MWSU Lesson Plan Template • 2019 Revision

MWSU Department of Teacher Education

Departmental Lesson Plan Format
Developed November 2018

Step #1 • Lesson Introduction

What pre-assessment and/or pre-observations have you completed to establish the need for this lesson?

The lesson is standards based.

Step #2 • Academic Standard & Objective

STANDARD • Write the standard number and the standard itself verbatim in the box below.

2.GS.2.D Identify and explain the functions of the three branches of government.

OBJECTIVE • Below, translate the standard into an “I can” statement that ALL students will be able to complete at
the lesson’s end.

I can give examples of what each branch of the government does.

Step #3 • Assessment • Match to Standard

1. What formative assessments will occur throughout the lesson to assist you in adapting the lesson during its
delivery for improved student learning?

Formative assessments will include discussion, Q and A, jigsaw observation, thumbs up and thumbs down, and
exit ticket.

2. What summative assessment will occur at this lesson’s end to ensure that all students have mastered this
content?

Summative assessment will be making a song about a branch of the government.

Step #4 • Anticipatory Set • Getting Student Attention

What creative, student-centered activity will you provide to entice students into the content, to motivate them to be
interested in the objective?

Students will play catch (we used to call it silent ball in school) with a beach ball, each square of the beachball will
have another duty of one of the branches. When a student catches the ball they read the square their hand is on

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aloud. If they drop the ball the other team gets a point, the class is split into teams (ex. Left side vs right side of room,
students sit on desks and try not to let the ball touch the floor).

Step #5 • Materials Identification and Technology Application

MATERIALS • Other than regularly expected lesson materials (books, papers, etc.), list below all supplementary
materials necessary to maximize student learning in this lesson.

Laptops to play online game and research, beach ball, speaker for back track for songs,
packet with information of each branch to annotate and learn from during Jigsaw

TECHNOLOGY • List below the technology resources that are organically required to maximize student learning
in this lesson — OR — If no technology is being used, defend that decision in the box below.

Laptop

Step #6 • Instructional Strategies with Rationale • Refer to Appendix  as needed.

Instructional Strategy or Student Activity Rationale
Each group can work on finding facts for their branch
then return to their other group and each child shares
about what they learned about their branch. Then they
go back out and find examples of times it was used, then
come back and share again. They can work together and
Jigsaw determine what they think is most important. They can
feel confident and excited to share what they’ve learned
with others, it holds individuals accountable. An
informational packet for their branch will be used to
annotate and find information (view DI to see how
laptops can supplement).
Based on what they learned in Jigsaw we will come
together as a class and share and create graphic
organizers with details about the different branches and
Graphic Organizer- exit ticket
try to notice how they are connected/affect one another
and us as citizens. This will be turned in as an exit ticket
with one thing they want to know on it also.
Officials can explain to students the importance of civic
Town Hall and Meet the Township Officials (Guest engagement and duties of the branches (they can share
Speakers)- plant flowers how they are affected by the branches). Then plant
flowers at the hall to give back to our community.
Game online Students can play a fun game and practice being in
https://www.icivics.org/games/branches- charge of the different branches. It will help them to
power understand what each branch can and cannot do.

Step #7 • Procedures/Activities

Step ○
A What will you say?

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I will explain to students how to play the beach ball silent ball game and explain that they need to read each of the
descriptions aloud. I will prompt them to be thinking about ways to categorize the descriptions for later. After playing
the game students will share ideas on how descriptions are alike and different and will suggest ways to group them.
We group them on the board (we will review and make changes after Jigsaw).

What will you/students do?

Students will throw the ball back and forth between teams and read the descriptions of different duties of different
branches (descriptions do not say what branch however). I will write the descriptions onto cards and put them on
the board so we can group them.

What critical thinking questions will you be asking?

How are these alike? How are they different? Why do you think that?

How will this be scaffolded?

I will prompt students and offer some suggestions or ask for clarification if students seem lost. We can sort them
first, then justify/ find commonalities after to make it less confusing if needed. We can also underline or highlight
key words or put it into our own words.

Step ○
B What will you say?
Jigsaw- I will explain how it works and split students into groups. I will review how to annotate and give them
access to highlighters and pens, etc. I will also et them know paper and organizers are available if they want to
organize their thinking as they learn. I will walk around and observe and ask students questions to check for
comprehension and make sure students don’t have any questions.

What will you/students do?

Students will work in research groups annotating resources and finding key point about their groups branch of the
government. The first rotation they will be looking for duties/roles of the branch, second rotation they will find
application examples. After each research session they will return to a group with one representative from each
research group (so there is one from each branch in each group) and share their new information. Students will ask
each other questions and make sense of newly shared facts.

What critical thinking questions will you be asking?

I will ask them how duties can be used. I will also ask them why they think the role/duty exists. What purpose does
it serve and how could it be used?

How will this be scaffolded?

I will make available graphic organizers in various designs so they can pick what best suits them for organizing their
new learning. I will also help students narrow by asking prompting questions to help them focus their information
search if they are having a hard time figuring out what is and is not important in the packet. Students who are
breezing through can do additional research on a laptop computer or tablet (see additional description in DI).
Students can write in bullet points instead of full sentences if that helps them.

Step ○
C What will you say?
Class Discussion- we will go over what we learned as a class, everyone will share one thing they discussed in their
groups or read. I will ask students for clarification or prompt additionally with, “Why do you think that?” or “how
could that be helpful?”, etc. Then I will ask them to revisit the sorting we did on the board and make revisions; I will
prompt them to explain why we are making changes as we make them.

What will you/students do?

I will write key points onto a chart divided into 3 sections- one for each branch. I will also prompt the class with
“Why do you think that?” or “how could that be helpful?”, etc. Students will share their learnings and ideas and
answer questions. Then students will reflect on how they sorted earlier and make corrections. We will explain why
we make corrections. Students will make an exit ticket out of our information. They will put 1 fact on each branch

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and hand it in on the way done with class. They will also include a question they have or something they are
confused about or want to know about.

What critical thinking questions will you be asking?

Why is this different than what we thought before? How? Why is that useful? Why do you think that is an important
thing to include? How could that affect the other branches?

How will this be scaffolded?

If there is not enough participation and it seems like the same few kids are always answering and others are not
engaged or seem confused I can have them switch to think pair share so that more students get a chance to
think/share and I can observe to try to identify what students are struggling with. We will spend more time talking
about the points that students are not understanding as well and less time on what they understand very well. I will
give additional examples for the ones they don’t understand as well.

Step ○
D What will you say?
Field trip/ guest speaker- I will explain to students what the town hall is and why we are going there. I will explain
that people will talk to us about our civic duties and how we are affected by the branches of government. I will also
explain that we will simulate the legislative branch in town hall.
What will you/students do?
Students will listen to guest speaker and ask questions, they will visit the different offices in town hall and find out
what each office does and how if affects the students and how students can affect them. Then students will act out
legislative branch in the hall. We will pretend we are members of the house voting on We will discuss how
important each person’s vote is, just like how each house rep/senate rep vote is important in the government
branch. We will vote on which branch we think is most important, students will use knowledge learned the previous
day in jigsaw and examples to justify their choice and “debate”, then we will vote.

What critical thinking questions will you be asking?

Why do you think that? But what if… happened? Would it be different if…? What would you like about that job?
What could be some challenges of that job? How does that affect you? How can you affect that?

How will this be scaffolded?

Students can spend more time at offices they are very interested in. They can take notes if needed or reference
their graphic organizers they made as exit tickets and during jigsaw the day before during the debate and vote. If
students don’t feel comfortable with speaking aloud in front of everyone during the debate they can form groups
based on which they think is most important (like parties) and all talk as a small group a representative from each
group can share the reasons aloud. If students are having a hard time deciding which they find most important they
can pick one from a hat and then just explain why that one is important (we can discuss how some people vote like
this and the affect it can have and why being informed is important).

Step ○
E What will you say?
I will explain to student how to play the online game and give them 15 minutes to get on and play. I will then ask
students to tell me what they liked about the game and our trip and what they learned. I will ask them what they
learned in the game and how it was related to what we’ve been learning. I will also ask them to reflect on what they
did well and not well in the game. I will ask them what they learned about being a good citizen from visiting town
hall and what they learned about voting and being informed from the debate. I will ask them to relate it to the
branches as well. I will then tell them some of the duties of a good citizen that were used as we were at the town
hall (voting, being informed, helping others, taking care of our environment).

What will you/students do?

Students will play the online game. Then they will reflect on their experiences and share their thoughts on the game
and the field trip. They can also ask questions and we will discuss them as a class. I will also start to segway into

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the duties of a responsible citizen in the community as we discuss the affects of our voting and being informed in
the debate.

What critical thinking questions will you be asking?

How did you justify your branch and why it was most important? How did what we learned in class help you
debate? What affect did your vote have? How did the town hall officials affect you and your life? Were you
successful in the game and why?

How will this be scaffolded?

I will ask prompting questions and make a list of bullet points with what students say to keep track. I will also have
them do pair and share at times so that they can think more in depth before sharing with the class. I will also show
pictures I had taken at town hall to refresh their memory and reflect.

Step #8 • Differentiated Instruction • Refer to Appendix  as needed.

1. How will you enhance or extend the lesson for students who show early mastery?

Students who show early mastery can do extra research during Jigsaw, they can search through the laptop for
information once they’ve found what they needed from annotating the information packet given. They can also
create a comic of an interaction of one of the branches.

2. How will you adapt or modify the lesson the lesson for students who are struggling?

Students who are struggling can be given specific things to search for and focus on during Jigsaw, they can even
receive a fill in the blank type of prompt for Jigsaw. I will allow them to use highlighters or markers to help them
focus and notice key parts of the information packet. I will also give them a chart to put information if they are
struggling with remembering and focusing.

3. What additional strategies will you use to assist the process of differentiation?

I will allow students to opt out of singing the song and recite it as a poem.

Step #9 • Anticipated Problems/Procedures/Management Plan

I anticipate that some students may be off task at times when researching and talking during the
Jigsaw, but I will peruse and make sure they are on task and Jigsaw should hold them more
accountable than regular group work. I also anticipated that some may not want to share their
song so that is why I am having the whole class (including the teacher) sing every song so that
groups do not have to sing by themselves and do not have to worry so much.

Step #10 • Follow-Up Reflection/Next Steps

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We will do weekly civic engagement activities on campus/in our school. For example,
reading to a class of pre-k or k students, washing tables in the classroom or cafeteria, or
picking up trash outside the school. We will connect next to the standard
2.PC.1.D.a Analyze how being an active and informed citizen makes a difference in your community.
We will connect this to parts of branches and see how they affect us. Compare what we
can do to make a difference with what the branches do and what our town local officials
do. We can also connect when we learn about majority rule and minority rights to our
mock legislative vote as house of rep members in town hall.

APPENDIX  • Lesson Strategies & Activities Ideas

 Learning Centers  Word wall

 Lecture & Discussion  Jigsaw
 Multiple Intelligences  Learning Centers
 Mastery Learning  Task Cards
 Close Reading  Multiple Intelligences
 Music and Songs  Think-Pair-Share
 Conferencing  Journaling
 Nonlinguistic Representations  Literature Circles
 Cooperative Learning  Learning Styles Grouping
 Journaling  Student Presentation
 Debate  Open-Ended Project
 Project-based Learning  Educational Technology
 Direct instruction  Sensory Engagement
 Read-aloud  Environmental Cues
 Discovery/Inquiry-based  Task Analysis
 Document-based questions  Chaining & Successive Approximations
 Realia  Scaffolding
 Effective questioning  Guided Practice and Repetition
 Role play/simulations  Invitations
 Generating & testing hypotheses  Behavior Reflections
 Socratic seminar  Paraphrase Reflections
 Graphic organizers  Modeling and Demonstrating
 Guest speakers  Effective Praise
 Student goal setting  Telling, Explaining, and Informing
 Hands-on learning  Do-It Signals
 Homework and practice  Challenges
 Summarizing/note taking  Questions
 Similarities & differences  Other