Introduction: This lesson is to introduce key vocabulary centered around the government and constitution in Illinois. This lesson will prepare them for the Illinois constitution test which they are required to take by the Illinois State Board of Education.
Objectives: Content/Knowledge (Head): Students will be able to recall important vocabulary words. Process/Skills (Hands): Students will be able to assess their peers on important vocabulary words. Values/Dispositions (Heart): Students will be able to discuss why the Bill of Rights is important
Standards: State – Illinois Social Science Learning Standards (2016) SS.CV.2.6-8.MdC: Explain the origins, functions, and structure of government with reference to the U.S. Constitution, Illinois Constitution and other systems of government. State – Common Core State Standards: Grades 6-12 Literacy in History/Social Studies CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies. National – National Council for the Social Studies NCSS II: Time, Continuity, & Change
Central Focus: This lesson will be centered around teaching some of the required information on the Illinois constitution test. While I don't normally encourage teaching to a test, ISBE mandates students pass in order to pass middle school, plus the material is actually relevant (unlike some standardized tests) so it is the baseline for this unit/ lesson.
Academic & Conceptual Foundation: Facts and Concepts:
There are 59 people in the Illinois Senate
There are 118 members in the Illinois House of Representatives
Illinois capital is Springfield
Illinois has had 4 constitutions
Our current governor is Bruce Rauner
Inquiry, Interpretations, or Analyses
Why are there more Articles in the Illinois Bill or Rights than Amendments in the US Constitution?
Why are checks and balances important?
What similarities are there between our government and the US government?
Arguments or Conclusions: Students will come to the conclusion that we need laws to help protect the rights of our state's citizens.
Assessment: 1. With a partner they will analyze a section of the Bill of Rights 2.We will do a Kahoot as a class 3. They will take their constitution test at the end of the Unit.
Lesson: 1. Anticipatory Set: Teacher Instruction: To introduce the lesson Introduction we will begin with the question “Is it important to have a state government in addition to our national government?” Students will think-pair share the question. After the question is answered follow up with if the local government should parallel the national government. View the image (source 1) for clarification because some students may not know there are different levels of government.
2. Purpose: Teacher Instruction: To help enlighten students about Illinois and prepare students for their Illinois constitution test which they need to pass by the end of middle school. "In this lesson we are going to learn about the three branches of government, read the Bill of Rights in the Illinois constitution, and make flashcards". This will be stated out loud as well as written on the board to accommodate multiple intelligences.
3. Provide Input
Teacher Instruction: I will teach important dates and facts. This will be done by going over the chart (Resource 2) below. Some of the important concepts that will be covered are:
Requirements to serve in office
Terms lengths
Springfield is our state capitol
How many people are in the House of representative
How many people are in the Senate
Illinois has had 4 constitutions
Resources:
Charts
Tree Outlines (Resource 3)
Student Activity: Students will take notes on the three branches of government by making a tree. They will label the base of the tree Illinois and the three main branches Judicial, Legislative, and Executive. They will then write down the facts that they think are most important from the chart on the tree. They will eventually also transfer over into flashcards once they finish creating their regular vocab flashcards (see later). Ie they will have a flashcard that on the front says how many people are in the senate and on the back says 59.
4. Model Behavior:
Teacher Instruction: I will demonstrate how to make a vocabulary card. Each vocabulary card will have the word on one side. One the other side will have four squares. The squares will be the definition, a picture of the word, the word in a sentence, and an example of the word. (See an example in resource 4)
Student Activity: As a class we will then make several flashcards together.
5. Check for comprehension: Teacher Activity: We will take a Illinois constitution pre-test (see below resource 5) to see how much of the information the students are retaining. This will give me as a teacher an idea of what I need to go over again, and the students an idea of what they need to study more.
6. Guided practice:
Teacher Instruction: As a class we will analyze [break down/apart] the Preamble (see below Resource 6) of the Illinois constitution.
Resources: Illinois Constitution
Student Activity: Students will work with a partner to break apart a different amendment in the Bill of Rights (Resource 7). They will determine the meaning of their section as well as why the section was written. Each group partnership will get 1-2 sections.
7. Independent practice:
Teacher Instruction: I will explain the instructions that with a partner they will make flashcards using our outline. Once they finish making all the flashcards they will go through their flashcards trying to see how many words they can get right. Students will keep track of how many words they got right and how long it took them to go through all their cards. The words they are making are:
Capital (include our current capital)
General assembly
Senate
House of Representatives
Governor
Mayor
Legislative branch
Executive branch
Judicial branch
Primary election
General election
Checks and balances
Bill of Rights
Separation of powers
Minority Party
Majority Party
general election
primary election
veto
chief executive officer
pardon
Lieutenant Governor
Attorney General
Secretary of State
Comptroller
Treasurer
Habeas Corpus
Appellate Court
Circuit Court
gerrymandering
Student activity: Students will work with a partner to make their flashcards. Afterward, students will go through their words with their partner. It’s almost like a race both with themselves and with their peers. The student who gets the most right will get a piece of candy and the student who goes the fastest will get a piece of candy. Students will track their own growth throughout the net couple weeks.
8. Closure:
Teacher Activity: End with the quote "When every man lives without law, every man lives without freedom" (source 8) up on the board. Discuss how this is applicable to our lesson and if we believe it to be true. If we didn't have laws would we have more freedoms or less freedoms? Why?