1. Topic-
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| Political Debate: The Creation of our Constitution |
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2. Content-
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Federalist and Anti-Federalists arguments and plans for the country.
Federalists
Anti-federalists
Articles of Confederation
Constitution
Bill of Rights
Sovereignty
dual-federalism
The Great Compromise
Bicameral legislature
United States Senate
House of Representatives
Legislative branch
Executive branch
Judicial branch
Amendments
Thomas Jefferson
Patrick Henry
Alexander Hamilton
James Madison |
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3. Goals: Aims/Outcomes-
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1. The Students should know and understand what the basic arguments
of the Federalists and the Anti-federalists were when the Constitution
was created and ratified.
2. The students should have a greater understanding of how and why
our government was set up the way it was?
3. Students should learn to work cooperatively and effectively in
groups, which will include students from all learning abilities and
levels.
4. Students should learn to express and defend abstract ideas orally
through debate. |
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4. Objectives-
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1. The first portion of this lesson plan will be lecture based.
This is to give the students background knowledge of the topic and
understand what they research. We will also watch portions of the
HBO series John Adams because it is an interesting and historically
accurate show that deals with this time and subject in history. This
supplement will hopefully engage the students.
2. The students will be split into two groups: one to represent of
the Federalists and one to represent the arguments of the Anti-federalists.
Each group will number of positions in the group that will require
from different students. (These different positions will be explained
under the section labeled accommodations.)
3. A period long debate will be held between the two groups. Each
debating their opinions (really the founding fathers' opinions) of
how the government should be designed, just how the founding fathers
did when creating the constitution. |
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5. Materials and Aids-
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1. Computer lab
2. Library
3. power point or overhead projection (for my lecture)
4. Television
5. DVD's and DVD player.
6. Copy machine
7. Timer
8. Buzzer |
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6. Procedures/Methods-
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A. Introduction-
| This project will be introduced through my lecture of the topic
and my explanation of what is expected out of the groups for the debate. |
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B. Development-
To be knowledgeable about the subject and be able to properly debate
the topic, the research of each group should answer but are not restricted
to the following questions.
1. Did the side you are representing favor strong federal government
or strong state government? why?
2. How did the side you are representing feel about the affectiveness
of the Articles of Confederation? why?
3. What was your respective side's opinion on a national bank?
4. What was your respective side's opinion on a national army?
5. What was your respective side's opinion on the position of the
of the president?
6. What was your respective side's opinion on a Bill of Rights? |
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C. Practice-
1. The class will spend one period in the computer lab where they
will print articles on their revolutions.
2. The class will spend one period in library to find and check out
books to help their research for their revolutions
3. The students will work in their groups during class to put together
their arguments. |
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D. Independent Practice-
| Students will be welcome to do extra research and debate practice
during their free time, but there will be no mandatory independent
work. |
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E. Accommodations (Differentiated Instruction)-
1.During the introductory stage, I will make sure any students with
learning, mental, emotional, or physical disabilities are sitting
near the from of the classroom. This will limit their distractions
and make it quicker and more convenient for me to check for their
understanding. I will also make copies of notes on the topic for students
who have disabilities that may inhibit their ability to comprehend
the subject we are learning about.
2. Once the groups are formed and the collaborative work begins, everyone
will be responsible to contribute to the group as much as possible.
Not everyone has to be a presenter in the debate. Students with emotional
disorders, speech and language disabilities, or physical disabilities
who do not feel comfortable with speaking infront of the class will
not have to. These students can hold the position of recorders, they
can be responsible for putting together the information an organized
fashion inwhich it can be presented. More severely challenged students
who lack the necessary skills to be presenters or recorders can be
workers. They can be in charge of printing articles, helping check
out books, stapling and putting together the presentations. No student
will be forced to be a recorder or a worker. Every student will have
the opportunity to present if they desire. The only way a student
will not be exempt from presenting is if the student feels that it
is to much responsibility, and the teacher agrees.
3.During the debate, students who do not have the ability to greatly
contribute to the presentations of either side, can help keep time
of answers and rebuttals or help me judge the debate. This is to help
them feel involved keep them attentive during the debate. |
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F. Checking for understanding-
1.I will go around to both groups to make sure that they are staying
on task as well as well as making sure that they are getting the main
points of each argument.
2.The groups will hand in a outline of the arguments a week prior
to the debate to make sure they are on schedule.
3. During the time for the groups to get together I will also make
myself available to help any students struggling with the subject. |
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G. Closure-
| After the presentation we will have a class discussion on how ideas
from both sides made it into the make up of our government and our
country. The founding fathers have shown how two strongly opposing
ideals can combined through compromise and make something great. |
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7. Evaluation-
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1. For this project the students will be evaluated on participation
and completed.
2. As long as the group completed the debate, everyone who participated
will be given full credit. |
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