UNLV/Department

of Teaching & Learning Elementary Lesson Plan Template

Student: Kim Bowers PSMT Name:


US government
Governments &
Lesson Plan Title: Games Lesson Plan Topic: foundational texts
and basic functions

Date: 55 minutes
Estimated Time:

Grade Level: Fifth School Site:

1. State Standard(s):
C13.5.1 Explain that the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the
Bill of Rights, are written documents that are the foundation of the United States
government.

C13.5.2 Describe the operation of representative government.

2. Teaching Model(s):

Direct & Whole Class (Group)

3. Objective(s):
SWBAT: Explicate the documents that comprise the foundation of the US
government.

SWBAT: Explain and demonstrate how a representative government works.

4. Materials and Technology Resources:

• Exit ticket (on teacher’s desk)

• Document excerpt handouts (on teacher’s desk)
 • Document Images (on Google slides, cued on laptop)
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1gu7WlWW4SsBn4SULEaM6Gd9UaTEzy
V77eo-n4wYUzXI/edit?usp=sharing

5. Instructional Procedures:

a. Motivation/Engagement: (2 min)

• TW welcome the students to the class and explain what they are going to do
for the day: first look at the foundational documents of the US government
and then do an activity about representative governments

b. Developmental Activities or Learning Experiences: (50 minutes)

• Foundational Documents
o TW handout excerpts of the Declaration of Independence, Bill of
Rights, and US Constitution (without titles or labels)
§ For low level class: TW read documents aloud
§ For ELLs: SW look over the documents before TW read aloud
o TW ask students questions such as:
§ What is the main purpose of this document?
§ Have you heard of any famous government documents that you
think this may be?
§ TW listen for students answers and will build off of them to
help direct students to the appropriate document and purpose
§ SW discuss their initial thoughts about the documents in table
groups before answering as a class
o TW explain why each document was written and how the three
documents work together to establish the US government
§ Declaration of Independence à separated from England’s rule
§ US Constitution à set up our government system
§ Bill of Rights à enumerates the rights of people (not
exhaustive) to limit the power of the government
§ With these three purposes, they work together to set up the
government be separating the colonies from Great Britain,
 establish a new government over the colonies, and limit the
power of the government to protect the people
o SW then clean up their documents and will move the tables to provide
enough space for the activity
• Representative government
o TW ask the students what a representative government is, where
they’ve heard of it, and if they know of any examples
§ TW listen for answers about voting for people to represent
others. Some examples include the US, Roman Republic, etc.
§ May have to explain the difference between a democracy and a
republic, depending on answers (both are representative
gov’ts)
• Republic = restrained with constitution to protect
minority rights
• Democracy = unrestrained, majority rules
o Together, we will come up with a definition of a representative
government
o Once we have come to the definition: an electoral system where
citizens vote to elect people to represent their interests and concerns,
Tw explain the activity
o CW play 4 Corners through a representative government
§ SW vote on 4 representatives to help make the rules for the
game (criteria: fair, will listen to their constituents, knows
good rules)
§ TW explain general rules to class: person stands in the middle
of the room, closes their eyes for 10 secs, pics a number (1-4,
one for each corner), and people called in that corner are out.
Repeat until there is one winner
§ Representatives will vote how the person in the middle will
pick a corner (e.g., loudest), how people have to move to get to
the corners (e.g., tip-toe, crab walk, walk backwards), and
other silly rules
§ Once game is done, TW have everyone return to their seats and
they will redefine what a representative government is
 c. Closure: (3 min)

• TW give an exit ticket asking the students to explain what the Declaration of
Independence, US Constitution, and Bill of Rights are and how a
representative government works (Lemov: Begin with the End)

d. Extension:

• If we finish early, we’ll play another round of 4 corners

6. Accommodations, Modifications and Differentiations for Diverse Learners:

• Group A is the lowest level and involves these specific needs:

o Intervention/Special Needs: Support staff will assist & TW scaffold
answers
o Physical Needs: Student will be the one in the middle for 4 Corners
o TW also read each of the excerpts aloud for the class
• ELL: TW provide a dictionary for students in their native language for
reference of uncertain terms, TW provide a word bank for specifc terms and
easy reference, TW have students at each table discuss their ideas and
answers with each other before answering as a whole, TW have students
preview documents before reading aloud, TW provide sentence stems on exit
ticket, and during explanations of governments TW use examples familiar
with ELL student

7. Assessment and Evaluation of Learning:

a. Formative: Exit ticket, TW look for answers that talk about how the documents
examined are the foundational documents of the US government and that
representative governments are comprised of representatives elected to represent
people’s interests and concerns

b. Summative: N/A

8. Homework Assignment: N/A

WORD BANK:

Government: the system by which a nation, state, or community is governed.

Document: a piece of written, printed, or electronic matter that provides information or

evidence or that serves as an official record.

Rights: a moral or legal entitlement to have or obtain something or to act in a certain

way.

Independence: the fact or state of being independent (self-governing).

Foundation: an underlying basis or principle for something.

Representative: (of a legislative or deliberative assembly) consisting of people chosen

to act and speak on behalf of a wider group.

Vote: a formal indication of a choice between two or more candidates or courses of

action, expressed typically through a ballot or a show of hands or by voice.

Election: a formal and organized process of electing or being elected, especially of

members of a political body.

EXIT TICKET Name:

What do the US Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence offer

the US government?

How does a representative government function?

ELL EXIT TICKET Name:

What do the US Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence offer

the US government?

The US Consitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Indepence work together to…

How does a representative government function?

A representative government functions by….

1. “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving
their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of
Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to
alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government.”

Simplified:
That to keep safe these rights, Governments are established among Men,
receiving their legal powers from the agreement of the governed. That
whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is
the Right of the People to change or to get rid of it, and to institute new
Government.


2. “The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated
injuries and unsurpations, all having, in direct object, the establishment of an
absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a
candid world.”

Simplified:
The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated
injuries and illegal seizure of power, all having, the goal of, the establishment
of an absolute government with an unfair ruler over these States. To prove
this, let facts be presented to a fair world.


3. “We solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of right
ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all
Allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them
and that State of Great Britain, is and ought o be totally dissolved.”

Simplified:
We seriously publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of right
out to be Free and Independent States; that they are freed from all loyalty to
the British king, and that all political connection between them and that State
of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved.

Preamble: We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect
Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common
defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to
ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United
States of America.

Article I: All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the
United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives....The
House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second
Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have
the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State
Legislature…

...The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of

America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together
with the Vice-President chosen for the same Term, be elected....Before he enter on
the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of
President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect
and defend the Constitution of the United States."

The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United
States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service
of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal
Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any subject relating to the
Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to Grant Reprieves and
Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.
AMENDMENT 1. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech,
or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the
Government for a redress of grievances.

AMENDMENT 2. A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free

State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

AMENDMENT 3. No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house,

without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed
by law.

AMENDMENT 4. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses,

papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated,
and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or
affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or
things to be seized.

AMENDMENT 5. No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise

infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in
cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in
time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to
be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to
be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due
process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just
compensation.

AMENDMENT 6. In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a
speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime
shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by
law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted
with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in
his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

AMENDMENT 7. In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall

exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by
a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than
according to the rules of the common law.

AMENDMENT 8. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed,
nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
AMENDMENT 9. The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be
construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

AMENDMENT 10. The powers not delegated to the United States by the
Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively,
or to the people.