First Block Lesson Plan Template

NAME: Hoang Nguyen LESSON: Declaration of Independence GRADE: 5th

PRE-PLANNING:
Standards:
E1.5.1 Analyze and explain the benefits of the decisions that colonists made to meet their wants and needs
E1.5.2 Explain how people have to make choices between wants and needs, and evaluate the outcomes or consequences of those
choices
Lesson Objective: When asked about the Declaration of Independence, students will identify the details of the
Declaration of Independence with 100% accuracy.
CONTENT: Declaration of Independence
Student-friendly Target: What: The Declaration of Independence
 What, Why, How Why: To learn the details of the Declaration of Independence
How: I will learn the important of the declaration of independence (ASR) (AAB)
Evaluation of lesson objective Students will identify the key points of the Declaration of Independence
Universal Design: Expression:
 Engagement - 5.3 Build Fluencies with Graduated Levels of support for practice and performance
 Expression - During the review, I will explain the events that led up to this part of American History
 Representation This will reduce barriers because it allows me to scaffold their learning in a chronological
order of history.
Engagement:
- 7.2 Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity
- Throughout the lesson I will make the connection to the colonist breaking away from the
English King to the classroom overthrowing their principle Mr.Dockins. This will reduce
barriers because it will bring them a real life example of the situation with people they
know. Students will develop a better picture of the scene.
Representation:
- 2.1 Clarifying vocabulary and Symbols
- When teaching the vocabulary word “Preamble” I will use the definition, its use in a
sentence and a quick sketch of what a preamble looks like. This will reduce barriers
because it allows students to see the word in different ways to help the students

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First Block Lesson Plan Template

NAME: Hoang Nguyen LESSON: Declaration of Independence GRADE: 5th

remember its meaning.

Considerations: Textbooks
 Resources Pencils
 Materials Sticky notes
 Technology Word of the day notes page
 Other Revolutionary War notes
Declaration of Independence in modern text sheet (AAB)

OUTLINE of the Opening of the lesson:

 Signal for attention
 Behavior expectations
 Learning target
 Activate interest and
relevance of lesson
 Review necessary content
 Vocabulary
 Transition to
demonstration
Remind students of my signal of attention
- Echo response of rhythm clapping
Reintroduce behavior expectations
- Remained seated
- Voices off
- Eyes on speaker
- Raise hands when you have a question or want to speak (AAB)
Learning Target
- Review parts of the revolution that lead up to the colonist creating the Declaration of
Independence
- We will be learning about the Declaration of Independence
- Imagine Mr.Dockins lost the war against our class. We get to create a new set of rules
based on your needs and wants! To do this, we need to study how our founding
fathers created the rules of America through the Declaration of Independence. We
need our rights!
- Have the students repeat the “How” I will learn the importance of the Declarations of
Independence (AAB)
Vocabulary
I will explain the definition of Preamble in text and picture form. Then I will relate back it to

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First Block Lesson Plan Template

NAME: Hoang Nguyen LESSON: Declaration of Independence GRADE: 5th

an introduction paragraph of an essay.

- Preamble: Introduction statement that explains a purpose
- Draw a picture of a number 1 or something that represents “first”
- Connecting to the students: Introduction paragraph of an essay
- Read out the preamble “We hold these truths…” (AAB)
- Pass out the modern day text of the Declaration of Independence
- Give the students time to skim through the article
- Explain the highlighted part (the preamble) and show how different language has
evolved from the creation of the Declaration of Independent to now
- Fist to chest, when I say go, what section is the preamble 1st, 2nd or 3rd (CFU)
Transition
- Explain what the declaration of independent is
OUTLINE of Learning sequence
 How will you Show, Model Would you rather?
and Explain the new skill, - Have a list of would you rather questions based on their schooling and have student
strategy, or concept ague why they would choose one option over the other. (AAB)
AND/OR provide explicit - Ex: “Would you rather have extra recess time or extra Chrome book time?”
directions to complete the - Turn and talk, tell their partner what and why they would pick what they picked
tasks? - I would then explain that our founding fathers had to play a similar game when
 How will students making the new laws of our nation. They had to prioritize one over the other to have a
practice? Include specific stable country. Just like how the students had to choose one or the other to benefit
questions. their needs
 Transition to Closing - What if all of those rights were taken away? (AAB)
What is the Declaration of Independence?
Take notes with the students in sections of “What” “Why” and “Effect”
Write down these notes with the students.
What
- A document to tell the king that the colonies were free from Britain
- Revisit some idea learned in the past. Bring up the taxes, the soldiers living in the

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First Block Lesson Plan Template

NAME: Hoang Nguyen LESSON: Declaration of Independence GRADE: 5th

colonist homes, the Boston Massacre. Unfair laws, taxes and events that lead to the
war and a written document to the king saying the colonies were free.
Why
- To list rights
- Go through some of the rights with the students by using the modern day text copy of
the Declaration of Independence
- Explain why some are more important than others
Effect
- Lead to the creation of the Articles of Confederation
- Explain that the Articles of Confederation will be explained in a different lesson. This is
just a brief introduction to the document.
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
- Thomas Jefferson
- (this will be very brief, just a quick Thomas Jefferson was the writer of this important
document)
Fun facts
- When the Declaration of Independence was announced, there were people all over
the 13 colonies burning and destroying statues of King George and anything that
resembled the British monarch. (AAB)
Play song about the Declaration of Independence
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnDRhOAAQ1g
- Discussion on the video
- What were three things you pulled from that song? Turn and talk to your partner (On
my signal, you will end your conversations and have your attention up here) (AAB)
a section of the textbook
- Read “The Declaration’s Importance” on page 229
- Have a discussion on if the Declaration was fair or not
- Have the students talk to a partner then pick on students to share their thoughts
(AAB)

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First Block Lesson Plan Template
NAME: Hoang Nguyen
OUTLINE of Closing:
 Revisit Student-friendly
target
 Review key content
 Checks for Understanding
 Transition
Revised 3/2023
LESSON: Declaration of Independence GRADE: 5th
Play song about the Declaration of Independence
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VrUfgdDqPE
- Discussion on the video
- What are some thing you appreciate from that music video?
th
5 Grade Declaration of Independence
- Explain to the class that the classroom has broken free from the rules of Mr.Dockins.
They have declared their independence from the school rules and NEED to come up
with the new rules for their classroom. (AAB)
- Have a poster up titled “United Class of Mrs.Mcarthy”
- Have students brain storm class rules on sticky notes and have them bring up sticky
notes and out it on the poster
- After a few mins, read out the new rules created by the students
- Ask the students if the rules they created would last through their middle school
years. Why or why not? Have a discussion.
- CHOICES!
Review the pervious activity
- Revisit the idea that the class has Declared independence from Mr.Dockins and they
just created their new rules of the 5th grade government.
Target
- Review the Declaration of Independence (Explain it was to tell the King of England,
and to list rights that the colonist wanted)
CFU
- Quick review of the preamble (explain that the preamble is the introduction
statement that explains a purpose)
- Check the key points of the lesson about the Declaration of Independences with
thumbs up and thumbs down
1) Thumbs up thumbs down. Everyone should have a home or Everyone has the right to life,
First Block Lesson Plan Template

NAME: Hoang Nguyen LESSON: Declaration of Independence GRADE: 5th

liberty and pursuit of happiness. Thumbs up for ships, thumbs down for life, liberty and
pursuit of happiness. (Life, liberty and pursuit of happiness)
2) Was the deceleration of independent written for everybody to be free? Thumbs up for
yes, thumbs down for no. (No)
3) Who was the declaration truly written for? Thumbs up for white men, thumbs down for
women. (white men)

Independent Practice: activities or assignment

 Students’ Independent Read through the Declaration of Independent
practice - Highlight/underline sections they think is interesting
- Explain why they highlighted/underlined section in writing
Back-up plan or additional practice: Use strategies that are relevant to content of lesson
 Plan for those who finish iReady Reading
early Independent reading
 Plan for students who Prodigy
struggle with content

Revised 3/2023