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TEAM Lesson Plan Template
Collin McHenry
World History 9th grade
Capitalism vs Communism
Summary of the task, challenge, investigation, career-related scenario, problem,
LESSON
or community link
OVERVIEW
The students will compare and contrast to economic ideas of Capitalism and
Communism. The students will discuss the proponents of each ideology and analyze
the effect how each ideology could have on the student's lives.
STANDARDS
Identify what you want to teach. Reference State, Common Core, ACT College
Readiness Standards and/or State Competencies.
W.8 Write an informative piece analyzing the emergence of capitalism as a doninant
economic pattern and the responses to it, including Utopianism, Social Democracy,
Socialism and Communism, Adam Smith, Robert Owen, and Karl Marx.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.2
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an
accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.3
Identify key steps in a text's description of a process related to history/social studies (e.g.,
how a bill becomes law, how interest rates are raised or lowered).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary
specific to domains related to history/social studies.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.7
Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other
information in print and digital texts.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.6-8.9
Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary source on the same topic.
OBJECTIVE
Clear, Specific, and Measurable – NOT ACTIVITIES
Student-friendly
The objective of the lesson is for students to be able to compare and contrast the
economic ideas of Adam Smith and Karl Marx,using primary sources by each author,
and place the similarities and differences on a venn diagram. Specifically, the students
will evaluate differences and similarities of Capitalism and Communism.
ASSESSMENT /
EVALUATION
Students show evidence of proficiency through a variety of assessments.
Aligned with the Lesson Objective
Formative / Summative
Performance-Based / Rubric
Formal / Informal
The students will be assessed, through a formal formative assessment, using a venn
diagram. The students will show similarities and differences on the provided venn
diagrams. Afterward, the students will display each group's venn diagram on a wall.
The groups will discuss similarities and differences between each group's venn diagram.
The informative writing will be completed as homework and collected as a formal
formative assessment.
MATERIALS
Aligned with the Lesson Objective
Rigorous & Relevant
The students will be provided a copy of a venn diagram and a quotation form Adam
Smith's Wealth of Nations, and Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto.
Copies of exerts from both works will be provided to students.
A word wall will be in place for this unit including words such as Communism,
Capitalism, marketplace, free market, commodity, etc.
A second bulletin board will have historical representations (photos, etc) of relevant time
periods depicting working conditions, type of work, type of government in place, etc.
Lecture will be presented via powerpoint, with the powerpoint slides available for review
while students are completing Venn Diagram activity.
Students will also review informative materials from their textbooks.
Handout detailing expectations for writing assignment.
ACTIVATING
STRATEGY
Motivator / Hook
An Essential Question encourages students to put forth more effort when faced
with complex, open-ended, challenging, meaningful and authentic questions.
Capitalism and Communism are two economic philosophies widely adhered to, today.
Which philosophy makes the most sense to you? What differences could we see in the
day to day life between Capitalist countries and Communist countries?
INSTRUCTION
Step-By-Step Procedures – Sequence
Discover / Explain – Direct Instruction
Modeling Expectations – “I Do”
Questioning / Encourages Higher Order Thinking
Grouping Strategies
Differentiated Instructional Strategies to Provide Intervention & Extension
The instruction will begin with the instructor introducing Adam Smith and Karl Marx and
their respective economic ideas of capitalism and communism. The instructor will then
ask the class which type of economic system the United States uses. Presented via
PowerPoint.
The instructor will then show the differences in appearance and lifestyle between
Capitalist countries and Communist countries. Visual displays of different countries
involved in commerce will be displayed, along with a bulleted fact sheets. Students will
be asked to give their initial impressions and state similarities/differences to other
countries.
Discussion of primary vs. secondary sources in preparation of giving students excerpts.
Review of expectations on writing assignment.
GUIDED &
INDEPENDENT
PRACTICE
“We Do” – “ You Do”
Encourage Higher Order Thinking & Problem Solving
Relevance
Differentiated Strategies for Practice to Provide Intervention & Extension
The Students will read an excerpt from Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations and Karl Marx
Communist Manifesto. The students will be put in groups of threes. The students will
discuss the writings and compare and contrast the ideologies of Adam Smith and Karl
Marx, using a Venn diagram. Venn Diagram will be color coded. Each student must
contribute at least 2 items to Venn Diagram. Each category (Smith and Marx
(differences) and overlap/similarities for each group must contain at least 2 items
Teacher will circulate between groups to ensure productive discussion and to answer
questions.
Students will post diagrams in designated spot once completed. These will remain
posted until the end of class and be used for wrap up discussion.
CLOSURE
Reflection / Wrap-Up
Summarizing, Reminding, Reflecting, Restating, Connecting
Venn Diagrams are reviewed by the class and discussed.
Major economic theories are summarized. Homework assignment is reviewed.
CROSS-CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS
Primary vs. Secondary sources discussion. Primary source reading. Writing assignment.
NOTES: