PROJECT TEACH
-LESSON PLAN OUTLINETEACHER: Charles Hager
SCHOOL DISTRICT: General McLane
LESSON SUBJECT: Ratification of US Constitution
GRADE LEVEL: 11/12
TEACHING TIME: 85 minutes
LESSON OBJECTIVES
BIG IDEAS: Creating and Justifying Change In Government
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
To what extent to the Federalist Papers provide theoretical justifications for the structure of
government outlined in the Constitution?
PA STATE STANDARDS:
8.1.12.A; 8.1.12.B; 8.1.12.C; 8.1.12.D
STUDENTS WILL KNOW…
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO…
The Federalist and Anti-Federalists
arguments surrounding the ratification.
The students will be able to formulate and
defend opinions as to the ratification of the
Constitution.
The method used to ratify the Constitution
in comparison to the former method used to
adopt the Articles of Confederation.
PROCEDURAL SUMMARY
MATERIALS:
Copies of selected Federalist Papers: 10, 47, 51
Copies of the Constitution
ANTICIPATORY SET:
The teachers will ask students the following question: Given that the method of
ratification at the constitutional convention deviated from the method used to ratify the
Articles of Confederation, why did the framers feel the need to alter the process?
Possible answers may include that there was more at stake as the Constitution would
create a united governments as opposed to a loose confederation of separate states.
ACTIVATING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:
The instructor will ask the students to identify why a new Constitution was necessary.
Students will review their knowledge of the Articles of Confederation including an
inability to tax at the federal level and no executive.
PROCEDURE:
1. The teacher will assign one Federalist Paper written by James Madison to the
students. The instructor will tier the assignment according to student readiness
(see below). Working in pairs, students will close-read their assigned Federalist
Paper. They will begin by making note of any words they do not understand and
will look them up in their text book and/or the dictionary. The instructor will
circulate to assist and scaffold students as needed.
Federalist 57- Readers with an foundational understanding of
representative government
Federalist 47- Good readers with strong understanding of the structure of
the federal government
Federalist 10- Strong Readers with advanced understanding of the
majority/minority rule
2. When finished with their initial reading of their assigned Federalist Paper, all
students will answer the questions identified below. The instructor will review
student responses as a whole class, emphasizing the provided responses.
Who wrote it?
James Madison wrote all - Other written by Alexander Hamilton
and John Jay
Why did they write it?
To promote the ratification of the proposed Constitution
How did they publish it?
Published anonymously under the pseudonym Publius
3. The teacher will provide a brief Lecture-Burst on the assigned readings.
TEACHER BACKGROUND NOTES:
Federalist 10, Madison
Faction as greatest threat to liberty
Factions – interest groups will attempt to achieve majority
rule.
Madison saw as dangerous.
Federalist 47, Madison
Defines tyranny to avoid it – concentration of power
Any branch with all power = tyranny
Any level with all power = tyranny
Federalist 57, Madison
Republican Virtue
Constitution assumes quality statesman, but doesn’t depend
on it always being present
4. Working with a partner, the students will reread their assigned Federalist Paper
and will write one paragraph summarizing the main point of the author. When
finished, the teacher will meet with groups of student by assigned reading to
check for student understanding.
5. Students will be placed into groups of three so that each Federalist Paper is
represented. Students will present their summaries to their new group. As
students present, group members will take notes on the main idea of each
Federalist Paper represented.
CLOSURE ACTIVITY:
Students will continue to work in groups and will reference the Constitution to answer the
following questions (see below). Students must provide at least one specific example for
each question. As a final review, the instructor will select volunteers to provide examples
for the whole class.
Federalist 57- How does the Constitution provide for the election of representatives?
Federalist 47- How do we structure government to avoid a concentration of power?
Federalist 10- How do we keep warring factions from destroying ordered liberty?