1.Title Page, Table of Contents
3rd Grade Civics Unit And Vocabulary Planning Guide
Joe Stolp
SST 309-Section 05
Fall, 2013
Table of Contents
Overview/Rationale/Introduction
KUD’s and Assessment Ideas
Vocabulary Lesson
Lesson 1: Why Michigan State Government has its own constitution
Lesson 2: Explain how Michigan State Government reflects the principles of Representative Government.
Resource Attachments
Citations
2. Overview/Rationale/ Introduction
Overview: This unit will introduce young students to some of the basics and ideals of Government and how our local government
fulfills these principles . Every state has its own set of rules set up by its own government but they are modeled based off our
national government. Students will be introduced to the idea of what a representative government is ( a government where
people chose the people to represent their voice in government) and how Michigan reflects this ideal. During this unit students
will also learn about the constitution and why each state has their own along with the one that goes for the whole country. This is
important because it is a document their guarantee's the rights of the people and gives them laws to follow, and building off that
students will also learn their rights as individuals and the responsibilities that come along with that.
Rationale: It is important for students learn these concepts of government because it applies to their lives every day. Without
these principles and rules government put into play the lives of students would be changed completely, in other country students
wouldn't have certain rights they have in our country such as freedom of speech or freedom of religion. Because of laws set up by
the government these students will receive equal treatment under law, and have a say in who represents them in government.
But along with all these freedoms we have in this country and in our state they come along with civic responsibilities such as
Voting, Obeying the law, and respecting the rights of others and students will have to know why these are important and why
they help make our communities, states, and even country run better.
Introduction: This unit is created to help students understand the basic principles of government and how our own state acts in
accord with the national government and how the government affects their lives daily. Students will create diagrams, learn about
constitutions by forming their own for the class, Participate in small group and whole class discussion in order to demonstrate
what they learned during the unit.
Lesson Planning Guide
1. KUDs: The road map
GLCE – code
Verbs
and exact
wording.
3-C1.0.1 Give an
example of how
Michigan state
government
fulfills one of
the purposes of
Government.
(e.g., Protecting
individual
rights,
promoting the
common good,
ensuring equal
treatment
under the law.)
Give
Fulfills
Protecting
Promoting
Ensuring
Know – What
will students
know upon
learning this?
Students will
know some of
the common
purposes of
government
(promoting the
common good,
equal treatment
under the law,
and protecting
individual
rights) and
what they
mean. Students
will also know
how Michigan's
state
government
fulfills one of
these purposes.
Understand –
What will
students
understand?
Students will
understand
how Michigan
fulfills one of
the purposes of
government.
Do – What will
students do to
show they
understand?
Students will
chose a purpose
of government
and research
what this
means using
text and
whether our
state
government
fulfills the
purpose they
chose by.
Vocabulary
I Can
Purpose
Government
Fulfills
I can give an
example of how
Michigan's state
government
fulfills one of
the purposes of
government.
2. Assessment ideas:
A. Students will create a poster identifying what they learned about purposes of government and how Michigan's
state government fulfills one of these purposes.
B. Their posters will be scored based upon whether or not they correctly identified one of the purposes of
government, what it meant, and if they could explain how Michigan fulfills this purpose.
GLCE – code
and exact
wording.
Verbs
3-C2.0.1
Describe how
Michigan state
government
reflects the
principle of
representative
government.
Describe
Reflects
Know – What
will students
know upon
learning this?
Representative
government is
idea where the
people who
choose their
leaders and our
laws through
the process of
voting. In our
country we vote
for a president,
the people in
the senate,
people in
congress, and
our supreme
court. Students
will know how
the Michigan
Understand –
What will
students
understand?
Students will
understand
what principles
make up a
representative
government.
Do – What will
students do to
show they
understand?
Students will
create concept
maps of
representative
governments
and the connect
it to how
Michigan
reflects some of
those
principals.
Vocabulary
I Can
State
Government
Representative
Principle
I can describe
how Michigan's
state
government is a
representative
government.
State
government
reflects the
principle of a
representative
government.
Assessment Ideas:
A. students will create concept maps of the principles of Representative Government and show how these connect to the state of
Michigan's government.
B. This will be graded in 3 parts (if they can identify what a representative government is, Being able to identify some of the
principles of this form of government, and if they can connect it back to how Michigan state government demonstrates that
principle.) being able to do 2 out of the 3 will be seen as satisfactory.
GLCE – code
and exact
wording.
Verbs
3-C3.0.5
Describe the
purpose of the
Michigan
Constitution.
Describe
Know – What
will students
know upon
learning this?
When founding
this country the
leaders of those
times had tried
to come up with
a document of
laws for the
country to
Understand –
What will
students
understand?
Students will
understand the
purpose for
Michigan
having its own
constitution.
Do – What will
students do to
show they
understand?
Students will
create their
own
constitution for
the classroom
and explain
their reasoning
behind there
Vocabulary
I Can
Purpose
Constitution
Describe
I can explain
the purpose for
Michigan
having its own
constitution.
follow and they
eventually came
up with the
constitution. it
was created
over 100 years
ago and is still
used to this day.
Students will
know what the
purpose of
having a
constitution
and why each
state has its
own version.
choices
Assessment Ideas:
A. Students will create their own constitutions and present them in small groups then in these small groups will combine their
ideas in order to form one constitution.
B. Students will assessed based on the constitution they create and participation in groups. if they can create a constitution with 5
to 10 rules and are contributing ideas to their groups they will be viewed as having a master understanding.
GLCE – code
and exact
wording.
Verbs
3-C5.01 Identify Identify
Know – What
will students
know upon
learning this?
In the country
Understand –
What will
students
understand?
Students will
Do – What will
students do to
show they
understand?
Students will be
Vocabulary
I Can
Rights
I can identify
rights (e.g.,
freedom of
speech,
freedom of
religion, right to
own property)
and
Responsibilities
of citizenship
(e.g., respecting
the rights of
others, obeying
the law, voting.)
we are
guaranteed
certain rights
which means
we are allowed
to do things but
along with
these freedoms
come certain
responsibilities,
Students will
know their
rights and be
able to identify
civic
responsibility
that comes
along with
these rights.
understand
their own
individual
rights and how
these rights
come along
with
responsibilities.
split into teams
and each 2 kids
will be called to
the front at a
time when I
flash the card
they the first to
identify
whether it's a
civil
responsibility
or right earns a
point for their
team.
Freedom of
speech.
Freedom of
religion.
Responsibilities
Citizenship
Law
Voting
my individual
rights and the
civic
responsibilities
that come along
with them.
Assessment Ideas:
A. Students will be given 10 flashcards total and 5 will have rights and 5 will have civic responsibilities. They must take each card
in sort them into piles into which category they belong.
B. I will observe the students as they the flashcards and if they are able to get anywhere from 80-100% they will be considered as
mastering the material.
3. Sequence of Instruction: What will you do? What will they do?
Include:




Pre-test/Anticipatory set: the hook
Lessons: How will you take them where they need to go?
 Gradual release
 HOTS/Blooms
Instructional strategies/Social constructs: How will they work?
 Technology
 Cooperative activity
 Graphic organizers
 Formative assessment/checking for understanding as they go along
Resources needed: What materials and resources will they need ?
 Texts/articles
 Web site(s)
 Realia
 Paper/Pencil/markers/chart paper, etc.
Lessons: How will you take
them where they need to go?
(Step-by-Step plan from A-Z)
3-C5.01 Identify rights (e.g., freedom of
speech, freedom of religion, right to own
property) and Responsibilities of
citizenship (e.g., respecting the rights of
others, obeying the law, voting.)
Pretest/Anticipatory set: the hookEach student will be handed the bill of
rights and the and introduced the ideas
of what a right is and what a civic
responsibility is.
Lesson: How will this take them where
Instructional strategies/Social
constructs: How will they work?
(AND what will YOU do?)
Instructional strategies/Social
constructs: Students will start in whole
group discussion as each vocabulary
term and concept is introduced.
Resources needed: What materials
and resources will they need?
(Page #s read, graphic organizers, books,
posters, realia, etc…)
Resources Needed: what materials and
resources will they need?

Then students will work independently
with the concepts and determine
whether each idea would fall under the
concept of a right or civic responsibility.




Students will the create foldable booklet
to fill with vocab terms and use as
review tool for future assessment.


5 to 6 foldable sheets of
colored paper.
Glue
Scissors
Flashcards
Video on rights and civic
responsibilities
Script for vocabulary
(Attachment C)
Markers, crayons, or
they need to go?
Direct Instruction:
1. Teacher will begin by introducing the
6 vocabulary terms followed by a
picture to go along with each term
(Attachment B) in which Marzano's
steps will be brought to use by seeing a
visual representation of each term.
colored pencils
2. Students will refer to the Bill of Rights
(Attachment A) as a resource for
determining which terms would fall
under the categories of rights.
3. Teacher will show video to create
visual representation of the terms and
give students a stronger sense of rights
and civic responsibilities.
4. Students will the play the matching
game taking each flash card (attachment
B) and sort each term with its correct
definition.
5. Students then will be instructed by
teacher on how to make a foldable
booklet to fill with vocab terms in order
to retain info
Guided Practice:
A. Teacher will provide students with
chances for class discussion as each
flash card is presented.
A: Students will spend time in discussion
of each term on what they think it
means.
B: Teacher will provide the Students
with flashcards to cut out and to begin
sorting.
B: Students will sort each Term with its
definition and whether they believe it is
a right or civic responsibility after
cutting them out.
Independent Practice:
A: Teacher will walk around class and
observe while each students attempts to
sort vocab with its definition and what
concept it falls under.
B: Students will attempt to sort each
vocab term with its correct definition
and try to place under the concept of
rights or Civic responsibility.
B: Teacher will bring group together and
go over as a class what each term means
and where it belongs. Then begin to
teach them how to make the foldable
B: Students will work together as a class
to find each correct definition and sort
them into the correct group. Then begin
learning to make foldable.
6. Resource Attachments, labeled A, B, C, D…
Resource A:
blogsensebybarb.wordpress.com
Attachment B: Flash Cards
Freedom guaranteed by the government.
Freedom of speech
To be able to say what you want without of fear
of persecution.
Freedom of Religion
Civic Responsibility
Things Citizens are responsible for doing.
Attachment B Continued.
Citizen
Being a member of a Country.
Voting
Choosing a leader or law based off of what you
feel will best represent you.
Right
Attachment C:
A Script for Vocabulary development
Teacher-talk: (Marzanos first step: teacher introduces the word)
Right:
Teacher talk (Step one): Introduce the word and ask students to come up with examples of what they think of a right would be.
(Students may answer.) Throw out a few examples to students of what some of their rights to help students gain idea of what a
right may be (Students may answer) After some time have students pair up with another student and do a think pair share of
what they believe the term right means.
Civic Responsibilities:
Teacher Talk (Step one): Introduce students to a few examples of a civic responsibility. ( Students may answer) Then as a whole
have class discussion about how the examples all tie together (Students may answer) Then explain that all of these are Civic
responsibilities and what the term civic responsibilities (Students may draw conclusions) Then show video teaching about what
Civic responsibilities are and how they tie into our past vocab term Right
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNJthun7L9U
GLCE – code
and exact
wording.
Verbs
3-C2.0.1
Describe how
Michigan state
government
reflects the
principle of
representative
government.
Describe
Reflects
Know – What
will students
know upon
learning this?
Representative
government is
idea where the
people who
choose their
leaders and our
laws through
the process of
voting. In our
country we vote
for a president,
the people in
the senate,
people in
congress, and
our supreme
court. Students
will know how
the Michigan
State
government
reflects the
principle of a
representative
government.
Understand –
What will
students
understand?
Students will
understand
what principles
make up a
representative
government.
Do – What will
students do to
show they
understand?
Students will
create concept
maps of
representative
governments
and the connect
it to how
Michigan
reflects some of
those
principals.
Vocabulary
I Can
State
Government
Representative
Principle
I can describe
how Michigan's
state
government is a
representative
government.
Assessment Ideas:
A. students will create concept maps of the principles of Representative Government and show how these connect to the state of
Michigan's government.
B. This will be graded in 3 parts (if they can identify what a representative government is, Being able to identify some of the
principles of this form of government, and if they can connect it back to how Michigan state government demonstrates that
principle.) being able to do 2 out of the 3 will be seen as satisfactory.
Lessons: How will you take
them where they need to go?
(Step-by-Step plan from A-Z)
3-C2.0.1 Describe how Michigan state
government reflects the principle of
representative government.
Anticipatory Set: The Lesson will start
off by reading the trade book "How the
Government Works" By Syl Sobel
(ATTACHMENT A)
Lesson: How will this take them where
they need to go?
Direct Instruction:
1. Teacher will begin by reading the
story "How the Government works" to
students while taking time out for
discussion of each vocabulary term
2. Students will refer back to the book
Instructional strategies/Social
constructs: How will they work?
(AND what will YOU do?)
Instructional strategies/Social
constructs: Students will start in whole
group discussion after the book is read
and discuss what they think some of the
principles or Rep. Government are.
Then students will work with a partner
or in small groups to create a concept
map of everything that makes up a
representative government.
Students will then share concept maps
with rest of the class and discussion will
be held about each concept map to see
whether more things needed or taken
away.
Resources needed: What materials
and resources will they need?
(Page #s read, graphic organizers, books,
posters, realia, etc…)
Resources Needed: what materials and
resources will they need?




Trade book "How the
Government works"
Paper
Pencil
crayons, markers, or
colored pencils.
and classroom discussion in when
deciding what characteristics make up a
representative government.
3. Teacher will provide characteristics of
a representative government to help
students as they create their concept
maps but then guide into discussion of
how our local government fulfills these
request.
4. Students will work cooperatively on
creating concept maps discussing terms
and what they think each term means.
5. Once students have finished their
concept maps they will be brought
together as a group to begin discussion
on how Michigan fulfills the principles of
a rep. government.
Guided Practice:
A. Teacher will draw venn diagram with
2 circles one being Michigan
Government and the other being
Representatives Government.
Independent Practice:
A: Teacher will walk around class and
observe while each students attempts to
sort vocab with its definition and what
Students will work as a class to find out
ways that Michigan's government is a
representative government and help the
concept it falls under.
B: Teacher will bring class together and
they will help explain how Michigan
State Government reflects the principles
of a Representative Government.
Attachment A:
teacher fill out the Venn diagram.
GLCE – code
and exact
wording.
Verbs
3-C3.0.5
Describe the
purpose of the
Michigan
Constitution.
Describe
Assessment Ideas:
Know – What
will students
know upon
learning this?
When founding
this country the
leaders of those
times had tried
to come up with
a document of
laws for the
country to
follow and they
eventually came
up with the
constitution. it
was created
over 100 years
ago and is still
used to this day.
Students will
know what the
purpose of
having a
constitution
and why each
state has its
own version.
Understand –
What will
students
understand?
Students will
understand the
purpose for
Michigan
having its own
constitution.
Do – What will
students do to
show they
understand?
Students will
create their
own
constitution for
the classroom
and explain
their reasoning
behind there
choices
Vocabulary
I Can
Purpose
Constitution
Describe
I can explain
the purpose for
Michigan
having its own
constitution.
A. Students will create their own constitutions and present them in small groups then in these small groups will combine their
ideas in order to form one constitution.
B. Students will assessed based on the constitution they create and participation in groups. if they can create a constitution with 5
to 10 rules and are contributing ideas to their groups they will be viewed as having a master understanding.
Lessons: How will you take them where
they need to go? (Step-by-Step plan from
A-Z)
3-C3.0.5 Describe the purpose of the Michigan
Constitution.
Anticipatory Set: The Lesson will start off by
teacher showing the students a copy of the
constitution (Attachment A) and beginning
discussion
Lesson: How will this take them where they
need to go?
Direct Instruction:
1. Teacher will begin the class with introducing
the constitution
2. Students will be asked to discuss what the
Constitution is and what it was made more.
3. Teacher will provide characteristics of a of the
constitution by having students play online game
http://constitutioncenter.org/learn/educationalresources/games
Instructional strategies/Social
constructs: How will they work?
(AND what will YOU do?)
Instructional strategies/Social
constructs: Students will start in
group discussion after playing the
online game and begin to create
their constitutions
Then students will work with a
partner or in small groups to create
a constitution.
Students will their Constitutions
with rest of the class and discussion
will be held about each concept
map to see whether more things
needed or taken away.
Resources needed: What materials
and resources will they need?
(Page #s read, graphic organizers,
books, posters, realia, etc…)
Resources Needed: what materials
and resources will they need?





Copy of the
constitution
Paper
Pencil
crayons, markers, or
colored pencils.
computer
4. Students will play game individually and write
down things they learn about the constitution.
5. Once students have finished the game they will
be brought together to discuss what they have
learned
Guided Practice:
A. Teacher pass out supplies such as paper,
crayons, and markers and ask students to begin
to create their own constitutions.
Independent Practice:
A: Teacher will walk around class and observe
while each students attempts to sort vocab with
its definition and what concept it falls under.
B: After students get started teacher will walk
around the room taking time to discuss with
groups of what they put into their constitution
and why they put that there.
Students will work together to
create own giant constitution for
their classroom that will be hung up
for the whole year and give
students a code of rules to follow.
Attachment A:
Attachment B: http://constitutioncenter.org/learn/educational-resources/games
Sources:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNJthun7L9U
blogsensebybarb.wordpress.com
Beck Chapter 3
http://www.rakuten.com/prod/how-the-u-s-government-works/30480158.html?listingId=316656480&s_kwcid=
http://constitutioncenter.org/learn/educational-resources/games
www.wcupa.edu