Social Studies Lesson Plan
Group Members/Group Name: Abithia Orcutt, Rosheika Johnson, Cassandra Kroon, Jordan Carl, Chandnani Esar
Thematic Unit Theme/Title/Grade Level: The Declaration of Independence/Fifth Grade
Group Wiki Address: americanrevolutionsse.weebly.com
Daily Lesson Plan/Day/Title: The Declaration of Independence
Lesson Length: 45 minutes
Rationale for Instruction
A rationale is an essential part of
thoughtful planning of classroom
instruction. This is a brief written
statement of the purpose for instruction
and the connection of the purpose to
instruction that has come before and will follow
Learning Objectives
What will students know and be able to
do at the end of this lesson? Be sure to set
significant (related to NGSS Themes,
CCSS, and NGSSS), challenging,
measurable and appropriate learning
goals!
The Declaration of Independence is an important document in our
American History that gives the students a glimpse into why
America wanted its Independence from Britain. Students will begin
to explore and understand what this document stands for, what its
meaning is, and why it was written. The student will be exposed to
some of the authors who drafted the Declaration of Independence.
The student will be able to know what the Declaration of
Indepedence meant during the time period after the American
Revolution and compare what it means for us today.
 In small groups students will be given copies of the
Declaration of Independence documents and will have key
concepts highlighted. Students will discuss and write down
what they think these statements meant for American’s and
why they think American’s fought for this.
 Students will learn who Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and
Benjamin Franklin are through a variety of resources that
will be used, video, books, and games. The students will
team up in groups of three and each individual will choose
one of these three men and create a short biography as to
why these men played an important role in the Declaration
of Independence (either in picture or writing). They will
then share with their group their findings on each of these
NCSS Theme/Next
Generation Sunshine State
Standards/Common Core
Standards (LAFS/MAFS)
List each standard that will be addressed
during the lesson. Cutting and pasting
from the website is allowed. You must
have a minimum of 3 standards that
represent multiple content areas identified in this portion of the
lesson plan.
These can be downloaded from the
Florida Dept of Education
www.cpalms.org/homepage/index.aspx.
important historical people.
NCSS Theme: Power, Authority, and Governance -- Social studies
programs should include experiences that provide for the study of
how people create and change structures of power, authority, and
governance.
1. Understand the shift in power and governance and how
American’s create and changed their structure of
governance.
2. Understand why there are documents in our government
SS.5A.5.3
Explain the significance of historical documents including key
political concepts, origins of these concepts, and their role in
American independence.
LAFS.5.RI.4.10
By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts,
including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the
high end of the grades 4–5 text complexity band independently and
proficiently.
LAFS.5.RL.1.1 Quote accurately from a text when explaining what
the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
LAFS.5.SL.1.1 – Engage effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others
ideas and expressing their own clearly.
a) Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required
material; explicitly draw on that preparation and
other information known about the topic to explore ideas under
discussion.
b) Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned
roles.
c) Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that
contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the
remarks of others.
Student Activities &
Procedures
Design for Instruction
 What best practice strategies will be
implemented?
 How will you communicate student
expectation?
 What products will be developed and
created by students?
 Consider Contextual Factors (learning
differences/learning environment) that
may be in place in your classroom.
d) Review the key ideas expressed and draw conclusions in light of
information and knowledge gained from the
discussions.
Anticipatory Set:
When entering the classroom the students will sit in groups and
work as a team. Each table will have the document “The
Declaration of Independence,” and each student will have a note
card to write down answers to these four questions. What is this
document? Why was it written? When was it written? Who wrote
it? (5 min.)
Instructional Input and Procedure:
1. The teacher will play the video Liberty`s Kids: #13 "The
First Fourth of July" (2/2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1SJcu2G6J0 (10 min.)
2. The teacher will discuss why the colonists were tired of the
King’s demands and rules that he placed on them.
Encourage students to brainstorm why they thought the
colonists were angry with the King. Place answers on the
left side of the T-chart. (5 min.)
3. The teacher will then discuss why the colonists wanted to be
independent and will discuss the student’s findings of the
document “The Declaration of Independence” What is this
document? Why was it written? When was it written? Who
wrote it? The teacher will place these answers to the right
side of the T-chart. (5 min.)
4. The students will work together in a team and be given a
section of the document to go over (both the original and
modern Declaration of Independence) and interpret what
that section means. (10 min.)
5. The students will share their sections of the document and
what they interpreted it to mean. (5 min.)
6. The teacher will close this lesson with a short clip The
Declaration of Independence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrHXWMsku4 (5
min.)
Resources/Materials
Liberty`s Kids: #13 "The First Fourth of July" (2/2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1SJcu2G6J0
Declaration of Independence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrHXWMsku4
“Declaration of Independence.” The Charters of Freedom.
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_zoom_1.html
"Dissecting the Declaration." Dissecting the Declaration. N.p., n.d.
Web. 17 June 2015.
http://unveilinghistory.org/blog/lessons/dissecting-the-declaration/
Note cards
Declaration of Independence documents for each group
Declaration of Independence text, modern text, and interpretation
sheet for each group.
Exit card for each student
Assessment
• How will student learning be assessed?
Authentic/Alternative assessments?
• Does your assessment align with your
objectives, standards and procedures?
• Informal assessment (multiple modes):
participation rubrics, journal entries,
collaborative planning/presentation notes.
Exceptionalities
What accommodations or modifications
do you make for ESOL, Gifted/Talented
students, Learning/Reading disabilities,
etc. These accommodations and/or
modifications should be listed within the
procedures section of the lesson plan as
Daily Lesson Plan Assessment:
 Note cards
 Interpretation sheet
 Exit card
ESOL; Students with Learning Differences: SLIDE (Show, Look,
Investigate, Demonstrate, Experience) and TREAD (Tell,
Read, Explain, Ask/Answer, Discuss)
http://education.ucf.edu/stll/edg4410New.cfm (appropriate for
students based on need), graphic organizers, cooperative learning,
flexible grouping, printed materials for group tasks
well as in this section of the document.
Additional Comments and
Notes
Gifted/Talented: Multi-level and multi-dimensional aspects of the
lesson, interactive nature of the lesson, opportunity to explore many
points of view and opportunity to analyze and evaluate material,
opportunity for independent projects (student
suggested/identified), flexible grouping