Unit Plan Cover Page

Grade Level: 3rd Grade

Main SOL: Social Studies 3.11 The student will explain the importance of the basic principles that form the foundation of a republican form of government

bya. describing the individual rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and equality under

the law;b. identifying the contributions of George Washington; Thomas Jefferson; Abraham Lincoln; Rosa

Parks; Thurgood Marshall; Martin Luther King, Jr.; and Cesar Chavez;c. recognizing that Veterans Day and Memorial Day honor people who have served to protect the

country’s freedoms,d. describing how people can serve the community, state, and nation.

Author’s Names: Michaela Richmond, Haley Jacobs, Kat Gallagher

Timeframe: 7 days of lessons, 1 for assessment

Unit Introduction: The information covered within S.S.3.11 is foundational level knowledge for every American.

All citizens need to know the depth and history of our country’s commitment to value the individual rights to life, liberty, happiness, and equality, and should know the contributions of important Americans throughout history who supported and fought for those rights. Children should also learn the different ways in which they can serve their country and the different ways in which we honor those who have already served. Prior to studying this SOL in 3rd grade, most students have learned a bit about George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King, Jr. but the rest of the information contained within the SOL may be new to the students.

We developed a concept map in which we mapped out the various components of the SOL and then determined which components could be effectively taught in a seven day timeframe, which we would want to teach first, and which components logically went together better. We chose to prepare a unit starting at the beginning of the SOL, with the individual rights and then the country’s first important men who fought for, wrote about, and advanced the cause of those rights. We decided it made more sense to include in the next unit the mid-twentieth century contributions of Cesar Chavez, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Thurgood Marshall who also fought and advocated for those same rights. This unit enhances learning through well thought out lesson plans which cover visual, auditory, and kinesthetic modalities as well as review of prior lessons.

Unit AssignmentDay 1 Lesson Plan

Teachers - Michaela Richmond, Haley Jacobs, Kat Gallagher

Purpose● This lesson is the first of a seven lesson unit which focuses on the basic, founding principles of

equality, life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness while learning about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln.

● In this introductory lesson to the unit we will show students (S) what a republican government looks like in the United States. S will focus on learning the definition of representative democracy along with learning the basic principles of a republican form of government. It’s important to teach this lesson at this time because it it lays the groundwork for the following six lessons.

● VA Social Studies SOL 3.11 The student will explain the importance of the basic principles that form the foundation of a republican form of government by

● a) describing the individual rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and equality under the law;● b) identifying the contributions of George Washington; Thomas Jefferson; Abraham Lincoln; Rosa Parks; Thurgood Marshall; Martin Luther King, Jr.; and

Cesar Chavez;● c) recognizing that Veterans Day and Memorial Day honor people who have served to protect the country’s freedoms,● d) describing how people can serve the community, state, and nation.● VA Math SOL 3.17b The student will● a) collect and organize data, using observations, measurements, surveys, or experiments;● b) construct a line plot, a picture graph, or a bar graph to represent the data; and● c) read and interpret the data represented in line plots, bar graphs, and picture graphs and● write a sentence analyzing the data.

Objectives● TSWBAT accurately identify the four basic principles of a republican government when given

an exit ticket.● TSWBAT tell the difference between direct and representative democracy in an informal Q&A

setting.

Procedure: Introduction

● Begin by asking S whether they or their families paid attention to the recent election. Discuss (Who were the presidential candidates? What about local elections? Did anyone go with their families to vote?)

● Ask them what they think it means to vote. Explain what does mean and why we do it. Tell them that they are going to get to vote today. (A)

● Ask S what their favorite food is. Call on S. Write down their suggestions on the whiteboard. Begin to write tally marks by foods that repeatedly come up.

● Once S have exhausted their food choices, pick the foods with the most tally marks besides them and list them horizontally on a low part of the white board. Provide S with sticky notes which will serve as their ballots. S will then pick their favorite food from this list and write it on their ballots. Collect S ballots and place them vertically above the food each chooses. Whichever food has the most votes at the end of this becomes the class’ favorite food. (K,V)

● Tell S that there will be another vote. This time, have each row (or other grouping) of S choose one member to be their representatives.

● Ask the representatives to talk to their groups to see which food each group preferred and then have representatives cast ballots (on different colored sticky notes, next to the original votes) to determine the class’ favorite food. (K,A,V)

● Explain to S that in the first election they participated in a direct democracy, one in which everyone votes. Ask, did your vote count? Could you see where/how you voted?

● Explain to S that in the second election they participated in a representative democracy which is a republican form of government.

Development● Divide the S into small groups.● Explain to S that we are guaranteed certain rights in our government. Ask S what they think a

right is. Read from the Oxford English Dictionary: A right is a moral or legal entitlement to have or do something. Ask, “What rights do we/you have?”

● Discuss the difference between rights vs. laws or choices. What are consequences or limitations to these rights?

● In their small groups, have them think of rights they think everyone in our country should have. Designate a scribe in each small group. They will write down these rights to share with the class. Check in with each group during this time. (V,A)

● After five minutes of discussion, call the S back to the whole group. Ask S what rights they came up with. Write down their suggestions. Once the suggestions have been exhausted, tell S that the Founders of the United States believed that people have certain natural rights. Natural rights include the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness or property. All persons have natural rights just because they are human beings. Everyone is born with these rights. No one can take these rights away. These natural rights are also called basic principles held by American citizens. Another basic principle held by American citizens is equality under the law. This means that all people are treaded fairly. (A,V)

● Discuss how their rights would fit in with the rights guaranteed by the governments (“Which ones fall under life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, equality? Why do they fall under that category? Does anyone disagree with our categorization?) (A)

Summary

● Access the website http://mocomi.com/what-is-democracy. Project it onto the smart board.● Call one S from each small group up to click on a tab at the website. Start at the top tab and

work down the tabs (they are: in a democratic government, direct democracy, representative democracy). Ask if someone would like to read aloud; if not, the T can read aloud. (K,V) (transcript attached)

● Once each tab on the website has been discussed, ask S the difference between a direct democracy and a representative democracy. (“I’m a democracy where all people get to vote and is best for small groups. Which one am I? I’m a democracy where an elected official votes for all the people and is best for large groups. Which one am I? Which democracy do we have in the U.S.?”)

● Instruct S to fill out the four basic principles of a republican government on their sheet. They have two to three minutes to complete the exit ticket. Walk around to check on S status.

Materials needed● Paper● Pencil● White board● Dry erase markers● Attached exit ticket● Smartboard● http://mocomi.com/what-is-democracy/

Evaluation Part A● Have S complete the attached exit ticket. They should be able to correctly identify all four

rights (life, liberty, happiness, equality) with 100% accuracy.● TSWBAT tell the difference between direct and representative democracy in an informal Q&A

setting

Evaluation Part B● Did S meet all objectives?

● Did the lesson accommodate/address needs of all learners?

● What were the strengths and weaknesses of lesson?

● How would you change the lesson the next time you teach it?

Unit Assignment Day 2 Lesson Plan

Teacher - Kat Gallagher

Purpose● The purpose of this lesson is to provide an introduction to George Washington, Thomas

Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln, review the previous day’s introduction of the basic principles upon which our country was founded and to provide greater understanding of the principle of pursuit of happiness.

● VA Social Studies SOL 3.11 The student will explain the importance of the basic principles that form the foundation of a republican form of government by

● a) describing the individual rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and equality under the law;● b) identifying the contributions of George Washington; Thomas Jefferson; Abraham Lincoln; Rosa Parks;

Thurgood Marshall; Martin Luther King, Jr.; and Cesar Chavez;● c) recognizing that Veterans Day and Memorial Day honor people who have served to protect the country’s freedoms;● d) describing how people can serve the community, state, and nation.● VA Virginia Studies SOL.5 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the role of Virginia in

the American Revolution by● a) identifying the reasons why the colonies went to war with Great Britain, as expressed in the Declaration of Independence;● b) identifying the various roles played by whites, enslaved African Americans, free African Americans, and

American Indians in the Revolutionary War era, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and James Lafayette;

● c) identifying the importance of the Battle of Great Bridge, the ride of Jack Jouett, and the American victory at Yorktown.● VA Visual Arts SOL 3.4 The student will use imaginative and expressive strategies to create

works of art.● VA Visual Arts SOL 3.6 The student will create works of art that communicate ideas,

themes, and feelings.

Objectives● TSWBAT name the four founding principles included within the Declaration of Independence.● TSW create and share art showcasing their interpretations of the principle “pursuit of

happiness”.● TSWBAT, in writing, name at least one important fact each about George Washington, Thomas

Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln.● TSWBAT identify at least 1 of the 2 above who are from Virginia (GW & TJ).

Procedure: Introduction

● Ask children if they remember the principles mentioned the day before.

● Solicit responses. ● Say “I know a way to help us remember them.”● Have S stand, join in on a 4-count march, with feet falling the heaviest on the first beat,

“stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, etc,….*S who are unable to march may serve as drums for the marchers by tapping the beat with their hands

● Once pattern is established begin chant w/ words on first beat, “equality”, stomp, stomp, stomp, “under”, stomp, stomp, stomp, “the law”, stomp, stomp, stomp, “life”, stomp, stomp, stomp, “liberty”, stomp, stomp, stomp, (say it fast:)“the pursuit”, stomp, stomp, stomp, (said fast:) “of happiness”, stomp, stomp, stomp. Repeat around the room several times until it seems deeply ingrained. (K,A)

● March to “story rug”. All sit in regular places. (video screen and white board should be easy for all to see)

● Say “Today we are going to talk a little bit about three of the important presidents who agreed with those principles and a good bit more about that third principle, the pursuit of happiness.”

Development● Show Schoolhouse Rocks Fireworks video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=ZTY0V8GaeFI&list=PLE2752A4A80ED1D13) (V,A,K)● Say “There are three presidents we are going to talk more about over the next week. They are

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln. Let’s see what you know or remember about them,…”

● Ask for info about George Washington (prior knowledge 2nd grade: George Washington led the fight for freedom from England and helped establish a new country)

● Write answers on whiteboard - include that he lived in Virginia and was the 1st President of the United States. Say, “We will learn more about him tomorrow.” Have S write at least 2 facts in about G.W. in their social studies notebooks. (V,A,K)

● Ask for info about Thomas Jefferson. (not previously included in SOLs). ● Write on whiteboard - include that he also lived in Virginia, they may have noticed his name in

the video as a writer of the Declaration of Independence. Say, “We will talk about him more later in the week. but for now write down at least two facts about him in your s.s. notebooks. ” (V,A,K)

● Ask for info about Abraham Lincoln (prior knowledge 2nd grade: Abraham Lincoln was the President of the United States who helped to free African American slaves.

● Write on whiteboard - include that he was born in a log cabin in Kentucky and will be the focus of a later class. Have S write at least two facts about him in their s.s. notebooks. (V,A)

● Show paper, antique-looking reproduction of Declaration of Independence (V)● Read the first two paragraphs (through “most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

stopping after the first paragraph and end of reading to gauge and help add to understanding. (V,A)

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

● Ask, “what does pursuit of happiness mean?” Get a few answers…● “Does it mean that you can do whatever you want whenever you want?”● If yeses, “what if what makes you happy is music?…trumpet?….playing at night?…3am?…”

(keep going until all agree it is too far)● What if what makes you happy is to hit people? Is that ok? What about the person being hit?

What about their right to be happy?● Establish that the pursuit of happiness is limited to things which cause no harm to anyone else.

Summary● Ask about their happiness - what makes them happy? Acting? Dancing? Drawing? Sculpting?

Inventing Comic Strips?● Acting alone or in pairs, they get to create something - a drawing, sculpture, collage, living

statue, or a comic strip - sharing their vision of safety and happiness (from 2nd paragraph declaration of independence) (K,V,A)

● Give 10-12 minutes to complete activity.● S take turns showing their creations to the class. All S listen respectfully and clap for each

presenter. Start by modeling proper and respectful behavior.● Tell S they will have an exit ticket to fill out prior to recess. Hand out large index cards to each

S. Have them write their names and those of GW, TJ, AL and then the numbers 1-4.

● Instruct S to write one fact about ea. Pres. and to circle those who lived in Virginia and then to name at least 3 of the 4 founding principles.

Materials needed● Social Studies notebooks● Schoolhouse Rocks Fireworks video found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=ZTY0V8GaeFI&list=PLE2752A4A80ED1D13● antique-like reproduction of Declaration of Independence (available on fatbraintoys.com for

$2.95 ($6.94 w/ shipping)● drawing paper● construction paper● scissors● modeling clay● pens, pencils, markers, crayons● scrap materials - cloth, sequins, ribbons● large index cards

Evaluation Part A● Are the S able to name the 4 founding principles?● Did all S create and share art showcasing their interpretations of the principle “pursuit of

happiness”?● Were S able to name at least one important fact each about GW, TJ, and AL?● Were S able to identify at least one of the two gentlemen above who were from Virginia?

Evaluation Part B● Did S meet objectives?

● How do you know?

● Did lesson accommodate/address needs of all learners?

● Strengths of lesson?

● Weaknesses?

● How would change next time?

Haley Jacobs Lesson Day 3

Purpose

This is a lesson in a series of lessons about important historical figures related to the U.S.’s

republican government. The focus is specifically on George Washington and the basic principle

of life in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Physical education SOL 3.1The student will apply locomotor, non-locomotor, and manipulative skills in increasingly complex movement activities.S.S. SOL 3.11The student will explain the importance of the basic principles that form the foundation of a republican form of government bya) describing the individual rights to life , liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and equality under the law;b) identifying the contributions of George Washington; Thomas Jefferson; Abraham Lincoln; Rosa Parks; Thurgood Marshall; Martin Luther King, Jr.; and Cesar Chavez;c) recognizing that Veterans Day and Memorial Day honor people who have served to protect the country’s freedoms,d) describing how people can serve the community, state, and nation.

Objective(s)

The students will have a basic understanding of who George Washington is and the impact he

has made on the United States.

The students will also be able to explain what 'life’ in life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness

means.

The students should also be able to recall information about the previous president they've

learned about (Thomas Jefferson).

Procedure

Introduction

● Begin by asking students which presidents they call recall and the significance this

president has had on our country.

● Watch YouTube video titled “Biography of George Washington for Kids”

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3lXnfitSoYw

● After watching the video, ask the students to recall facts from the video. Write them on

the board, and ask students to copy them in their notebooks. If they don't cover certain

key facts, make sure they're written on the board.

● Tell students that they will be playing a game pertaining to George Washington and the

concept of ‘life’ in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Development

● The game will involve students running from one end of the classroom to another

depending on whether the statement is true or false. There will be a 'true’ and a 'false’

side in the classroom.

● The game will first be demonstrated to them before they begin.

● They will keep track of their scores by collecting popsicle sticks each time they get an

answer correct.

● The student or students with the most popsicle sticks will then get to be the 'teacher’ to

review the principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Summary

● Have students discuss George Washington and the principles of life, liberty, and the

pursuit of happiness.

● Ask students to raise their hand and share one aspect they've learned from this lesson.

● Have the students reflect on what they've learned in their notebooks.

Differentiation

● For struggling students, there could be a fact sheet printed out while they're participating

in the true/false activity.

● For advanced students, they could be given an extra worksheet to complete pertaining to

George Washington while students are working in their notebooks.

Materials

Smart board to present video

Computer

Link for video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3lXnfitSoYw

True/False signs

Popsicle sticks

Pencil

Paper

Notebooks

George Washington worksheet

Evaluation (Part A)

● As students are leaving, get them to verbally explain one detail of George Washington or

Thomas Jefferson as an exit ticket.

● For homework, the students should write their thoughts on life, liberty, and the pursuit of

happiness and why these rights are so important.

Evaluation (Part B)

● Did students meet the objective?

● What were the strengths and weaknesses of your teaching during the lesson?

● How would you change the lesson the next time you teach it?

Michaela Richmond

Unit Plan Lesson #4

Purpose:

This is a lesson in a series of lessons about important historical figures related to the U.S.’s

republican government. The focus is specifically on Thomas Jefferson and the basic principle of

liberty.

SS 3.11 The student will explain the importance of the basic principles that form the foundation of a republican form of government bya) describing the individual rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and equality under the law;b) identifying the contributions of George Washington; Thomas Jefferson; Abraham Lincoln; Rosa Parks; Thurgood Marshall; Martin Luther King, Jr.; and Cesar Chavez;c) recognizing that Veterans Day and Memorial Day honor people who have served to protect the country’s freedoms,d) describing how people can serve the community, state, and nation.C/T 3-5.1Demonstrate an operational knowledge of various technologies.A. Use various types of technology devices to perform learning tasks.•Use a keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, touchpad, and other input devices to interact with a computer.•Demonstrate the ability to perform a wide variety of basic tasks using technology, including saving, editing, printing, viewing, and graphing.B. Communicate about technology with appropriate terminology.•Use basic technology vocabulary in daily practice. LA 3.6The student will continue to read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts.a) Identify the author’s purpose.b) Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning.c) Preview and use text features.d) Ask and answer questions about what is read.e) Draw conclusions based on text.f) Summarize major points found in nonfiction texts.g) Identify the main idea.h) Identify supporting details.i) Compare and contrast the characteristics of biographies and autobiographies.j) Use reading strategies to monitor comprehension throughout the reading process.k) Identify new information gained from reading.

l) Read with fluency and accuracy.Objective(s):

The students will be able to describe the two major contributions of Thomas Jefferson given

texts and online resources about Jefferson with 100% accuracy.

The students will be able to accurately define and make personal connections to the basic

principle of liberty given a definition.

The students will be able to summarize information about Thomas Jefferson from nonfiction text

sources with 100% accuracy.

Procedure:

Introduction

· Begin with a short review of the previous day’s lesson. Give students five minutes to

write in their journals about what they previously learned about George Washington and the

basic principle of life. Once five minutes is up, call on some students to share their thoughts. (A,

K)

· Tell students they are going to learn about another contributor to our republican

government and another basic principle. Ask students to tell you what a republican government

is. Reiterate what a republican government is. Tell students they will be learning about Thomas

Jefferson and the basic principle of liberty today.

· Begin with the basic principle of liberty. Ask students what they think liberty is and call

on some students for answers. (A)

· Give students the “official” definition of liberty (the state of being free within society

from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behavior, or political

views; Merriam Webster dictionary). Discuss and break down this definition with students. (Qs:

What does oppressive mean?, What are some examples of restrictions? Oppressive restrictions?,

How do they see/experience liberty in their own lives?)

· Ask students how this definition compared to their previous knowledge of liberty. They

can turn and talk to their partner about it for one minute.

· Bring students back to whole group discussion of liberty. Explain that the contributor

we’ll be talking about today connects with liberty and that you want them to find some

connections to liberty.

· Pass out a KWL chart to all students. Pull a KWL chart up on the projector for all to see.

Have students brainstorm some ideas of what they think they know about Thomas Jefferson.

They can work in small groups or individually at this point. Give them five minutes to write

down their ideas under the “K” section of their own KWL chart.

· After five minutes is up, have students share with the whole group some ideas they think

they know about Thomas Jefferson. Write down students’ ideas in the “K” section of the whole

class KWL chart. Tell students they can add to their own KWL chart.

Development

· Allow students to think about what they want to or think they will learn about Thomas

Jefferson. Individually, they can write down their ideas. Float around the classroom to see what

students are writing down. After two to three minutes, call students’ attention back to the whole

group.

· Explain that you want them to find the information that they wrote down plus a few key

things (Where did Jefferson live? When was he president? What important document did he

write? What were some key things he did as a leader?).

· Have students grab a laptop for each table. Provide the links of websites you want

students to visit (http://www.monticello.org,

http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/thomasjefferson,

http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/aa/jefferson). Explain to students why you

picked these websites and how you know they’re credible. Model where to enter the links in on

the computer screen. (K, V)

· Provide students with nonfiction books about Thomas Jefferson (Examples: Who was

Thomas Jefferson? By Dennis Brindell Frandin, Thomas Jefferson: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit

of Everything by Maria Kalman, The Big Book of Presidents: From George Washington to

Barack Obama by Nancy J. Hajeski). (V)

· Tell students they have 20 minute to research Thomas Jefferson in their small groups and

answer their questions about him.

· While students are researching Thomas Jefferson, monitor their activity. Check in with

each small group to see how they’re doing research wise. Ask if there’s any questions they

haven’t been able to find answers to yet. Make note of these questions to answer during whole

group instruction.

· When twenty minutes is almost up, tell students they have a minute to wrap up the

question they’re working on. When twenty minutes is completely up, call students back to the

whole group.

Summary

· As a whole group, discuss the research students found on Thomas Jefferson (Qs: Where

did he live? When was he president? What key document did he write? How did he contribute to

our republican government? What else did you find?). (A)

· Ask students how Thomas Jefferson relates to the basic principle of liberty. Does he

relate to the basic principle of life as well?

· Have students return to their journals. Give them five minutes to answer some questions

(Qs: What is liberty? How do you experience liberty? What are some major contributions of

Thomas Jefferson?) (K, V)

Differentiation

· For struggling students, they can draw pictures instead of write in their journals. They

can also pair up with students that understand how to use the computer during the research time.

· For advanced students, they can show students how to use the computers. They can also

write a few sentences about Thomas Jefferson on the back of their KWL chart.

Materials

· Laptops

· Pencils

· Notebooks (journals)

· KWL chart (attached)

· Books about Thomas Jefferson

· Projector

Evaluation (Part A)

· Students will complete an informal journal entry discussing the major contributions of

Thomas Jefferson. The teacher will specifically look for Thomas Jefferson was the third

president of the U.S. and that he wrote the Declaration of Independence.

· Students will complete an informal journal entry in which they will write the definition

of liberty and give an example as to how they experience liberty.

Evaluation (Part B)

· Did the students meet my objectives?

· How do I know?

· What were the strengths and weaknesses of my lesson?

· How would I change the lesson if I could teach it again?

Unit Lesson Day 5Lesson Plan

Teacher - Kat Gallagher

Purpose● The purpose of this lesson is to introduce the principle of equality under the law while

reiterating the other three basic principles (life, liberty, pursuit of happiness) forming the foundation of a republican form of government as well as to introduce and teach about Abraham Lincoln. The other three principles (life, liberty, pursuit of happiness) have been

covered in the preceding days as have George Washington and Thomas Jefferson making today’s lesson a natural extension within the unit.

● VA Social Studies SOL 3.11 The student will explain the importance of the basic principles that form the foundation of a republican form of government by

● a) describing the individual rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and equality under the law;● b) identifying the contributions of George Washington; Thomas Jefferson; Abraham Lincoln; Rosa Parks;

Thurgood Marshall; Martin Luther King, Jr.; and Cesar Chavez;● c) recognizing that Veterans Day and Memorial Day honor people who have served to protect the country’s freedoms;● d) describing how people can serve the community, state, and nation.● VA Language Arts SOL 3.6 The student will continue to read and demonstrate

comprehension of nonfiction texts.● a) Identify the author’s purpose.● b) Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning.● c) Preview and use text features.● d) Ask and answer questions about what is read.● e) Draw conclusions based on text.● f) Summarize major points found in nonfiction texts.● g) Identify the main idea.● h) Identify supporting details.● i) Compare and contrast the characteristics of biographies and autobiographies.● j) Use reading strategies to monitor comprehension throughout the reading process.● k) Identify new information gained from reading.● l) Read with fluency and accuracy.

Objectives● Review contributions of George Washington by soliciting responses from S and filling in a

graphic organizer on the white board as we go. (V)● Review the contributions of Thomas Jefferson in same way as above.(V)● Ask what basic principles uniting all Americans we have talked about already this week (life,

liberty, pursuit of happiness). Write on board as listed. (V,A)● Give S 5 minutes to write what each principle means to them personally. ● Say, “today we will discuss one more very important principle, that of ‘equality under the law’,

and study a man who worked to make it real.”

Procedure: Introduction

● Review contributions of George Washington by soliciting responses from S and filling in a graphic organizer on the white board as we go. (V)

● Review the contributions of Thomas Jefferson in same way as above.(V)● Ask what basic principles uniting all Americans we have talked about already this week (life,

liberty, pursuit of happiness). Write on board as listed. (V,A)● Give S 5 minutes to write what each principle means to them personally. ● Say, “today we will discuss one more very important principle, that of ‘equality under the law’,

and study a man who worked to make it real.”

Development● Have left-handed kids move to the front of the classroom. Right-handed children move to the

back of the room. (K)● Announce “I believe lefties work harder than righties so I am going to reward them with extra

recess today and a special snack at the end of the day. Righties, instead of recess you will join me in the classroom where we will prepare the special snack for your classmates.”

● Await expressions of “That’s not fair!”● Ask lefties, “Are you excited about extra recess time and your special snack?” Take answers.● Ask righties, “Are you excited about helping prepare a nice snack for your hard working

classmates?” Take answers.● Discuss with class, “Do you think this is a fair system?” Why or why not?● Say, “When our founding fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence, they wrote, ’We hold

these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’ pause, read 1st part again, slowing at all men…

● Say, “Hold on here! Did you notice that said that ‘all MEN are created equal’?” That’s a nice start but they really only meant white men. What about the rest of us? It took a while for it to be understood that all PEOPLE, regardless of the color of their skin (vote: 1870) or the gender of their bodies (vote: 1920) are created equal. But today we do know that all people have a right to equality and fairness, under the law. (A)

● I do not expect to need to provide differentiation for this part of the lesson as the concepts are universally understandable.

● Introduce, “one of the people who recognized the rights of African American people to be treated equally was our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. We are going to perform a play about him here today!”

● List roles on board (Lincoln, Storytellers 1, 2, 3, Chorus). “I need someone to be Pres. Lincoln, and three people to be storytellers. Everyone else will be in the chorus.” Look for hands, assign accordingly.

● Intro key vocabulary (abolish; to put an end to something officially, emancipation: the act of freeing a person or group from slavery, Confederacy: the group of 11 states that declared itself independent from the rest of the United States just before the Civil War, Union: the United States of America)

● Hand out scripts. Give S 5 minutes for each child to outline their parts in the script and read through their lines for pronunciation.

● Arrange children in front of classroom. Instruct each participant to sit until it is their time to speak and then to stand up and deliver their lines. (K)

● Have S perform the play.

Summary● Discuss information received in the play through having S contribute to graphic organizer on

board about Abraham Lincoln (juxtaposed to earlier completed organizers about Geo. Washington and Tho. Jefferson). Look for president when country divided over issue of equality for all people and that he helped free African American slaves.

● Hand out exit tickets (see attached)● Provide S 5-7 minutes to complete exit activity.

Materials needed● scripts of The Ballad of Abraham Lincoln by Tracey West● pre-printed exit tickets

Evaluation Part A● Collect papers with response to what principles of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness mean

to them. Look for reasonable responses to at least 2.● Note participation of S during creating of graphic organizers re: George Washington and

Thomas Jefferson.● Did S correctly identify the principle of “equality under the law” as one of the key principles

that unite all Americans and list at least 3 noteworthy facts about Abraham Lincoln on graphic organizer?

Evaluation Part B● Did s meet objectives?

● How do you know?

● did lesson accommodate/address needs of all learners?

● strengths of lesson?

● weaknesses?

● how would change next time

Four Basic Principles

Directions: Using the words below, fill in the blank to complete the basic principles that unite all Americans.

Life Liberty Happiness Equality

1. Individual rights to __________________________________________________

1. Individual rights to __________________________________________________

1. Individual rights to the pursuit of _______________________________________

1. Individual right to ___________________________________________ under law.

Why do we remember Lincoln?

Directions: List 5 reasons that we still remember Abraham Lincoln today

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Haley Jacobs Day 6: Lesson Plan on Life, Liberty, the Pursuit of Happiness, and Equality Under The Law

Purpose:● This lesson will introduce and explain the importance of the basic principles that formed the foundation of

our government, which are individual rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and equality under the law.

● SOL: 3.11 The student will explain the importance of the basic principles that form the foundation of a republican form of government by

○ a) Describing the individual rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and equality under the law.

Objectives: ● The students will learn the importance of the basic principles that formed the foundation of our government

by having a group discussion on the principles and by completing a worksheet as a whole group activity. ● The student will be able to determine the difference between life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and

equality under the law.● The student will be able to complete the sorting worksheet with 100% accuracy.

Procedure: ● Introduction:

○ With the students in their seats, I will show them a video so they can learn more about individual rights, pursuit of happiness, and equality under the law.

■ Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56nxL6Zcawc■ After the video, I will ask the students what were their thoughts on life, liberty, and the

pursuit of happiness? ■ Be sure to explain to students that life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness are rights

that people are born with and cannot be taken away and that equality under the law means all people are treated fairly.

● Development:

● The children will pair up with a partner to complete a worksheet on defining words. The definitions will need to be linked to the words by drawing a line to connect the following words to their descriptions:

○ Pursuit of happiness: the act of following in an effort to capture happiness ○ Life: the right to be alive ○ Liberty: the state of being free in a society○ Equality under the law: all people are treated fairly

● Differentiation:○ For struggling students, I will check in with them to ensure they are understanding the topics and

partner them with a student who isn’t struggling with the concept.○ For advanced students, I will ask them to brainstorm and write down any examples of these four

principles they’ve seen put into action in real life.● Summary:

○ Closing out the lesson, I will ask students to give examples of ways they utilize these rights in real life situations.

Materials:● Smartboard for video● Computer● Word/Definition match worksheet● Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56nxL6Zcawc

Evaluation A:● I will assess the students’ knowledge by reviewing who mastered the objective and who did not based on

the students’ discussions and responses on the worksheet. I will expect students to understand the importance of the basic principles that formed the foundation of our government: individual rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and equality under the law.

Evaluation B:● Did students meet the objective?

● What were the strengths and weaknesses of your teaching during the lesson?

● How would you change the lesson the next time you teach it?

Michaela Richmond

Unit Plan Lesson #7

Purpose:

This is the final lesson in a unit plan of seven lessons. The goal is for students to review the three

presidents introduced throughout the week and discuss how their contributions helped shape our

republican government.

SS 3.11 The student will explain the importance of the basic principles that form the foundation of a republican form of government bya) describing the individual rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and equality under the law;b) identifying the contributions of George Washington; Thomas Jefferson; Abraham Lincoln; Rosa Parks; Thurgood Marshall; Martin Luther King, Jr.; and Cesar Chavez;c) recognizing that Veterans Day and Memorial Day honor people who have served to protect the country’s freedoms,d) describing how people can serve the community, state, and nation.Objective(s):

The students will be able to identify and describe the contributions of three presidents given a

sort with 100% accuracy.

The students will be able to describe what a republican government in a written journal entry

with 100% accuracy.

Procedure:

Introduction:

· Introduce students to a presidential sorting game to review the previous presidents

learned. The game includes the contributions that Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and

Abraham Lincoln made during their presidency. Students will put the contributions under the

correct president.

· After introducing the activity, have students complete the sort in their small groups.

While they are sorting, check in with each group. Students will have five minutes to complete the

activity. (K, V)

· Call the students back to whole group instruction. Ask students to help you sort the

presidents’ contributions. Project the sort on the board using a projector. Call on students to tell

you where the contributions go. (V)

· Once every contribution has been sorted, review the completed sort. Go through each

column to make sure students have correctly completed the sort.

Development:

· Begin by asking students to define what a republican government is. Call on a few

students to give their definitions. Make sure to give the formal definition to students. (A

republican government is one in which the power is held by the people. The people elect officials

to represent them and their community). (A)

· Tell students they will be comparing the contributions of the three presidents to the basis

of a republican government.

· Divide students into three separate groups. There should be one group for George

Washington, one group for Thomas Jefferson, and one group for Abraham Lincoln.

· Give students their graphic organizer (attached). Students will fill out who their

contributor is and the contribution they’re focusing on. Beneath it, they will explain why their

person’s contributions helped form a republican government. (K,V)

· Model to students how you want students to fill this form out. For example, Thomas

Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. This helped form a republican government

because it listed certain rights we are given as citizens of the United States.

· Give students ten minutes to complete their organizers. While students complete this

organizer in groups, float. Check in with students and see what they’re thinking.

Summary:

· Call students back to the whole group. Ask a student from each group to share what

contribution they picked and how they connected it to a republican form of government. (A)

· After students have shared, have them write in their journal. Give students five minutes

to describe a republican form of government and why the contributions we just shared are

important to a republican form of government. (K,V)

Differentiation:

· For advanced students, they can be the group scribe to write down the contributions of

their group. They can also help check other students’ presidential sorts.

· For struggling students, they can be the group speaker, if they struggle with writing.

They can also have sentence starters for their journal activity or draw a picture in the journal.

Materials:

· Presidential sort (attached)

· Presidential graphic organizer (attached)

· Pencil

· Paper

· Projector

· White/chalk board

· Dry erase markers/chalk

Evaluation (Part A):

· The teacher will check the presidential sort to make sure each contribution is under the

correct contributor.

· The teacher will review the students’ definition of a republican government that was

written in the journal.

Evaluation (Part B):

· Did the students meet my objectives?

· How do I know?

· What were the strengths and weaknesses of my lesson?

· How would I change the lesson if I could teach it again?

Thomas Jefferson George Washington

Abraham Lincoln

He was born in Virginia

He was born in Virginia

He was born in Kentucky in a log cabin

He was the third president of the United States

He led the fight for freedom from England and helped establish a new country

He taught himself how to read

He wrote a He was the first He became known

document called the Declaration of Independence, which stated that people have certain rights

president of the new nation

as “Honest Abe”

He was a leader who helped develop the county

He worked under the new republican form of government

When he was the president of the United States, the country was divided over the issue of equality for all people

He helped put basic principles into practice for new nation

Day 8 AssessmentPresidents and Principles Flip BookDue date: ___________________

To help you review the three Presidents and four principles you learned about, you will be creating a flip book! The left side of the page will include an illustration. The illustration can represent a contribution of the President or be a picture of the President. The illustration can also represent a principle or be an example of the principle. The right side of the page will include either a definition of the principle or facts about the President.

Here is how your pages should look:

Left Side

Illustration of…● The president● The president’s contributions● A representation of the principle● An example of the principle

Right Side

Name of President/Principle● Definition of the principle● An example of the principle● 3 amount of facts about the President● At least 1 significant contribution

made by the President

Since we have learned about three Presidents and four principles, there will be a total of seven items that will need to be included. There will be fourteen total pages- seven illustrations and seven facts sheets. Please include your most legible handwriting and your best illustrations. This will serve as a study guide for future assessments and you will want to be able to read what you wrote!

Presidents and Principles Flip Book RubricDue date: ___________________

Criteria 1- Not present or barely present

2- Mostly present 3- Completely present

Illustrations The student did not include any or less than three illustrations in the flip book.

The student included more than three illustrations, but less than seven in the flip book.

The student included all seven illustrations in the flip book.

All illustrations the

The illustrations the student provided did not match the President/principle discussed.

Most illustrations the student provided matched the President/principle discussed.

student provided matched the President/principle discussed.

Facts/Contributions

The student did not include any or less than three items in their flip book.

The student did not provide the correct facts/contributions for any or less than three items in their flip book.

The students included more than three, but less than seven items in the flip book.

Most facts/contributions were put with the correct items.

The student included all seven items in the flip book.

All facts/contributions were put with the correct items.

Neatness/Organization

The student did not include legible handwriting.

The student did not include decipherable illustrations.

There is no clear organization to the flip book.

Most of the student’s handwriting is legible, but some sections are not legible.

The student includes mostly decipherable illustrations.

Most of the illustrations and their accompanying facts are on facing pages.

All of the student’s handwriting is legible.

The student includes all decipherable illustrations.

The flip book is organized with illustrations and facts on facing pages.

Additional Resources:

Videos:1. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm5uPqucnHk (This video breaks down some of the

events that happened to George Washington as fact or fiction)2. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hvE9fb--Dig (This is a short biography video about

George Washington)3. https://www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/aspeninstitute/aspen-founding-docs/

aspen-declaration-independence/v/life-liberty-and-the-pursuit-of-happiness (This explains how the principles came to be and what they are)

Books:1. Kuntz, L. (2006). “We Declare Independence” Celebrate the USA; hands-

on history activities for kids. Layton, Utah: Gibbs SmithThis book contains a wide variety of hands-on, US history-themed activities covering the curriculum. Each commences with a lesson followed by the related activity. For this unit in particular I would use the “We Declare Independence”

lesson and activity on pages 26-28 in which students create their own, personal, kid-inclusive “Bill of Rights”

2. Freedman, R (2000). Give Me Liberty; The Story of the Declaration of Independence. New York: Holiday House

A generally higher-level book, this book contains excellent background about the way the Declaration of Independence was written and protected. If time did not allow me to read the entire book to the class I at least consider reading aloud any or all of the following chapters: Ch. 8 ‘Declaring Independence July 4, 1776’, Ch. 9 ‘Your Rights and Mine’, and the unnumbered chapter at the end ‘Visiting the Declaration of Independence’.

3. Barber, J. (2009) Presidents. New York: DK PublishingThis is one of DK Publishing’s Eyewitness Books written in association with the Smithsonian Institution. There are biographies of varying lengths about each of the Presidents including Barack Obama. For the Presidents contained within our SOL (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln) there are four pages of information each. There is also a clip art CD attached to the book.

Websites:1. http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/7-fun-facts-about-george-washington (This is

an article containing seven facts about George Washington)2. http://revolution.mrdonn.org/georgewashington.html (This website has links to other sites

about George Washington)3. http://www.nea.org/tools/lessons/presidents-day-grades-k-5.html (This website lists

lesson plans and activities for the three presidents worked on in this unit)

Activities/Games/ Manipulatives:1. The Presidents Jumbo Sized Fact Cards and Fun

Games (These are jumbo flashcards with facts about the presidents written on them)

2. Presidents: Family Field Guides (These are fact cards with the presidents’ faces and a summary of their lives)

3. http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/ social_studies_games/us-presidents/president- george-washington-spelling-game.html (This is a George Washington themed spelling game)

Field Trips:1. http://explorer.monticello.org/index.html (This website gives a virtual, interactive tour of

the Monticello grounds- good idea when a field trip isn’t possible)

2. Monticello, VA: This is Thomas Jefferson’s home and would be awesome to show students Jefferson’s home and inventions (Plan your visit: https://www.monticello.org/site/visit)

3. Mount Vernon, VA: This is George Washington’s home and would be great to show students our first president’s home (Plan your visit: http://www.mountvernon.org/plan-your-visit/)