UNIT TITLE: Constitution and New Government TIME

FRAME: 10 days TEACHER: Lisa Lewellen

Unit Summary and Rationale:
This unit will start out with important men in history, John Adams, James Madison and
Thomas Jefferson. Being the framers of the United States Constitution and founders of
our country, it is important to study their lives and accomplishments.
The unit will go on from there to study the Magna Carta, Articles of Confederation and
the Bill of Rights. These documents are important to study because they are what the
foundation of our country is based on and how it started.
The last part of the unit will study the three branches of government; what they are and
how they work. This is important for students to know because it will teach them how
and by who their country is run.

Unit Standards: Teachers should list the Common Core standards to be addressed within the
unit.
Arizona Standards to be used in this unit:
SSMS.S1.C4.PO5.a,b,c. / SSMS.S3.C1.PO1.a./ SSMS-S1-C4-PO4.b,c,d. / SSMS.S3.C3.PO1.a.
Arizona Common Core standards to be used in this unit:
6-8.RH.2,3,4,5,7 / 6-8.WTST.2.a,b.,7
Unit Connection College and Career Ready Descriptions: Teachers will select at least one (or
more) of the following lenses to act as the overlay for the unit. These are the descriptors that
must be included to ensure the unit is fully aligned to the CCLS and relevant to the college and
career ready student.
X- Students will demonstrate independence.
X- Students will value evidence.
X- Students will build strong content knowledge.
X- Students will respond to the varying demands of audience, task, and discipline.
X- Students will critique as well as comprehend.
X- Students will use technology and digital media strategically and capably.
X- Students will develop an understanding of other perspectives and cultures.




Essential Questions:
Who were the framers of the
United States Constitution?
Why did the framers feel it was
important to have a framework for
government?
Why were the Articles of
Confederation, Magna Carta, Bill
of Rights and the Constitution
important to our country in the
eighteenth century?
How would our country be
different today if these documents
had never existed? Why?
What are the duties of the three
branches of government?
How do they differ?
How are they alike?
Why does the Checks and
Balances system exist?
How does it work?




Big Ideas/Themes:
Students will learn about who the framers of the
Constitution were and their accomplishments. They will
also learn why they chosen to write the document and how
each of them contributed to the United States Constitution
document. They will also learn why it was important and
how it guides us today.
Students will learn about how the Magna Carta was an
important document to the history of our nation and how it
influenced the Constitution. How the Bill of Rights was
formed and why. How does it influence our country today?
How the Articles of Confederation affected the drafting of
the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Why these documents
were so important to the country as well as individual states
and their citizens. Why are they still in place today?
Students will learn about the three branches government
and their formation as well as how each branch operates.
What the Checks and Balance system is and why it was put
into place the way it was. Students will be able to tell why
this system is important today as well as when it was
originally formed.







Learning Tasks:
Reading, writing, research,
answering teacher directed
questions, analyze quotes and
photos, watching short content
clips, analyze text
Skills:
Students will utilize the following skills in completing this
unit:
Explain, Examine, Analyze, Compare, Contrast,
Determine, Identify, Interpret, Synthesis, Create.




Key Terms: Peace Treaty, Continental Congress, Political Party, Denounced,
Federalist, Anti-Federalist, Plantation, Founding Father, Enlightened thinker, Epitaph,
Indentured servant, Nobleman, Heir, Wardship, Articles of Confederation,
Independence, Draft, Debate, Rights of individual citizens
The Great Compromise, Bill of Rights, Ratified, Debate, Amendment, Delegate, Liberty,
Executive branch of government, Judicial branch of government, Legislative branch of
government,
Checks and Balances



Assessments:
On a half sheet of paper answer the following question-
Why was John Adams an important figure during his lifetime? (Formative)
Students will write a letter to Thomas Jefferson assuming to be John Adams with correct
grammar and punctuation. (Summative)

Analyze the following quote and in your own words write what it means.
As long as the reason of man continues fallible, and he is at liberty to exercise it, different
opinions will be formed.
-James Madison (Formative)
Students will complete a timeline of Madisons two presidential terms. (Summative)

Students will analyze this quote and write what it means in their own words as well as how it applies to
them today.
Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can
help the man with the wrong mental attitude.
-Thomas Jefferson (Formative)
Students will write a one page essay detailing Thomas Jeffersons life. (Summative)




Students will list
3 facts from the lesson
2 things that may still be unclear
1 thing they are still curious about (Formative)

Students will create a T chart outlining the parallels between the Magna Carta and the
Constitution. (Summative)

Students will analyze this quote from Thomas Jefferson and write in their own words what it
means.
In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.
-Thomas Jefferson (Formative)
Students will complete worksheet questions in small groups and summarize the main rights
provided by in the Articles of Confederation in their ISNs. (Summative)

Students will write on a half sheet of paper-
- 3 facts from todays lesson
- 2 facts that may still be unclear
- 1 thing they are still curious about (Formative)

Students will read and analyze the text of the Constitution of the United States and complete a
worksheet. (Summative)

: For closure students will list
3 facts from todays lesson
2 things that are still unclear
1 thing they are curious about (Formative)

Students will be able to identify all 10 amendments of the Bill of Rights by writing in their ISNs
the following: A picture for each amendment and answering 2 questions What does the
amendment state (in their own words) and why is it important today? (Summative)




On a half sheet of paper, the students will name the 3 branches of government and who they are:
Executive branch- President / Judicial branch- Supreme Court / Legislative branch- Congress
(Formative)
Analyze this quote and explain what it means on a half sheet of paper as ticket out the door.
No man is good enough to govern another man without the other's consent.
-Abraham Lincoln (Formative)
Answer the following question on a half sheet of paper.
What is the Checks and Balances system and why is it so important in the government,
especially today? (Formative)
Students will create a poster to be presented in class outlining the Executive, Judicial and
Legislative branches of government and their duties. (Summative)






Learning Activities:
Reading, writing, research,
answering teacher directed
questions, analyze quotes and
photos, watching short content
clips, analyze text










Resources / Text Selections: (generated by both teacher
and student?) Teachers will list the titles/genres for study:
Background text, primary sources in the form of photos and
documents, internet research in the form of a Webquest.
Additional Notes:
Hopefully by the end of this unit students will have a firm grasp on the Constitution, Bill of
Rights, Founding Fathers of the Country, Prior Documents and the three branches of
government and what they do and how it is run.