Space Exploration
Two Weeks
Social Studies
Lesson Plan
Grade: 6th Grade
Teacher: 6th Grade Teacher
Lesson Title:
Types of Government
STRANDS
Government
LESSON OVERVIEW
Summary of the task, challenge, investigation, career-related scenario, problem, or community link.
In this unit students will explore various types of governments. They will examine monarchy, republic, indirect and direct democracy, as well as theocracy. Students will
see how these governmental systems have been implemented throughout history. Through this inquiry of political systems, students will obtain a comprehensive
understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of each system. As the unit progresses students will compare and contrast systems of government through writing
to allow the student to thoroughly examine each type of government. The culminating event for the project will include students implementing one of these
government types and writing a rationale as to why they chose that particular way of operating. Students will also take into consideration the types of people who will
live on their moon colony. Science will be examining aerospace occupations. What type of government would suite a large population of aerospace workers?
Hook for the week unit or supplemental resources used throughout the week. (PBL scenarios, video clips, websites,
literature)
MOTIVATOR
DAY
Objectives
(I can….)
1
I can provide details
about an absolute
monarchy.
Materials &
Resources
Found in
Appendix A
Instructional Procedures
Essential Question:
1. What is an absolute monarchy?
2. Why is William of Normandy an important historical figure?
Differentiated
Instruction
Assessment
Remediation:
Formative:
Seating to minimize
Worksheet
I can provide evidence
as to why William of
Normandy is an
important historical
figure.
iPads
PDF Notes
distraction
Set: “Write down everything you know, or think you know, about an
absolute monarchy.” Students will be given a few moments to
generate responses. Volunteer students will share their thoughts for
class discussion.
Teaching Procedure:
 Students will first be directed to “Absolute Monarch” and
perform the correlating worksheet.
 Volunteer students will provide their answers as the class
discusses the worksheet’s six questions.
 The class will then visit “Life in a Monarchy” and perform
the correlating worksheet.
 Selected students will share their answers to the
worksheet’s three questions.
 Now that students have been introduced to the
governmental principles of absolute monarchy, they will
watch “William the Conqueror.”
Summarizing Strategy:
 “Based on the first 2/3 of William the Conqueror, what do
you think about the dynamics surrounding his rise to
power?” Students will submit their answers as an exit ticket.
Exit Tickets
Prompting
Adjusted Questions
1.Would you want to live
under an absolute
monarch?
2.What would you change
about an absolute
monarchy and the way it
operates?
Enrichment:
Adjusted Questions
1.What governmental
system does absolute
monarchy favor the most?
2.Could an absolute
monarchy be successful in
the United States?
2
I can provide details
about William the
Found in
Appendix B
Essential Question: How did William the Conqueror become King of
England?
Remediation:
Seating to minimize
Formative:
Conqueror.
iPads
PDF Notes
Set: “Provide 3 characteristics of an absolute monarchy.” Selected
students will share their thoughts with the class. The instructor will
write correct responses on the board to construct a long list of
characteristics for the class.
Teaching Procedure:




Students will watch part three of “William the Conqueror.”
The class will discuss the high points of this short
documentary. It is very difficult to follow without prior
knowledge of the circumstances.
Students will then be directed to “William the Conqueror –
Ducksters” and perform the correlating worksheet.
Volunteer students will share their answers to stimulate
class discussion.
Students will then view “Norman Conquest.” Upon the
video’s closure, the class will discuss how different
absolutism is from the democracy we know as Americans.
distraction
Worksheet
Prompting
Anchoring Activity: During
the summarizing strategy,
groups that need
assistance will receive it.
Enrichment:
Homogeneous Groups
Summarizing Strategy:



3
I can provide details
about the
governmental system
Found in
Appendix C
iPads
Working in homogeneous groups of two, students will work
to create a comprehensive response to the following
prompt.
“Is absolute monarchy a system of governance that could
work anywhere in the world today? Explain your answer.”
Selected groups will share their thoughts to close the class
session.
Essential Question:
1. What is a Republic?
2. What made Rome a Republic?
Remediation:
Formative:
Enrichment:
Worksheet
of a republic.
I can provide details
about what made
Rome a republic.
PDF Notes
Set: “Write down everything you know, or think you know, about
Rome.” Students will be given a few moments to generate
responses. Selected students will share their thoughts with the class.
It will be interesting to see if any students note that Rome was a
republic.
Teaching Procedure:



Students will first be directed to “Roman Republic” and
perform the correlating worksheet.
Volunteer students will share their responses with the class
to generate class discussion about the content.
Students will then view “Crash Course on Rome” and discuss
the high points of the video.
Summarizing Strategy:






Students will work in heterogeneous groups of three to
formulate a comprehensive response to the following
prompt.
“Out of the two government systems we have studied so
far, which one do you think would be better for a modern
day moon colony and why?”
Students will be encouraged to take into account real world
issues in addition to the government philosophies.
For example, what type of people will live on the moon
colony? What types of government will they be used to?
How will leader(s) be chosen? Who will choose such
leader(s)?
This will be a good precursor to the culminating event for
this unit.
Volunteer groups will share their thoughts to close the class
session.
4
I can provide details
about why Julius
Caesar is an important
historical figure.
Found in
Appendix D
Essential Question: Why is Julius Caesar an important historical
figure?
Doceri
Set: “How important would a single leader be in the Roman
Republic? Defend your position.” Students will be given a few
moments to generate responses. Selected students will share their
responses for class discussion.
iPads
PDF Notes
Teaching Strategy:






The class will first visit “Julius Caesar Bio” and perform the
correlating worksheet.
Volunteer students will share their responses to discuss the
worksheet’s content.
Students will then be grouped into heterogeneous groups of
three.
Within their groups students will find items pertaining to
the following prompt.
“What was Caesar like as a ruler? Be specific and cite
specific examples when applicable.”
Each group will share their most noteworthy item for class
discussion and in efforts to comprehensively understand
Caesar as a ruler.
Summarizing Strategy:


“Draw a picture using Doceri that would communicate
Caesar as a historically important figure.”
Students will have a few moments to complete the
summarizing activity. Volunteer students will present their
drawings to close the class session.
Remediation:
Formative:
Seating to minimize
distraction
Worksheet
Prompting
Adjusted Questions
1.Would a leader like
Julius Caesar be a good
leader on your moon
colony?
2.Did Julius Caesar end
the Roman Republic?
3.What about the
definition of a republic
makes you think so?
Enrichment:
Adjusted Questions
1.Why is Caesar typically
painted in a negative light
in history?
2.Do you think this
perception of Caesar
could be inaccurate?
Why?
3.Is there any evidence
that Caesar was an
adequate leader although
he had little check on his
power?
5
I can define
democracy.
Found in
Appendix E
I can identify the
origin of democracy.
Greek
Democracy
Essential Question:
1. What is democracy?
2. Where did democracy begin?
Mankind the
Story of All of
Us
Set: “What would you say if I told you that the governmental system
of the United States is a rental?” The class will immediately go into a
discussion about the origins of our democracy in the United States,
defining democracy if need be.
iPads
Teaching Procedure:
PDF Notes




Students will first be directed to “Greek Democracy” and
perform the correlating worksheet.
Selected students will share their responses to cover the
content from the worksheet.
The class will then watch “The Story of All of Us.”
The video will be discussed in depth. Even if portions of the
video need to be replayed, the point that the Greek’s
successful experiment with democracy has a stout influence
on the world today has to be made.
Remediation:
Formative:
Seating to minimize
distraction
Worksheet
Prompting
Anchoring Activity: During
the summarizing strategy,
students in need of oneon-one attention will
receive such attention.
Enrichment:
Adjusted Questions
1.Although the United
States is more equal, what
was so progressive about
the Greek’s democracy?
2.How do place and time
Summarizing Strategy:


6
I can explain the
difference between
direct and indirect
democracy.
Found in
Appendix F
I can provide details
about theocracy as a
system of
government.
PDF Notes
iPads
Compare and contrast a democracy and a republic. Students
will be given a few moments to complete this task.
Selected students will share their thoughts with the class to
close the class session.
Essential Question:
1. What is direct democracy?
2. What is indirect democracy?
3. What is theocracy?
Set: “Research the difference between direct and indirect
democracy.” Students will be given a few moments to generate
responses. Volunteer students will share their findings until a
comprehensive differentiation between the two terms has been
fulfilled.
Teaching Strategy:
 Students will first be directed to “Theocracy” and read this
short piece defining this governmental system.
 After students have completed reading, the class will discuss
this content until a comprehensive definition and
understanding are achieved.
 Students will then be placed into heterogeneous groups of
three.
 In these trios students will quiz one another on the content
that has been discussed during this unit. There will be
prompts on the board to guide this “buddy study” session.
of an event shape it’s
significance?
Remediation:
Summative:
Seating to minimize
distraction
Pop Quiz
Prompting
Oral Quiz
Enrichment:
Heterogeneous Groups
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is a republic?
What is a monarchy?
What is a democracy?
What is the difference between indirect and direct
democracy?
5. Why is Julius Caesar historically significant?
6. Why is William of Normandy historically significant?
7. Where did democracy begin?
Summarizing Strategy:

7
I can recognize
modern day examples
of republics.
I can recognize
modern day examples
of democracies.
I can recognize
modern day examples
of theocracies.
I can recognize
modern day examples
of monarchies.
iPads
Apple TV
Doceri
Students will then be separated from their groups and
perform a pop quiz. The questions will be short answer style
and the quiz will be the questions above presented to the
students orally.
Essential Question:
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is a modern day example of a republic?
What is a modern day example of a democracy?
What is a modern day example of a theocracy?
What is a modern day example of a monarchy?
Set: “Which form of government we have studied do you like the
best and why?” Students will be given a few moments to generate
responses. Volunteer students may share their thoughts with the
class.
Teaching Strategy:
 Students will grouped in homogeneous groups of four.
 Each group will be assigned a government type.
 The highest ability level will be assigned monarchy. The
ability level below that will receive theocracy. The ability
level below that will receive republic. The lowest ability level
will be assigned democracy.
 Each group will take considerable time to put together 2-3
Remediation:
Formative:
Seating to minimize
distraction
Doceri
Presentations
Prompting
Homogeneous Grouping
Anchoring Activity: Lower
ability level groups will
receive assistance and
guidance during the
construction of their
Doceris.
Enrichment:
Homogeneous Grouping




Doceri slides providing a modern day example of their
assigned government type.
Images of the country, map of the country, and anything
particularly interesting should be included as the graphics.
The text can be written on the slide or presented verbally.
The main question that must be addressed is, “what
features make this country a _________.”
Each group will make a short presentation to their
classmates of two minutes or less.
Summarizing Strategy:

The class will discuss if anyone has changed their mind
about which government type they prefer after the
presentations.
8
Project Day 1—refer to unit plan
Topic—Moon Colonization
9
Adjusted Questions:
1.Can you point out
positives of other forms of
government, although
they are different from
ours?
2.Can you make parallels
between our way of
operating to your
assigned system?
Project Day 2—refer to unit plan
Topic—Moon Colonization
10
Project Day 3—refer to unit plan
Topic—Moon Colonization
STANDARDS
Identify what you want to teach. Reference State, Common Core, ACT
College Readiness Standards and/or State Competencies.
GLE’s
4.01 Explain the development of a people’s need to belong and organize into a system of governance.
4.02 Describe the purposes and structure of governments.
6.01 Understand the impact of individual and group decisions on citizens and communities.
SPI’s
6.6.spi.2. recognize the impact of individuals on world history (i.e., Charlemagne, Joan of Arc, William the Conqueror, Ramses II, Julius Caesar, Socrates, Aristotle, Marco
Polo, Alexander the Great, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Martin Luther, and Johannes Gutenberg).
6.6.spi.3. describe the ways in which individuals can change groups (i.e., Martin Luther – Christian church, William of Normandy – English Monarchy, Joan of Arc –
Hundred Years War, Buddha – Chinese Culture).
6.4.spi.1 recognize types of government (i.e. formal/informal, monarchy, direct/indirect democracy, republics, theocracy).
6.4.spi.2. recognize the steps that give rise to complex governmental organizations (i.e., nomadic, farming, village city, city-states, states).
Vocabulary:





Monarchy – Supreme power held by a single person, typically a non-elected person
Republic – Power is held by the people and their elected representatives; the head of government is elected also
Direct Democracy – People vote directly on issues
Indirect Democracy – People vote for representatives who then vote on issues on behalf of the people
Theocracy – Priest hold power of government in the name of god or gods