Sample Units
District
11 Diamond Units/Lessons Overview - includes information about the
purpose, goals and structure of these sample instructional units:
Lesson 1: Part 2 U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights
Duration: @ 5
class periods
History 6: Students know that religious and philosophical ideas have
been powerful forces throughout history.
District Indicator:
Identify beliefs of
individuals and groups and their effects on societies.
Enduring Understanding:
Beliefs of individuals and
groups have powerful effects on societies.
Essential Questions:
Who were the key players in the founding of the United States of America?
Assessment:
Students answer the following question: Who made the greatest contribution
to the founding of our nation? Explain.
Activities
-
Discuss how each contributed to the founding of the nation: George
Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Benjamin
Franklin, James Madison.
-
Do
biographical research projects on Founding Fathers. Choose from the
table below.
Resources:
History Alive! Chapter 12: The Declaration of Independence.
History Alive! Chapter 13: The Revolutionary War. We the People
Chapter 7: Biographies.
Differentiation:
Support: Using a matrix grid with the information posted, students must
identify the Founding Fathers by looking at the characteristics that
describe them.
Extension: Act out the Constitutional Convention. Include dialogue that may
have been essential in agreeing to the division of three branches of
government.
Literacy Connection
The Alexander Hamilton You Never Knew - Accelerated Reader and
Scholastic's Reading Counts book that students can purchase, check out from
the school library or read online and take the test online.
Accelerated Reader Quiz Scholastic's Reading Counts Quiz
Lesson 2: Components of the Constitution
Duration: @ 6 class periods
History 5: Students understand political institutions and theories that
developed and changed over time.
Civics 2: Students know how to use structure and function of local,
state, and national government and how citizen involvement shapes public
policy.
District Indicator:
Explain how governments are organized at the local, state, and national
levels and the responsibilities of each.
Enduring Understanding:
Individuals and groups
make, enforce and apply rules and laws (government).
Essential Questions:
What are the main components of the Constitution?
Assessment: Ask
questions about the Constitution using the graphic organizer. For example,
What is the main responsibility of the Judicial Branch?
Activities
-
Explain the ratification process of the
Constitution.
-
Compare/contrast the structure, function, and
interaction of the three branches of government.
-
Chart the three branches of government, people
involved and their roles.
-
The Constitution Translated for Kids,
- This guide for a book ,provides basic information on the seven articles and 27 amendments.
Resources:
History Alive! Chapter 14: The Constitution. We the People:
Chapters 12,13,14.
Differentiation:
Support: Make a flow chart to show the three branches of government and who
is involved in each branch.
Extension: Research our state and local government and identify how each
relates to our national government. Include the names and roles of the
current people involved.
Lesson 3: Making Laws
Duration: @ 5
class periods
History 5: Students understand political institutions and theories that
developed and changed over time.
Civics 2: Students know how to use structure and function of local,
state, and national government and how citizen involvement shapes public
policy.
District Indicator:
Describe how and why rules and laws (government) have been made and
enforced.
Enduring Understanding:
Rules, laws and governments
develop and change over time.
Essential Questions:
How are laws
made?
Assessment:
List the steps in the order that laws are made.
Activities
Resources:
History Alive! Chapter 14: The Constitution.
Differentiation:
Support: Working with a partner, list the first three steps on how a bill
becomes a law.
Extension: Create a set of classroom laws allowing teacher to have veto
power.
Lesson 4: Rights, Roles & Responsibilities of Citizens
Duration: @ 5 class periods
Civics 4: Students understand how citizens exercise the roles, rights,
and responsibilities of participation in civic life at all levels.
District Indicator:
Explain the rights, roles, and responsibilities of students and citizens in
the classroom, school, community, state, and nation.
Enduring Understanding:
Citizens have rights,
roles, and responsibilities.
Essential Questions:
What rights and
responsibilities are associated with the Bill of Rights?
Assessment:
History Alive! Assessment 15 and/or Prompt: Choose 1 of the Rights from
the Bill of Rights and explain how it applies to today. Share different
perspectives with classmates.
Activities
Resources:
History Alive! Chapter 15: The Bill of Rights. We the People
Chapters 16 -21.
Differentiation:
Support: Choose a right from the Bill of Rights and explain how this would
apply to the classroom.
Extension: Choose an
amendment to the Bill of Rights and write a paper to promote it to a country
that does not have a democratic government.
Integrated Reading and Writing
The Alexander Hamilton You Never Knew
- Accelerated Reader and
Scholastic's Reading Counts book that students can purchase, check out from
the school library or read online and take the test online.
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