Grade 3
Social Studies
Unit: 09
Lesson: 02
Suggested Duration: 2 days
Nuestra función en el gobierno local
Lesson Synopsis:
Students learn how local, state, county and national groups make decisions on taxation. Students will also learn about the
phrase “consent of the governed” and how leaders can be elected to fulfill the wishes of the people as designed by the
Founding Fathers through the United States Constitution. Students also review traits of good citizenship and consider how
they can help their own communities.
TEKS:
3.1
History. The student understands how individuals, events, and ideas have influenced the history of various
communities. The student is expected to:
3.1C
Describe how individuals, including Daniel Boone, Christopher Columbus, the Founding Fathers, and Juan de
Oñate, have contributed to the expansion of existing communities or to the creation of new communities.
3.10
Government. The student understands important ideas in historical documents at various levels of government. The
student is expected to:
3.10B
3.11
Describe and explain the importance of “consent of the governed” as it relates to the functions of local, state, and
national government.
Citizenship. The student understands characteristics of good citizenship as exemplified by historical and
contemporary figures. The student is expected to:
3.11A
Identify characteristics of good citizenship including truthfulness, justice, equality, respect for oneself and others,
responsibility in daily life, and participation in government by educating oneself about the issues, respectfully
holding public officials to their word, and voting.
3.11C
Identify and explain the importance of individual acts of civic responsibility, including obeying laws, serving the
community, serving on a jury, and voting.
3.12
3.12A
Citizenship. The student understands the impact of individual and group decisions on communities in a
constitutional republic. The student is expected to:
Give examples of community changes that result from individual or group decisions.
Social Studies Skills TEKS:
3.18
Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:
3.18B
Use technology to create written and visual material such as stories, poems, pictures, maps, and graphic organizers
to express ideas.
3.18C
Use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation.
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION
Performance Indicator(s):
 Explain in a paragraph what “consent of the governed” means and why it is important. Choose examples from the
local community to illustrate ideas. (3.10B; 3.18B, 3.18C)
5F
Key Understandings and Guiding Questions:
 El gobierno local funciona en una democracia a través del consentimiento de los gobernados.
— ¿Por qué es importante “el consentimiento de los gobernados” para las funciones del gobierno local, estatal y
nacional?
— ¿Cuáles son las características de buen civismo?
— ¿Cuáles son los actos de responsabilidad cívica y por qué son importantes?
©2012, TESCCC
05/03/13
page 1 of 5
Grade 3
Social Studies
Unit: 09 Lesson: 02
Vocabulary of Instruction:
 consentimiento de los
gobernados
 representante


participar
ciudadano

republicanismo
Materials:

Refer to Notes for Teacher section for materials:
Attachments:







Handout: Questions for Engage Activity (cut into strips)
Teacher Resource: Questions for Engage Activity KEY
Handout: Signs (one sign per group)
Handout: Consent of the Governed Chart (one per student)
Teacher Resource: 6 Characteristics of Good Citizenship
Teacher Resource: The Founding Fathers Believed in Consent of the Governed
Handout: Civic Responsibility (1 per student, or create a large, easy to read Anchor Chart)
Resources and References:





Internet
Public Library
School Library
City Leaders
Local Newspapers
Advance Preparation:
1. Become familiar with content and procedures for the lesson, including information about local taxes, fees, and
services.
2. Refer to the Instructional Focus Document for specific content to include in the lesson.
3. Select appropriate sections of the textbook and other classroom materials that support the learning for this
lesson.
4. Preview available resources and websites according to district guidelines.
5. Prepare materials and handouts as needed.
Background Information:
Teacher must fully understand the process of local, county, state, and national government, the process of taxes, fees
and services provided.
GETTING READY FOR INSTRUCTION SUPPLEMENTAL PLANNING DOCUMENT
Instructors are encouraged to supplement and substitute resources, materials, and activities to differentiate instruction to address the needs of learners.
The Exemplar Lessons are one approach to teaching and reaching the Performance Indicators and Specificity in the Instructional Focus
Document for this unit. Instructors are encouraged to create original lessons using the Content Creator in the Tools Tab located at the top of the page.
All originally authored lessons can be saved in the “My CSCOPE” Tab within the “My Content” area.
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
ENGAGE – Consent of the Governed
1. Briefly review learning from Lesson 1 the purpose of
government and the three branches of government. Display
student work from Lesson 1.
2. Divide class into 4 groups.
NOTE: 1 Day = 50 minutes
Suggested Day 1 ‒ 15 minutes
Attachments:
 Handout: Questions for Engage Activity (cut
into strips)
 Teacher Resource: Questions for Engage
Activity KEY
 Handout: Signs (one sign per group)
3. Distribute to each group one of the following questions to
©2012, TESCCC
05/03/13
page 2 of 5
Grade 3
Social Studies
Unit: 09 Lesson: 02
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
discuss (see Handout: Questions for Engage Activity). Also
distribute to each group a sign that says national, state,
county, and local or city (see Handout: Signs):
 What group decides how much income tax each
American citizens will pay each year? (sign: national)
 What group decides how much sales tax and property
tax each person in the state will pay each year? (sign:
state)
 What group decides how much each person will pay
in taxes to the county for hospitals, community
colleges, schools, law enforcement? (sign: county)
 What group decides how much each citizen will pay in
sales tax? (sign: local/city)

Handout: Consent of the Governed Chart (1
per student)
TEKS: 3.10B; 3.12A
4. Distribute the Handout: Consent of the Governed Chart.
5. Introduce and discuss ideas and terms such as “agreeing with
their vote” and “authority of the government” and “consent of
the governed.”
6. Students study information on the Handout: Consent of the
Governed Chart and contribute to the discussion to check
their understanding about taxes and fees levied by the
government at each level.
7. Students discuss and write down their final answer to the
question to present to the class
EXPLORE – Characteristics of Good Citizens
Suggested Day 1 (continued) ‒ 10 minutes
1. After the four short student presentations, teacher asks
students this question:
Attachments:
 Teacher Resource: 6 Characteristics of Good
Citizenship (Create as an Anchor Chart large
enough to be seen by all students)
 Teacher Resource: The Founding Fathers
Believed in Consent of the Governed (1 copy
to read aloud)

How do people get a “say” in the amount of taxes they
are taxed?
2. Provide hints such as:
 It is one of the ways to be a good citizen.
 You must be 18 years old to do this.
TEKS: 3.1C; 3.10B; 3.11A
3. Provide the correct answer (vote). (They vote for the
representatives. They can talk to the elected representatives,
or write a letter to the representatives, or even start a petition
and have other citizens sign it.)
4. Students consider the list of the Characteristics of Good
Citizenship. (Refer to the Teacher Resource: 6
Characteristics of Good Citizenship, teacher can create as
an Anchor Chart large enough to be seen by all students.)
5. Encourage students to think about why it is important to vote
for people who have these characteristics.
6. Continue the discussion, guiding students to understand that it
is important for our representatives to be trustworthy and
responsible and do what they say they will do. Citizens,
through our votes, indicate that we choose them to represent
©2012, TESCCC
05/03/13
Instructional Note:
Correct answer to the question: How do people get
a say in the amount they are taxed?”
 People vote for and choose representatives.
This is called republicanism. That is why our
country is called a republic. Voters then let the
representatives know what they think so they
can make decisions about what the people who
elected them want. The people can talk to the
elected representatives, or write a letter to the
representatives, or even start a petition and
have other citizens sign it and send it to the
elected representative.
page 3 of 5
Grade 3
Social Studies
Unit: 09 Lesson: 02
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
us. We trust them to make decisions for us.
7. Read the Teacher Resource: The Founding Fathers
Believed in Consent of the Governed aloud to students. (If
available, display the resource using a document camera or
interactive white board so students can follow along. After
reading, encourage students to indicate key parts/words in the
reading.)
EXPLAIN – Founding Fathers
Suggested Day 1 (continued) ‒ 15 minutes
1. Remind students who the Founding Fathers were and what
Materials:
 pictures or other information on the Founding
Fathers (perhaps in the textbook)
they did. (Show pictures if available.) Students have previously
studies the Founding Fathers during Celebrate Freedom
Week.
TEKS: 3.1C; 3.18B, 3.18C
2. Students choose one Founding Father and imagine that
person has come to visit their community for one day.
3. Students imagine a conversation they might have with the
Founding Father about the idea of consent of the governed.
4. Students discuss with a partner the conversation they
envision, then act out a possible conversation they could have
with the Founding Father to explain how consent of the
governed works in their own community, and why it is so
important. (Students make sure to use complete sentences
and correct grammar.)
5. Students expand their explanation to include what could be
done if the representatives were not doing a good job of what
they promised to do. (i.e., write letters to tell the
representatives your thoughts and ideas; organize to send
messages to the representatives; vote them out of office).
6. Circulate, probing with questions, correcting and clarifying
misinformation, and adding appropriate information as
needed.
7. Volunteers act out their conversations.
ELABORATE – Civic Responsibility
Suggested Day 1 (continued) ‒ 10 minutes
1. Distribute the Handout: Civic Responsibility (1 per student).
Attachments:
 Handout: Civic Responsibility (1 per student)
2. Expand discussion to consider other scenarios such as:
 Why do city council members want citizens to shop in
their own city rather than in other cities nearby or on
the Internet?
 What else can we as citizens do to help our
community?
3. Use technology to help find the answers.
Instructional Note:
Possible answer: The community depends on
sales tax money to provide services. Spending
money in the community where you live helps the
city pay for the services. People can “vote” with their
dollars.
Suggested Day 2 ‒ 20 minutes
EXPLORE
©2012, TESCCC
TEKS: 3.11A; 3.11C; 3.18B
05/03/13
page 4 of 5
Grade 3
Social Studies
Unit: 09 Lesson: 02
Instructional Procedures
Notes for Teacher
1. Students work together to create a list of the services that are
provided by the local community. Make the list as extensive as
possible.
Materials
 Information on services provided by the local
community.
2. Create a list of people who have been elected to serve locally.
 What was their platform or interest in serving the
community?
TEKS: 3.11A; 3.11C; 3.12A; 3.18B
3. Use technology to help find the answers.
EVALUATE
Suggested Day 2 (continued) ‒ 30 minutes

TEKS: 3.10B; 3.18B, 3.18C
Explain in a paragraph what “consent of the governed” means
and why it is important. Choose examples from the local
community to illustrate ideas. (3.10B; 3.18B, 3.18C)
5F
©2012, TESCCC
05/03/13
Instructional Note
 Ways to extend the activity could include: send
student work to local leaders or contact the city
council and arrange for students to attend a
council meeting and read their paragraphs,
communicating that they understand the idea of
consent of the governed and the responsibility
that accompanies the idea, and exemplifying
how one “holds elected officials to their word.”
page 5 of 5