The Lawmakers by Halie Mangiaruga Lesson Plan Overview and Description
The Lawmakers by Halie Mangiaruga Lesson Plan Overview and Description
The Lawmakers by Halie Mangiaruga Lesson Plan Overview and Description
I.
II.
Content Outline
a. Core Lesson 2 - State Government:
There are 50 states in the United States and each has
its own government.
What is state government?
Citizens elect people to lead their state government
and work in the capitol.
Capitol is the building where leaders meet to make
the laws.
Every state has its own constitution (the plan for the
states government).
Each state governments have three branches that
each have different responsibilities but work together
to run the state.
Three Branches of State Government
Legislature/Lawmaker
The branch that makes laws is lead by lawmakers.
This is called the legislative branch.
Lawmakers represent people of the community
and write new laws that will improve the state.
III.
Objectives:
a. In small groups, students will create rules they feel are
important to follow in their classroom as part of a class
constitution.
b. Students will actively participate in creating guidelines for
the classroom to follow.
c. Students will be able to explain how creating a class
constitution allows them to debate, compromise, and ratify
their classroom laws.
d. The student will be able to identify the roles of the
lawmakers branch of state government.
V.
Teaching Procedures:
a. Introduction/Anticipatory Set
1. Before the lesson begins, teacher will pass out an
outline to the students of the content being covered
within the lesson.
2. The teacher will also distribute the constitution
worksheet that students will be asked to complete.
3. Teacher will start by introducing the lesson by
discussing that there are the three levels of state
government. Teacher will explain the first branch,
the lawmakers, and their roles in the creation of
laws.
4. Teacher will then lead a class discussion about laws.
Students will be asked to think about laws and rules
that are followed in different aspects of life such as
driving, shopping, and even living in their own
home. Get students discussing these laws by asking
them questions about things they are allowed and
arent allowed to do in these situations. Have
students discuss in their groups. Also, prompt them
to discuss what life would be like without all of
these laws. Discuss with the students that without
laws, the state would be in disorder.
5. Teacher will then show the students a copy of the
constitution and discuss what a constitution is/does
for our state government.
b. Input
VI.
c.
Resource
Title
US
Constitution
Creating a
Classroom
Constitution
Influence
SI
SI
Characteristi
cs
Student
friendly
website that
is easily
navigated
and created
for children.
Accessibility
PDF
document
that is a
useful
resource to
Anyone can
access but
is good for
teachers.
Students
and
teachers
can access
this website.
Overall
Rating
5/5
Would be
useful for
students
exploring
the
constitution
on their own
or in a
scavenger
hunt.
5/5
Useful for
teachers
creating
lesson
Standards
VII.
VIII.
IX.
X.
MI
guide a
lesson plan.
Shows the
social
studies
standards.
plans.
Accessible
by anyone.
5/5
Useful for
teachers to
refer to
when
forming
lesson
plans.
Formative/Summative Assessment
a. Each student will participate in the class discussion of the
main points of this lesson (e.g. branches of government,
the roles of the legislature, what the constitution is,
examples of laws).
b. Each pair of students will complete the given handout
about creating a class constitution.
c. Each student will answer the two given questions on the
index card at the end of the lesson and turn it in.
Materials/Equipment
a. Index card to answer the two given questions
b. Class Constitution handout distributed to class
c. Smart Board
d. Copy of the Constitution distributed to class
e. Outline of Content distributed to class
f. Poster board to write the class constitution on
Technology
a. This lesson requires a Smart Board in order to project the
content outline for the class to see and to examine the
Constitution. Students may have access to iPad/computer
to research the constitution on a kid-friendly website.
Reflection on Planning
a. Since this lesson takes place towards the beginning of the
unit, the lesson involves a great deal of teacher-directed
lesson and guided practice. The students are still learning
about the different branches of state government
therefore; I am guiding their discussions and pulling at
their background knowledge on the topics. By facilitating
the discussion, I can clarify content for them or give them
new perspectives on the content. This information will
provide them the necessary tools to work in pairs and roleplay as the lawmakers of the classroom by creating their
own constitution. I added information from the content
outline to my lesson about the constitution because the
textbook didnt talk much about it.