Unit Plan Overview

Teacher Name: Nick DeVries

Subject: 8th Grade U.S History
Topic of Unit: Articles of Confederation and the Constitution.
How does the unit connect to the lives of the students: The Constitution plays a role in
everyones life everyday. I think its very important for students to aware of what the Constitution
actually does and does not grant the freedom of. Along with the Constitution playing a role
directly in the students lives, the Constitution has played a large role as an example for many
other countries to have a similar type of structure to their constitution.
Overall Goals: Have the students to have a good understanding of what the Constitution says.
Students will be able to realize why the Articles of Confederation had to be changed
dramatically in order for the United States to be successful as a nation. Also, students will be
aware of some of the issues many colonists had while writing the Constitution and how they
resolved these conflicts with compromises (3/5 Compromise and the Great Compromise).
Finally students will able to see how other countries formed their constitution similarly and
differently from the United States.
Specific objectives: Students be able to evaluate the Articles of Confederation and be able to
determine what parts of the Articles need to be changed. Students will be aware of the conflicts
the different colonies had with making the Constitution. Students will be knowledgeable of how
these conflicts were resolved. Students will be able to identify why the Bill of Rights had to be
made and how they still play an important role in todays society. Students will be able to identify
other countries constitution and be able to compare the similarities and differences to the United
States Constitution.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support

analysis of primary and secondary sources.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.3: Identify key steps in a text's description of a
process related to history/social studies (e.g., how a bill becomes law, how
interest rates are raised or lowered).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.6: Identify aspects of a text that reveal an
author's point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or
avoidance of particular facts).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7: Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts,
graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and
digital texts.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.9: Analyze the relationship between a primary
and secondary source on the same topic.

Evidence that students met the objectives: A short quiz at the end of class about what was
talked about during class. Discussion and reflection questions asked to the students during the
lesson to able to see if they understand. A project where each student demonstrates his or her
knowledge on the Constitution by comparing it to another countries forms of government.
Five (or more) lessons:
1. The Articles of Confederation. Why did the colonies need to form a type of government?
Project that has students look at the Articles of Confederation and discuss why some
problems might arise from this document.
2. The Articles of Confederation. Deeper look at what the Articles of Confederation actually
said. What problems did the new nation have to deal with?
3. Compromises in the Constitution. Students look at the compromises that were made by
the Continental Congress and present on one of these compromises.
4. Structure of the United States. Students will learn about the powers that each branch
has outlined by the Constitution. A project will have to be made by the students with by a
paper or presentation that comes up with a scenario that checks and balances are used.
5. The United States Constitution compared to other countries constitution and how they
compare to one another, for better or for worse.