Basic Concepts of Democracy
Goals & Objectives
Students will understand the basic concepts of what makes up a democracy. Students will be able to use a graphic organizer to demonstrate their knowledge of the foundations of democracy, the connections between democracy and the free enterprise system, and the role of the internet in a democracy.
California State Content Standards
12.10 Students formulate questions about and defend their analyses of tensions within our constitutional democracy and the importance of maintaining a balance between the following concepts: majority rule and individual rights; liberty and equality; state and national authority in a federal system; civil disobedience and the rule of law; freedom of the press and the right to a fair trial; the relationship of religion and government.
Common Core Literacy Standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
Driving Historical Question
How does individualism play a role in democracy?
Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge)
Teacher will have four vocabulary words written on the board: Compromise, Free enterprise system, Law of supply and demand, and Mixed Economy. Teacher will ask students to use the prior knowledge they have from economics to define these vocabulary terms. Students will also write down how they might relate to or influence democracy. After writing down their responses, students will pair share with their neighbor. Then the teacher will have some of the students read their responses out loud.
Vocabulary (Content Language Development)
Students will go over the vocabulary during the anticipatory set. The vocabulary will also be addressed through out the lesson.
Compromise
Free Enterprise System
Law of Supply and Demand
Mixed Economy
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction)
The teacher will have the students pull out their Magruder’s textbook and turn to page 18. The teacher will ask the students follow along as the teacher reads the different titles and subtitles of the information throughout the section. The teacher will also point out the pictures in the section and read the captions. Teacher will also read the questions at the end of the section so the students get an idea of what are some areas to focus on while reading.
The teacher will start the reading by reading the first four paragraphs. After that, students will be chosen by volunteering or random selection to read two or three paragraphs depending on their length. Every once in a while, the teacher will read another paragraph out loud then let other students continue to read.
Afterwards, students are to get into groups of three or four and create a tree map graphic organizer. The teacher will walk around the room and monitor the groups.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities)
After the reading, the students will get into groups of three or four, and they are to fill out a tree map graphic organizer. Each student will be responsible for writing the main ideas of one theme from the section in their group. They are then to share what they wrote with the rest of the group and everyone writes down the important points.
Goals & Objectives
Students will understand the basic concepts of what makes up a democracy. Students will be able to use a graphic organizer to demonstrate their knowledge of the foundations of democracy, the connections between democracy and the free enterprise system, and the role of the internet in a democracy.
California State Content Standards
12.10 Students formulate questions about and defend their analyses of tensions within our constitutional democracy and the importance of maintaining a balance between the following concepts: majority rule and individual rights; liberty and equality; state and national authority in a federal system; civil disobedience and the rule of law; freedom of the press and the right to a fair trial; the relationship of religion and government.
Common Core Literacy Standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.
Driving Historical Question
How does individualism play a role in democracy?
Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge)
Teacher will have four vocabulary words written on the board: Compromise, Free enterprise system, Law of supply and demand, and Mixed Economy. Teacher will ask students to use the prior knowledge they have from economics to define these vocabulary terms. Students will also write down how they might relate to or influence democracy. After writing down their responses, students will pair share with their neighbor. Then the teacher will have some of the students read their responses out loud.
Vocabulary (Content Language Development)
Students will go over the vocabulary during the anticipatory set. The vocabulary will also be addressed through out the lesson.
Compromise
Free Enterprise System
Law of Supply and Demand
Mixed Economy
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction)
The teacher will have the students pull out their Magruder’s textbook and turn to page 18. The teacher will ask the students follow along as the teacher reads the different titles and subtitles of the information throughout the section. The teacher will also point out the pictures in the section and read the captions. Teacher will also read the questions at the end of the section so the students get an idea of what are some areas to focus on while reading.
The teacher will start the reading by reading the first four paragraphs. After that, students will be chosen by volunteering or random selection to read two or three paragraphs depending on their length. Every once in a while, the teacher will read another paragraph out loud then let other students continue to read.
Afterwards, students are to get into groups of three or four and create a tree map graphic organizer. The teacher will walk around the room and monitor the groups.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities)
After the reading, the students will get into groups of three or four, and they are to fill out a tree map graphic organizer. Each student will be responsible for writing the main ideas of one theme from the section in their group. They are then to share what they wrote with the rest of the group and everyone writes down the important points.
Lesson Closure
The teacher will end the lesson by asking students to think about how the internet can affect democracy in a positive and a negative way in the future. Using the other concepts from the section to explain their answers, students will do a free write to address the prompt.
Assessments (Formative & Summative)
Formative: The graphic organizer will serve as one of the main assessments. The teacher will get to see how the students are processing the information post-reading as they fill out their organizers.
Summative: The free write checks to see if students can apply the knowledge from the whole lesson and form a cohesive answer to a given prompt.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
The graphic organizer will be a big help for my ELs, striving readers, and SSNs. It will allow them to see the main ideas from the text pulled out and placed into smaller more manageable chunks. The pre-reading at the beginning will help those students understand the layout of the text book better and hearing others read out loud will benefit the Els and striving readers who may have trouble with written words. Working in groups for the graphic organizer will divide up the work and make it less daunting since they will only have to worry about one main theme.
Resources (Books, Websites, Handouts, Materials)
Magruder’s American Government (textbook)
Tree map graphic organizer template (handout)
The teacher will end the lesson by asking students to think about how the internet can affect democracy in a positive and a negative way in the future. Using the other concepts from the section to explain their answers, students will do a free write to address the prompt.
Assessments (Formative & Summative)
Formative: The graphic organizer will serve as one of the main assessments. The teacher will get to see how the students are processing the information post-reading as they fill out their organizers.
Summative: The free write checks to see if students can apply the knowledge from the whole lesson and form a cohesive answer to a given prompt.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
The graphic organizer will be a big help for my ELs, striving readers, and SSNs. It will allow them to see the main ideas from the text pulled out and placed into smaller more manageable chunks. The pre-reading at the beginning will help those students understand the layout of the text book better and hearing others read out loud will benefit the Els and striving readers who may have trouble with written words. Working in groups for the graphic organizer will divide up the work and make it less daunting since they will only have to worry about one main theme.
Resources (Books, Websites, Handouts, Materials)
Magruder’s American Government (textbook)
Tree map graphic organizer template (handout)