Gwynedd Mercy University

School of Business and Education

Name: Megan Brass Grade/Level 3

Topic: Social Studies

PA Core or Academic Standard(s): (1 point) PDE 5.3 How Government Works

Big Idea(s): (1 point) Three Branches of Government

Essential Questions: (1 point) Why do we have government?

What is power?

Objective/Performance Expectation: What will students know and be able to do as a result of

this lesson? (1 point) Students will identify the roles of the three branches of government by
creating a triple Venn diagram

I. PLANNING AND PREPARATION:

1. Briefly describe the students in your class, including those with special needs.
Explain how you will meet the needs of ALL learners (Differentiated Instruction).
(2 points)

This is a 3rd grade general education classroom with 25 students, 13 girls and 10
boys. There is one student with an IEP. There is one student with a hearing
disability so I will wear a microphone connected to their hearing aid. To address
the needs of all learners, I will have centers for students who learn with hands on
activities, and desks will be arranged in groups so students can interact with each
other.

2. List the specific standard and expectations as outlined in the PA Core/Academic

Standards (SAS). (1 point)

5.3 How Government Works

5.3.3.A Identify the roles of the three branches of government

3. Explain the psychological principles/theories you used in constructing this lesson

and explain how it is manifested in the lesson. (2 points)

Skinner’s Theory is shown in this lesson by the marble jar. This is positive
reinforcement so the students can work towards having an ice cream party.

1
 Piaget’s Theory is shown in this lesson because the students will be put into
cooperative groups of two and will work with each other to discuss their leaf
placement on the branches. This gives them the chance to learn through social
interaction, which is Piaget’s theory.

II. CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT:

4. Describe the effective classroom routines and procedures resulting in little or no

loss of instructional time. (1 point)

Students will be prepared for Social Studies when they come into the room
and see the list of things to do on the whiteboard. I will also have prepared
buckets of materials needed for the day and placed them at each table group.
This ensures that no student will need to get up in the middle of the lesson to
gather materials, and it saves time so more instruction can be done.

5. Identify what you will do to set clear standards of conduct and behavior
management of student behavior. (1 point)

 Behavior chart with green, yellow, red colors

 Marble jar and ice cream party once it is filled
 Classroom rules posted and signed by all students

6. Identify what you will do to establish expectations for student achievement. (1

point)

In order for my students to achieve the objective of the lesson, I will model
things for them. I will show them where to put each branch, and how to put
the leaves onto the branches. I will also make an announcement that I expect
good behavior so we can go through our lesson easily. I will also remind my
students of our marble jar party, and remind them to stay on green and be
well-behaved all day.

III. INSTRUCTION:

List Materials Needed

7. Motivation Activities/Strategies: (1 point)

How will you generate interest or focus your lesson for the students?

I will generate interest for my lesson by showing students different pictures

of trees and asking them what they all have in common. I will also ask how a
tree is able to stand so tall by itself, and they will share their ideas with the

2
 class. This will get them thinking about the importance of how things are
built and how they stand, like our government.

8. Prior Knowledge Activities/Strategies: (1 point)

How will you activate prior knowledge, build background, or review previous
lessons?

Ask questions about the topic in general (Who knows about our government?
How does it work? Why do we have government?), and have the students
complete a KWL chart so I can see how much they know about the topic. A KWL
also lets me know what they want to learn. Students will fill out the KNOW
column with what they already know, and the WANT TO KNOW column with
what they hope to learn about the three branches of government.

9. Sequence of Lesson: What learning activities/strategies will you use to engage the
students in the learning? What will students do to use and apply new concepts or
skills (independent practice if relevant)? How will you monitor and guide their
performance? Include relevant vocabulary. (Please use bullets to sequence your
lesson) (3 points)

 Tell students we will learn about the government for the United States
 Ask students what they know about the government
 Ask how the government works
 Ask why the government is important for us to have
 List ideas from students on the board
 Explain there are three branches of government (judicial, legislative,
executive)
 Describe each branch and its roles using a PowerPoint
 Describe how we have three branches to keep one from having too much
power
 Read together the worksheet on the different branches
 Have students create a tree out of construction paper, as I put example on
board
 Explain each branch of the tree is one of the branches of government that
we just learned and read about
 Give out 9 leaves per student, labeled White House, president, carries out
laws, congress, capital building, makes laws, justices, Supreme Court,
reviews laws
 Model gluing the leaf labeled presidents to the correct branch (executive)
 Have students glue rest of the leaves to each branch where they think they
fit and belong
 Walk around and observe each student
 Observe the students to ensure they are understanding and know how to
complete the assignment

3
  Once everyone is finished, they will put their glue sticks down to show me
they are ready to move on
 Once I notice everyone is finished, I will instruct them to talk with the
person sitting next to them of where they placed all their leaves and why
 Have students share with the class where they put each their leaves,
calling on nine different people
 Go over with the class where each leaf should be and on which branch
 Have students fill out L column of KWL
 Give students one index card per person
 Have students write a letter home to tell their parents/guardians what they
learned in Social Studies today

10. Level of Learning/Assessment Evidence (1 point)

How will you know if students grasped the material? What techniques/strategies
will you use to assess learning (Bloom’s Taxonomy)? Identify what informal
and/or formal assessments you will use to monitor student learning. Also identify
if this will be formative or summative.

Students will create a Venn diagram because they are comparing and contrasting.
They will also fill out the L column of the KWL. (formal)

I will walk around and observe my students doing the work. This will ensure they
are understanding and I can see who need additional help. (informal)

11. What will you do to bring closure to the lesson? How will you summarize this
lesson and preview the lesson that will follow? (2 points)

Today, we learned about the three branches of government. We discussed the

different roles of each branch, and how they come together to make our
government for our country. Postcard closure. Each student receives an index card
and they write a letter home telling their parents/guardians what they learned in
Social Studies class. Tomorrow, we will discuss the Presidents, who are part of
the executive branch and their role in our government.