Project-Based Unit

Project-Based Unit

Title of Unit: Civics and Government

Subject Area	Grade Level	Time to Complete
Social Studies	3/4	3 weeks

Author’s Name

School Address

Phone, E-mail

Deborah Plourde, Ann Ostroski, Carol Hastings

John Fuller Elementary School

N. Conway, NH 03860

603-356-5381

dplourde@landmarknet.net

a_ostrsk@unixserv.kennett.k12.nh.us

c_hastngs@unixserv.kennett.k12.nh.us

Framing Question

[Insert your framing question and sub-questions (if applicable) here.]

How do groups of people make rules so people are treated fairly?

Workplace or Community Context

The Presidential election will be held in 2000. This project is designed to introduce third graders to the election process and the concept of democracy. This unit of study in the Social Studies Curriculum can be connected to the community through visitors from our town government, local police or lawyers.. During this election year, there will be lots of news coverage and real world experiences to which students can relate their study.

The Project

Overview

Students will create a ten page book to share with their reading buddies that summarizes how a democracy works. Each page will focus on a specific part of government or election process. Topics will include the constitution, the American flag and the Pledge of Allegiance, the three branches of government, the election process, and the two party system.

Books pages will include handwriting practice, form, charts, student artwork, and writing.

Alignment with District Curriculum Frameworks

[In the table below, list frameworks and describe which component of your project addresses each framework.]

Framework	How it is addressed in your project
Students should acquire civic competence, and display a commitment to democratic principles. They should want to become fully engaged in the activities of a democratic society and will possess the knowledge and skills to do so.	Create a classroom constitution. Conduct a mock election Complete voter registration card. Page 8 Visitation from Supervisor of Checklist.
Students should understand the concepts of government, its origin, purposes, limitations, and influence over time.	Complete book pages 4, 5,6,7, for each branch of the government
Students should understand, appreciate, and evaluate the purposes and operation of the American political system, and the importance of its contributions to government and civic life.	Complete pages 9 and 10. Students will learn symbols for the parties and paint and paste to add to book.
Students should understand the relationship between individual responsibility and self –governance in democratic societies.	Students will understand what makes a good citizen in the classroom through class meetings. Good citizenship will be rewarded with positive comments.
Language Arts Curriculum Grade 3 (SAU 9) #9	Students will write a persuasive piece supporting one of the candidates.
Language Arts Curriculum Grade 3 (SAU 9)#2	Completion and sharing of book for reading buddies.
Math Numeration	Students will count and tabulate votes. Results will be posted in the school hallway.
Math 6B graphing	Students will poll ten relatives, or neighbors. They will tally, graph, and interpret results.
Students should understand the relationship between the American political system and the political systems of other nations, and the conduct of the world affairs.	Current events share. Open Ended Writing Piece

TIMELINE

[In the table below, break your project down into achievable steps or milestones and describe each. Also, in sequence, list and describe classroom and workplace activities that support your project.]

Project Step or Supporting Activity	Description
Develop a classroom Constitution.	Use the EBD model to brainstorm and construct a classroom Constitution. Copy, tea-stain it and burn the edges for page 1 in book.
View Videos.	Students will watch the following videos and write a journal entry in their response journal: "Community Rules and Laws", "How Communities are Alike and Different", "US Constitution", "Schoolhouse Rock"
Define the government of the United States as America as a democracy.	Discuss flag as a symbol and meaning of stars and stripes. Make an American flag (9x12). Use rulers to measure (p. 2 of book) .
	Hand write the Pledge of Allegiance (p. 3 of book).
Introduce the branches of government (executive, judicial, and legislative).	Tree Template (p. 4 of book).
Focus on Executive Branch of government.	Read aloud and discuss: Woodrow the White House Mouse. Students will choose a department of the executive branch in which the would like to work. They will design a logo and write a sentence explaining their job (p. 5).
Focus on Legislative Branch of government.	Read aloud and discuss: Court Mouse. Color and label a picture of the capitol building (p. 6).
Focus on Judicial Branch of government.	Read aloud and discuss: House Mouse, Senate Mouse.
	Role play and resolve a "classroom issue" that is fair/unfair.
	Guest speaker: A person who works for this branch of government (i.e. police or lawyer) will come to class and talk about his/her job. Student reaction in journal.
	On p. 7 of the book students will represent a symbol of the Judicial branch i.e. scale
Election Process	Guest speaker: Supervisor of Checklist will visit the class and talk about his/her job. Students will fill out a voter registration card for page 8.
	Homework: do a poll of 5 people at home.
Introduce 2-party system.	Representatives from both parties visit the class.
	Students will paint/paste symbols of these parties (donkey and elephant) p. 9.
Persuasive writing piece: For whom will you vote?	Students will write a paragraph supporting the reason for their vote and design p. 10 around this work.
Vocabulary	Students will use a variety of games, activities throughout the unit to develop vocabulary.

Project Resources

[Include published curricula, texts, lessons you developed, materials, technology, people and places that you will use as resources for the project-based unit.]

Woodrow, the White House Mouse by Peter and Cheryl Barnes

House Mouse, Senate Mouse

Candidates, Campaigns, and Elections (Scholastic)

How to Be President (Really Good Stuff)

Tools for the EBD Classroom

Patriotic Wordsearches, Codes and Crossword Puzzles

Teacher’s Helper (September and October 1999)

Videos

School House Rocks: America Rocks

Birth of the Constitution

Communities, Rules, and Laws

How Communities Are Alike and Different

United States Constitution

Commmunity Contacts

Gary Anderson or Chris Perley Conway PD

Supervisor or Clerk of the Checklist Conway Town Hall

Representatives from Carroll County Democratic and Republican Parties

Teacher Generated Materials

Assessment

[Describe, in detail, how you will assess the project. Include rubrics that you will use to score student products.]

Informal assessment will be ongoing in the form of teacher observations, class group participation, and journal responses.

Vocabulary assessment through word finds and/ or crossword puzzles.

Government Books will be assessed by teacher made rubric. Students will self assess using a checklist.

Reading Buddies will provide feedback orally and using a picture rubric.

Students will complete an open response question on government. ( See below) This will be scored by a rubric. (See below)

Implementation Plan

When do you plan to implement your project-based unit?

The classroom constitution will be developed within the first week of school. The book project will be introduced in October and completed by the beginning of November. The mock election will be held on election day.

List the steps you need to take to implement your project-based unit. Include approximate meeting dates with your peers and your project-based learning consultant.

Three day Project Based Learning Unit Development
Gather and produce materials early September.
Contact speakers
Weekly team meetings to plan and fine tune activities.

September 10, 2000

Dear Reading Buddies,

The kindergarten, first, and second graders need your help! We want our students to understand how our country elects a president since this is an election year. We think you might be able to explain this process even better than we can.

We talked with your third grade teachers and they thought you might be able to make a book to share during reading time. This book should have lots of colorful pictures, charts, and clearly written sentences. As you read this book you can explain all you know about our government.

Please remember that the children in our classes are young. They learn best when they can see pictures, and listen to information.

We hope you will help us.

Sincerely,

Your friends in the Primary

Wing

Open Response Question to CIVICS AND GOVERNMENT Unit:

You are visiting a family in another country. The family has two children, ages 8 and 6. You were talking to them about our recent election and they asked how your government works.

Write as much as you can explaining our American government. Include information on how citizens are part of a democracy, the three branches of government, and the election process.

Use your class notes, activities, and the book project you made for your reading buddy as references to help you. Remember to write in complete sentences, use capital letters, punctuation, and check your spelling as you go along.

RUBRIC for Open Response Question

Response is complete. It clearly explains the democratic process. It provides accurate and relevant detail about being a citizen, the three branches of government, and the election process. Nothing more could be added.

The reponse is solid and shows considerable thought and planning. Details are present and accurate.

The response is partial and indicates a fairly good understanding of the topic. Details are present and may not be altogether accurate. Unrelated information may also be present.

The response is fragmented and little prior planning or prior thought is evident. Misunderstandings are present and a lack of interest or cooperation may have been noticed during work time.

Mt. Washington Valley School-to-Career Coordinator
PO Box 1066 Conway, NH 03818 Phone/Fax: 603-447-2350