SETON HILL UNIVERSITY

Lesson Plan Template

TOPIC DETAILS CK
Name Allison Carlson
Subject Social Studies
Grade Level 4th
Date/Duration Two 45-minute class period; whole unit will last 3 weeks
Big Ideas The Government helps us keep checks and balances in place.
Essential Questions What are the three branches of government?
What are the roles of the three branches of government?
Who and what makes up the three branches of government?
PA/Common Standard - 5.3.4.A- Identify the roles of the three branches
Core/Standards of government
Standard- CC.1.4.4B- Identify and introduce the topic clearly
Standard- CC.1.4.4.E- Use precise language and domain-specific
vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic
Objective During class activity and discussion, all fourth-grade students will
identify the three branches of government and their roles with 90%
Bloom's Taxonomy proficiency.

Webb's Depth of
Knowledge (DOK)
Formative & Formative assessment: I will provide my students with visuals that go
Summative along with each branch of government. Students must verbally
Assessment Evidence explain what each picture means and what branch it belongs to.
Summative assessment: At the end of the three weeks, students will
create their own government and tie three branches of government
into their made-up government. They will have to focus on having a
system of checks and balances to ensure that their government will
run smoothly.

ISTE Standards for 7b- Students use collaborative technologies to work with others,
Students including peers, experts or community members, to examine issues
and problems from multiple viewpoints
Framework for 21st 7c- Students contribute constructively to project teams, assuming
Century Learning various roles and responsibilities to work effectively toward a
common goal
Accommodations, Taylor will be allowed to work independently using technology to
Modifications complete her work instead of working with her classmates.
Taylor will work in her own space that is free from danger. The door
will be shut and locked and the windows will be kept to her liking.
She will feel safe at all times.
Taylor will be provided with a bed at the nurses office if she is
overtired. She can go down at any point and take a nap because no
learning will occur if she is tired.
Taylor will be provided with a dry erase calendar on her desk that
keeps track of her assignments so she knows what she must get done
to keep her stress at a minimal level.
SUPERVISING
TEACHERS
SIGNATURE

Seton Hill University Lesson Plan Template Step-by-Step Procedures

RATIONALE for the CK
Learning Plan
Introduction Activating Prior Knowledge
I will ask students if they know what keeps our government in check
and why we need a system of checks and balances.
Hook/Lead-In/Anticipatory Set
I will read the book The Branches of the U.S. Government by Michael
Burgan.
In a group discussion, students will talk about what they took away
from the book and why they believe the branches are important.
Explicit Instructions Big Idea Statement
The three branches of government helps our government keep
everything equal.
Essential Questions Statement
What are the three branches of government?
What are the roles of the three branches of government?
Who and what makes up the three branches of government?
Objective Statement
During our class activity and in your groups, you will name the three
branches of government and identify their roles.
Transition
Students will create a law and place it on the bulletin board under the
correct branch of government. They must find 3 peers and explain the
law they wrote.
Key Vocabulary
Three branches of government
Judicial
Legislative
Executive
Law
Checks and Balances
President
Vice-President
Cabinet
Senate
Courts (Supreme and Federal)
House of Representatives
Congress
Lesson Procedure Pre-Assessment of Students
Students will fill out a KWL chart about the three branches of
government and their roles. They can work in groups of two when
completing their chart.
Modeling of the Concept
 Students will create a project about their assigned branch of
government. I will show my model of all three branches and tell the
students what I am expecting them to incorporate into their project. A
rubric will be given out to each student with the point values and the
guidelines on what to incorporate. Students can create a project of their
choice as long as it follows the directions. Students will present and
teach the class about their branch of government project.
There will be an interactive bulletin board along the front of the
classroom for students to use if they get stuck at any part of need a
reminder. Students can reference the bulletin board as often as they
like.
Guiding the Practice
1. I will walk around the room and make sure that my students are
following directions and helping their peers if needed. I will be there to
answer any questions they may have. I will also reread the book The
Branches of the U.S. Government by Michael Burgan while they are
working on their project. When students need a break from their project
they will be allowed to play the game Branches of Power on the
website https://www.icivics.org/games. They can use ideas from the
game and incorporate them into their projects. The game will also be
used as a learning tool and reinforce what they have learned about the
three branches.
2. As I walk around, I will ask my students:
1. What are you basing your project off of?
2. Do you need any help?
3. Do you need me to find you extra resources?
3. As I walk around, I will look for:
1. They are following the rubric
2. They are using their own ideas and not their classmates
3. They are being safe while being creative
Providing the Independent Practice
Students will write a paragraph about the differences of the three
branches of government. They must include the roles and who makes
up the branches. I will not provide a rubric for the paragraph. Students
will attach their paragraph to the back of their project.
Transition
Students will find one other classmate and talk about the challenges of
their project and see if their peer has any suggestions for them
Reading Materials The Branches of the U.S. Government by Michael Burgan
Technology Paper
Equipment Pencils/pens
Supplies
Craft supplies
iPad or Computer
Evaluation of the Formal Evaluation
Learning/Mastery of Students will critique their classmates projects using a rubric. They
the Concept will write comments about what they forgot to include and if any
information was wrong. They will also add what they thought they did
well. I will collect the rubrics and use their comments to know if they
understood all of the information that they learned.
Informal Evaluation
 I will observe my students using a checklist to make sure they are
learning about their given branch as they are working on their project. I
will check off if they hit specific concepts that were in the rubric and if
they add any extra information that they believe is important. I will
also mark off their interactions with their peers.
Closure Summary & Review of the Learning
Students will relate their project to the objective.
Students will play a game of Kahoot about the three branches of
government. The people in the first 3 spots at the end of the game will
get two bonus points on their project.
Homework/Assignments
Write in their self-reflection journal about what they learned that day
and how their project helped them better understand the learned
information.
Teacher
Self-reflection