Goals and Objectives
Students will be able to create a debate in which students learn how to listen to opposing viewpoints of controversial issues. Students will critically analyze the positions of the American political parties. Students will understand the basic law-making process and the influence of the government.
California State Content Standards
8.3 Students understand the foundation of the American political system and the ways in which citizens participate in it.
8.3.6- Describe the basic law-making process and how the Constitution provides numerous opportunities for citizens to participate in the political process and to monitor and influence government (e.g., function of elections, political parties, interest groups).
8.3.7- Understand the functions and responsibilities of a free press.
8.3.6- Describe the basic law-making process and how the Constitution provides numerous opportunities for citizens to participate in the political process and to monitor and influence government (e.g., function of elections, political parties, interest groups).
8.3.7- Understand the functions and responsibilities of a free press.
Common Core Literacy Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.6 Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
Driving Historical Question
How does the Constitution provide opportunities for citizens to participate in the political process? Analyze the influence of the government on a free press.
Lesson Introduction (10 Min.)
The lesson will begin with addressing the misconceptions from the previous lesson through a class discussion. Next, the students will work in groups of three to learn the new content and vocabulary through a DBQ. The purpose of this activity will be for students to understand the functions and responsibilities of a free press. The DBQ will have different scenarios in which the rights of individuals are violated by members of the press and the students have to evaluate which rights are violated and explain their reasoning. This activity will provide students with fundamental background knowledge of how the press operates by allowing them to participate in the process of assessing the role of the free press.
Vocabulary
Content Delivery (20 Min.)
The new content will be introduced with a Prezi presentation and a couple short video clips on how citizens participate in the political process. There will be a couple of class discussions throughout the presentation to ensure students are understanding the content. Students will take Cornell notes in their history notebooks and create questions to be answered at the end of the presentation.
Student Engagement (45 Min.)
The students will work in pairs to discuss the basic law-making process and how the Constitution provides numerous opportunities for citizens to participate in the political process. Students will also discuss the influence of the government in elections, political parties, and interest groups. Students will then brainstorm to come up with a new law that they think should come into effect. The students will have to explain the process of how to get their law passed. The students will then double up to fours and continue the process in groups of eight. These new groups will debate and compromise on one law and discuss the process of how that law will be passed. Lastly, the whole class will be drawn together and a spokesperson for each group of eight will pitch their law and the process to getting it passed. The class will vote on the best thought up law based on how useful the law would be and how effectively the group executed the law-making process. This strategy helps promote debate and discussion while respecting the ideas and opinions of others.
Lesson Closure (10-15 Min.)
Students work with a partner to create a sequencing flow map to illustrate the process of an idea becoming a law. Students are encouraged to get as creative and colorful with their flow maps as they can. Students will not be using their notes for this assignment because it will be used as a method of assessing which steps of the law-making process the students understand.
Assessments
Progress-Monitoring Assessment: The teacher will walk around from group to group monitoring student understanding of a free press as a result of the introductory activity with the DBQ. Students will be able to define a free press and list some responsibilities of those who report within a free press.
Progress-Monitoring Assessment: The teacher will assess how the students understand the content by their arguments and comments as to how to get their law passed during the snowball effect activity.
Summative Assessment: The teacher will assess students based on how they create a sequencing flow map of the law-making process. Students should be able to draw a step-by-step map of how to get a law passed in Congress as a result of this lesson.
Progress-Monitoring Assessment: The teacher will assess how the students understand the content by their arguments and comments as to how to get their law passed during the snowball effect activity.
Summative Assessment: The teacher will assess students based on how they create a sequencing flow map of the law-making process. Students should be able to draw a step-by-step map of how to get a law passed in Congress as a result of this lesson.
Accomodations
EL students, striving readers and students with special needs are accommodated through videos, visuals, vocabulary words and group activities. The discussion activity enables students with special needs to be actively involved with the lesson in a way that will enhance and develop their thinking and speaking skills. Students actively engage with other students throughout the entire lesson which also aids students in respecting the opinions of others even if they disagree with what they have to say.
Resources
History journals, YouTube, Prezi and DBQ document