What is the Purpose of Government?

Goals & Objectives

Objective: Students will begin to articulate their own beliefs about how government should run. Goal: Students will be able to: write a clear sentence about the ideas of enlightenment thinkers, see how they have influenced our country, and discuss their own beliefs about the purpose of government.
California State Content Standard
12.1 StudentsexplainthefundamentalprinciplesandmoralvaluesofAmericandemocracyasexpressed intheU.S.ConstitutionandotheressentialdocumentsofAmericandemocracy. 1. AnalyzetheinfluenceofancientGreek,Roman,English,andleadingEuropeanpolitical thinkerssuchasJohnLocke,CharlesLouisMontesquieu,NiccolMachiavelli,andWilliam BlackstoneonthedevelopmentofAmericangovernment.

Common Core Standards

CCSS.ELALiteracy.SL.910.1Initiateandparticipateeffectivelyinarangeofcollaborativediscussions (oneonone,ingroups,andteacherled)withdiversepartnersongrades910topics,texts,andissues, buildingonothersideasandexpressingtheirownclearlyandpersuasively.

CCSS.ELALiteracy.SL.910.1cPropelconversationsbyposingandrespondingtoquestionsthatrelatethe currentdiscussiontobroaderthemesorlargerideasactivelyincorporateothersintothediscussionand clarify,verify,orchallengeideasandconclusions. CCSS.ELALiteracy.SL.910.1dRespondthoughtfullytodiverseperspectives,summarizepointsof agreementanddisagreement,and,whenwarranted,qualifyorjustifytheirownviewsandunderstandingand makenewconnectionsinlightoftheevidenceandreasoningpresented.

Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set) 6 mins:

write on the board: What is the purpose of government, and what should it look like? have students write down what they think the purpose is (2 mins). then have them share their idea with the people near them (1 min). Then play this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QGy2SbXTNE. Then transition into the content delivery.

Vocabulary (Content Language Development) 9 minutes After they define government on their own, give time to explain words that will be addressed (3 minutes each word) The following terms will be emphasized during this lesson: government (the form or system of rule by which a state, community, etc., is
governed:

liberty (freedom from captivity, confinement, or physical restraint) Social Contract (Anagreementbetweenthepeopleandthegovernment.) As the terms are crucial to the lesson, the teacher will take time out to clarify their meaning using examples. Students will write them down on a piece of paper in the following manner: the definition, a sentence, and finally a picture that defines the words.
Content Delivery (Lecture, Inquiry, Reading, Discussion and Debate, DBQ, Concept Formation, Simulation, Problem-Based Learning)

20 mins Teacher Driven Lecture: Teacher will play this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP8k_f3PFq8. Pausing at moments to allow the students to synthesize the information. As the teacher explains some of the thinkers, students will discuss the idea, then write their own sentence on the worksheet. Student Engagement & Critical Thinking (Student Activities) 20 mins (during Content Delivery): Students will fill out the worksheet given as the lecture is taking place. they are synthesizing the Enlightenment thinkers ideas about the purpose of government, and how it should run.
Demonstrated Learning (Formative & Summative Assessments)

4 mins: Students will fill out the spot on the worksheet where they can express their own ideas about the purpose of government, and how it should run.
Lesson Closure

1 minutes Students will have an opportunity to share their ideas with the students near their desk.

Accommodations for English Learners, Struggling Readers and Students with Special Needs There will be many pictures and graphic organizers to help students take notes. A normally brutal concept to teach due to the density of the topic, this lesson is intentionally broken into segments, which will help students maintain focus throughout the class period. Students will have a chance to talk before they write their sentences, that will help them organize their ideas. The video and handwritten notes will help students comprehend these tough concepts in a simplified format.