UbD Unit Plan

Subject/Course
Unit Title: Bill Becomes Law : Social Studies
Designers:
Grade: 5th Sandy Sabu

Stage 1 Desired Results

Established Goals:

5-8 Benchmark 3-A: demonstrate understanding of the structure, functions and powers of government
1. explain how the three branches of national government function and explain how they are defined
in the United States constitution

Understandings: Essential Questions:

Students will understand that
actively participating in the bill making Does this simple majority process of
process is both important and necessary to be voting seem fair to everyone involved?
able to work through their local elected If it does, how so? If it does not, how
officials to meet the needs of every citizen. would this system be made better?

before a bill becomes law, there is a How does it help/hinder the population to
tremendous amount of discussion that takes have a branch of the government be given
place majority power? (Democratic or
Republican)

Students will know.... Students will be able to

The 3 different forms of government come together in groups to form their own
the path a bill takes to become law branches of government
vocabulary terms relating to government identify key terms relating to a bill
basic facts of the House of Rep. and the becoming a law, and use those terms while
Senate in their groups

Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 1
 Stage 2 Assessment Evidence
Performance Task: Summary in GRASPS form

Goal(s):
Students will follow along with our in-class PowerPoint, then watch a short video on how a bill becomes a law
Students will complete a worksheet that is supplemental to the PowerPoint and video in partners/groups,
which is then turned in to be graded
Students will attempt to pass a bill to become law within the classroom
Students will participate in the classroom discussion about their thoughts on different questions after our
activity

Role:
Students will become the three branches of government (House of Rep., the Senate, and the President)

Audience:
Teacher

Situation:
PowerPoint & Video : Students will work as a class
Worksheet: Students will work in partners/groups
Activity: Students will be broken up into three groups (they are able to choose their role by choosing
randomly)

Performance:
Students will work together and turn in their worksheets
Students, acting as one branch of the government, will use the topic given to decide on how they want to pass
their bill by discussing it in their respective group.

Standards:
PowerPoint & Worksheet: Students will be assessed based on their answers to their worksheets
Activity: Students will be assessed based on their efforts and willingness to participate within their groups,
their respectful demeanor towards their peers, and their participation in the class discussion after the
Passing the Bill activity.
Writing: Students will write their own piece on what happened in their groups, or within their respective
branch of government and how it went for them. They will explain what could have gone better, and what
they did or did not agree on.

Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 2
Key Criteria: to reflect Performance Tasks: Examples: Rubric, Checklist, etc.

Student Assessment:

Rating:
4: Always; consistently
3: Usually; most of the time
2: Sometimes; occasionally
1: Rarely; needs constant guidance

Student Name: Stays on task Overall positive attitude while

working with peers; respectful

Worksheet Assessment

Other Evidence
Summarized (tests, essays, work sample(s), etc.

Worksheet to fill out after PowerPoint and video in partners/groups

Writing piece
Classroom discussion at the end of activity

Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 3
 Stage 3 Learning Plan
Learning Activities

W
Through this unit, students will be encouraged to question how the government works, and if we have an efficient way
of running things in our country. Students will be asked to generate their own opinions and share with the class.

H
Present an introductory question at the start, which students can think about throughout the entire unit, then talk
about their thoughts on the question at the end during our class discussion, and have them talk about if, and how, their
thoughts on the question has changed.
Example question: If there was a new rule you want to include into the classroom/school, how would you go about
doing that? How could you pass your new rule?

E
Students biggest activity will be playing the role of the government in term of making a bill. Students will get to
experience the same emotions that many of our representatives and government officials have to face. This is a great
opportunity for students to understand how long it could take to pass a bill, and compare it to an actual important bill
being discussed in Congress at the moment.

E
Students will have the chance to have an open and honest discussion about what was happening throughout the
activity. Students will be able to connect the activity back to the video and powerpoint we go through earlier on in the
week. This would the point where students can really dig deep and talk about what they experienced, and what they
thought was interesting and irritating about going through the process a bill has to go through.

T
This unit includes areas where students can work independently, in partners, in groups, and of course, as a whole class.
Students also get a chance to write out their thoughts through their opinion piece, talk within their groups, and present
to the class what they have learned

O
This is a great area for students to be encouraged on different bills that may or may not have passed either locally or
nationally, and the importance behind that bill. They can also include their own opinions based on that specific bill they
research, as well as their reasoning behind it.

R
After students finish independently researching a bill of their own, they can present their information, along
with their thoughts in groups of other students. After allowing enough time for everyone to finish talking and
presenting their research points, students can talk about an interesting bill topic and what they learned from
another student in their group.

Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 4
 Resources
What print and web resource best support the unit? Also provide additional resources used in planning for activities or
during instruction. (list at least 3-5)

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nKyihoV9z8
PowerPoint: www.teacherweb.com/FL/HighlandOaksMiddleSchool/.../How-a-Bill-Becomes-Law.ppt

Worksheet:

Source for decoding information: Based on the UbD template Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Page 5