CORE LET 2
Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government
Chapter 2: Foundations of the American Political System
Lesson 1: Our Natural Rights
Time: (a) 90-minute block with Part 1 and 2 or (b) 45-minute periods with activities for Days 1 and 2
Administrator Lesson Guide:
Lesson Competency: Examine the role government plays in protecting our natural rights
Linked ELA Common Core: W.9-10. WRITING - W.9-10.10., L.9-10. LANGUAGE - L.9-10.4., L.9-10.4.a., L.9-10.4.d., RH.9-10.
READING: HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES - RH.9-10.2., RH.9-10.3., RH.9-10.8., WHST.9-10. WRITING: HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES,
SCIENCE, & TECHNICAL SUBJECTS - WHST.9-10.1.a.
Linked JROTC Program Outcomes: Address civic concerns that impact the community and society at large. Appreciate the role of
the military and other service organizations in building a constitutional republic.
Thinking Processes
Core Abilities
Defining in Context – Circle Map* (Alt. = Mind or Concept Map, Sunshine Wheel)
Describing Qualities - Bubble Map* (Alt. = Star Diagram, Brainstorming Web)
Comparing/Contrasting - Double Bubble Map* (Alt. = Venn Diagram)
Classifying -Tree Map* (Alt. = Matrix, KWL, T-Chart, Double T, P-M-I)
Part-Whole - Brace Map* (Alt. = Pie Chart)
Sequencing -Flow Map* (Alt. = Flow Chart, Linear String)
Cause and Effect - Multi-Flow Map* (Alt. = Fishbone)
Build your capacity for life-long learning
Communicate using verbal, non-verbal, visual, and written
techniques
Take responsibility for your actions and choices
Do your share as a good citizen in your school, community,
country, and the world
Treat self and others with respect
Apply critical thinking techniques
Seeing Analogies - Bridge Map* (Alt. = Analogy/Simile Chart)
* Thinking Map
Multiple Intelligences
Bodily/Kinesthetic
Bloom’s
Taxonomy
Authentic Assessment
Observation Checklist
Visual/Spatial
Remember
Portfolio
Logical/Mathematical
Understand
Rubric
Verbal/Linguistic
Apply
Test and Quizzes
Musical/Rhythmical
Analyze
Thinking Map®
Naturalist
Evaluate
Graphic Organizer
Interpersonal
Create
Notebook Entries
Intrapersonal
Structured
Reflection
Metacognition
What?
So What?
Now What?
Socratic Dialog
E-I-A-G
Logs
Performance
Project
Learning Objectives
Identify how and why the natural rights philosophers used an imaginary
state of nature to think about the basic problems of governments
Analyze the basic ideas of the natural rights philosophy, including state of
nature, law of nature, natural rights, social contract, and consent
Determine the purpose of government based on the natural rights
philosophy
Describe how the natural rights philosophy uses the concepts of consent
and social contract to explain the formation of government
Analyze the influence of the natural rights philosophy on the Founders
Evaluate the concepts of constitution and constitutional government
Determine the essential characteristics of constitutional government that
differentiate them from autocratic or dictatorial governments
Explain the essential characteristics of a constitution or higher law
Define key words: cantons, civil rights, consent, constitutional
government, democracy, equal protection, higher (fundamental) law,
human nature, law of nature, legitimate, limited government, natural
rights, political rights, private domain, republic, right of revolution, social
contract, state of nature, unalienable (inalienable), unlimited government
Legend:
 Indicates item is not used in lesson
 Indicates item is used in lesson
Lesson Preview:
Inquire: Cadets preview the Student Learning Plan. Cadets work in teams to complete Exercise #1: Critical Thinking and answer questions about
natural rights. Cadets compare their answers with the philosophy of John Locke.
Gather: Cadet teams jigsaw assigned sections from student text and create graphic organizers to illustrate their topic. Cadet teams brief the class
about the concepts of natural rights, the basis for government, and early principles of government
Process: Cadets divide into teams to compete in a Lesson Review Game using questions in LET 2.
Apply: Distribute the Our Natural Rights Performance Assessment Task. Cadets write a summary of citizen’s natural rights based on two recent news
stories.
1
Chapter 2: Foundations of the American Political System
Lesson 1: Our Natural Rights
CORE LET 2
Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government
Chapter 2: Foundations of the American Political System
Lesson 1: Our Natural Rights
Time: (a) 90-minute block with Part 1 and 2 or (b) 45-minute periods with activities for Days 1 and 2
Note: The We the People material has been adapted to better meet the needs of JROTC Cadets. The Learning objectives,
learning activities, assessment tasks, and/or reflection questions in the JROTC documents may differ from the WTP materials.
If possible, encourage Cadets to read student text prior to class so you have more time to engage Cadets in active and
collaborative learning activities.
Instructor Lesson Plan:
Why is this lesson important?
Natural rights philosophers such as John Locke explored ideas about the laws of nature and natural rights of all people. This
learning plan will explore how the Founders’ ideas of government supported Locke’s philosophy of natural rights. Through
discussion and reflection activities, you will compare how Locke’s definition and philosophy are similar or different to the
natural rights protected by our government today.
Lesson Question
What would life be like in a state of nature? How does government secure your natural rights?
What will Cadets accomplish in this lesson?
Lesson Competency
Examine the role government plays in protecting our natural rights
What will Cadets learn in this lesson?
Learning Objectives
a.
Identify how and why the natural rights philosophers used an imaginary state of nature to think about the basic problems
of governments
b.
Analyze the basic ideas of the natural rights philosophy, including state of nature, law of nature, natural rights, social
contract, and consent
c.
Determine the purpose of government based on the natural rights philosophy
d.
Describe how the natural rights philosophy uses the concepts of consent and social contract to explain the formation of
government
e.
Analyze the influence of the natural rights philosophy on the Founders
f.
Evaluate the concepts of constitution and constitutional government
g.
Determine the essential characteristics of constitutional government that differentiate them from autocratic or dictatorial
governments
h.
Explain the essential characteristics of a constitution or higher law
i.
Define key words: cantons, civil rights, consent, constitutional government, democracy, equal protection, higher
(fundamental) law, human nature, law of nature, legitimate, limited government, natural rights, political rights, private
domain, republic, right of revolution, social contract, state of nature, unalienable (inalienable), unlimited government
When will your Cadets have successfully met this lesson’s purpose?
Performance Standards





by writing a summary using a current example where U.S. citizens’ natural rights were protected or unprotected
when their summary references the Founders’ philosophy and definition of natural rights
when their summary compares the Founders’ definition of natural rights to what citizens consider natural rights today
when their summary explains how the United States government protected a citizens’ natural right(s)
when their summary explains how the United States government did not protect a citizens’ natural right(s)
NOTES:
Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government
2
Chapter 2: Foundations of the American Political System
Lesson 1: Our Natural Rights
Part 1: 45 minutes
Phase 1 -- Inquire:
Lesson Delivery Setup:
1. Make sure Curriculum Manager is installed and the clicker receiver is plugged in. Distribute clickers to
Cadets.
2. Provide access to a student text: Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government (hardbound);
LET 2 (softbound); the e-text WTP Teachers Guide is in the U6C2L1 resource folder on the Curriculum
Manager.
3. Ensure that Cadets have access to the Student Learning Plan.
4. Prepare to show all Inquire Phase slides from the Lesson PowerPoint Presentation and start with the
Focusing Question.
5. Prepare to display the Learning Objectives.
6. Prepare to brief Cadets about the philosophy of John Locke using the slides in the presentation.
7. Prepare to distribute Exercise #1: Critical Thinking.
8. Ensure Cadets have their Cadet Notebooks for use throughout this lesson.
Student Learning Activity
Teaching Notes
Direct Cadet Focus: Ask Cadets to think about what comes
to mind when they hear the term “natural rights.” The Inquire
Phase of the lesson is to set Cadets up to begin thinking
about what they already know about this subject area.
1. THINK ABOUT what comes to mind when
you hear the term “natural rights?”
PREPARE for this lesson by discussing
What you will accomplish in this lesson;
What you will learn in this lesson; Why this
lesson is important, and When you will have
successfully met this lesson’s purpose.
Display the Focusing Question on the PowerPoint
Presentation. Allow time for discussion.
Review the Student Learning Plan. Ask Cadets to find the
answers to the following questions on their plans: What will
you accomplish in this lesson; What you will learn in this
lesson; Why the lesson is important; When will you have
successfully met the lesson’s purpose.
Show the learning objectives slide. Remind Cadets that
learning objectives tell them ‘what’ they will learn about in
this 90-minute lesson.
Explain that key words are vocabulary words. They will
appear throughout the lesson. Suggest that Cadets write
down on paper or circle any words that they are not familiar
with. Remind them that you may be checking their
comprehension of the words later in the lesson.
2. LISTEN to a briefing about John Locke. With
your team, READ Exercise #1: Critical
Thinking and discuss your answers to each
of the questions. PARTICIPATE in a class
discussion comparing your team’s answers
to John Locke’s ideas.
Brief Cadets about John Locke using the slides in the
presentation. Direct Cadets to pages 50-51 in their student
text for more information about Locke’s ideas.
3. REFLECT on natural rights. ANSWER the
reflection questions presented by your
instructor.
Use these Reflection Questions as tools to focus Cadet
discussion, reflection on learning, and note taking as you
Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government
Divide Cadets into teams and distribute Exercise #1: Critical
Thinking. Direct Cadets to complete the exercise.
Lead a class discussion comparing the Cadet’s answers in
Exercise #1 with John Locke’s philosophy.
3
Chapter 2: Foundations of the American Political System
Lesson 1: Our Natural Rights
feel appropriate for your Cadet population.

Imagine yourself living in a community where all
order and authority have broken down. Violent
lawlessness is widespread. Do you think any
government is better than none? Explain your
answer.
Conclude this phase of learning by summarizing the
purpose of the activity and informing them that they will now
learn some new information about natural rights and
government.
Total Time: 20 minutes
Self-paced Option: Instruct self-paced learning Cadets to complete the Inquire Phase learning activities for this
phase of learning. Modify activities as necessary for your Cadet.
Phase 2 -- Gather:
Lesson Delivery Setup:
1. Prepare to show all Gather Phase slides from the Lesson PowerPoint Presentation.
2. Provide access to a student text: Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government (hardbound).
3. Review the WTP Teacher’s Guide (located in the U6C2L1 Resources folder on the Curriculum Manager).
4. Provide chart paper and markers for partner or team use.
5. Be prepared to launch Reinforcing Questions.
Student Learning Activity
Teaching Notes
Direct Cadet Focus: Ask Cadets to think about which
rights they should “naturally” have and which ones they
should have to negotiate.
The Gather Phase introduces Cadets to the learning
objectives by providing new information or content
through the activities provided. Cadets begin to build
on any previous knowledge or experiences.
1. With your team, JIGSAW the topic assigned by
your instructor. CREATE a graphic organizer to
help illustrate your topic and EXPLAIN it to the
class. TAKE NOTES on other teams’ briefings
so that you will be able to answer review
questions.
Divide Cadets into five teams and assign each team a
topic:
1.
How do Americans express consent to their
government?
2. What is a constitution? A constitutional
government?
3. How did the Founders characterize higher law?
4. How can constitutional governments be
organized to prevent the abuse of power? Why
did the Founders fear abuse of power?
5. What kinds of governments may be
constitutional governments? What alternatives
did the Founders have?
Distribute chart paper and markers and instruct teams
to research their topics in the student text. Direct teams
to create a graphic organizer that will help them explain
their topic to the class.
Allow each team a few minutes to explain their topic
Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government
4
Chapter 2: Foundations of the American Political System
Lesson 1: Our Natural Rights
and instruct Cadets to take notes on all topics.
Display Reinforcing Question(s).
2. REFLECT on the role of government. ANSWER
the reflection questions presented by your
instructor.
Use these Reflection Questions as tools to focus Cadet
discussion, reflection on learning, and note taking as
you feel appropriate for your Cadet population.

What are the major advantages and
disadvantages of limited government?

What do you think is meant by “the tyranny of
the majority?” Is the majority opinion always
just about the rights of those who are not in the
majority?
Conclude this phase of learning by summarizing the
purpose of the activity(ies) and informing them that
they will now ‘do’ something with the new information
or skill they were introduced to.
Total Time: 25 minutes
Self-paced Option: Instruct self-paced learning Cadets to complete the Gather Phase learning activities for this
phase of learning. Modify activities as necessary for your Cadet.
Part 2: 45 minutes
Phase 3 -- Process:
Lesson Delivery Setup:
1. Prepare to show all Process Phase slides from the Lesson PowerPoint Presentation.
2. Prepare to use a timer to limit the amount of time Cadets have to answer questions in the Lesson Review
Game.
3. If desired, prepare an “award” or certificate of accomplishment for the winning team in the Lesson Review
Game.
4. Familiarize yourself with the review questions in LET 2 on page 209. You can use these questions (and
any others you’d like to ask) as part of a Lesson Review Game.
5. Be prepared to launch Reinforcing Questions.
Student Learning Activity
Teaching Notes
Direct Cadet Focus: Ask Cadets to think about how
our government affects our daily lives.
This phase of the lesson allows Cadets to practice
using the new skill or knowledge.
1. With your team, PLAY the Lesson Review Game.
CHOOSE a captain for your team. Team
members can help the captain answer a question,
but only the captain can give the team’s answer.
Each team will have 30 seconds to ANSWER a
Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government
Divide the class into two or more teams and direct
each team to assign a captain.
Instruct team captains that they are the only ones who
can answer the questions for their team. Each team
will compete with each other in a Lesson Review
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Chapter 2: Foundations of the American Political System
question.
Lesson 1: Our Natural Rights
Game. Establish game rules as desired.
Ask a review question and allow 30 seconds for each
team to confer about the answer. The team captain
will announce the answers. Cadets may use their
student text but the team captain should not read
answers verbatim from the book.
Provide points for each correct answer, and reward
the winning team, if desired.
2. REFLECT on social contracts. ANSWER the
reflection questions presented by your instructor.
Use these Reflection Questions as tools to focus
Cadet discussion, reflection on learning, and note
taking as you feel appropriate for your Cadet
population.

Have your thoughts about natural rights and
government changed since the beginning of
this lesson? If so, how?

Aside from government, can you think of other
examples of social contracts?
Conclude this phase of learning by summarizing the
purpose of the activity and informing Cadets that they
will now apply the new knowledge or skill through the
assignment or activity outlined in the performance
assessment task.
Total Time: 25 minutes
Self-paced Option: Instruct self-paced learning Cadets to complete the Process Phase learning activities for this
phase of learning. Modify activities as necessary for your Cadet.
Phase 4 -- Apply:
Lesson Delivery Setup:
1. Prepare to show all Apply Phase slides from the Lesson PowerPoint Presentation.
2. Distribute the Our Natural Rights Performance Assessment Task. Ensure Cadets have access to current
newspapers, magazines, and/or the internet to use in the assessment task.
3. Determine how you will review the key words from this lesson.
4. Prepare to use the Digital Timer application in your Curriculum Manager.
5. Prepare to assign the performance assessment task as homework as time necessitates.
Student Learning Activity
Teaching Notes
Direct Cadet Focus: Ask Cadets to think about how
our government protects (or fails to protect) citizens’
individual rights.
This phase of learning will help Cadets transfer past
knowledge and experience to new knowledge and
skills introduced and practiced during this lesson.
Prompt Cadets by asking them how this lesson can
be used beyond this classroom experience.
1. COMPLETE the Our Natural Rights Performance
Assessment Task. SUBMIT your completed
performance assessment task to your instructor
for feedback and a grade.
Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government
Distribute the Our Natural Rights Performance
Assessment Task. The performance assessment task
may be completed in class or assigned as homework,
depending on the available time.
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Chapter 2: Foundations of the American Political System
Lesson 1: Our Natural Rights
Refer Cadets to the scoring guide for a list of criteria
that should be included in their written summary. This
same criteria on the scoring guide can be used as a
grading checklist too.
Remind Cadets that performance assessment tasks
can be used as evidence of learning and are solid
artifacts to add to their Cadet Portfolios.
2. REVIEW the key words of this lesson.
Key words connect concepts and principles
introduced in the text and learning activities. After
activities are complete, Cadets should be able to
complete a quick check on each word and define it
properly.
Remind Cadets that key words were introduced
throughout various learning activities and should not
be ‘new’ to them.
Instruct Cadets that you are going to see how well
they remember the key word meanings and launch
the automated response slides or one of several
animated games.
Remember to use your digital timer in Curriculum
Manager to set a reasonable time limit for this activity.
3. REFLECT on what you have learned in this lesson
and how you might use it in the future.
Use these Reflection Questions as tools to focus
Cadet discussion, reflection on learning, and note
taking as you feel appropriate for your Cadet
population.

How would you interpret the following quote
by Judge Learned Hand?
“Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women;
when it dies there, no court can ever do much
to help it? While it lies there, it needs no
constitution, no law, and no court to save it.”
Can Cadets answer the Lesson Question(s) now:
What would life be like in a state of nature? How does
government secure your natural rights?
Allow some time for discussion.
Total Time: 20 minutes
Self-paced Option: Instruct self-paced learning Cadets to complete the Apply Phase learning activities for this
phase of learning. Modify activities as necessary for your Cadet.
Homework:
Cadets may need additional time to complete the performance assessment task.
In order to compete in the We The People Congressional Competition, student teams are required to pass a
written examination. To better prepare for this examination, it is recommended that Cadets review the lesson
objectives, key words, and be able to answer the lesson subheading questions as homework.
Optional Activities:
The following activities are not used within the Student Learning Plan, but you may find them useful for
enrichment, extra practice, or as homework assignments. The optional activities for this lesson plan include:
Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government
7
Chapter 2: Foundations of the American Political System

Lesson 1: Our Natural Rights
Direct Cadets needing or seeking additional training to view the History Timeline located at
www.usarmyjrotc.com and have Cadets review the events that occurred in the Government timeline.
Assign Cadets different events and have them research the information and report back their
findings. Revise the Cadet’s grade, if necessary.
Note on Cadet Portfolios:
As Cadets work through the lessons in this chapter, remind them to add completed documents to their Cadet
Portfolio. Portfolios can be arranged by topic, chapter, or LET depending on your requirements. Refer to the
Cadet Portfolio Assessment Task in your JROTC Instructor’s Desk Reference for ideas on setting up and
evaluating Cadet Portfolios.
Unit 6: Citizenship in American History and Government
8