Unit Title ‖ Lesson Title : State Versus Federal Authority
Goals & Objectives
Lesson Goals: Students will discuss State versus Federal Authority in the context of the United States of America and the United States Constitution. Students will then debate with each other the merits of State versus Federal power concerning specific issues.
Lesson Objective: Students will debate State versus Federal authority and complete a vocabulary handout.
California State Content Standards
11.1 Students analyze the significant events in the founding of the nation and its
attempts to realize the philosophy of government described in the Declaration
of Independence.
3.Understand the history of the Constitution after 1787 with emphasis on federal
versus state authority and growing democratization.
Common Core Literacy Standards
CCSS HSS RST 2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
CCSS HSS WST 1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
a. Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among the claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
Driving Historical Questions
What powers does the U.S. Constitution give to the Federal Government?
What powers does the U.S. Constitution give to the State Governments?
Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge) ‖ Time: 15 minutes
The lesson introduction strategy will be a whole-class discussion. The teacher will ask guided questions requiring the students to respond, demonstrating their prior knowledge and vocabulary comprehension. The introduction whole-class discussion will take the time to highlight vocabulary words that will be needed to complete the assignment. The vocabulary terms will be discussed to support student comprehension. The whole class discussion allows the teacher to assess student’s prior knowledge and their relationship to the content, enabling me to relate content throughout the lesson to this knowledge and interest base. A vocabulary handout will be given to each student to be filled out during discussion. The handout will be tool to help guide the discussion and support student’s comprehension of vocabulary terms.
The whole-class discussion will begin will the teacher asking the question, What is Government?
Other guided questions to facilitate class discussion
What are the 3 branches of Government?”
Why would the states be weary of Federal Power?
Who has more power, State or Federal Governments?
Who do you think should be more powerful, State or Federal governments?
Vocabulary (Content Language Development) ‖
Vocabulary that will be highlighted
- Legislative
- Judicial
- Executive
- Federalism
- Sectionalism
The vocabulary will be highlighted throughout the lesson introduction/anticipatory set. The vocabulary words will be defined and discussed during the whole-class discussion. Students should come out of the anticipatory set with a solid vocabulary foundation. There will be a vocabulary handout that students fill out during the class discussion.
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) ‖ Time: 35 minutes
The content delivery method of instruction will be student debates. The students will be split into groups of 3-4 students, for a total of 8 student groups. 4 student groups will represent the state authority and the other 4 students will represents the federal authority. The student groups will be allowed to pick which side they represent, but the teacher may have to decide for groups to ensure there are 5 groups each. Each group will be given a debate question, and the groups will be given 10-15 minutes to discuss their topic. The students will be directed to argue in favor of either state or federal power, and the topics will concern where the power will rest. The 4 topics will be designed by the teacher and will be
Who should have the power to make war?
Who should have the power to sign treaties?
Who should decide about the slavery issue?
Who should have the power to tax?
The students will spend the first 10 minutes their groups discussing the topic. The teacher will assign on topic to each group. As the groups meet, the teacher will progress monitor each group, listening in to group discussion, and asking guided questions. The students will then debate. One student from a group will give a 1-minute argument, followed by the opposing group giving a 1-minute argument. The students will then have the opportunity to respond to the opposing arguments, in turn. The teacher, acting as the judiciary, will then declare a winner, and inform the class what the Constitution says about the issue. The teacher will provide oral feedback at the conclusion of each of the 4 group debates. The debates should last 25 minutes for all groups to debate.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) ‖
The first student engagement activity is the whole-class discussion and the vocabulary handout. Students are expected to participate in class discussion, sharing their prior knowledge and opinions on a topic. The students should raise their hands and wait to be called on to share their response. When students are not speaking, they should be listening attentively to the discussion, while simultaneously filling out their vocabulary handout. The students will be expected to complete the vocabulary handout during the discussion, but will be given the opportunity to finish the assignment at home and turn it in the following day at the beginning of class.
The next student activity is the student groups/debate. During the student groups, students are expected to discuss their topic with their groups. The students are expected to discuss their debate topic and nothing else. They should stay on topic during the entire 10-minute discussion, and prepare for their debate. One strategy the students will be encouraged to use would be to have a mini debate within their own group, so the students can prepare for the debate and counter arguments.
The students will then debate. All group members should stand in the front of the class alongside their opposing debate group. One student from each group should give the initial argument, followed by a different group member giving a counter argument. The arguments should be clear and to the point. Students will receive oral feedback from the teacher at the conclusion of the debate.
The last student activity is the postcard lesson closure activity. The students should reflect on what they learned and write a brief, 2 or 3 sentences postcard. The postcard allows the students to reflect on the lesson and what they have learned, and allows the teacher to assess the success of the lesson. The students will turn in the postcard as they exit the class.
Lesson Closure ‖ Time: 5 minutes
The lesson closure will utilize the postcard activity. The postcard activity asks students to write a quick postcard to their parents, describing what they learned that day in class. The students will be supplied a postcard by the teacher and be given 5 minutes writing their postcard. The students should reflect on what they know and write 2-3 sentences. They will turn in the lesson postcard as they exit the class, and receive a grade of check minus, check, or check plus for the assignment.
Assessments (Formative & Summative)
The class will be formative assessed by the debates. Student debates will be informally assessed, and the teacher will provide oral feedback after the conclusion of the debate. This formative assessment will allow the teacher to assess student comprehension of the content and progress monitor.
The summative assessment will the Vocabulary Handout. The students will fill out the Vocabulary handout will be filled out by students demonstrating their comprehension of the vocabulary. The students will receive written feedback and points towards their grade. They will receive a total of 10 points for this assignment, with their score dependent on student completion and comprehension.
The lesson closure postcard will also serve as a summative assessment. It will allow the teacher to assess student learning and comprehension, and be score with a check minus, check, or check plus, depending on the student’s level of reflection on the lesson. This will allow the teacher to assess the success of the lesson, and what the students learned.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
The first way to accommodate for English Learners, Striving Readers and Student with Special needs will be to pair students together according to skill level. Having a student with low academic skills debate a student who is excelling will not help either student maximize their comprehension, and will not support either students individual needs. Students will be paired with appropriate debate partners. The complexity of the questions will also be determined on the skill level and special needs of individual students to ensure students feel comfortable and successful.
An accommodation for English learners will be to provide students with a vocabulary list and definitions in their native language. This will allow students to have the vocabulary and definitions in their native language to use as a resource and aid in filling out the Vocabulary Guided Notes.
Resources (Books, Websites, Handouts, Materials)
The lesson introduction, instructional strategies and student activities are all discussion based, therefore there is no materials or resources needed besides the Vocabulary Handout, which will be provided by the teacher. The students will also be supplied with a postcard for the lesson closure activity. This will be supplied by the teacher.
Goals & Objectives
Lesson Goals: Students will discuss State versus Federal Authority in the context of the United States of America and the United States Constitution. Students will then debate with each other the merits of State versus Federal power concerning specific issues.
Lesson Objective: Students will debate State versus Federal authority and complete a vocabulary handout.
California State Content Standards
11.1 Students analyze the significant events in the founding of the nation and its
attempts to realize the philosophy of government described in the Declaration
of Independence.
3.Understand the history of the Constitution after 1787 with emphasis on federal
versus state authority and growing democratization.
Common Core Literacy Standards
CCSS HSS RST 2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
CCSS HSS WST 1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
a. Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among the claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
Driving Historical Questions
What powers does the U.S. Constitution give to the Federal Government?
What powers does the U.S. Constitution give to the State Governments?
Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge) ‖ Time: 15 minutes
The lesson introduction strategy will be a whole-class discussion. The teacher will ask guided questions requiring the students to respond, demonstrating their prior knowledge and vocabulary comprehension. The introduction whole-class discussion will take the time to highlight vocabulary words that will be needed to complete the assignment. The vocabulary terms will be discussed to support student comprehension. The whole class discussion allows the teacher to assess student’s prior knowledge and their relationship to the content, enabling me to relate content throughout the lesson to this knowledge and interest base. A vocabulary handout will be given to each student to be filled out during discussion. The handout will be tool to help guide the discussion and support student’s comprehension of vocabulary terms.
The whole-class discussion will begin will the teacher asking the question, What is Government?
Other guided questions to facilitate class discussion
What are the 3 branches of Government?”
Why would the states be weary of Federal Power?
Who has more power, State or Federal Governments?
Who do you think should be more powerful, State or Federal governments?
Vocabulary (Content Language Development) ‖
Vocabulary that will be highlighted
- Legislative
- Judicial
- Executive
- Federalism
- Sectionalism
The vocabulary will be highlighted throughout the lesson introduction/anticipatory set. The vocabulary words will be defined and discussed during the whole-class discussion. Students should come out of the anticipatory set with a solid vocabulary foundation. There will be a vocabulary handout that students fill out during the class discussion.
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) ‖ Time: 35 minutes
The content delivery method of instruction will be student debates. The students will be split into groups of 3-4 students, for a total of 8 student groups. 4 student groups will represent the state authority and the other 4 students will represents the federal authority. The student groups will be allowed to pick which side they represent, but the teacher may have to decide for groups to ensure there are 5 groups each. Each group will be given a debate question, and the groups will be given 10-15 minutes to discuss their topic. The students will be directed to argue in favor of either state or federal power, and the topics will concern where the power will rest. The 4 topics will be designed by the teacher and will be
Who should have the power to make war?
Who should have the power to sign treaties?
Who should decide about the slavery issue?
Who should have the power to tax?
The students will spend the first 10 minutes their groups discussing the topic. The teacher will assign on topic to each group. As the groups meet, the teacher will progress monitor each group, listening in to group discussion, and asking guided questions. The students will then debate. One student from a group will give a 1-minute argument, followed by the opposing group giving a 1-minute argument. The students will then have the opportunity to respond to the opposing arguments, in turn. The teacher, acting as the judiciary, will then declare a winner, and inform the class what the Constitution says about the issue. The teacher will provide oral feedback at the conclusion of each of the 4 group debates. The debates should last 25 minutes for all groups to debate.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) ‖
The first student engagement activity is the whole-class discussion and the vocabulary handout. Students are expected to participate in class discussion, sharing their prior knowledge and opinions on a topic. The students should raise their hands and wait to be called on to share their response. When students are not speaking, they should be listening attentively to the discussion, while simultaneously filling out their vocabulary handout. The students will be expected to complete the vocabulary handout during the discussion, but will be given the opportunity to finish the assignment at home and turn it in the following day at the beginning of class.
The next student activity is the student groups/debate. During the student groups, students are expected to discuss their topic with their groups. The students are expected to discuss their debate topic and nothing else. They should stay on topic during the entire 10-minute discussion, and prepare for their debate. One strategy the students will be encouraged to use would be to have a mini debate within their own group, so the students can prepare for the debate and counter arguments.
The students will then debate. All group members should stand in the front of the class alongside their opposing debate group. One student from each group should give the initial argument, followed by a different group member giving a counter argument. The arguments should be clear and to the point. Students will receive oral feedback from the teacher at the conclusion of the debate.
The last student activity is the postcard lesson closure activity. The students should reflect on what they learned and write a brief, 2 or 3 sentences postcard. The postcard allows the students to reflect on the lesson and what they have learned, and allows the teacher to assess the success of the lesson. The students will turn in the postcard as they exit the class.
Lesson Closure ‖ Time: 5 minutes
The lesson closure will utilize the postcard activity. The postcard activity asks students to write a quick postcard to their parents, describing what they learned that day in class. The students will be supplied a postcard by the teacher and be given 5 minutes writing their postcard. The students should reflect on what they know and write 2-3 sentences. They will turn in the lesson postcard as they exit the class, and receive a grade of check minus, check, or check plus for the assignment.
Assessments (Formative & Summative)
The class will be formative assessed by the debates. Student debates will be informally assessed, and the teacher will provide oral feedback after the conclusion of the debate. This formative assessment will allow the teacher to assess student comprehension of the content and progress monitor.
The summative assessment will the Vocabulary Handout. The students will fill out the Vocabulary handout will be filled out by students demonstrating their comprehension of the vocabulary. The students will receive written feedback and points towards their grade. They will receive a total of 10 points for this assignment, with their score dependent on student completion and comprehension.
The lesson closure postcard will also serve as a summative assessment. It will allow the teacher to assess student learning and comprehension, and be score with a check minus, check, or check plus, depending on the student’s level of reflection on the lesson. This will allow the teacher to assess the success of the lesson, and what the students learned.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
The first way to accommodate for English Learners, Striving Readers and Student with Special needs will be to pair students together according to skill level. Having a student with low academic skills debate a student who is excelling will not help either student maximize their comprehension, and will not support either students individual needs. Students will be paired with appropriate debate partners. The complexity of the questions will also be determined on the skill level and special needs of individual students to ensure students feel comfortable and successful.
An accommodation for English learners will be to provide students with a vocabulary list and definitions in their native language. This will allow students to have the vocabulary and definitions in their native language to use as a resource and aid in filling out the Vocabulary Guided Notes.
Resources (Books, Websites, Handouts, Materials)
The lesson introduction, instructional strategies and student activities are all discussion based, therefore there is no materials or resources needed besides the Vocabulary Handout, which will be provided by the teacher. The students will also be supplied with a postcard for the lesson closure activity. This will be supplied by the teacher.