Forms of Government Comparison
Forms of Government Information Sheets, excerpt of Declaration of Independence
Common Core State Standards/Maryland State Curriculum
CCSS
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.9 Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary source on the same topic.
History:
CCSS.H.R6-8.1
CCSS.H.R6-8.2
CCSS.H.R6-8.4
CCSS.H.R6-8.6
CCSS.H.R6-8.7
CCSS.H.W6-8.1
CCSS.H.W6-8.7
CCSS.H.W6-8.8
CCSS.H.W6-8.9
MSDE:
5.C.1.b.
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SASS 1
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SASS 2
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SASS 3
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SASS 4
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SASS 5
Claim, reason
This lesson is designed to be taught in one 90 minute class period
Students will be able to compare and contrast the principles of Unitary, Confederate and Federal forms of government by creating a comparative chart.
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Do Now
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Important Government functions list
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Forms of Government Mind Map
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Forms of Government Gallery Walk
Reflection
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Closing
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4 Markers per group
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Chart Paper
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Mind Map and Gallery Walk Process Sheet
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Federal, Confederate and Unitary Government Process
Sheets
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Do Now Process sheet
Completion of and teacher receipt of all lesson activities.
Note: These activities should be evaluated according to your own grading policies and procedures.
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1. Have students partner with a classmate
2. Have each student pair review a selection of the grievances listed in the
Declaration of Independence
3. After reviewing this list, have student pairs identify 3-5 actions the colonists felt the English government was doing wrong
1. Bring the class together and ask student groups to, based on the grievances of the colonists, identify 3-5 functions of government that the colonists believed were important.
2. Bring the class back together and through a whole group share out where the student pairs will share out and the class will create a master list of what they believe the colonists thought were important functions of government.
1. Introduce the lesson by highlighting the following points;
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The colonists decided to break away from England because they were being controlled by a form of government that no longer worked for them and that they saw as unfair (Note: The teacher can refer the student lists of grievances as examples)
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After winning the Revolutionary War, the framers were looking for a new form of government that could both control this new country as well as respecting the rights of citizens
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Note: Teacher can refer the following quote from Thomas Jefferson,
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“A wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned.
This is the sum of good government”
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As a class, we are going to take a look at 3 of the forms of government that the framers considered and figure out which of them we think would be the best choice.
2. Introduce the Mind Map Activity
Mind Map Activity:
1. Place students into 3-6 groups (depending on class size), 1-2 per form of government
2. Introduction: “I want to draw your attention to the mind Map section of your process sheet. The mind map is where each group is going to store the information they gather throughout their research. Let’s take a look at
IT’S DEBATABLE! • FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
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the Mind Map example; first, in the large middle circle, I want you to write the form of government your group will be investigating.”
3. After students complete this step, continue, “Then in the second largest circle which is located to the left of the large circle, I want you to write
DEFINTION, the title of the first section on your information sheet”
4. After students complete this step, continue, “Finally, in the small circle, you will write one fact about your form of government from the definition section of your information sheet. For the purpose of this example though, just write the word ‘fact’ in that circle”
5. Give each group a piece of chart paper and 3 different colored markers and a black marker. “Now, in your groups, assign each color to
ONE section (definition, advantages and disadvantages). Once you have matched a resource with a color, fill in the box next to that resource with the corresponding color.”
6. After students complete this step, continue, “Now, using the Black marker, on your chart paper, draw a circle in the middle and write your form of government in the center. Remember not to draw the circle too large, so you have room to add your facts in as your team learns.”
7. Once the student groups have finished constructing their mind maps, they will use the information they recorded to fill out the gallery walk section for their form of government.
8. Bring the class back together and have the student groups transition to the gallery walk activity.
Gallery Walk Activity:
1. Have student group post their mind maps around the classroom
2. Then have students move around the classroom and fill out their gallery walk process sheet for the 2 forms of government they did not study
3. Once the students have recorded all the factual information for the 3 forms of government, they will individually complete the reflection claims.
Have students complete the following claim for all three types of government;
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The best thing about the ________________form of government is _____________because
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The worst thing about the __________________form of government is _______________because
Have students will turn in an exit ticket completing this claim;
The best form of government for the colonists to choose is ___________ because
IT’S DEBATABLE! • FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
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