Lesson Plan Guide

Teacher Candidate: Breunna Williams Date: 4/29/2018

Grade and Topic:2rd grade – Three Branches of Government Length of Lesson:60 min for 2 days

Mentor Teacher: Professor Johnson School: University of Memphis - IDT 3600

UNIT/CHAPTER OBJECTIVE/GENERALIZATION/BIG IDEA:

● In this lesson, the students will be learning about the three branches of government.

LESSON OBJECTIVE:
● Using a tool for graphic organizing, the students will be able to create a model representing learned concepts of
the three branches of government with 100% accuracy.
STANDARDS ADDRESSED:
 2.25 Create a graphic organizer to explain the three branches of government and the basic role of each.
 Research and information fluency: Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and
media.
MATERIALS:
Projector
Projector screen
Interactive Smart board
Three branches of government worksheet
Pencil
White board
Dry erase markers
Dry eraser
Computers
Internet access to:
www.sheppardsoftware.com/usa_game/government/branches_of_government_2.18_1.swf
https://www.usa.gov/branches-of-government
https://bensguide.gpo.gov/j-check-balance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EISWIY9bG8
http://www.inspiration.com/Freetrial

Technology Integration:
Students will use the above websites as resource to find information about the three branches of government.
Students will use the inspiration tool to create and build a graphic organizer on the branches. Website will be
used to type, add images, add headings and subtitles, and add lines to link information to each branch.

BACKGROUND and RATIONALE:

● By the end this lesson, the students will know about the three branches of government, including their
checks and balances and members of each branch.
● Academic Language is not addressed in IDT 3600
 ● I am aware that the lesson will be differentiated for students who did not master the objectives and for those ready
for enrichment. However, modifications are not covered in this particular course and are not part of this particular
lesson.

PROCEDURES AND TIMELINE:

● Introduction: (25 min)
● Tell the students they will be learning about the three branches of government today
● Show a video about the three branches of government
● In a class discussion, ask students to identify the three branches of government to write on the board.
● Students can raise their hand to add something they learned from the video or already know about the branch onto
the board
● To continue class discussion, the teacher will provide more background/information about the three branches that
the students has not mentioned. The teacher will share pictures of the houses represented by each branch,
including pictures of the members of each branch. For example, the teacher will show the president of that term.
● On the smart board, the teacher will bring up the three branches of government game. The teacher will
ask the students for volunteers to help her fill in the graphic organizer of the three branches. (The students will
drag the correct or words under the correct branch on the chart) Link to activity:
www.sheppardsoftware.com/usa_game/government/branches_of_government_2.18_1.swf
● The teacher will give a quiz to check for understanding from everyone.

● Procedures: (30 min)

Prior to computer:
Teacher Procedure: (5-10 minutes)
● After the introduction, the teacher will show the students on the projector screen the tool that they will be
using. Tell students they will be making a graphic organizer using inspiration 9 tool
● The teacher will demonstrate to students how to use the features/tools on Inspiration
● The teacher will show the students the websites they can access, if they need addition information about
the three branches to include in their graphic organizer.
● The teacher will show them the example of a graphic organizer created on the tool.

At computer:
Teacher Procedure:
● Have students open of inspiration 9 and an internet browser.
● Direct students to the websites used for resources
● Monitor and assist students as needed
● Open up inspiration 9 and an internet browser
Student procedure: (20-25 minutes)
● Open inspiration and internet browser
● Go to these two websites: https://www.usa.gov/branches-of-government, https://bensguide.gpo.gov/j-
check-balance
● Open of the correct organizer that the class will be using
● Label the title three branches of government
● Label the headings with the three branches of government
● Add information about the members into the subheadings from the websites or class discussion for each
branch
● Add information about the checks and balances into the subheadings from websites or class discussion for
each branch
● Add images from the tool to add to the organizer.
● Save graphic organizer as a pdf and print

● Closure: (5 min)

● Students will reflect on how they liked the tool that we used in class and one thing they learned about three
branches.
ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE:
(Students will receive a grade on worksheet quiz in introduction)

Three branches of government rubric on organizer

Criteria
Factual information of
people and roles.
3 2 0-1
All branches have factual Only two branches include Only one or none of the
information about the factual information about branches have factual
people and the branches the people and roles. information about the
roles. people and roles.

Reflection Student wrote a reflection Students only writes about Students does not write a
that meets both criteria. one of the criteria asked. reflection

MODIFICATIONS:
● I am aware that modifications will be made for students who did not master the objectives and for those ready for
enrichment. However, modifications are not covered in this course and are not part of this particular lesson.

Student Sample
Quiz