Beyond-the-Basic Productivity Tools (BBPT)

Lesson Idea Name: Discovering the Three Branches of Government

Content Area: Social Studies
Grade Level(s): 3rd

Content Standard Addressed: SS3CG1 Describe the elements of representative democracy/republic in the
United States. a. Describe the three branches of national government: executive (president), legislative
(Congress), and judicial (Supreme Court of the United States).

Technology Standard Addressed: 3 – Knowledge Content

Selected Technology Tool: Bubbl.Us

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable): https://bubbl.us/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvwlRTYvU8o

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

☒ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☒ Applying ☒ Analyzing ☒ Evaluating ☒ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level):

☐ Level 1: Awareness ☐ Level 2: Exploration ☐ Level 3: Infusion ☒ Level 4: Integration
☐ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

During this lesson students will be supported in various ways. Bubbl.us is a great tool for all students to use. It
can support students with various learning needs and in all grades. Bubbl.us supports English Language
Leaners and students with hearing and visual impairments. English Language Learners can use words that
they know and understand to create their concept map. Student with visual impairments can make the words
larger and use different colors to help them to see the information better. Students with hearing impairments
will be able to visually see what is being taught. Using a video can also be a great tool to support student
learning. It can support ELL’s by allowing them to hear the words and see a visual to make connections. It
supports students with visual impairments because it gives them the chance to listen to the audio. It also
supports students with hearing impairments because they can see the video playing out and they can also
turn the volume up to help them hear the content better.
Lesson idea implementation:
I will start the lesson by asking the students if they know what the three branches of government are. After
their response, I will show them a video describing the three branches of government. After the video, I will
ask them again what they do or do not know about the three branches of government. I will then show them
bubbl.us. I will create a concept map on bubbl.us to demonstrate for the students how they will use the
software. I will then ask the students to go out on the internet and gather information on the three branches
of government. After the students have done some research, we will have a conversation about what they
learned during their discovery.

After our conversation, I will have the students go to bubbl.us and will have them create their own concept
map showing what they learned about the three branches of government. When the students have all
completed their concept maps, I will have them share their work with the class. This is how I will assess the
students on what they have learned. For students that need differentiation, I will allow them to work with a
partner to help them complete their work and I will give them tools that can help them understand different

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 Beyond-the-Basic Productivity Tools (BBPT)
terms such as Cabinet and Bill. To extend the lesson, I could have the students share their bubbl.us with their
grade or with the school or I could have them create a mini movie over the three branches of government.
Reflective Practice:
I feel that the activities that I created could impact student learning in a positive way. The students will have a
chance to build their knowledge in a fun and creative way and they will be given the chance to produce
something from what they learned during the lesson. I feel that the students will benefit from being able to
take what they have learned and create something that they can utilize to study, look back on, use later to
further build their knowledge, and share with others. To further extend this lesson, I could have the students
share their bubbl.us with the rest of their grade or with the school. I could also have the students make a
PowerPoint movie or a Stop Motion movie to showcase what they learned. Students could even make
something besides a concept map. They could create a Timeline showing when each branch of government
came into existence or they could create a Discovery Poster with everything they have learned, which could
include videos, pictures, and other fun and exciting tools.

Spring 2018_SJB