UMF Unit-Wide Lesson Plan Template

Name:Marshall Maxsimic Program:SMED Course:EDU 460

Lesson Topic / Title:Executive Branch

Lesson Date: Lesson Length:60 Minutes Grade/Age: JR&SR

3-11-2019
Learning Objectives & Content Standard Alignment - Selects, creates, and sequences learning
experiences and performance tasks that support learners in reaching rigorous curriculum goals
based on content standards.
Learning Objective(s) Instructional Decisions / Reasoning
1. Students will be able to define foreign policy ● I chose this learning objective
because our lesson today will
be focusing mainly on the role
of foreign policy within the
Executive Branch, as this is
one of the President's main
roles.

Content Standard(s) Instructional Decisions / Reasoning

Maine Learning Results ● I chose content standard label
Content:​ Social Studies “B” because it most accurately
Standard Label​: B1 reflects the content that is
Standard​:. Civics and Government: Students draw on taught during this lesson.
concepts from civics and government to understand ● I chose to specifically focus on
political systems, power, authority, governance, civic this standard because I believe
ideals and practices, and the role of citizens in the it emphasizes a clear
community, Maine, the United States, and world. connection between classroom
instruction of a civics concept
and the actual significance of
that concept to students as
people living in America.
Focusing directly on the
Executive Branch is a good
example of this because many
students have some familiarity
with the Presidential voting
process. Whether they have
heard parents/guardians
talking about who they voted
for or they themselves have
participated in a mock
election, or even an actual
election, students feel a
connection to the President of
the United States.

Revised 07/19/2018
Assessment - Uses assessment flexibly to expand and deepen understanding of learner performance
and determines best supports for continued learner growth.
Assessment Instructional Decisions / Reasoning
Pre-Assessment- ​I used an informal version of a ● I chose this form of
pre-assessment by asking students what Foreign Policy is. pre-assessment because it
Many students weren’t aware so I had students turn to allowed me to get some insight
their elbow partner and discuss what they think Foreign to my students knowledge
Policy is and then they were to report out to the class. level without making them
take 10 minutes taking a
Formative Assessment-​ I had two different formative pre-assessment quiz that
assessments. The first form was a reading that students sometimes freaks students out.
did on Foreign Policy and had to answer a series of I also like to get my students
questions on. We then discussed those questions in class talking as sometimes they
and then I collected the reading to see students answers. It have great ideas, but they just
was a participation grade. don’t have the confidence in
themselves to tell the entire
The second form of formative assessment was an class.
assignment where students got to work with a partner ● I chose a reading with
and they had to find a current event related to an questions as my first formative
American Foreign Policy issue. Students had to follow a assessment because I knew
guideline sheet and could only use certain sources. The that the students needed a
issue also had to be fairly recent and effecting the United little bit of a break from just
States today. lecture as the first few days of
this unit was mainly lecture.
The reading was relatively
short and allowed for students
to reflect on what they had just
learned. Students were also
able to check in with others
after answering their
questions. We also went over
them as a class and then
students turned the
assignment into me.
● The second formative
assessment was a great way
for me to realize if students
were understanding what
foreign policy is. Students
were expected to either work
in a group of two or work
alone. Students had the rest of
the period to work on it and it
would be due the next day.
Instructional Materials and Resources - Stays current in content knowledge and expands expertise in
reviewing instructional materials from the perspectives of both the discipline and individual learner
needs.
Materials, Resources, and / or Technology Instructional Decisions / Reasoning
● Laptop ● Students need to have their
● Charger laptops and necessary
● Foreign Policy Reading Activity chargers so that they can use
● Foreign Policy Partner Activity their laptops throughout class.
● Pen Since this is more of class

Revised 07/19/2018
 ● Pencil designed around students and
● Access to google classroom their own knowledge and not
me lecturing the laptop is
going to be their gateway to
showing me that they are
doing the work and
understanding the material.
● Students will need the Foreign
Policy Reading Activity to
learn about Foreign Policy in
the United States and answer
the questions about the
reading. This activity will also
help them with the next
activity.
● Students will need to have the
Foreign Policy Partner Activity
in order to show that they
understand what a current
foreign policy issue is in the
United States.
● Students will need a
Pen/Pencil if they decide to
use a hard copy of the
classwork.
● Students will need access to
our google classroom in order
to complete the classwork.
Instructional Methods: Selects, creates, and sequences learning experiences and performance tasks
by using a variety of instructional approaches, strategies, and technologies that make learning
accessible to all learners and support learners in reaching rigorous curriculum goals.
Teaching and Learning Sequence Instructional Decisions / Reasoning
Day 4- 60 minutes ● Students usually enter the
Attendance room at their own pace with
Wrap Up/Pre-Assessment some talking with friends,
Foreign Policy Reading Activity others getting out their work
Foreign Policy Current Event Activity and others going to the rest
room or down to the office if
Attendance their name was called. I am not
I start every class the same way, by waiting for the able to use my laptop to take
students to enter the classroom and take their seats. I attendance so I have to use my
usually try to say “Hi” to as many students as possible as mentor teachers. This gives me
they walk in and always have one or two students who and the students some time to
want to have a conversation, ask about the homework, or settle in before class begins. I’ll
ask if they missed anything the previous class. I then wait usually remind students to get
for the bell to ring and take attendance through out their previous nights work
powerschool on Mr. McLaughlin’s laptop. or get out their notes if we are
continuing with a slideshow.
Wrap Up/Pre-assessment ● With the wrap
I quickly touch upon the last class that we had. We spent up/Pre-assessment I am
time the previous class working on our Presidential Roles making sure that students
activity and I will now give time for students to either turn understand that we are
in the work to me, turn it into the Google Classroom, and moving on to another topic.

Revised 07/19/2018
give me an explanation on why the work isn’t done yet. I This will be a rather smooth
then transition into the days activity, Foreign Policy, with transition because one of the
a pre-assessment. President's main roles is to be
the chief Foreign Policy maker.
Foreign Policy Reading Activity Students will have learned
I then had students start reading their Foreign Policy about that the class before and
Readings. I will be walking around the room just checking so hopefully there will be a
in with students, helping to answer their questions. good connection made. Once I
feel the wrap up has gone well
Foreign Policy Current Event enough I then move onto
After we have wrapped up with the Foreign Policy introducing the days topic. I
Reading Activity students will then either work by ask students what they know
themselves or with a partner. This will be a great about foreign policy and give
formative assessment to see if students are able to put them a chance to talk to a
what they have just learned into use by explaining to me neighbor about their thoughts.
what Foreign Policy is and showing an example. I then bring the class back
together and we discuss what
the students are thinking.
Because some students were a
little confused on Foreign
Policy I was able to show an
introductory video and help
those students.
● After making sure that all
students had some idea of
what Foreign Policy is, I then
handed out the Foreign Policy
reading activity. Which was a
three page reading with five
questions at the end. This
allowed me to get some
information of what sort of
knowledge the students are
gaining. After students have
completed the reading I will
then bring everybody back
together and see what they
have answered for the
questions. After another brief
discussion to make sure
everybody is on the same page
we will move on to the next
activity.
● The Foreign Policy Current
Event Activity is a more
“serious” form of formative
assessment. I will be treating it
similarly to a summative
assessment as now students
should be putting their
knowledge out there for me to
assess, although it's not an
actual assessment.

Revised 07/19/2018
Meeting students’ needs (differentiation, extensions, Instructional Decisions / Reasoning
modifications, accommodations)
Accommodations
Due to one of my students IEP demands I made sure to ● One of my students has in his
provide a word bank with definitions for one of my IEP that when available he
students for the Foreign Policy Reading Activity. This should be given a word bank
allows the student to be able to use a sheet attached to the to help with his learning. I use
reading to look up words he may struggle with. I also a word bank with tough word
make sure to spend time to ask if he is doing alright with definitions for activities like
the reading. the Reading Activity to ensure
that he is able to view the
Differentiation work with ease. He is just able
I know that many of my students don’t like to learn from to flip to the last page and find
speaking lectures, and many of my students do not a word instead of having to
actually learn from them, so I try to make sure that I add pull out his laptop and look it
as much comedy and humor into the slideshow as up or without feeling
possible. Part of this is through the use of videos, as the embarrassed to call me over
videos usually are entertaining and contain infographics, whenever he needs a word. I
maps and other devices that show students the do make sure to check in with
information. him quite a bit in order to
ensure he is doing well.
Modifications ● Many of my students struggle
I make sure to allow different conversations to happen in with the traditional lecture
class that apply to what we are learning about. If students style, and so I have essentially
are to have any questions we will be able to discuss them made an agreement with my
then and there. One place in particular that I made students that when we do
modifications was with the Wrap Up/Pre-assessment. I lectures I will do my best to
ended up showing a longer video than I originally planned make them entertaining and
to ensure that students were able to understand the educational to make sure that
content. I also asked students if they preferred to have the my students are paying
reading assignment online or as a hardcopy. attention to them.
● My students love to ask
questions and debate about
what we are talking about so I
usually try to make extra time
to allow for this to happen in
my class, as I believe that it is a
fundamental part of my
students learning. I made the
changes to my Wrap
Up/Pre-assessment because I
noticed that students seemed
to be struggling with the
concept and a longer video did
a better job of going in depth
with some of the information. I
also made sure to give
students an option of having
either a hard copy or doing the

Revised 07/19/2018
 reading activity online on our
google classroom.

Field Courses Only – Post lesson

Reflection
This lesson went well overall. Students showed great ability in working either by
themselves or with each other, and constantly asked good questions to me and my
mentor teacher about different issues within Foreign Policy. Towards the end of the
class students showed that they were struggling a little with working on their own,
but many of the students were able to complete the work within the class time and
did not have to complete it for homework. If I was going to change how I planned
this class I would have done a kahoot or game after the Foreign Policy Reading
Activity to gain a greater knowledge of my students understanding of the reading.

Teaching Standards and Rationale:

Standard Indicator: ​4(d) Stimulates student reflection on prior content knowledge,
links new concepts to familiar concepts and makes connections to learners
experiences.
Rationale: ​I chose this standard indicator because by using a current event topic
students are able to use information that they may already know, like America’s
recent tariff on goods to China, and gain further insight into why our nation is
implementing this tariff. This allows students to gain knowledge on present day
issues that they are surrounded by daily.

Standard Indicator:​6(e) Engages learners in multiple ways of demonstrating

knowledge and skill as part of the assessment process.
Rationale: ​I chose this standard indicator because in this lesson I use two different
forms of Formative Assessment to help better understand student knowledge and
understanding. By using the Foreign Policy Reading Activity and the Foreign Policy
Current Event Activity I was able to determine if students understood the
information that was presented before them. The Foreign Policy Reading Activity
allowed students to demonstrate knowledge that they had just gained, while the
Foreign Policy Current Event Activity allowed for students to showcase their
knowledge by using one specific current event.

Revised 07/19/2018
Standard Indicator​: 10(g) Uses technological tools and a variety of communication
strategies to build local and gloabl learning communities that engage learners,
families, and colleagues.
Rationale: ​I chose this standard because in this lesson the class spent a quite a bit of
time on the Google Classroom I created. Students had the choice of either having a
hard copy of the classwork or doing it through the Google Classroom. A large
majority chose to use the Google Classroom and complete the work there. Students
are able to engage with their teacher and with each other and support each others
learning through the Google Classroom.

Revised 07/19/2018
KM

1. I think George Washington wanted to “avoid entangling alliances” because he

wanted
to focus on the problems we have in America, and wanted to save our money.

2. It was a way to stop communism from spreading, and with the collapse of the
Soviet
Union in 1991, containment was no longer needed.

3. I think that the fifth foreign policy goal, “Promoting democratic values and
human
rights,” is extremely important because no human should be treated as anything
less
than a human. All around the world people are being mistreated and
dehumanized, if
every country worked together to prevent that, it would help.

4. The CIA is in charge of gathering, analyzing, and transmitting information from

other
countries that might be important to the safety of America.

5. I think world peace and peace among the nations will become a big issue in the
future.
People who are racist or just people who want to cause conflict will cause issues
between countries.

Revised 07/19/2018