Direct Instruction Lesson Plan Template

Name: Christina Gullo

Grade Level/Subject: 5th
Essential Standard/Common Core Objective:

Central Focus/Big Idea of the

Lesson:
Government branches

5.C&G.1 Understand the development, structure and function of government in

the United State

5.C&G.1.2 Summarize the organizational structures and powers of the

United States government (legislative, judicial and executive branches of
government).

Date taught: 3/16/16

Daily Lesson Objective:

Students will be able to identify the three branches of government and their powers. Students answer 8 of 10
questions correctly for proficiency.
21st Century Skills: (Go to this link for more info about these skills:
Academic Language Demand
http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/P21_Framework_Definitions.pdf) (Language Function and
Vocabulary):
Critical Thinking: Analyze how parts of a whole interact with
each other to produce overall outcomes in complex systems
Government, judicial, executive,
Communication and collaboration: Listen effectively to
legislative, separation of powers,
decipher meaning, including knowledge, values, attitudes and
checks and balances, laws,
intentions
constitutional, unconstitutional
Apply Technology Effectively: Use technology as a tool to
research, organize, evaluate and communicate information
Prior Knowledge:
Students should have some prior knowledge on U.S government, know who the president and vice president is,
and understand what a law is.
Activity

I. Introduction

2. Statement of
Objective for
Student

Description of Activities and Setting

Today we are going to be historians who learn about our government! Can
anyone tell me what government is? Who works for the government? How
does the government run? Who is in charge of the government? Does the
president have all the power in government? What does the government do for
us citizens? What kind of powers does government have?
These are all good questions and things we need to know as U.S citizens and as
historians!
Today you are going to learn about the three branches of government, what
they are, what powers they have, why its important that we have different
branches (separation of powers).

Time

5 min

5 min

The Teacher will hand each student a slip of paper, that describe either the
Executive branch, Judicial branch, Legislative branch, or Checks and balances
system and a fill in the blank spot for one of those three things. Each of you
will receive a slip of paper with a description and clues that wil help you figure
out what is being described, so you can fill in the blank! I will give you 3
minutes to read your paper and then we will watch this brain pop video. After
the video you will discuss with each other and share what you learned. Please
pay attention so you can figure out what is being described and participate in
our class discussion.

3. Teacher Input

4. Guided Practice

https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/usgovernment/branchesofgovernment/
After the video plays teacher will give students time to write their answer and
turn and talk to a neighbor about what they learned. After the turn and talk
teacher will engage students in a discussion by asking the following questions:
What is one branch of government?
What does that branch do?
Can someone tell me another branch?
What does that branch do?
What does that branch do?
And the last branch is?
What does that branch do?
Why do you think we have these different branches?
How do they work together?
What would happen without the different branches or if one branch had
all the power?
Teacher will explain the concept of Separation of powers and checks and
balances:
By creating three branches of government, a "checks and balances" system
was developed into the Constitution. This system was built so that no one
branch of our government could become too powerful. The other two in a few
ways restrains each branch. For example, the president may veto (reject) a law
passed by Congress. Congress can override that veto with a vote of two-thirds
of both houses. Another example is that the Supreme Court may check
Congress by declaring a law unconstitutional. The power is balanced by the
fact that members of the Supreme Court are appointed by the president. Those
appointments have to be approved by Congress.
Teacher will create an anchor chart to summarize the three branches of
government and their powers, as students engage in discussion.
Judicial
Supreme Court and judges
Makes sure laws are legal
Executive

20 min

5 min

 President
Enforced the laws
Executes the laws
Legislative
Congress
Two houses (Senate and house of representatives)
Makes the law
Checks and balances
The three branches check on each other and balance each other out. No one
branch is more powerful.
5. Independent
Practice
6. Assessment
Methods of
all
objectives/skills:

Students will record the anchor chart in their history notebooks will all 3
branches and definition of the separation of powers.
Kahoot Quiz

5 min

10 min
Students will put all their notes away and take a 10-question kahoot quiz.
Teacher give each student a note card, on the note card students will do a 3-2-1
reflection.

7. Closure

8. Assessment
Results of all
objectives/skills:

I want to write your name on the top of the note card and todays topic,
Government Branches. Next I want you to write the 3 branches of government,
2 things you learned from this lesson, and one question you still have on the
branches of government.

5 min

Teacher will collect cards and address any questions students might have.
Kahoot results
6 students scored 80%
8 students scored 70%
9 students scored 60%
7 students scored 50%
3 students scored 40%
4 students scored 30%
1 student scored 20%
% TOTAL CORRECT ANSWERS 58%
% TOTAL INCORRECT ANSWERS 42%

Targeted Students
Modifications/Accommodations:

Student/Small Group Modifications/Accommodations:

Students who have trouble seeing can move to sit

This lesson can be done with a small group of students,

closer to the screen. For students who have hard

time reading (or seeing) teacher can read aloud
questions and answer choices. For students who
need more time to answer questions, they can be
given a written test so they have enough time to
read questions and go at their own pace.

where each student can participate in discussion.

Materials/Technology:
Brain pop video
Kahoot Quiz
Anchor chart
References:
http://www.congressforkids.net/Constitution_checksandbalances.htm
https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/usgovernment/branchesofgovernment/

Reflection on lesson
On Wednesday March 16th I taught a social studies lesson on the three branches of Government. Overall I
am happy with how my lesson turned out. I could tell the students really enjoyed the lesson, by their comments
and from the feedback my cooperating teacher provided me with.One of my strengths was planning an
engaging lesson. There wasnt a time where I felt students were bored or uninterested. Another thing I did well,
was giving students specific time frames. This was something my cooperating teacher pointed out that I did
very well.
Some advice she gave me is to give students specific expectations or guidelines for the discussion. If I
had to re-do my lesson, I would start by telling students that they are expected to listen, stop talking, and put
their hands down when one of their peers is speaking. I would also let them know they must raise their hand
before they speak. In any setting having good student cooperation is important in having a discussion. However
with a classroom of 40 students, it was especially important that each student was quiet when someone else in
the class was speaking.
Students independent work went great and I feel like it didnt reflect their knowledge in the assessment.
The Kahoot assessment gave students 30 seconds to answer and students could change their answer once they
choose one. Next time, I could give students more time to answer the question and express that I want them to
take time to think before they pick an answer.
Overall I learned a lot from my experience teaching social studies and I learned the importance of
teaching it. Relating to my lesson, students need to learn about government and how it works. So when they
become of age, they can make educated choices in voting or maybe running for government positions. This is
something I told students as I began the lesson. I think it is important to let students know the important and
relevance of the lesson you are teaching.

The Capital Building is home to this branch

This branch of Government is made up of congress and two houses:

The House of Representatives and the Senate, which are made up of people from
each state
The house and the senate can introduce bills that can become laws
This branch is in charge of creating laws

This is the ________________________________________branch

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This branch includes the president and Vice president

This branch enforces laws and approves or recommends new laws
The president is under this branch and he serves as the commander and chief of this branch
The Presidents cabinet members work with him under this branch

This is the ________________________________________branch

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This branch is headed by the Supreme court and its nine justices
This branch decides if laws are legal, or constitutional
This branch helps shape the law of the land

This is the ________________________________________branch

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This system prevents one branch from becoming too powerful.

This system makes each branch limited by the other two branches
One example of how this system works is: Congress (legislative branch) can present a law to
the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court (judicial branch) can declare the law
unconstitutional

This is the _______________________________________________system