Separation of powers - article II of the constitution
Tools
Written Document Analysis Worksheet
Motion Picture Analysis Worksheet
Primary Sources
Pardon of Richard Nixon by President Ford
2014 State of the Union Address
Constitution of the United States - from textbook, with commentary
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Goals & Objectives
Goals: Students will understand the 3 branches of United States Government (legislative, executive, and judicial), and how each branch is elected/appointed, divided, and run. Objective: Students will collaborate and research the major functions, term lengths, election processes, powers, etc. of the executive branch and complete a worksheet with the pertinent information using the following primary documents: Article 2 of the Constitution, Proclamation 4311 – Ford Pardons Nixon, and the most recent State of the Union Address. California State Content Standards CA Content Standard 12.4.4: Discuss Article II of the Constitution as it relates to the executive branch, including eligibility for office and length of term, election to and removal from office, the oath of office, and the enumerated executive powers. Common Core Literacy Standards CCSS_H/SS_R Grade 11-12.2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas. Driving Historical Question How do the executive, judicial, and legislative branches interact and coexist in United States government? Lesson Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge) ‖ Time: 10 minutes Vocabulary Introduction: Students will be instructed to take a sheet of paper out to complete a Quickwrite warm-up activity. Students will refer to two words written on the board: Executive Order and State of the Union Address. Students will be given 5 minutes to hypothesize and write any and all knowledge they have about these words, from basic definition to when and how they are used. When time is up, the teacher will regain class attention and will ask for students to volunteer their answers/hypothesized definitions for the words. Students who get the definitions correct or partially correct will be instructed to go to the whiteboard to write the definition down for the rest of the class. The class will write down each word and its definition on their Quickwrite sheets for their reference. Vocabulary (Content Language Development) ‖ Time: 7 minutes (Lesson introduction and throughout) Executive Order State of the Union Address Executive Branch Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) ‖ Time: 15 mins Students will be learning about the Executive branch of the United States government via 3 primary sources. Students will already have familiarity with the first primary source: The Constitution of the United States. Students will continue to learn about this document by focusing solely on Article II. Because the Constitution is written in a language that is hard to understand in comparison to modern-day English, the teacher will guide the students in outlining the main points of Article II in addition to instructing the students to use the version of the Constitution provided in their textbooks. This version contains side notes that explain and elaborate on the main points of the Constitution throughout the document. This method of deliberately simplifying the material from this first primary source will be essential for the student engagement activities to follow. Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) ‖ Time: 35 mins Students will use 4 specific skills and methods of engagement with material to analyze 2 additional primary sources: Proclamation 4311 – Ford pardons Nixon, and the most recent State of the Union address (video). Students will use provided worksheets and inquiry aids for each type of primary source to assist them in sourcing, contextualizing, and close reading. The worksheets will focus student attention to specific aspects of these sources that may have otherwise been neglected (dates, major events of the time period, etc.) that are important in putting the source into a correct context to enhance student understanding. First, students will begin by reading Proclamation 4311. This proclamation addresses the pardon of President Nixon’s crimes against the nation by President Ford. Students will first have to put this proclamation into context in order to understand why President Nixon required a pardon in the first place. Answering the questions on the provided worksheet, “Written Document Analysis” will assist in the process. The main purpose of this activity is for students to identify how this specific proclamation directly relates to Article II of the Constitution. During this first activity, the teacher will walk around the room to informally progress-monitor students. The teacher will look to see how much of the worksheet has been completed, and will assist students who have specific questions in regards to the subject matter, vocabulary etc. As students read, they will be encouraged to highlight, star, or underline parts of the text that may be confusing. After 10 minutes, students will have a few minutes to collaborate with an elbow partner to compare answers and clarify any confusion they may have had in dealing with the source. Next, the teacher will queue the most recent “State of the Union” address via YouTube. 10-15 minutes of the address will be shown. Students will follow along with their “Motion Picture Analysis” worksheet to help them organize details and contextualize the speech. The main goal of this activity will be for students to be able to identify how a State of the Union address directly relates to Article II of the Constitution. Students will complete this activity individually, and the teacher will mock the student engagement activity, following along and verbally pointing out information that arises in the video that can be written down on specific portions of the worksheet to support and scaffold students. Lesson Closure ‖ Time: 5 mins At the end of the lesson, students will be instructed to tell their elbow partner how one of the vocabulary terms (State of the Union or Executive Order) relates to Article II of the Constitution. Students will be encouraged to use their notes. One student should share about one vocabulary term, while the other students should focus on the remaining term. Lastly, students will write one question they still have about the Executive branch or the primary sources at the top of one of their worksheets before leaving the classroom. Students will leave both of the worksheets on their desks to be collected at the end of class for teacher review. Assessments (Formative & Summative) Formative: -Informal progress-monitoring during Introduction activity via students volunteering answers (teacher analyzes for correctness) -Formal teacher review of student analysis worksheets Summative: -End of unit, individual, multiple -choice exam with one restricted-response, short-answer question to explain Article 1 of the Constitution. -Presentation on one branch of government created with a group (executive, legislative, judicial), including checks and balances associated with that branch. To be graded using a rubric. Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs ELLs: Guided textbook analysis of the Constitution (promotes reading skills), vocabulary identification activity (Quickwrite- build vocabulary skills), material presented in different formats with teacher modeling/scaffolding (using written and video primary sources; teacher modeling the activity to point out important facets of primary sources) Striving Readers: Guided textbook analysis of the Constitution (promotes reading skills – simple language improves comprehension), Analysis worksheets (to organize thoughts, identify main ideas) Students with Special Needs: material presented in different formats with teacher modeling/scaffolding (using written and video primary sources; teacher modeling the activity to point out important facets of primary sources), individualized attention during progress-monitoring “Written Document Analysis” worksheet, and Analysis worksheets to assist students in organizing/identifying important information. Resources Textbook: Edwards III, George C., Martin P. Wattenberg, and Robert L. Lineberry. Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy. 13th, Advanced Placement Edition ed. New York: Pearson, 2008. Print. Website: YouTube.com Worksheets: Written Document Analysis Worksheet Motion Picture Analysis Worksheet Materials Whiteboard, markers, paper |