Unit Plan Planning & Information Worksheet

Names: Maya Pitcher, Lavondria Jones, Emily Webb, and Tyra Thomas
Grade level ______3rd __________
Name of Unit ___Government__________
Big Idea ____What does it mean to be a good leader? _____

GPS/GSE Social Studies Standards

SS3CG1 Describe the elements of representative democracy/republic in the United

States.
Describe the three branches of national government: executive (president),
legislative (Congress), and judicial (Supreme Court of the United States).

Describe the three branches of state government: executive (governor),

legislative (Georgia General Assembly), and judicial (Supreme Court of Georgia).
State the main responsibility of each branch: executive (enforcing laws),
legislative (making laws), judicial (determining if laws are fair).

SS3CG2 Explain the importance of Americans sharing certain central democratic beliefs
and principles, both personal and civic.

Explain the necessity of respecting the rights of others and promoting the
common good.
Explain the necessity of obeying reasonable laws/rules voluntarily, and explain
why it is important for citizens in a democratic society to participate in public
(civic) life (staying
informed, voting, volunteering, and communicating with public officials).

Other discipline(s) ____ELA and Art ___________

GPS/GSE standard(s) for this other discipline

VA3PR.1 Creates artworks based on personal experience and selected themes.

Creates artworks to express individual ideas, thoughts, and feelings from
memory, imagination, and observation.
Creates artworks emphasizing one or more elements of art (e.g., color, line,
shape, form, texture).
Creates art emphasizing one or more principles of design (balance, proportion,
rhythm, emphasis, unity, contrast).
Combines materials in new and inventive ways to make a finished work of art.

VA3PR.3 Understands and applies media, techniques, and processes of three-

dimensional works of art (ceramics, sculpture, crafts, and mixed- media) using tools and
materials in a safe and appropriate manner to develop skills.
 Creates sculpture using a variety of methods (e.g., papier- mch, cutting,
folding, found objects).

ELAGSE3RL1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text,

referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

ELAGSE3RI2: Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain
how they support the main idea.

Major ideas, topics, or concepts addressed in the unit

Executive, Judicial, and Legislative branches of government
Local government
Representative government
Leadership
Democracy
Citizenship
Objectives/what you want students to be able to know and do
Students will be able to describe and explain the main roles and functions of the three
branches of federal government
Students will be able to describe and explain the main roles and functions of the three
branches of federal government
Students will be able to articulate their roles as citizens in the United States government

Ideas for student tasks, activities, assessments

Visit to the state capitol
Student group campaign project
Branches of government tree
We the Kids book
Flocabulary branches of government video
Branches of government/checks and balances scavenger hunt
Bill creation

Teacher Resources
http://theartoflearning-bermingham.blogspot.com/2012/09/tackling-government.html
We need help doing/thinking about/finding______ (in other words, what do you need help
with?).

Counternarrative:
Students will learn about less-recognized jobs that are considered to be
government jobs (such as teachers, DMV employees, and librarians). This will help
students to understand that the United States government is not solely federal; local
government is one of the most powerful components of government because these
jobs impact our lives on a daily basis. However, they are much less recognized in
the media, schools, and in typical conversation.
Unit plan schedule
Big Idea: _The Peoples Government_____
Grade level: _3rd Grade _
Social Studies Standards __ SS3CG1, SS3CG2 __
Other standards __Art (nature activity), Literature (We the Kids) _______

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

Inquiry stations Government in Lesson Plan: Federal and Mock session of

exploring Daily Life intro to three State Congress
documents, activity branches of Branches of
pictures, and government Government
literature Read We The (Flocabulary (nature
regarding the Kids video, activity)
unit. Students will scavenger
explore stations hunt, bill State
in groups. creation) branches of
government

Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10

State capitol field Work on Work on Work on Presentations--

trip campaign campaign campaign 5-8 minutes per
(Summative (Summative (Summative person/group
Assessment) Assessment) Assessment)

Summative Assessment: Campaign Project:

Students will work in small teams to develop a complete their campaign projects. Each
member of a group will be assigned a specific role in government, and they will have to
articulate the function and importance of their role in government, including how their
position relates to other positions in the government. Some positions will be related to
federal government, while others will represent local government.







Day Three Lesson Plan

Lesson Title ____Climbing the Three Branches of Government__________

Lesson Topic ____Three Branches of Government______________

Subject Area(s)____Social Studies__________________________

Grade Level(s)_____4th Grade______________________________

Time Frame: _____45 minutes1 hour _____________________

STEP 1: CLASSROOM There are 28 students in the class. The students desks are the focus
Context CONTEXT of the room, and they are constructed in a u-shaped fashion in the
and 1 point center of the room. The class is equipped with four computers,
Learners arranged in the corner of the classroom. At the front of the room,
the classroom has a SMART Board, where the teacher displays the
5 points morning message and daily instructions. Students keep most of their
textbooks in cubbies, which are lined up against the back wall.
Students are also provided with iPads (one for each student), and
those are stored by the cubbies. The classroom has two large
windows on the wall across from the door, and the teacher has two
desks at either corner for conferencing with students.
INDIVIDUAL Three students often need redirection and minimized distraction.
STUDENT NEEDS
1 point One student needs hands-on activities and encouragement.

One student needs clear, loud directions or repeated directions for
her cochlear implants.

One student needs to be encouraged and have opportunities to
share his ideas.
CLASSROOM There are 14 girls and 13 boys in the classroom. Three students are
LEARNERS African American, one is Latin American, and 14 students are
Caucasian. All the students speak fluent English at home and at
1 point school, and most all of the students are from middle class homes. 13
students are in the Target program at Ford Elementary, and five are

 in the Early Intervention Program for math. One student has a slight
hearing impairment in her left ear.
CULTURAL Students will have some understanding of authority through the
RESOURCES/ balance of authority in their classroom. Students will also most likely
FUNDS OF have experienced government in some waythrough the recent
KNOWLEDGE election process, through their parents or other family members
2 points voting, laws being passed or changed, and through other discussions
of government. Laws and government also often directly affect
education, which relates to their daily lives. Students have recently
discussed the American Revolution and the concept of no taxation
without representation; for a weekend assignment, they discussed
taxes with their parents and whether or not their parents thought
the current tax situation was fair. The students will have also briefly
studied the Declaration of Independence before this lesson, which
will give them an idea of the values and ideals held by those who
founded the United Statesthese ideals strongly influenced how
our government was established, including the structure and
responsibilities of the three branches of government. Students will
have also been introduced to the three branches of government,
their positions and functions, and checks and balances in third
grade.
STEP 2: STANDARDS SS4CG3 Descr ibe the str uctur e of gover nment and the Bill of
Identify STATE/LOCAL Rights.
Curricular STANDARDS
Priorities 1. Describe how the three branches of government interact with
WIDA each other (checks and balances and separation of powers),
10 points STANDARDS and how they relate to local, state, and federal government.
(IF APPLICABLE)
2 points WIDA Standards do not apply.
LESSON Students will be able to describe the basic functions of the
OBJECTIVES executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government.
2 points
Students will analyze the interactions of the three branches of
government through checks and balances and separation of
power.

Students will evaluate the roles of the three branches of
government as they relate to the people.
ACADEMIC Key language demands:
LANGUAGE Students will be reading information on infographics and
1 point handouts
Students will write on graphic organizers for the Branches of
Government Infographic Scavenger Hunt, in a flip-book for the
 flip-book Creation Station, and they will be writing a law that
they will develop in the You Be the Legislative Branch station.
Students will discuss decisions, answers, and questions with one
another as they move through each station.
Academic language:
Students will need to know what it means to analyze and evaluate
information.
Content-specific language:
Branch: faction of government
Execute: carry out
Legislate: create laws
Judicial: relating to courts or judges
Checks: branches of government limit each others powers.
Balances: power is equally distributed between the three branches
of government.

ESSENTIAL Why did the Founding Fathers want to establish three separate
QUESTION branches of government in the U.S. Constitution?
2 points What are the main roles and positions of the three branches of
government?
How do the three branches execute checks and balances on one
another?
PRE-REQUISITE Students understand why some early American colonists wanted
KNOWLEDGE to separate from British rule and establish their own,
AND SKILLS representative government.
2 points Students will understand the basic tenants of the Declaration of
Independence.
In a previous lesson, students will have been introduced to basics
of the three branches of governmentwhat they are and their
basic roles.
I will assess students prior knowledge by discussing previous
lessons with my Collaborating Teacher, observing social studies
lessons, and conferencing with students in small groups prior to
the lesson.
FLEXIBLE Students will be gathered whole group for the mini-lesson to
GROUPING introduce the lesson so that students can benefit from the
STRATEGY discussion contributions of everyone in their class.
1 point For the learning tasks, students will be divided into five small
groups (the STEM groups the students are in for math groups).
Students will benefit from working closely with students at and
around their learning level so they can grow together work at a
practical pace.
For the closing discussion, students will be learning whole group
to benefit from the contributions of the whole class to hear what
students from other groups gained from the learning stations.
Step 3: FORMATIVE Working with small groups to scaffold learning
Assessment ASSESSMENT Taking anecdotal notes
8 points 4 points Questioning students in small groups:
o What does this branch of government do?
o How does this branch of government use checks and
balances with the other branches?
o Who is the main member of this branch of government?
o Why do you think the founding fathers wanted to
establish this branch?
o Why is this branch important?
o How does this relate to separation of power?
SUMMATIVE Students will complete a ticket out the door as their formative
ASSESSMENT assessment.
4 points Students will write one example of checks and balances between
the three branches, one question they still have about the topic,
and which branch of government they would be a part of if they
could be a member of one of the three branches.
Step 4: MATERIALS Teacher Resources:
The NEEDED Flocabulary Three Branches of Government video:
Learning 4 points (2015). Retrieved March 12, 2017, from
Experience https://vimeo.com/116330319
27 points The Dirkson Congressional Center. (2008). Congress for Kids:
[Constitution]: The Three Branches of Government. Retrieved
March 12, 2017, from
https://www.congressforkids.net/Constitution_threebranches.htm
Student Resources:
USA GOV. (2017, March 6). How to Become President of the
USA Poster. Retrieved March 12, 2017, from
https://kids.usa.gov/president/index.shtml
Executive Branch Scavenger Hung handout
Flipbook:
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/Three-
Branches-of-Government-Foldable-FREEBIE-2146659
Branches of Government Sort
Loose-leaf paper and writing utensils
Scissors
Stapler
Infographics
o Daily Infographic. (2012, November 5). Presidential Job
Description [Digital image]. Retrieved March 12, 2017,
from http://www.dailyinfographic.com/president-and-
vice-president-job-descriptions-infographics
o Penn State. (2014). Federal checks and balances
distribution of power [Digital image]. Retrieved March
 12, 2017, from https://www.e-
education.psu.edu/geog432/node/135
o Kids.gov. (2017, March 6). How to Become President of
the USA Poster [Digital image]. Retrieved March 12,
2017, from https://kids.usa.gov/president/index.shtml
o Daily Infographic. (2011, July 13). How Our Laws Are
Made [Digital image]. Retrieved March 12, 2017, from
http://www.dailyinfographic.com/how-our-laws-are-
made-infographic
o Creative Commons. (2017). Separation of Powers and
Checks and Balances [Digital image]. Retrieved March
12, 2017, from
http://cnx.org/contents/PfygSwbH@5/The-Development-
of-the-Constit
o Broyles , C. (2014, November 6). Checks and Balances
[Digital image]. Retrieved March 11, 2017, from
http://unfspinnaker.com/sg-checks-and-balances/
o Dzurnak. (2013, March 3). Three Branches of
Government [Digital image]. Retrieved March 10, 2017,
from
http://blogs.fairview.k12.oh.us/cdzurnak/2013/03/03/how-
a-bill-becomes-a-law/
DIFFERENTIATION Students STEM groups are organized so students work with
STRATEGIES others who are around their academic ability level.
4 points Students can work at their own pace in the learning stations.
Because 13 students in the classroom are in the TARGET
program and often work quickly, I have included the Branches of
Government Sort if students finish the station tasks a head of
time.
The activities at the stations have a variety of tasks to
accommodate for different learning stylessome stations include
more independent work while others require direct collaboration.
Some are visual, some are audial, and some involve more
kinesthetic work.
HIGHER ORDER Why did the Founding Fathers establish three branches of
THINKING government in the Constitution instead of just one?
QUESTIONS Which branch of government has the greatest responsibility?
5 points How does separation of powers protect from tyranny?
What are the costs and benefits of having a tri-partisan
government?
How do the three branches represent the people?
Has one branch of government become more powerful than
the others?
ANTICIPATION Based on past behavior, the students will likely be engaged in all
1 point discussion overall. The students are accustomed to constructing
 understanding of concepts by building upon the knowledge of their
classmates in discussion. Students will likely need the most
redirection in small groups, so I have built in time to conference
with each group and step in as needed.
LESSON I will begin the lesson by showing a Flocabulary video on the
INTRODUCTION three branches of government.
2 points I will then facilitate a short discussion reviewing what they
already have learned about the three branches of government.
o What is a branch of government?
o What are the three branches of government? What do they
do?
o How do we experience government in our everyday lives?
(Discuss how kids might experience government through
school, family interactions, background knowledge, etc.)
o Why do we have government?
o Why did the Founding Fathers create three branches of
government instead of just one?
I will refer to the three branches of government poster throughout
the discussion and record students responses on the white board
or SMART board as necessary for a visual aid.
BODY OF LESSON I will then introduce the learning stations and give students
5 points instructions for how to rotate through the centers with their
group.
Students will engage two learning tasks that each promote deeper
understanding of the three branches of government.
Task groups will contain 5-6 students, and students will be
divided into 5 groups.
Each group will be provided with a folder containing instructions
and resources for two tasks. One allows students to remain at
their desks while the other requires students to move around the
classroom. Students will be given about 35 minutes to complete
the tasks in their folders. Each group will complete the tasks in a
different order to create the most efficient flow throughout the
room.
o Task 1: You Be the Legislative BranchStudents will
write a bill that they think should become a law that will
apply to their school. At the end of the lesson, there will
be 5 bills, and every student will vote for which one
they think should be passed if there is time.
o Task 2: Branches of Government Scavenger Hunt
Students will use their Branches of Government graphic
organizer to find information on the three branches and
how checks and balances flow between them.
o Extra time activity 1: FlipbookStudents will create a
flip-book on the three branches of government.
 o Extra time activity 2: If students finish their center
activities with extra time, they may play the Branches of
Government Sort game. Two teams compete to try to
complete the sort correctly; who ever completes the task
first wins the game.
While in their groups, students will have to engage with one
another in discussion to make decisions in the Legislative Branch
task, and throughout, they have the opportunity to collaborate.
I will be meeting with each small group to ask questions and help
support their learning as needed.
o Which branch of government has the greatest
responsibility?
o How does separation of powers protect from tyranny?
o What are the costs and benefits of having a tri-partisan
government?
o How do the three branches represent the people?
o Based on what youre learning on this task, do you think
one branch of government has become more powerful
than the others?
Students will practice the content language/vocabulary of the
lesson by using it in the simulation games, writing it in their
infographics, and using it in the Legislative Branch task and in
their flipbooks. If students have extra time after completing the
tasks in their folder, they have the opportunity to practice the
language using the Branches of Government Sort game.
Students will make connections between all three branches in the
Scavenger Hunt and Legislative Branch task.
LESSON CLOSURE As a lesson closure, students will reconvene on the carpet as a
4 points whole group. There they will share some of the concepts they
learned about in their groups from each of the tasks. I will
ask:
Which branch of government has the power to veto laws?
Which branch of government has the ability to come up with
bills that can become laws?
Which branch of government has the power to declare that a
law violates the Constitution?
We will revisit the essential questions asked at the beginning of
the lesson.
Students will then have the opportunity to present the bills they
drafted in the Legislation Station, and the whole class will vote
on which bill they think should become a law.
At the end of the lesson, students will return to their seats to
individually complete the ticket-out-the door assessment.
 RE-TEACHING If students seem to lack full understanding of the concepts in this
RE- lesson, I would give them the opportunity to encounter the material
ENGAGEMENT in a more tailored waydrawing from their specific learning style.
PRACTICE
1 point I would likely provide different activities for different students. For
students who learn by reading, I would provide them with a web
quest on the three branches of government to cover the content
material they still need to master.

For students who work well in groups, I would assign a small group
research activity to find the important information about the three
branches.

I could also provide a writing assignment that helps students to
synthesize a succinct summary of the most important points of the
three branches of government unit based on a reading resource.
EXTENSIONS For an extension activity, students could choose and research a
1 point position within one of the three branches of government and then
prepare a presentation on that position.
NEXT STEPS Students will be creating infographics that represent the three
1 point branches of government based on the knowledge they have gained
from the centers in this lesson.

**As you describe your lesson introduction, body, and closure, you need to be sure to include
information about how you will reach students that are culturally and linguistically diverse in
each stage of the lesson implementation. This means that I should see evidence from Step 1 of
the lesson plan (context and learners).
Name _____________________________
Branches of Government Scavenger Hunt!

About the Branches Checks and Balances

How does the Judicial branch check the
What are the two houses of the Legislative branch?
powers of the Legislative and Executive
The _______________________________and the
branch?
______________________________________________
They can declare laws
What are 2 responsibilities of the President?
______________________________________
______________________________________________

______________________________________________
How does the Legislative branch check the
______________________________________________
powers of the Executive branch?
What is the main role of the Judicial Branch?
_______________________________________
To ________________________________ laws.

How many Supreme Court Justices are there? _______________________________________

_________________________
_______________________________________
Who appoints Supreme Court Justices?
_______________________________________
_____________________________________________

Members of the House of Representatives are _______________________________________

decided based on a states

How does the Executive branch check the
__________________________________.
powers of the Legislative branch?
How many Senators are there per state?
_______________________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________________
Which branch has the power to declare war? _______________________________________

_____________________________________________
_______________________________________
Which branch of government can make treaties

with other countries ____________________________

 Your Bill
Bill (What you want to become a law in your classroom):

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

3-5 Supporting reasons (list these in complete sentences):

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

How will the Executive Branch (your teacher) carry this bill out

after it becomes a law?

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

What would the consequences be for violating (breaking) this law?

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________

How does this law fit with your classroom Constitution (the rules

you already follow in your classroom)? Remember, a law can be

overturned if the Judicial Branch decides it is unconstitutional!

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________
Signatures of all the Congress members in your group: