L5+Webb+Christopher

=**UMF LESSON PLAN FORMAT**=

**Grade Level: 11-12 Topic: Civics and Government**

 * =**Objectives**:= ||
 * Student will understand that the United States system of government is unique and they will learn how it is structured. ||
 * Student will know the different branches of government, Senate, House of Reps, Judicial branch, Executive branch. ||
 * Student will be able to apply this knowledge when thinking about other forms of government. ||

Knowledge, Concepts, Themes, Patterns of Civics/Government Grades 9-Diploma** a) Explain that the study of government includes the structures, functions, institutions, and forms of government and the relationship of government to citizens in the United States and in other regions of the world. Rationale: This lesson aligns with the Maine Learning Results because it explains to students how the government of the United States is structured by discussing the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Judicial branch, and the Executive branch and how these branches interact with each other. ||
 * =**Maine Learning Results Alignment**= ||
 * **Maine Learning Results-B:Civics and Government

Students will fill out a Venn Diagram with Democracy on one side and another form of government on the other. They will fill these out so I can assess what they already know and how they can relate that to another form of government. || Students will use inspiration to create connections between the various checks and balances of the branches of government. ||
 * =Assessment= ||
 * **Formative** (Assessment for Learning)
 * **Summative** (Assessment of Learning)

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 * =**Integration**= ||
 * Technology: Students will be using the Inspiration software to better understand the connections of checks and balances in the United States government. ||


 * =**Groupings**= ||
 * Students will be working in pairs on their Inspiration diagrams. ||


 * =Differentiated Instruction= ||
 * **Strategies**


 * Interpersonal:** Students will work in pairs on their Inspiration diagrams.
 * Spatial:** Students will use Inspiration to better understand the connection of checks and balances in the United States government.
 * Kinesthetic:** Students will be moving around class to work their partners on Inspiration and they will have to use laptops.
 * Linguistic:** Students need to talk in their pairs about the different branches of government and they will also receive a brief lecture from the teacher over them. ||
 * **Modifications/Accommodations**

I will review students’ IEPs, 504s or ELLIDEPs and make the appropriate modifications and accommodations.

If a student is absent from class he/she will be required to provide me with a note from home explaining why they missed class. A students grade will not suffer if they have a valid reason for missing class, however; if they merely skipped class they will recieve a zero for that day and will not be able to make up the work. If they do have an excused absence they can choose to get the notes on that class from me or from a fellow classmate. They will be expected to complete any work which their peers had to do for this day, if this means group work the student and I can reach an agreement on how to modify the assignment. The student and I will also determine an acceptable time for completing any missed assignments. ||
 * **Extensions**

If the students choose to do so they may write a one page essay explaining why there is a system of checks and balances in place and post this on the class wiki for extra credit. ||


 * =Materials, Resources and Technology= ||
 * This YouTube video demonstrates how to use the Inspiration software for students. http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&q=how+to+use+inspiration+software&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&resnum=4&ct=title#

Laptops with Inspiration software

Venn Diagram

Pen or pencil ||


 * =Source for Lesson Plan and Research= ||
 * I created this lesson plan

The video on how to use Inspiration was from YouTube

The Venn Diagram was from this website; http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/venn.pdf ||


 * =Maine Standards for Initial Teacher Certification and Rationale= ||
 * __Standard 3__ - Demonstrates a knowledge of the diverse ways in which students learn and develop by providing learning opportunities that support their intellectual, physical, emotional, social, and cultural development.
 * Rationale:** This lesson meets the Maine Standards for Initial Teacher Certification because students will be learning about the material individually through a short lecture and in pairs by using the Inspiration software. They will have to reflect on their previous knowledge before any instruction even begins by filling out the Venn Diagram that will be handed to them. Only after this will they be instructed on just how exactly the United States government is structured. ||
 * __Standard 4__ - Plans instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, curriculum goals, and learning and development theory.
 * Rationale:** This lesson meets the Maine Standards for Initial Teacher Certification because one of the main goals of the unit is for students to grasp how the United States government is structured. They will examine the bicameral legislature as well as the judicial and executive branches of government. ||
 * __Standard 5__ - Understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies and appropriate technology to meet students’ needs.
 * Rationale:** This lesson meets the Maine Standards for Initial Teacher Certification since students are engaged in the material in a variety of ways and they get to use a way array of multiple intelligences. They will use the Inspiration software in groups. They will also reflect personally at the beginning of class on any knowledge they have prior to instruction. ||
 * __Standard 8__ - Understands and uses a variety of formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and support the development of the learner.
 * Rationale:** This lesson meets the Maine Standards for Initial Teacher Certification because students must fill in a Venn Diagram prior to instruction so I can assess what knowledge that had prior to the instruction. They will also be required to use Inspiration software to better understand the connection of checks and balances between the different branches of government. These will be handed in or posted online and graded on their depth and accuracy. ||


 * =Teaching and Learning Sequence:= ||
 * Class will begin with a provocative question posed by me to the students. I will ask them how many forms of government they believe there are and to write that number down on a piece of paper. Once everyone has a number I will record their estimations on the board so we can see the range of their guesses.


 * Agenda:**

Talk about how there is such a wide variety of forms of government and what makes our form unique. First discuss the Legislature, how it is bicameral. Next discuss the Judicial branch and judicial review. Finally discuss the job of the Executive office and the President. Go over checks and balances with them.

Today in class students will learn about how the United States government is structured. We will explore the bicameral Legislature by examining the Senate and House of Representatives. We will then discuss the Judicial branch followed by the Executive branch. Prior to any instruction they will fill out a Venn Diagram on what they already know about how the United States system of government is structured and compare that to another form of government we have already learned about. As a hook I will ask the to come up with a number of how many forms of government they believe there are and to write that number down. This will simply show them the wide variety of government there are and how many combination's there can be and how similar some are to each other. (10minutes)
 * What, Why, Where, Hook, Tailor; Intrapersonal** ||
 * The first part of class will lead into a discussion about how exactly our form of government is structured. The first portion we will talk about as a class is the bicameral legislature, the Senate and House of Representatives. As a class we will discuss the particular powers of each house and how they are unique plus what checks and balances they have between each other and the other branches. the same will be done for the next 15 minutes on the Judicial branch and then 15 minutes for the Executive branch.(45minutes)
 * Equip, Examine, Tailor; Linguistic, Interpersonal** ||
 * Once the students have received the lecture and gone over the different branches of government and how it is structured they will need to use the Inspiration software. What they are going to do is create a series of connections between the three branches so they can further understand the system of checks and balances and how the government regulates itself. They will be working with a partner of their choice on this project so they can more information on their diagram faster. By working with a partner they can also talk with someone other then me about their ideas for why exactly the United States chose to structure itself the way it did.(25minutes)
 * Explore, Rethink, Revise, Tailor; Spatial, Interpersonal, Kinesthetic** ||
 * Students will begin by doing a pre-assessment, which is the Venn Diagram, to get a feel for what knowledge they already possess on the subject. I will collect these at the end of class and comment on them but not grade them. The only grade they will receive will be on their Inspiration diagrams and those will also be handed in at the end of class or posted on the class wiki so I have some representation of the work they did on it. The information they will learn in this lesson will help them because our governent can be a confusing subject at times and having some knowledge on exactly how it is structured can make understanding other aspects of it easier.
 * Explore,Equip, Tailor; Interpersonal, Linguistic, Spatial** ||

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