Title:
Origins of Government
Lesson Author:
Dave Childress
Key Words: Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances
Grade Level: 6th Grade United States History Part I
Time Allotted: 50 minutes
Rationale/ Purpose (so what?)
This lesson is intended to finish describing the basis of the U.S. Constitution to
students. They will understand that it was developed so that no one branch or person
can garner too much power. They will also understand the concept of a federal system
and the importance of the Bill of Rights
Key Concept(s) include definition:
Separation of Powers- the U.S. government is broken up into 3 branches so
that no one branch can gain too much power
Checks and Balances- this is the system set up by the Constitution that
allows each government branch to check another, limiting everyone’s
power and not allowing abuses to occur
NCSS Standard(s)
SOL Information (As written in the Virginia SOL “Curriculum Framework”
for the grade level)
NCSS Theme (s) with indicators:
Power, Authority and Governance
SOL:
USI.7 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the challenges faced by
the new nation by
b) identifying the basic principles of the new government established by the
Constitution of the United States of America and the Bill of Rights
Essential Knowledge
(minimum for SOL Resource Guide)
Terms to know
Federal system of government: A
system that divides governmental
powers between national government
and the governments of the states
Basic principles of government
Separation of powers
• The structure of the new national
government was based on James
Madison’s “Virginia Plan,” which
called for three separate branches
of government:
– Legislative Branch (Congress)
makes the laws. Congress is a
two-house legislature in which
all states are represented
equally in the Senate (two
Senators per state) and people
are represented in the House of
Representatives (number of a
state’s representatives is based
on state’s population).
– Judicial Branch (Supreme
Court) determines if laws
made by Congress are
constitutional.
– Executive Branch (President)
carries out the laws.
Checks and balances
• Each branch can check the power
of the other.
• These checks keep any one branch
from gaining too much power.
Bill of Rights
• James Madison was the author of
the Bill of Rights.
• The first ten amendments to the
Constitution of the United States of
America provide a written
guarantee of individual rights (e.g.,
freedom of speech, freedom of
religion).
Essential Skills
(minimum for SOL Resource Guide)
Identify and interpret primary and
secondary source documents to
increase understanding of events and
life in United States history. (USI.1a)
Make connections between the past
and the present. (USI.1b)
Interpret ideas and events from
different historical perspectives.
(USI.1d)
Guiding Question(s):
What were the basic principles of governments stated in the Constitution
of the United States of America and Bill of Rights?
Assessment Tool(s):
Informal- students will be gauged on their participation in class both
through discussion and keeping up with filling in their worksheets and
activities
Students will be evaluated on whether they completed their homework
from the night before
Worksheet for homework to complete
Background: How does this lesson fit into a unit of study?
Looking backwards,
looking forwards
Students have been studying about the Articles of Confederation and learning about their
many weaknesses. After mastering these, students hav now moved on to learning about
the framing of the Constitution. They have learned when and where it came together, and
many of the basic premises around it. The activities today provide reinforcements to the
facts that they should already have known. From here, the class moves on to looking at the
first political parties and the accomplishments of the first five presidents.
Lesson Objective(s) (Please number):
1. Students will be able to describe the three main branches of
government and how the Constitution provided that no one branch
gains too much power.
Procedure/Process:
Obj #
See
above.
Hook
Intro.
Processing Activity and Procedure include directions, question frames,
assignment detail to be given to
students (these should all be made
into explicit materials (e.g. see
material A), and time estimates
Check for Evidence of
Understanding
-Either Formal or Informal(Checks Essential Knowledge
and Skills)
(5-7 mins) Students will complete the
next Focus Question on their worksheet to
Homework will be checked for
completeness and students
begin class as I come around to check
homework.
will be forced to complete
their focus.
Transition: Tell students to put sheets away and get out notebook
Actively engage students at all
times through lecture to make
sure they are paying
attention, find it interesting,
and fully understand the
material.
Objective
1
Go over worksheet assigned for
homework as a class by calling on
volunteers. Discuss answers and
questions students may have as
necessary. (5 minutes)
Transition:
Make sure students have this in their notebook and get them to set up the
chart we will go over on the next page (3 min)
Students will look at a chart of different
powers that the government of the United
States has and then how that power can
be checked. Students will write this in
their notebook, and then have to decide
which branch is responsible for checking
that power. Do four, but if understanding
is weak do more. (5-7 mins)
Objective
1
Hand out next activity and make sure
students get it in their notebooks. (3 min)
We will also fill this out as a class, making
sure students get correct answers and
understand concepts well for the Great
Compromise (10 mins)
Make sure students are doing
their work and keeping up
with filling in their sheets.
Student homework will be
assessed as well.
Depending upon time, students will be
given last classwork assignment or
homework. This is a sheet dealing with 3
branches of government and separation fo
powers.
Modifications/Accommodations for Diverse Learners:
-Provide a copy of the note sheet for students who cannot keep up with
the note taking
-Allow students with vision problems to move to the front of the room if
the overhead proves to be too small to see
-Make sure and speak clearly so that the interpreter can clearly sign for
hearing impaired students.