read the Bill of Rights at their own reading level,
making it more accessible for all learners.

4. When each group is finished, we will complete the same vocabulary worksheet and
 note taking guide as a class. I will call on different groups to tell me what they put in
each spot on the worksheets. This will allow me to formatively assess the students. It
will also allow students to clear up any misconceptions or confusions they had when
completing the assignment on their own.

5. To wrap up the lesson, we will play a Bill of Rights Puzzle Piece Match. Students
will be given a half of a puzzle piece, either containing an Amendment title or a
description of an Amendment. They must then walk around the classroom to find their
matching piece. When everyone has found their matching partner, they will present
their pieces to the class.
Assessment: I will check for vocabulary understanding through the class discussion responses and
How will you check for the vocabulary worksheet answers.
student understanding
of the lesson objective? I will check for the Bill of Rights main idea understanding through the class discussion
and the amendment worksheet. I will also assess this understanding through the puzzle
piece activity and the homework assignment.

Extension: Homework: NEWSELA quiz

Homework, Center, For homework, the students will complete the NEWSELA online quiz that
Extra Practice, etc.- if accompanies the NEWSELA Bill of Rights reading in which they completed in class.
appropriate Students will also be given a printed copy if they do not have access to a computer at
home.

Additional Notes/Considerations:
Students will be able to engage in the lesson through turning and talking to a partner if they become nervous
presenting to the entire class. Also, I will look over each homework assignment in order to formatively assess
their understanding before moving on with the lesson. If I find that students struggled with the assignment, we
will rank our classs rules as a class and discuss explanations of why each rule is important to the overall
functioning of our classroom.
Students will be able to engage in classroom discussion through writing down their responses or by submitting
them online through a classroom group chat app entitled chatzy.com. This website allows teachers to create chat
rooms for students to type and submit responses to share with the class.
Students will be placed in reading groups based on their reading level. They will be given the Bill of Rights
from NEWSELA on their own reading level. This website also provides the content in Spanish for any ESL
students in the class. Also, the content can be read online, printed out, or can be listened to in an audio version.
To help all students access the Puzzle Piece game, I will put pictures on the puzzle pieces so that students will
not only need to rely on the written words. I will also highlight key vocabulary words to reinforce their meaning
and importance.
 Unit Topic: Constitution and Bill of Rights Centers
Day/Date: Day 4
Lesson Students will be able to categorize problems in everyday life with the constitutional
Objective: amendment that it violates.
What do you want
students to get from Students will be able to analyze controversy surrounding some constitutional rights.
this lesson?
Students will be able to match amendment descriptions with the correct amendment
number.

NJCCCS: 6.1.4.A.1 Explain how rules and laws created by community, state, and national
New Jersey Core governments protect the rights of people, help resolve conflicts, and promote the
Curriculum Content common good.
Standards being 6.1.4.A.2 Explain how fundamental rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution
addressed through this and the Bill of Rights (i.e., freedom of expression, freedom of religion, the right to
lesson.
vote, and the right to due process) contribute to the continuation and improvement of
American democracy.
Procedure: Prior Knowledge: Students will come into this lesson with an understanding of the
Detailed description of main ideas presented in the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. They will
how the lesson will be have knowledge of all of the units key vocabulary words: preamble, constitution,
executed; including the establish, protect, liberty, compromise, ratify, veto, amendment, prohibit, violate,
activation of prior controversy, and deny.
knowledge, instruction,
and student
participation in the 1. Homework Review: Before the lesson, I will look online at the NEWSELA quiz
learning process. results. As students walk in, I will collect any paper versions of the quizzes taken and
will look over them to find any common errors. As a class, we will go over the correct
answers to the quiz questions. I will ask students why each answer is correct and why
the incorrect answers are not correct during this review.

2. We will then get into the content of the lesson by watching a Bill of Rights Review
video. I will give each student the lyrics in order to follow along with the video. I will
tell students to listen for key vocabulary in the video. I will have the list of our
vocabulary on the board for the students to follow along with.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyeJ55o3El0
What vocabulary words did you hear in this video? Can you remind the class what this
word means? What did this video tell us about the Bill of Rights? What have we
learned so far in this unit?

3. After our review, I will explain the centers activities to the students. First, I will give
each student a center contract. This contract will tell each student which center to go to
and which activity to complete at the center. After completing the center, they can put a
sticker in the open spot. To explain the centers, I will walk to class around to each one
and model the activity.

Center 1: Online game: https://www.icivics.org/games/do-i-have-right

In this online game Do I Have a Right?, students engage in a simulation and pretend to
be lawyers. Throughout the game, different clients come in with issues. The student
must identify whether the issue presented by the client is against the constitution and if
it is worth taking to court.
Computers will be open to the online simulations as to save time for the students
accessing them. Students will be given headphones to listen to the audio so that other
 classmates are not distracted by the noise. Students will be given a worksheet with a
chart that lists the client, the issues, and whether or not it should go to court. To
differentiate this center, some students must play the game until they hear five clients,
some four, and some three. This will allow every student to finish in a timely manner
and work at his or her own level.

Center 2: Constitutional Issues: NEWSELA

https://newsela.com/text-sets/5666/constitutional-issues
Group 1: https://newsela.com/articles/overview-how-the-us-elects-presidents/id/21066/
Students will read about the How the US elects its Presidents as a group. When
finished, they will summarize the situation and the argument presented in the article.
Students can summarize through writing, pictures, online web map, or through a flow
chart.
Group 2: https://newsela.com/articles/overview-us-supreme-court/id/21166/
Students will read about the US Supreme Court as a group. When finished, they will
summarize the situation and the argument presented in the article. Students can
summarize through writing, pictures, online web map, or through a flow chart.
Group 3: https://newsela.com/articles/overview-guns-in-america/id/19146/
Students will read about the Guns in America as a group. When finished, they will
summarize the situation and the argument presented in the article. Students can
summarize through writing, pictures, online web map, or through a flow chart.

Center 3: Matching Game

Students will play a matching game with their center group. (groupings explained in
additional comments)
Group 1: On index cards, students will play a memory matching game in order to
match amendments with their descriptions. After they finish, they will draw a picture to
represent two of the amendments.
Group 2: On index cards, students will play a memory matching game in order to
match real life problems with the amendment in which they break. After, they will
write a solution to one of the issues presented.
Group 3: On index cards, students will play a memory matching game in order to
match real life problems with the amendment in which they break. They will also
match amendments with their descriptions. After, they will write a solution to two of
the issues presented.

If students finish any center early, they can reread their copy of Shh, Were Writing the
Constitution, highlight their vocabulary words in it, and write down three important
facts from the book.

4. After all students have completed their centers, we will go back to our seats and fill
out the exit slip.
What did you learn? What still confuses you? What do you want to learn more about?
Assessment: Students will be assessed on their understanding on controversial constitutional issues
How will you check for through their center 2 activities of summarizing and explaining the content from an
student understanding article.
of the lesson objective?
Students will be assessed on their ability to apply amendments to real life issues
through their completion of the worksheet corresponding with their online simulation
game in center 1.
 Students will be assessed on their understanding of the amendments through
completion of the matching game in center 3.

Extension: Homework:
Homework, Center, Students will identify their favorite Bill of Rights Amendment or section of the
Extra Practice, etc.- if Constitution and explain why it is their favorite. This will prepare students for their
appropriate extension activity in lesson 5.

Additional Notes/Considerations:
In order to group students to best engage in the centers, I will group the students based on their reading levels
and, if applicable, their progress throughout the unit from assessing their work thus far. This will help the
students complete the same work at each center as the other students in their group. It will also allow the
students to review the material that they are most struggling with in the Matching Game center.
Students will be able to engage in the quiz review through the online discussion chat, white board responses,
and through verbal responses.
With the video, I will give students lyrics in order to follow along. I will also turn on the captions for students
who may want to follow along with the words while watching the images.
If students finish any center early, they can reread their copy of Shh, Were Writing the Constitution, highlight
their vocabulary words in it, and write down three important facts from the book.
During the online simulation game, students can read the court cases and can also hear them read to them. This
allows multiple means of representation. Also, some students must play the game until they hear five clients,
some four, and some three. This will allow for differentiation and for every student to finish in a timely manner
and work at his or her own level.
The NEWSELA station will allow students to access reading content on their own levels. Since everyone in
their center group is reading at similar levels, they will be able to discuss the content and work collaboratively.
 Unit Topic: Importance of Amendments- Extension
Day/Date: Days 5-7
Lesson Students will evaluate the importance of the Bill of Rights through engagement in a
Objective: RAFT activity.
What do you want
students to get from
this lesson?
NJCCCS: 6.1.4.A.1 Explain how rules and laws created by community, state, and national
New Jersey Core governments protect the rights of people, help resolve conflicts, and promote the
Curriculum Content common good.
Standards being 6.1.4.A.2 Explain how fundamental rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution
addressed through this and the Bill of Rights (i.e., freedom of expression, freedom of religion, the right to
lesson.
vote, and the right to due process) contribute to the continuation and improvement of
American democracy.
Procedure: Prior Knowledge: Students will come into this lesson with an understanding of The
Detailed description of Preamble, The Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. They will be aware of the
how the lesson will be importance behind laws and rules in an effective society. They will also have an
executed; including the understanding of key vocabulary words: preamble, constitution, establish, protect,
activation of prior liberty, compromise, ratify, veto, amendment, prohibit, violate, controversy, and deny.
knowledge, instruction,
and student
participation in the Day 1: Introduction of RAFT Activity/ Research
learning process. 1. Homework Review: As students come in, they will get an iPad or computer to use
the online class discussion forum. On this forum, they will type out their responses to
their homework assignment concerning their favorite amendment or portion of the
constitution. Students will then comment on at least two posts from their classmates.

2. After the homework review, I will hand out the assignment directions for the RAFT
assignment. As a class, we will read the directions. I will then hand out the other
worksheets for the assignment, including the RAFT organizer, the graphic organizer,
and the guiding research questions. I will go step by step with the students and provide
examples for each section. Students can ask questions verbally or post them on the
online discussion forum if they are not comfortable or able to give verbal responses.

3. Students will then pick their amendment out of a hat and find their partner. They will
be given computers, iPads, and books in order to conduct their research. They will be
directed to work with their partner to plan, organize, and research the content for their
project. During this time, I will go around to each group to give suggestions and
answer any questions.

4. At the end of the researching period, I will have a quick progress check point to
make sure that all groups are on track and do not need further assistance. I will go
around the room and ask each group one thing that they have learned thus far about
their amendment.

Day 2: Organization and Creation

1. We will begin by reviewing the expectations of the assignment discussed the day
before. I will make sure that all students are on track with their research. We will go
around the room to each group to have each group report out on their progress and one
interesting thing they have learned thus far.

2. Students will be given time to work in their groups to create their projects. I will go
 around the room to support any groups that are struggling.

3. At the end of the group work period, I will have a quick progress check point to
make sure that all groups are on track and do not need further assistance.

Day 3: Presentation and Reflection

1. We will begin by going over presentation expectations. We will discus the
importance of respecting peers. I will then give each student a guided note worksheet
that they must fill out during each presentation. Students will have an option to have an
online version if they need to type their work instead of writing it.

2. Each group will present their amendment. After each presentation, I will ask the
class for three comments, questions, and compliments.

Assessment: Throughout the three days, I will check students graphic organizers and notes in order
How will you check for to check for understanding throughout the project. If I see any confusion, I will be able
student understanding to address it before the students get far into their project.
of the lesson objective?
I will assess understanding of the importance of The Bill of Rights through the
presentations that the students give.

I will assess their engagement in peers presentations through their guided note taking.

I will assess their overall understanding through their reflective homework assignment.
Extension: Homework:
Homework, Center, Students will reflect on the unit. They can write a one paragraph reflection, create a
Extra Practice, etc.- if graphic organizer, or create an online flow chart to discuss what they learned
appropriate throughout the unit. They must have one aspect dedicated to each the Constitution,
Preamble, and Bill of Rights.

Additional Notes/Considerations:
For the homework review, students who need may use talk-to-text software in order to type out their responses
and comment on peer posts.
The research guiding questions will be given in both a graphic organizer format and written questions in order
to help all learners access the information effectively.
The students will be able to present their RAFT assignment in any format that they feel comfortable with. They
will also be able to decide on the main topic and information that they wish to communicate about their
amendment.
Students will be given a guided-note worksheet in order to better comprehend the presentations and pick out the
key points.
 Extension Activity

Students will complete a RAFT assignment to express the importance of a randomly assigned Bill of
Rights amendment. Students will be partnered based on student needs (i.e. strong readers will be
paired with students who struggle with reading but may be skilled at being creative/ writing/ etc.). The
groups will be randomly assigned an amendment by randomly drawing one from a hat.

Students will work together in order to present their amendment to the class. Through this
presentation, they will explain the importance of the amendment, the reason it was created, and
possible repercussions of not having the amendment. Students will take on a role in order to present
this information. They will be able to present in any format that they feel comfortable with and will be
able to decide on the main topic and information that they wish to communicate about their
amendment, including the required element of the importance of the amendment.

Students will be given step-by-step directions, a RAFT organizer, and a research guiding question
organizer in order to help them with this process. The research guiding questions will be given in both
a graphic organizer format and written questions in order to help all learners access the information
effectively.

To help students better process the information from their peers presentations, they will be given a
guided notes worksheet.

This extension activity will be used at the closure of the unit. It will be used as a summative
assessment. The students have already learned about each amendment and, thus, have background
knowledge going into this project, making it easier for them to dig deeper.

I chose this activity in order to give the students a lot of choice. Instead of giving them a traditional
paper and pencil summative assessment, I wanted to provide them with an opportunity to
demonstrate their knowledge in a way that they find enjoyable and accessible. The students must
describe the importance of a Bill of Rights Amendment, but they can do so in any means that they
chose. This allows the students to research aspects of the amendment that they find most interesting.
 Extension Activity Directions
Now that you have learned all about the Constitution and The Bill of Rights, it is time to demonstrate your
understanding! In this assignment, you and a partner will be assigned an amendment from The Bill of Rights.
Your job is to explain and defend the importance of the amendment to your classmates. Be as creative as
possible! Instead of presenting as yourself, take on a new perspective.
Think about who this amendment might be important to and why that person would want to uphold the rights
that your amendment provides.
Think about who you want your audience to be. It doesnt need to be your fellow fourth grade peers! Who
would need to understand the importance of your amendment?
Think about how you want to present your amendment. Write a paper, give a speech, create a poster, act out a
play, or even sing a song! The options are endless!
Think about your topic, or main idea. What do you want to share about your amendment? You can share and
explain anything you want, as long as you somehow describe the amendment and its importance to America.
To help complete this project, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Fill out the RAFT organizer. Use the example given to help spark some ideas.
a. Choose the person you want to write in the perspective of for the ROLE column.
b. Choose who you want the project to be directed to in the AUDIENCE column. That is, who are you
speaking to when presenting this project?
c. Choose the way you want to format your project and explain it in the FORMAT column. Would you
like to write a letter? Make a video? Create a comic strip? Write a diary entry? Something else? Be
creative!
d. Choose the TOPIC of your project. Will you be talking about the history of the amendment? Will you
be fighting to protect the amendment?
Step 2: Research!
Utilize the graphic organizers. You may answer the guiding questions or you may fill in the graphic organizer.
Remember the only requirement is to discuss the IMPORTANCE of the amendment. The rest of the
information that you include is up to you and your partner.
Step 3: Put it all together!
Use your graphic organizers to put your research into any format that you would like.
Step 4: Present!
Present your project to the class. During your classmates presentations, fill out your guided notes worksheet.
Step 5: Self-Assessment- After all of the presentation, complete a self-assessment.
How do you think you did with your project? Did you and your partner work well together? What did you learn
from completing this project?
Based on the presentations, what is one thing that you learned? What is one thing that you are still confused
about? What is something you wish we learned more about?
 RAFT Organizer
Before beginning your project, fill out the following RAFT organizer to help you get started. Who are you
presenting from the viewpoint of? To whom are you communicating your information on your amendment?
How would you like to present this information? What is the main idea of your presentation? Use the example
to give you some starting ideas.

Role Audience Format Topic

Who are you? To whom are you What form will you use? What content will you
communicating? communicate?
Example:
I am a Presidential I am presenting to I will create a PowerPoint I will communicate that I
Candidate. future voters. Presentation. will uphold this
constitutional amendment
when I am elected president
due to its importance. I will
explain why I, as a future
president, believe this
amendment is important to
protect, the consequences of
electing my opponent who
does not believe in upholding
this amendment, and
background information on
the second amendment.
 Research Graphic Organizer

It protects the right It is important because

to

Amendment:

Without this Interesting facts:

amendment
Use these questions as guidelines when conducting research for your RAFT assignment.

What Bill of Rights Amendment are you researching?

What rights does the amendment give?

Why was the amendment created?

Who does this amendment protect?

When has this amendment been used in court for the better? When has it been used wrongfully?

Why was the amendment originally created?

Does any person or group of people want to fight against this amendment? Why?

Would America be different if we did not have this amendment in place?

 Guided Notes
AMENDMENT IMPORTANCE LEARNED
This amendment is important From this presentation, I
because learned.
Amendment 1

Amendment 2

Amendment 3

Amendment 4

Amendment 5

Amendment 6

Amendment 7

Amendment 8

Amendment 9

Amendment 10
 Reflection
*Topic Choice
I chose to make the topic of this unit The Constitution and The Bill of Rights in order to help
students become aware of the laws and rules that make our country so unique. This topic is also
helpful to generalize to rules in other aspects of students lives, such as in school, on sports
teams, and at home. I wanted students to understand the topic in terms of their own life in order
to make the content meaningful and engaging for all students.
*Instructional Choices
In lesson 1, I chose to do a read aloud in order to incorporate literacy into the unit. Vocabulary is
key to understanding the Constitution and Bill of Rights, making it important to present these
vocabulary words in context for the students to better understand.
In lesson 2, I chose to do another read aloud in order to make the topic more interesting. As
learning about straight facts can be mundane, I thought that incorporating a read aloud in which
we mimic the setting from the story would make the content more engaging and memorable for
the students. I also thought it would be a good way to reinforce the important vocabulary from
the lesson.
In lesson 3, I decided to have the class read the Bill of Rights in order to better understand the
wording and meaning behind it. By giving students access to the material on a lexile level close
to their own, they will be better able to access the content. I also chose to do this so that the
students could see their vocabulary words in context.
In lesson 4, I decided to place the students in groups based on their level and on their progress in
the unit. I did this because I wanted to differentiate the centers in a way that all students can
access the material. I also did this in order to give each student further practice on their areas of
need. I purposely chose centers that involved technology, reading, and visual skills to incorporate
UDL.
In the extension activity, I purposely grouped students by strengths in order to allow the students
to help each other. I wanted to make sure that all students understand the research and are able to
demonstrate their strengths through this assignment. If I partner students with the same strengths,
the students will not feel as important. If I partner students with the same weaknesses, the
students will struggle in that area and will not learn from each other.
I am choosing to introduce 3-5 vocabulary words in the first three lessons. Since there is a lot of
important vocabulary in this unit, it may be overwhelming for students to learn all at once. By
breaking it up into different lessons, the students will have more time to work with each
 vocabulary word. During the last two lessons, students will be given an opportunity to practice
using and applying these vocabulary words.
*Universal Design (how did you make instruction/activities accessible to all learners?)
In order to offer multiple means of expression throughout the unit, students can engage in the
discussions through raising their hand to give an oral response or through writing their answer on
a white board to hold up. Students may also used communication devices or an iPad to type their
responses.
Students will be able to engage in classroom discussions through writing down their responses or
by submitting them online through a classroom group chat app entitled chatzy.com. This website
allows teachers to create chat rooms for students to type and submit responses to share with the
class.
In order to incorporate UDL into the extension activity, I utilized a RAFT activity. This gives
students choice in the information that they are presenting as well as choice in the format of
presentation. Also, I gave two options for use of graphic organizers, as students have different
ways to organize information that works best for them. I also included step-by-step directions to
help the students better process the information and complete the assignment without feeling
overwhelmed.
During this activity, the students can research using any means they want, including the Internet
and books. This allows students to access the material in an accessible and individualized way.
I provided guided notes for when the students are listening to their peers presentations in order
to keep them engaged. Also, the guided notes format will allow all students to take notes in an
organized fashion. This will help students who struggle with understand what is important to
write down when taking notes.
*Assessment Choices
I chose to constantly assess the students through discussions in order to have the opportunity to
constantly assess the class. I want to make sure that all students understand throughout each
lesson, making it important for me to involve all students in class discussions.
In lesson 1, I chose to have the students present a vocabulary word from the lesson in order to
check their understanding before moving onto new vocabulary. Also, I chose to have them
complete the same assignment for homework with a new word in order to make sure that they
know their expectations when they go to complete the assignment at home and so I can check
their understanding after they have seen their peers present and define other vocabulary words.
*Cross-curricular Activities
 I include a lot of literacy activities in this unit in order to help students build their vocabulary.
Without understanding key vocabulary words, students would not be able to understand the
meaning of the Constitution.
Also, I wanted to make the topic more engaging by incorporating read alouds. Just reading the
Constitution is not very exciting. By pairing it with childrens literature, the content becomes
more engaging and relatable. It also allows me to limit my explicit lecturing and student
engagement in passive learning.
*Would you use this unit in the future?
I would definitely use this unit in the future. Since I used UDL in the planning of this unit and I
considered different ways to differentiate the lessons for varying needs, I believe this unit could
be used in my future classroom no matter which students I have in my classroom. I purposely
incorporated a lot of literacy in this unit as many schools are pushing for literacy instruction
because it is a tested area. This unit could be used to enhance literacy skills while allowing
students to explore social studies content.
*How was it trying to balance standards, student needs, etc.?
At first, it was difficult to balance standards and student needs while still making the unit fun and
engaging. Once I knew what I wanted the students to get out of the unit and from each lesson, it
became easier to think of activities that would be accessible to all learners while still being
engaging. By thinking of the UDL principles in my planning, I was able to make each lesson
accessible to all students with less differentiation. In my future teaching, I will keep UDL in
mind when planning lessons and activities in order to avoid making many accommodations and
modification later on.