SETON HILL UNIVERSITY

Lesson Plan Template Abridged

(May be adapted based on instructors needs)
Pre-Planning
TOPIC
Name
Subject
Grade Level
Date/Duration
Standards/
anchors/
competencies
PA/Common
Core/Standards
(Plus any others
as may be
required)

Formative
AND/OR
Summative
Assessment
Evidence

DETAILS
Brooke Hebrank
Social Studies
3rd grade
March 6, 2014

CK

5.3.3.A: Identify the roles of the three branches

of government.
5.3.3.B: Identify how laws are made in the local
community.
5.2.3.C: Identify leadership and public
service opportunities in the school, community, state,
and nation.

Formal Evaluation
Students will be formally evaluated by the correctness
of their flow chart. Students will achieve a point for the
name of each of the three branches (3), the
groups/people involved in each of the three branches
(3) and a description of what each branch does (3). This
is a total of 9 points.
Informal Evaluation
After the lesson, as the closure, students will use their
white boards to answer the teachers questions on
which branch does what job and what branch has which
group of people in it.

Objective
A-B-C-D

Bloom's Taxonomy

Students will be able to identify the three branches of

government (Legislative, Executive and Judicial) on a
flow chart with a partner 1 out of 1 times.
Students will be able to create a flow chart stating who
is involved in each branch of government with a partner
1 out of 1 time.

Webb's Depth of
Knowledge (DOK)
Step-by-Step Procedures
RATIONALE for the
CK
Learning Plan
DETAILS
Introduction
Activating Prior Knowledge
We will verbally review what the constitution is as a
class. We will re-discuss how the Founding Fathers set up
our constitution so that one person could not control our
country and we could have a well-rounded government
who takes in to consideration what the people have to
say.

Explicit
Instructions
Big Ideas
Essential
Questions

Lesson Procedure
Must include
adaptations &
accommodations
for students with
special needs
Accommodations,
Modifications

Hook/Lead-In/Anticipatory Set
Share youtube video with class about relating the
government with a three ring circus. (3 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5M50xBz1cU
Big Idea Statement
Students, today we will be examining the three branches
of government by looking at what each branch does and
who is involved.
Essential Questions
What are the three branches of the United States
Government?
Who is involved in the Legislative branch?
What does the Legislative branch do?
Who is involved in the Executive branch?
What does the Executive branch do?
Who is involved in the Judicial branch?
What does the Judicial branch do?
Key Vocabulary
Government the system or form by which a community
is ruled
Legislative Branch the branch of government having
the function of making laws
Executive Branch the group of government charged
with the execution and enforcement of laws and polices
and the administration of public affairs
Judicial Branch the branch of government charged with
the interpretation of laws and the administration
Pre-Assessment of Students

Modeling of the Concept

The teacher will share the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5M50xBz1cU for the
anticipatory set on the board with the entire class.
As a class, we will discuss what the three branches of
government are called (Legislative, Executive, Judicial). I
will write these on the board
Students will take note of the titles of each branch.
We will then break down each branch and discuss who is
involved in each.
Legislative House of Representatives & Senate
Executive President & Vice President
Judicial Supreme Court
Next we will discuss what these people in each branch
do and what that branch is responsible for.
Legislative Branch the branch of government having
the function of making laws
Executive Branch the group of government charged
with the execution and enforcement of laws and polices
and the administration of public affairs

Materials
(reading,
technology,
equipment,
supplies, etc.)
Closure

Other(This area
is to be

Judicial Branch the branch of government charged with

the interpretation of laws and the administration
Students will then get with their partners. They will go
on their ipads to http://bensguide.gpo.gov/35/government/branches.html.
Here, students will explore the website.
Then, students make a similar flow chart of their own, as
the one shown at the top of the website.
Students will also write a short summary of what each
branch does in the flow chart.
Transition
Students walk like they are in space, carefully, to get
their iPads and back to their seats.
Guiding the Practice
The teacher will walk around as students are creating
their flow charts. Teacher will ask open ended questions
to the students, question their choices, assist them and
ask if they need any help or have any additional
questions.
Providing the Independent Practice
Students will complete a flow chart of the three
branches of government including who is involved in
each branch and what each branch is in charge of taking
care of.
Adaptations/Accommodations for Students with Special Needs
Star reward system for student staying in seat with
behavior disorder.
Stars reward system also for student raising hand and
not shouting out.
Student with behavior disorder sits in the front right
hand corner of class to be watched but not distractive to
other students.
iPad
paper for flow chart
white boards
white board markers
Summary & Review of the Learning
Students will take out their white boards.
Using their flow charts, students will answer the
teachers questions on which branch does what job and
what branch has which group of people in it.
Students will put their white boards away after.
Homework/Assignments
Students will write one paragraph of four sentences or
more stating which branch of government they would
like to be in and why.

determined by
instructor OR
student as
needed)
Supervising
teacher
comments and
signature
Teacher
Self-reflection
What
worked?
What would
you
change?