Grade 3

Social Studies

Unit: 02

Lesson: 01

Suggested Duration: 2 days

Bases de nuestro gobierno

Lesson Synopsis:

Students learn about the Declaration of Independence and about the term “consent of the governed” as well as its relationship to the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. Students also learn about several Founding Fathers, including Benjamin Franklin, and their contributions to communities that have influenced history.

TEKS:

3.1 / The student understands how individuals, events, and ideas have influenced the history of various communities. The student is expected to:
3.1A / Describe how individuals, events, and ideas have changed communities, past and present.
3.1B / Identify individuals including: Pierre-Charles L'Enfant, Benjamin Banneker and Benjamin Franklin who have helped to shape communities.
3.1C / Describe how individuals, including Daniel Boone, Christopher Columbus, the Founding Fathers, and Juan de Oñate, have contributed to the expansion of existing communities or to the creation of new communities.
3.10 / The student understands important ideas in historical documents at various levels of government. The student is expected to:
3.10A / Identify the purposes of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of Rights.
3.10B / Describe and explain the importance of the concept of "consent of the governed" as it relates to the functions of local, state, and national government.
3.11 / Citizenship. The student understands characteristics of good citizenship as exemplified by historical and contemporary figures. The student is expected to:
3.11A / Identify characteristics of good citizenship including truthfulness, justice, equality, respect for oneself and others, responsibility in daily life, and participation in government by educating oneself about the issues, respectfully holding public officials to their word, and voting.
3.11C / Identify and explain the importance of individual acts of civic responsibility, including obeying laws, serving the community,serving on a jury, and voting.

Social StudiesSkills TEKS:

3.17 / Social studies skills. The student applies critical-thinking skills to organize and use information acquired from a variety of valid sources, including electronic technology. The student is expected to:
3.17C / Interpret oral, visual, and print material by identifying the main idea, distinguishing between fact and opinion, identifying cause and effect, and comparing and contrasting.
3.18 / Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to:
3.18C / Use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation.
Getting Ready for Instruction
Performance Indicator(s):
  • Create a graphic organizer (e.g., Frayer model) to help explain important ideas related to the idea “consent of the governed.” Elaborate, in a paragraph, on the importance of the term “consent of the governed” and explain its relationship to the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

©2012, TESCCC04/05/13page 1 of 6

Grade 3

Social Studies

Unit: 02 Lesson: 01

Key Understandings and Guiding Questions:
  • En una sociedad democrática, las personas votan por el líder que representa sus necesidades, gustos y deseos.

—¿Cómo participan las personas en el gobierno de una república constitucional?

—¿Por qué es importante “el consentimiento de los gobernados” para las funciones del gobierno local, estatal y nacional?

—¿Cuáles son los actos individuales de responsabilidad cívica/civil y por qué son importantes?

Vocabulary of Instruction:

©2012, TESCCC04/05/13page 1 of 6

Grade 3

Social Studies

Unit: 02 Lesson: 01

  • Consentimiento de los gobernados
  • voto
  • cimientos
  • independencia
  • líder
  • elección
  • agravio

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Grade 3

Social Studies

Unit: 02 Lesson: 01

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Kindergarten

Science

Unit: 01 Lesson: 01

Materials:

©2008, TESCCC 10/13/08page 1 of 6

Kindergarten

Science

Unit: 01 Lesson: 01

  • Refer to the Notes for Teacher section for materials.

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Kindergarten

Science

Unit: 01 Lesson: 01

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Kindergarten

Science

Unit: 01 Lesson: 01

Attachments:

  • Teacher Resources: Foundations
  • Handout: Founding Fathers Who Wrote the Declaration of Independence (1 per student or pair)
  • Handout:Grievances (cut apart, 1 slip per student)
  • Handout: Excerpt from the Declaration of Independence (cut apart, 1 slip per student)
  • Handout:Read, Consider, Re-read (1 per person)

©2011, TESCCC 05/26/11page 1 of 6

Grade 3

Social Studies

Unit: 02 Lesson: 01

Resources and References:
  • Research information on foundations, Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution.

Advance Preparation:
  1. Become familiar with content and procedures for the lesson, including the Read, Consider, Re-readstrategy.
  2. Refer to the Instructional Focus Document for specific content to include in the lesson.
  3. Select appropriate sections of the textbook and other classroom materials that support the learning for this lesson.
  4. Preview available resources and websites according to district guidelines.
  5. Prepare materials and handouts as needed.

Background Information:

Become familiar with the first few words of the Declaration of Independence.

Become familiar with and be sure to understand the concept of “consent of the governed.”

Getting Ready for Instruction Supplemental Planning Document

Instructors are encouraged to supplement and substitute resources, materials, and activities to differentiate instruction to address the needs of learners. The Exemplar Lessons are one approach to teaching and reaching the Performance Indicators and Specificity in the Instructional Focus Document for this unit. Instructors are encouraged to create original lessons using the Content Creator in the Tools Tab located at the top of the page. All originally authored lessons can be saved in the “My CSCOPE” Tab within the “My Content” area.

Instructional Procedures
Instructional Procedures / Notes for Teacher
ENGAGE–Vocabulary development / NOTE: 1 Day = 10 minutes
SuggestedDay 1–5 minutes
  1. Show pictures of foundations of buildings (Use the Teacher Resource: Foundations.)
  1. Introduce the comparison that just like a strong foundation is needed to build a strong house, when our nation began, a strong foundation was needed. Use words such as:
  • Whenever a structure like a house is built, the builder starts with a good foundation. What does a foundation mean?What is the foundation of a house usually made of?
  • For a house or building it usually is a cement slab with steel rods in it to make it strong. Can you imagine for a really big skyscraper how strong the foundation would have to be? The taller and heavier the building, the stronger the foundation needs to be.
/ Materials
  • Pictures of foundations of buildings
Attachments
  • Teacher Resource: Foundations

EXPLORE–Declaration and Continental Congress / SuggestedDay1–20 minutes
  1. Continue the analogy to talk about the foundation of our nation’s government. Use words such as:
  • This week we are celebrating Celebrate Freedom Week. We celebrate our way of life, the freedoms we enjoy, and remember the choices and decisions that were made to ensure our freedom.
  • Just like builders want to lay a strong foundation for a building they are building, the leaders who started the United States of America also wanted a strong foundation upon which to build a new country.
  • They knew that the laws and rules are the foundation of a country. The founding documents for our country are the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
  1. Students practice saying “Continental Congress” three or four times aloud as a group. Continue the discussion using words such as:
  • So the leaders of the 13 colonies met. They called the meeting the Continental Congress.
  • A Congress, to the Founding Fathers, meant an official meeting, assembly or gathering. They founded the country. They wrote the documents that form the foundation for our nation.
  1. Dissect the word congress:
  • con=with
  • gress=to walk
  • congress: a formal meeting or assembly of representatives for discussion
  • the leaders came together to meet and define path they would walk to achieve their goals
  1. Show slide 7
  1. The Declaration of Independence was written by a committee of five of the Founding Fathers. It was written to address the grievances of the colonists. Thomas Jefferson was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence document. The four other people who helped him write the Declaration of Independence were:
  • John Adams of Massachusetts
  • Roger Sherman of Connecticut
  • Robert Livingston of New York
  • Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania
  1. Distribute the Handout: Founding Fathers Who Wrote the Declaration of Independence
  1. Show slide 8.
  1. The leaders understood they were writing important documents that would shape our nation, and our communities.
  1. Show slides9, 10 and 11
  1. Show slide 12 and click on the link to go to the Declaration of Independence at the National Archives Charters of Freedom site.
  1. Provide some background for students regarding the colonies. Background that needs to be provided depends on students’ prior knowledge. Some background could include:
  • The Colonists were very unhappy with King George and Britain (the colonies were part of Britain). They were unhappy about quite a few things. They called them grievances. A grievance is a complaint.
  1. Distribute the Handout: Grievances to each student.
  1. Students read this summary of grievances.
  1. Provide background information to help students understand some of the background for why the founding documents were written. If desired, use the Handout: Independence from Great Britain. Students follow along while Teacher reads the Handout aloud.
  1. Guide students to conclude the main idea:
  • The leaders of the American colonies felt King George and the British were being unfair by not listening to their complaints, not allowing the colonists to vote on decisions (no consent of the governed), and charging far too much money for taxes.
  • The American colonists decided to gather the main leaders of the colonies. The colonies were on the continent of America. Therefore, the meeting was called the First Continental Congress.
  1. Teacher read aloud the Handout: Independence from Britain while students follow along.
/ Materials:
  • Painting of Signing of the Declaration of Independence by Trumbull
  • Declaration of Independence Charters of Freedom at the National Archives
Attachments
  • Teacher Resource: Foundations
  • Handout: Founding Fathers Who Wrote the Declaration of Independence(1 per student or pair)
  • Handout: Grievances (1 per student or pair)
  • Handout: Independence from Great Britain (1 per student or pair)

EXPLAIN – 3-2-1 / Suggested Days 1 –10 minutes
  1. Students write:
  • 3 people who were part of the Continental Congress
  • 2 grievances the colonists had against King George
  • 1 person who wrote the Declaration of Independence

EXPLORE – Founding Documents / SuggestedDays1–15 minutes
  1. Show slide 13 of the Teacher Resource: Foundations.
  1. Distribute the Handout: Excerpt from the Declaration of Independence.
  1. Also distribute theHandout: Read, Consider, Re-read. Students place their name on the chart and follow teacher directions to read the document four times, rating their understanding of the document each time. (Questions for the middle column can be posed as a class and posted as an anchor chart to be discussed between readings.
  1. Students summarize on the bottom of the chart by summarizing what they learned by reading/discussing the document four times.
  1. Distribute the Handout: Excerpt from the Declaration of Independence.
  1. As a class, students read aloud the excerpt from the Declaration of Independence one more time.
/ Materials:
  • Declaration of Independence
Attachments:
  • Teacher Resource: Foundations
  • Handout: Excerpt from the Declaration of Independence(cut apart, 1 slip per student)
  • Handout: Read, Consider, Re-read(1 per student)
Instructional Note:
It is important that students recognize that the ideas incorporated in the Declaration of Independence (and the constitution and Bill of Rights were ideas that changed communities – the individuals who chose to meet and write the documents, the actual act of writing the documents, and the ideas embodied in the founding documents – changed communities, past and present
EXPLAIN – Meet state mandate / Suggested Day 2–5 minutes
  1. Show slide 16 of theTeacher Resource: Foundations.
  1. Student pairs take turns reading aloud the excerpt from the Declaration of Independence.
/ Attachments
  • Teacher Resource: Foundations
  • Handout: Excerpt from the Declaration of Independence (cut apart, 1 slip per student)

EXPLORE – Benjamin Franklin – individuals shape communities / Suggested Day 2 (cont’d)–15 minutes
  1. Segue from the Declaration of Independence to a discussion of consent of the governed.
  1. Introduce Benjamin Franklin as a good citizen who helped shape communities as part of the group of leaders who wrote the founding documents. He once said, “in free governments the rulers are the servants and the people their superiors and sovereigns.”(If desired, use the Teacher Resource: Benjamin Franklin: A Wise Founding Father.)
  1. In a discussion, help students understand the concept of Consent of the governed: When people agree to establish and abide by a government, they consent to be governed. According to the core beliefs of the United States, as articulated in the articulated in the Declaration of Independence the only legitimate government is one based on the consent of the governed.
  1. Show students a picture of the Constitution from the National Archives Charters of Freedom website and facilitate a discussion where students share what they know and what they want to know about the Constitution.
  1. When the Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution, they designed our government as a constitutional republicwhose representatives derive their authority from the consent of the governed. Those representativesserve for an established tenure and are sworn to uphold the constitution. (The people elect representatives, who make decisions in the best interest of the people anddo the will of the people who elected them. People then re-elect them or elect other representatives, whether at the local, state or national level.)
  1. Continue the discussion, encouraging students to provide examples and non-examples of consent of the governed and determine how to describe the characteristics that can be used to recognize consent of the governed, and then define it in their own words.
/ Materials
  • Information on Benjamin Franklin
  • Constitution of the United States
Attachments
  • Teacher Resource: Benjamin Franklin: A Wise Founding Father(optional)
Instructional Note:
Benjamin Franklin is included as an example of good citizen several times during the year. In this lesson he is looked at as a one of the founding fathers who helped shape communities by participating in writing Declaration and Constitution. In Unit 4, Franklin’s contributions to human characteristics of place are studied, including lending libraries, fire brigades, and post roads. InUnit 5, on cultural characteristics of communities, Franklin’s participation in community is highlighted, including the fire brigade and Junto Group.
EXPLAIN / Suggested Day 2 (cont’d)–5 minutes
  1. Draw a picture of Benjamin Franklin being a good citizen. Write a caption for the picture, describing how he helped shape communities.

ELABORATE –Celebrate Freedom Week / Suggested Day 2(cont’d)–10 minutes
  1. Facilitate a discussion where students share what they have learned in the lesson, including information about the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, consent of the governed, the Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin, voting as a responsible act of good citizenship, and other topics. In the discussion, students answer the guiding questions and support the Key Understanding.
  2. In a democratic society, people vote for the leader who represents their needs, wants and desires.
—How do people participate in government in a constitutional republic?
—Why is “consent of the governed” important to the functions of local, state, and national government?
—What are the individual acts of civic responsibility, and why are they important?
EVALUATE – Consent of the Governed / Suggested Day 2(cont’d)–15minutes
  1. Create a graphic organizer (e.g., Frayer model) to help explain important ideas related to the idea “consent of the governed.” Elaborate, in a paragraph, on the importance of the term “consent of the governed” and explain its relationship to the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
  1. A Frayer model is one type of organizer that could be created. A Cause-Effect chain or bubble map are others that could be used.
/ Instructional Note:

©2012, TESCCC04/05/13page 1 of 6