Overview of Activity: In this activity, students will work in groups of three to create and present skits with pictowords to learn and apply the key terms relating to government.
Objective: To identify significant terms used to describe the process and responsibilities of government.
Materials: list of terms and definitions, checklist for creating skits and pictowords, definition matrix for notes, posterboard, markers, and rubric for presentations
Procedural Steps:
- Before class, divide your students into heterogeneous groups of three based on gender, multiple intelligences, readiness, interest, and learning style.
- Tell students that they will create and present skits and pictowords to learn nine different government terms: limited government, separation of powers, federalism, popular sovereignty, checks and balances, individual rights, executive branch, legislative branch and judicial branch. Explain that these terms will allow them to better understand the process and responsibilities of the government. Use the following information to explain what a pictoword is:
A pictoword is a symbolic representation of a word or phrase that shows its meaning. For example, a pictoword of crowded might show the letters of the word very close together, and a pictoword for lean might show the letters of the word leaning to one side.
- Once the students understand what a pictoword is, give each group one of the nine terms and definitions. Tell students they must not reveal their term to any other group. Explain that each group has two responsibilities:
1) to create a 1 to 3 minute skit that demonstrates the meaning of
their term and,
2) to design a pictoword for the term to convey its meaning.
- Allow students to choose from the following roles:
Facilitator: Helps brainstorm ideas for skit and pictoword. Makes sure both the skit and the pictoword are completed on time. Coordinates the efforts of the group. Is responsible for updating the checklist with the teacher. Performs in skit.
Writer: Solicits input for skit from all group members. Writes script for the skit. Helps brainstorm ideas for pictoword. Performs in skit.
Designer: Helps brainstorm ideas for skit. Solicits input for pictoword from all group members. Creates pictoword of term. Performs in skit.
- Make sure that each group has the Checklist Handout.
- Tell students that they may not use the term in their skit, but rather must act out the term’s meaning in a short drama, charade, pantomime, or dramatic reading. For example, for “prohibition” students might act out a scene in a family where the parent forbids the child from getting a tattoo.
- Once students understand how to create skits and pictowords for their terms, have them begin working. Remind students not to share their terms with other groups. Have students create their pictowords on poster board. Allow time for groups to complete the task. Circulate around the room to check progress, but do not hover or interfere with the group’s progress. Have students come to you for your initials for each step on the Checklist Handout.
Presentations:Ask the first group to come to the front of the room and present their skit. After the presentation, have students in the audience review their government terms and discuss which definition they think was portrayed in the skit. Have students justify their answers, and discuss the key parts of the skit that illustrated the term’s meaning. Once the class has identified the correct definition, have the presenting group reveal their term. Then have them present and explain their pictoword. Continue this process until all groups have presented their skits and pictowords.
Debrief: After all students have presented their skits, discuss the following questions with the students.
- How do these skits and pictowords accurately reflect the definition of the government terms?
- How could the skits and pictowords be changed to more accurately reflect the government terms?
- How do these terms apply to your life?
Interactive Student Notebook:
Preview: Have the students copy and answer the following question in their notebook.
“How does government affect your life on a daily basis? Explain.”
Notes: Have students take notes during the presentations of the skits on the handout provided.
Process: Create a spectrum of the government terms. Have the students rank the terms in order of importance from the most important to the least important in their own lives. Each definition must be used and supported on their spectrum.
Government Terms
Limited Government: In a limited government everyone, including all authority figures, must obey the laws.
Republicanism: A philosophy of limited government with elected representatives serving at the will of the people.
Checks and Balances: The U.S. Constitution authorizes each branch of government (executive, legislative and judicial) to share its powers with the other branches and thereby limit their activities and power.
Federalism: The distribution of power between a national government and the states within a union.
Separation of Powers: Each branch of government (executive, legislative and judicial)is given an equal set of powers, which are limited, or checked by the other branches of government.
Popular Sovereignty: Political power rests with the people who can create, alter, and abolish government by voting.
Individual Rights: in a democratic culture, human beings are born with certain unalienable rights, which governments should preserve and protect. In our Constitution, these rights are found in the first 10 amendments, or the Bill of Rights.
Judicial Branch: interprets the laws
Legislative Branch: makes the laws
Executive Branch: carries out laws
Bringing Government Terms to Life
Performance Evaluation
Group members:
Were all group members on task as they prepared for the skit? /10
(Check Off Sheet)
Was all the important information included? /25
Did the pictoword represent the government term? /25
Did all members of the group equally participate in the skit?/10
Did group members use voice and positioning of their bodies
to dramatically represent the government term? /20
Was the skit the appropriate length?/10
Total Score/100
Bringing Government Terms to Life
Checklist
Group Members: ______
______
______
______1. Choose your role.
Facilitator – helps brainstorm ideas for skit and pictoword.
Makes sure both the skit and pictoword are completed on time. Coordinates the efforts of the group. Performs in skit.
Writer – Gets ideas for skit from all group members. Writes skit with help from group members. Helps brainstorm ideas for pictoword. Performs in skit.
Designer – Helps brainstorm ideas for skit. Gets ideas for pictoword from all group members. Creates pictoword of term. Performs in skit.
______2. Review your Government term. Carefully read and discuss
the definition of your government term. You must be able to
explain your term in your own words before you can proceed to
the next step.
______3. Brainstorm ideas for your skit. You must create and present
a 1 to 3 minute skit that demonstrates the meaning of your
term. You may not include your term in your skit. Instead, you
must act out the term’s meaning in a short drama, charade,
pantomime or dramatic reading.
______4. Write the script. Write the script for your term that explains
the meaning of the term without revealing the term in your
script.
______5. Create your pictoword. You must create a pictoword of your
term – a symbolic representation of your term that shows its
meaning - on a sheet of posterboard. Color it!
______6. Rehearse your skit. You must make sure everyone in the
group knows their lines and how you are going to act out the
skit.
Social Studies SuccessPage 1
Term / Definition / How does the group portray the term? / Sketch the pictowordLimited Government
Separation of Powers
Federalism
Popular Sovereignty
Checks and Balances
Individual Rights
Executive Branch
Legislative Branch
Judicial Branch
Bringing Government Terms to Life
Social Studies SuccessPage 1