Direct Instruction Lesson Plan Template

Lesson Title: Classroom Government

Name: Sarah Adamson
READINESS
I. Goal(s)/Objective(s)/Standard(s)
A. Goal(s) Students will be able to identify state government and how it applies to them
in their daily lives.
B. Objective(s) After discussing the importance and role of state laws, students will
create their own applicable set of group rules.
C. Standard(s) 4.2.6 Define and provide examples of civic virtues in a democracy.
4.2.5 Give examples of how citizens can participate in their state
government and explain the right and responsibility of voting.
Management:

Pod Groupings
PowerPoint, worksheet
Projector
The token system (management)

II. Anticipatory Set

Did you know George Washington was a copycat?
Show the Civic Virtues PowerPoint ..\Documents\Cincinnatus.pptx
Tell the story of Cincinnatus, and then how it relates to George Washington
Ask for student input: Do they know of any other noteworthy stories? What do these guys
have in common that is so commendable (why do we remember them? What makes them
so important?)
o Lead discussion to civic virtues: what do they mean? What do they look like?
What is an example?
III. Purpose: Today we are going to make our own state laws based on civic virtues.
INSTRUCTION (Direct)
(Remember Modeling, check for understanding, throughout the lesson)
IV. Lesson Presentation
Explain how the class is divided into pods for a reason, and those pods represent
individual states.

Direct Instruction Lesson Plan Template

These individual states are independent, and even codependent, on each other. However,
all these states are all part of Mrs. Browns classroom, which represents the Federal
government, or the country.
Show the slide of the PowerPoint of the stacked Venn Diagram.
Explain that the Federal government, and its laws, are based upon civic virtues so that
everything runs smoothly and for the people. State laws are for individual states, but
because it is still in the bubble of Federal government, it still has to abide by those laws.
Show Mrs. Browns Class rules, and explain that these are the Federal laws that the
students must abide by. When Mrs. Brown made these rules, she did so with the intent
that she wanted her class to run smoothly, and for the betterment of the students in that
class.
Explain, and draw out (using the Elmo Projector and the dry erase board underneath), the
process used to create these rules with the rules still visible.

V. Guided Practice
Pass out the ..\Documents\state worksheet.docx and go over expectations.
Explain that my examples will be different because I am the Federal government; give
the students visual models of a classroom flag, classroom rules, and classroom name.
Remind the students of the process Mrs. Brown used to make her rules, and leave up the
slide on Civic Virtues.
Ask for any questions, and monitor the class as the students work in groups (states).
When checking for understanding, make sure the laws made are observable behaviors
that will better the group as a whole.
Facilitate ideas that will help the students keep each other accountable.
VI. Closure:
Have each state choose a representative to show off their flag, name, and laws.
What laws do the states have in common? How are they different? Do they all comply to
the class laws?
Make a copy of the laws to keep for assessment.
VII. Independent Practice/Extending the Learning
Point out how each person in the group played a specific role to contribute to the whole.
Explain how in state governments, this is also true.
For extended learning: have students go home and find out what all goes into state
government? Is there a state president? Ask parents, look online, or look in articles.
Next time we will go over these roles, and how they can make your state and your laws,
even better.
VIII. Assessment
Formative: Keep notes of participation and of the laws that were made. Do they align
with federal laws and civic virtues?
Summative: Collect the state laws; at the end of the unit, students will write a reflection
of their experience as a state member.
IX. Adaptations:

Direct Instruction Lesson Plan Template

Special Needs Students: ADD: pair with a stronger student who can keep them on track.
Leave up the written instructions and models.
Remediation What makes a law worth keeping? Rules are there for a reason, so what
we are doing is making laws to keep your state in line. (give examples of laws, such as
turning in homework on time)
Enrichment for extended learning, have students look up the three branches of
government and the roles within those branches.
ESL none.

X. Technology Inclusion
PowerPoint
Elmo Projector
Google Map of Roman Senate
Perhaps make the state flags and laws virtual? A classroom blog maybe?
EVALUATION
Self-Answer Questions
1. How many students achieved the objective? For those that did not, why not?
2. What were my strengths and weaknesses?
3. How should I alter this lesson?
4. How would I pace it differently?
5. Were all students actively participating? If not, why not?
6. What adjustments did I make to reach varied learning styles and ability levels?
a. Blooms Taxonomy
b. Gardners Multiple Intelligences
7. How will I keep every student on track and participating?
8. Should I include an exit ticket to assess individual mastery?
9. Did the students take the task seriously?
a. Were their laws meaningful?
b. Will they actually follow the laws?
c. How will I encourage that throughout the year? Should incentives be used?
10. Should I provide more opportunities for movement?