This is a whole group lesson designed for third grade. This lesson will focus on the delegates who signed the Constitution of the United States of America. In this lesson the students will study, compare, and contrast the delegates of the Convention. The students will use a biography web site that will give a description of the signers. The students will assume the role of a signer and write from the character's point of view in the time period.
Primary
Learning Outcome(s)
A. The
students will identify the signers of the Constitution.
B. The
students will write a simulated journal assuming the role of one of the
Constitution signers.
Assessed
QCC(s)
Social Studies
Core Social
Study Skills
24
Topic: Information
Processing
Standard:
Gathers information through reading, listening, observing and surveying.
Language Arts
Written Communication
41
Topic: Writing
Standard:
Writes in a variety of genres to include: -Personal narratives -Imaginative
stories -Responses to literature -Content area pieces -Correspondence (including
writing letters and addressing envelopes).
Language Arts
Written Communication
42
Topic: Writing
Standard:
Applies correct principles of grammar, parts of speech, and usage and mechanics:
-Writes complete sentences; -Uses correct capitalization and punctuation;
-Uses correct word structure; -Identifies types of sentences according
to purpose: declarative, interrogative, imperative, exclamatory Identifies
the parts of a sentence in various sentence patterns (Simple subject and
predicate); -Forms singular, plural, and possessive nouns;-Applies standard
conventions of American English in subject verb agreement; -Demonstrates
knowledge of nouns, pronouns, verbs, and adjectives in writing simple sentences.
Total Duration: 45 minutes
Materials
and Equipment:
Charters of
Freedom web site "America's Founding Fathers"
pencil
paper
Procedures
Step 1:
The teacher
will explain the assignment to the class. Each student will have the opportunity
to use the internet to explore the Charter of Freedom web sites. When the
students retrieve this web site from the intro page, they will link to
the page that is titled "America's Founding Fathers". This page has a listing
of all the delegates who signed the Constitution. Each has a link that
connects to their personal biographical page. The students are to search
through the delegates and choose one that interests them the most.
Estimated Time: 5 minutes
Step 2:
Before reading
about the delegate of their choice, the student needs to write questions
that they would like to know or read about the delegate. Next, the students
are to read and take notes on what they read and find out about the delegate.
Then the student organizes what they have found out about his or her delegate.
The student should look for differences or similarities in the lives, environments,
and time periods compared to the present day.
Estimated Time: 20 minutes
Step 3:
After the
student has read and studied their delegate, they are to assume the role
of that historical person and write from that person's viewpoint about
the United States Constitution. Students should plan out their journal
carefully, choosing and interesting signer and use the writing process
to draft, revise, edit, and publish their journals.
Estimated Time: 20 minutes
Assessment
The student
will complete a simulated journal and turn it in for a grade. The student
should check and make sure that the journal entry stays on the topic, they
have assumed the role of the historical figure, correct grammar and mechanics,
and they have written two paragraphs.
Rubric
The student
will use the internet appropriately to identify and read about the signers
of the Constitution.
___ (5-4)
Very Good
___ (4-3) Good
___ (2-0) Needs Improvement
The student
assumed the role of one signer of the Constitution and wrote in the journal
format.
___ (5-4)
Very Good
___ (4-3) Good
___ (2-0) Needs Improvement
The student
used correct grammar and mechanics when writing their simulated journal.
___ (5-4)
Very Good
___ (4-3) Good
___ (2-0) Needs Improvement
Pre/Post
Test
1. Name one
of the delegates who signed the Constitution. Briefly give a description
of the signer.
(Rubric: Answers
will vary depending upon who they researched during this lesson. Correctness
will be judged on the basis of the student writing a signer and give at
least two sentences about that historical person.)
2. How many
delegates signed the final draft of this Constitution?
a. 6
b. 13
c. 2
d. 16
