Lesson Summary
Working independently or in groups of two, the students will
create a new country. The students will
need to create a new constitution, define the rights, roles and
responsibilities of its citizens, establish a government hierarchy, how an individual becomes a citizen and
rules and laws regarding political parties.
Each student(s) will present their new country to the class.
California Academic Standard(s)
- 12.1 – Students explain the fundamental principles and moral values of American democracy as expressed in the U.S. Constitution and other essential documents of American democracy.
- 12.2 – Students evaluate and take and defend positions on the scope and limits of rights and obligations as democratic citizens, the relationship among them and how they are secured.
- 12.3 – Students evaluate and take and defend positions on what the fundamental values and principles of civil society are their interdependence, and the meaning and importance of those values and principles for a free society.
- 12.4 – Students analyze the unique roles and responsibilities of the three branches of government as established by the U.S. Constitution.
Time frame
Semester
Goal
The students will learn critical thinking skills while
understanding the key principles of American democracy.
Learning Styles
- Visual
- Auditory
- Linguistic
- Physical
- Social
- Intrapersonal
- Logical
Lesson Plan
Lesson One – Start a New Country
Introduction and Creating a Constitution
Anticipatory Set (15 min)
The instructor will write a question on the board that
states “If you started a country, what do you need to consider?” The instructor will tell the students to take
2 minutes and think about their answer(s).
The instructor will ask the students to provide answers and the
instructor will write them on the board.
Direct Instruction (20 min)
The instructor
will briefly describe the semester long project that will consist of a very
large percentage of the grade for the class.
The instructor will hand out the directions and go over it with the
class. NOTE: Each section will have its
own lesson plan to provide greater detail for the project.
Directions
Working either alone or in groups of
two, you will create a new country.
To establish your new country, the following
elements need to be considered:
Creation of Constitution –
The constitution will define the process of how laws will be created and
executed in your new country.
Rights, Roles and Responsibilities of
the Citizens – You will need to determine what
rights your citizens have in the country (Bill of Rights?), and what each
citizen is responsible for in the society (draft, voting etc…).
Government Hierarchy –
Establish a government hierarchy that considers what type of governments will
be established (ex: local, state, and federal).
Citizenship Parameters –
Explain in detail how a person becomes a citizen in your new country.
Political Parties –
Establish the rules and laws for political parties and elections.
Milestones
3/12 – Name Country and Create Flag
3/25 – Constitution
4/12 – Rights, Roles and
Responsibilities of Citizens
4/25 – Government Hierarchy
5/3 – Citizenship Parameters and
Political Parties
5/9 – 5/11 – Presentations
Direct Instruction (10 min)
The instructor
will briefly discuss the reason why countries establish a constitution. The instructor will tell the students that
they will be evaluating constitutions of different countries along with the
constitution of the United States and answering the following questions:
How are the laws enacted for each
country?
How are leaders elected for each
country?
How is the government structured for
each country?
What are some of the major
similarities of each constitution?
What are some of the major differences
of each constitution?
Modeling (10 min)
The instructor
will choose another country’s constitution and answer a couple of the questions
the students must answer.
Guided Practice (50 min)
The instructor
will place the students in groups of four.
Each student will be responsible for reading and answering the first
three questions for one of the four different constitutions assigned to the
group. The group will then work together
to answer the last two questions.
Checks for Understanding (30 min)
The instructor
will call on random students to provide answers to the assigned questions about
different constitutions. The instructor
will write the answers on the board.
Direct Instruction (10 min)
The instructor
will summarize the discussion and discuss with the students the issues they
need to consider when developing a constitution for their new country.
Independent Study (100 min)
The students/groups
will name their country and create a flag. The students will complete a constitution for their new country
Checks for Understanding (30 min)
The instructor
will review the completed constitutions and provide individual feedback to the
students/groups to make any possible changes or additions.