Group+Lecture

Tiffany Frazier and Jennifer Kukay
 * Lesson Plan – Social Studies **


 * **Topic ** || Checks & Balances ||
 * **Unit ** || Branches of Government ||
 * **Subject ** || Government ||
 * **Grade ** || Grade 5 ||
 * **Time **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">60 **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> minutes ||
 * PA Standards:** PA.SS.CG.5.1.6.C – Describe the principles and ideals shaping government: Equality; Majority rule/Minority rights; Popular sovereignty; Privacy; Checks and balances; Separation of powers.


 * NCSS Theme:** Power, Authority and Governance: Structure of specific governments and various types of government across time and cultures.


 * Objectives:** After this lesson, the students will be able to identify the branch of government that holds a particular power and explain how each branch of government provides a check and balance of the other branches.

·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Computer lab or classroom where two students can share a computer. ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Websites: 1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> Ben’s Guide to US Government: Branches of Government: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">[] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> 2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> Congress for Kids: The Three Branches of Government: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">[] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> 3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> Congress for Kids: Checks and Balances: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">[] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> 4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> Rags to Riches: Checks & Balances Game: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">[] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> 5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> School House Rock Video: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">[] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> 6.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> Facts of Congress: Three Branches of Government Video: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">[] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> 7.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> Facts of Congress: Checks and Balances Video: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">[] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">
 * Materials:**

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">1. Warm up questions and setting up the equipment. **(10 minutes)** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> 2. Guide student to the three websites to explore and learn about the separation of powers and checks and balances. **(20 minutes)** ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Ben’s Guide to US Government: Branches of Government: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">[] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Congress for Kids: The Three Branches of Government: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">[] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> ·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Congress for Kids: Checks and Balances: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">[] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Instruction: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">What are checks and balances in our government?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Why are checks and balances important?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">How did the founding fathers create checks and balances?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">School House Rock Video: <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">

3. Facilitate discussion on importance of separation of powers in our government and summarize the lesson. **(10 minutes)** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> 4. Curriculum Integration: Government – democracy.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Why is it important to have separation of power between branches of government?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">What could happen if we did not have separation of powers between branches of government?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">How does the system of checks and balances improve our system of government?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Facts of Congress: Three Branches of Government Video: <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Facts of Congress: Checks and Balances Video: <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">

Have students do the online quiz game Rags to Riches – Checks and Balances Game: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[] <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> **(20 minutes)**.
 * Assessment**