This lesson is envisioned as a two-day lesson, which can be extended to a third day, by including an additional day of preparation for the consensus building exercise, and another day for including the New Thinking on Climate Crisis enrichment video.

Common Core Standards Correlation:

English Language Arts Standards - History/Social Studies - Grades 6-8:

Key Ideas and Details:

RH.6-8.1. RH.6-8.2. RH.6-8.3.

Craft and Structure:

RH.6-8.4. RH.6-8.5. RH.6-8.6.

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:

RH.6-8.7.

Readings/Resources:

Save the Earth commercial, http://youtu.be/KCYYhEiTuro; HNN backgrounder fact sheet, Climate Change Arguments Explained word document; rap song Click It – Flip It! http://www.epa.gov/climateforaction/learn/rap.htm; TED Talk by Al Gore: New Thinking on Climate Crisis http://www.ted.com/talks/al_gore_s_new_thinking_on_the_climate_crisis.html;

Objectives: SWBAT

•Identify various terms related to climate change from the HNN backgrounder

•Explore different arguments about climate change

•Distinguish between scientific fact and personal opinions

•Evaluate whether climate change is man-made or a natural process

DAY ONE:

A. Introduction (Bell Ringer): http://youtu.be/KCYYhEiTuro

Have students view the following Save the Earth Alliance for Change commercial and answer the following questions:

a. What issue(s) about climate does this commercial address?

b. How does this commercial want you to act on these issue(s)?

c. To what extent are these issues contentious?

Essential Question:

Is climate change an issue caused by humans that our government must act upon?

B. Backgrounder: Move to a general review discussion of the HNN Backgrounder:

1) Review the following vocabulary terms as you move through discussion questions:

•Keystone Pipeline; contaminate; environmentalism; Green Party; Earth Day; Industrial Revolution; coal emissions; noxious gases; Sierra Club; Sequoia National Park; Yosemite National Parks

2) Have students identify the current issue over environmentalism in the backgrounder.

3) How did we come to this point?

•Have students review the position of the left and the right political groups, and relate how those positions underscored events over time through analysis of the chronology of Historical Background

C. Analysis:

1) Why do we celebrate Earth Day?

Show a brief PowerPoint to introduce Earth Day to students. This can be modified or expanded and the slides can be reproduced as handouts.

2) What issues would the Environmental Protection Agency want us to consider?

Play the EPA Rap Song Click It -- Flip It! While students are listening, have them create a list of all of the environmental actions the rap discusses that a citizen can take to help the environment.

http://www.epa.gov/climateforaction/learn/rap.htm

D. Homework:

Use the handout, Climate Change Arguments Explained, to assign arguments for students to research. Break the class up into two groups: one for man-made climate change, and the other against man-made climate change.

In each of these respective groups, then assign one argument (out of the five from the handout) per student to study, and prepared to debate the following day.

HW ASSIGNMENT:

1) Have each student read and explain the argument in their own words

2) Each student must bring in one piece of evidence to support that particular argument. Evidence can range from a statistics, newspaper clipping, think tank analysis, government document or excerpt from an academic paper.

NOTE: Have students mark the citation information on their respective piece of evidence.

DAY TWO:

A. Consensus Based Decision Making Public Forum:

The objective of this exercise is to experience consensus based decision-making.

•Have each large group work together for five to ten minutes to bring all the arguments together, sharing their personal analysis from the homework assignment.

•Then each individual presents his or her arguments and evidence in a general presentation of the material.

•Anyone in the class is allowed to ask questions for clarification. This part should not be a discussion on the merits or failings of the position, but rather the goal of “clarifying the position” to ensure that everyone in the class understands what is being asserted.

•After all the arguments have been presented, the floor then opens for discussion and debate. It is at this point that the ideas either fail or are pushed forward during the discussion.

•Once the analysis reaches a point where a “significant” portion of the assembly agrees, then it is time to move forward, and affirm the consensus of the body.

B. Debriefing Questions:

1) What were some of the stumbling blocks toward building consensus on climate change?

2) How would one have to present arguments effectively to meet those challenges?

3) Assess what it would take as a citizenry to make such a forum happen. How effective would CBDM be as a means of establishing a national consensus on climate change?

C. Summary Question:

To what extent is climate change a man-made or natural process?

ENRICHMENT:

1) Have students view TED Talk by Al Gore: New Thinking on Climate Crisis http://www.ted.com/talks/al_gore_s_new_thinking_on_the_climate_crisis.html

2) Have students examine the history of the Conservation Movement between 1850 and 1920. Break up students into groups and for each time period on the site, have students create PowerPoint presentations to present to the class http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amrvhtml/conshome.html.

Common Core Standards Correlation:

Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies Grades 9 – 12: standards 1 – 4, and 6 – 9

Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies Grades 9 – 12: standards 1 - 9

Readings/Resources:

HNN backgrounder; Interactive 1040EZ Form (PDF); article Seeking a Simpler Tax Code, by David Herszenhorn; Mark Fiore video on tax policy, handout Debate Research Preparation.

Objectives:  SWBAT

• Identify various forms of federal income taxation
• Understand how to fill out a simplified federal tax form
• Analyze the importance of taxes on the progress of society
• Evaluate which tax policies are best for America’s development

DAY ONE:

1. Introduction: Bell Ringer

Based on the amount of money you had to pay, do you feel your tax share was fair?

2. Activity: Review the Backgrounder

3. How Federal Income Tax Works

4. Summary Question: To what extent is the process of collecting taxes easy?

HW Assignment: Have students read Seeking the Path to a Simpler Tax Code and answer the Questions to Consider.

DAY TWO

4. Introduction (Bell Ringer): The Debate over Tax Code

Questions to Consider:

2. Positions on Tax Codes

3. Review Homework Article

4. Introduce Debate Activity

Resolved: A progressive tax policy is the best policy for an efficient government?

Homework Assignment: Have students research their assigned topic for the class debate using the Debate Research Graphic Organizer

Day III

Activity: Debate the Resolution

Debriefing Questions:

1. How well did your group meet the criteria established at the beginning of the round?

2. To what extent is tax reform an easy process?

3. What would it take for Congress to reform the tax code?

ENRICHMENT:

1. Have students create an annotated timeline/chronology of tax legislation in the United States

2. Students should write a letter to Congress supporting their position on reforming the tax code

3. Have students create a Rap PSA that informs students how to file their taxes when they are independent adults

Goal:

Students will understand the topic of gun control and express their opinions through a RAFT assignment. Students will participate in a lock down drill and understand the procedures.

Objectives:

Essential Question: How can gun violence be reduced?

Procedures:

Attention Getter: 

Tell students that in 2012 alone, almost 450 people in Chicago died from something. Have them guess what it could be. After a few guesses have been made, tell students that these deaths were from gun violence. (For more information, see this article from the Chicago Sun-Times)

Main Lesson:

Conclusion

When the RAFT activity is wrapped up, explain to the students that schools have plans to keep students safe in the event that the school is threatened in any way, including gun related threats. Go through your school’s lockdown procedures and have students take part in a brief drill.

Accommodations for students with special needs

Duration:  One 35-45 minute lesson.

Goal:

Students will understand the modern political issues associated with Social Security.

Objectives:

Essential Question: What are the financial problems with Social Security?

NCSS Themes:

Procedures:

Attention Getter: 

Ask students how they plan to support themselves financially when they are over the age of 65. Pick on a few students and have them share their future financial plans. Then, ask the class if they know anyone who is older than 65. Ask them to raise their hands if they know anyone who receives Social Security. If anyone raises their hand, pick one or two students to explain what they think Social Security is. If no one knows, then move on to the activity. 

Main Lesson:

1) Divide students into two groups, one group being much larger than the other. For example, one group will have 10 students and the other group will have 20.

2) Explain to students that the large group represents retired people in America who are 65 and older and the small group represents the working people. 

3) Give each person in the small group a sandwich bag with candy bars. Tell the class that this represents a paycheck. Then, pick up the basket and have each worker put one candy bar into the basket.  Tell the class that this represents the money that goes towards Social Security each paycheck.

4) Stand in front of the class and have students count the candy bars in the basket with you.  Then, count how many retired people there are in the class.

5) Ask students to point out the problem with the number of candy counted compared to the number of retired people in the class. Ask them how they would be able to distribute the existing candy bars to the retired people.

6) If students suggest cutting the bars up, then tell them that they need at least one full bar per person to survive.

7) Ask students how to make sure each retired person has one full bar.

8) Ask students what caused the shortage of candy bars.  Make sure that it has been pointed out that there are more retired people than working people. Also, point out that people who are working give up part of their paychecks to pitch in to the Social Security funds, which are then used to pay people who are retired.

9) Pass out note cards and have students write brief solutions to the candy bar/money shortage. After they are collected, quickly go through them with the class anonymously.

10) Pick the best few suggestions and go through a new simulation for each chosen solution. For example, if a student suggested raising the retirement age to 70, take a few people out of the retirement group and place them into the working group. Give them a bag, collect the candy bars in the basket again, and count out the new totals.

Conclusion

Have students write an exit slip telling you if they think Social Security is a good idea and how they would alter the program.

Materials Needed:

Sandwich bags with approximately ten small candy bars in each one, basket, backgrounder, note cards

Accommodations for students with special needs

1) During the index card activity, give prompts to students who need help.

2) Provide a scribe or student to help those who struggle with writing.

The first day of the lesson reviews the general causes, characteristics and proposed solutions to the debt crisis. This first lesson, which could easily extend to a two-day lesson, would then provide the basic substance for developing a Public Service Announcement (PSA) project that would require two days of class-time group work for planning. The project would be completed outside of class. When the project is completed, an additional day would be needed for presentations of each group’s video or poster project.

Common Core Standards Correlation:

Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies Grades 9-12: standards 1-4, and 6-9

Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies Grades 9-12: standards 1-9

Readings/Resources:

Objectives:

DAY ONE:

A. Introduction (Bell Ringer):

I) Have students review the rap video Raise the Debt Ceiling

While students listen have them identify the cause, and characteristics of the debt crisis sung in the video. Through open sharing, discuss what the debt crisis is, how raising the ceiling of debt is used to solve the crisis, and a simple overview of solutions from left and right political groups.

Essential Question: To what extent is raising the debt ceiling necessary to solve America’s debt crisis?

B. Backgrounder: Move to a general review discussion of the HNN Backgrounder: review the causes and characteristics in greater depth; reaffirm the position of the left and the right political groups, and review “debt crises” throughout American history.

1) Have students view the video The U.S. Debt Crisis and take notes on the details of the current debt problem.

2) In a class discussion, consider the following: What would the founding fathers think about the debt-ceiling crisis?

I) Have students consider who holds the credit, and how the United States built up our recent debt (see information below), then compare that information with the chart of increasing debt:

II) The Public: Includes debt held by individuals, corporations, banks and insurance companies, pension and mutual funds, state and local governments.

1) President Obama (2009-11): Stimulus spending, tax cuts, and the effects of 2007-9 recession in lost revenues and automatic spending, like unemployment compensation.

III) Foreign Countries: China, Japan, Britain, and Oil-exporting countries, and various smaller countries

1) George W. Bush (2001-9) Tax cuts, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, economic downturn in 2001 and recession starting in 2007.

IV) U.S. Government: 1) The Federal Reserve System: Includes collateral for U.S. currency and store of liquidity for emergency needs; 2) Social Security Trust Funds: Surpluses generated by the program that have been invested in government bonds.

1) Bill Clinton (1993-2001): Despite two years of on-budget surpluses, deficit spending in other years added to the debt.

2) George Bush (1989-93): The first gulf war and lower revenue from a recession.

3) Ronald Reagan (1981-89): Peacetime defense spending and permanent tax cuts.

4) Before Reagan (1981 and Earlier): Deficit spending from wars and economic downturns.

Source: New York Times, July 29, 2011

C. Closing Activity: Have students actively read the article U.S. Debt Crisis: The Solutions? from The Telegraph, and analyze whether the proposed solutions to the debt crisis are viable solutions.

DAY TWO and THREE: Group-Work Project

A. Public Service Announcement Video/Poster: Have students work in groups of four to create a Public Service Announcement Video, or in groups of two to create a PSA Poster, informing their audience about the debt ceiling crisis.

B. Groupwork:After the groups have formed, assign group-work roles (Leader, Recorder, and related tasks), and allow students to brainstorm their ideas for the desired product. Urge them to consider the following:

1) determine what can be reasonably developed with available resources (props, costumes, time, etc.)

2) "What can your video teach people?”

3) "Is the topic likely to be of interest to people who may watch the video?”

4) “Are the resources available to capture the idea on film or in a poster?”

5) “What research time may be required?”

Schedule: students should establish a timeline for the entire project. It is important that every team member knows their role and understands exactly when their tasks need to be complete. If deadlines are missed, or meeting times not met, the final project will not get produced at the highest quality level, and will increase the number of hours needed to finish the project. Students should work to create a realistic schedule, which all participants can meet.

Research of Script/Storyboard/Poster Sketches: students should seriously research to ensure that their video will include credible information. As part of the video or poster, students should include Credits or a Works Cited document where their facts were obtained.

- If working on a video, have each group create a storyboard that depicts and describes the action that will take place in each scene. Storyboards are a good planning tool, and show what you and/or your team has agreed will take place in each shot.

- If working on a PSA Poster, have each group provide a series of poster sketches that works out imagery and copywriting.

Students should be assigned a week or two weeks, depending on the level of the assignment, to complete the group project at home. They should use Google Docs, as a written means to add or revise their scripts or storyboards. For posters, the time outside of class would be shorter.

On the due date, schedule a single class period for group presentations of the final projects, or a museum walk for the posters.

C. Enrichment: Have students write a letter to their Congressional Senator or Representative on their solution to the debt ceiling crisis.

D. Summary Question: To what extent is the problem that taxes are too low or that spending is too high--or some combination of the two?

Duration:  One 35-45 minute lesson.

Goal:

Students will understand the purpose of inauguration day and the meaning of the events that occur.

Objectives:

Essential Question: What goes on during a presidential inauguration?

NCSS Themes:

Procedures:

Attention Getter:

Tell students that there once was a person who gave a speech that included a sentence that was over 700 words long. Ask them to guess who gave the speech and what it was about. As students make a few guesses, give them a few spaced out clues such as: the person was a president, the speech took place in 1797, etc. Eventually, tell students it was President John Adams giving his inauguration speech. (See backgrounder for more details)

Main Lesson:

1) Ask students to tell you what they think inauguration day is and what they actually know about it.

2) Take this time to go over some background information on inauguration day with students from the attached “Teacher’s notes” page and to correct misconceptions. (For more information and interesting facts, refer to the backgrounder).

3) Have a class discussion by asking students what they think presidents would say in their inauguration speech and why they would include those topics. As students bring up speech topics, write them down in bullet point form on the board or overhead.

Conclusion

When the class discussion is winding down, tell students to think about the bullet points on the board and also to think of even more speech topics on their own. Tell students to take out a piece of paper and write their own Presidential Inauguration speech as if they were just elected and sworn into office. Have them think about the topics that are important to them to help guide them in the writing process.

Materials Needed:

Teacher’s notes, backgrounder, paper for speeches

Extension Activities

1) When students are finished writing their speeches, have them exchange with someone and discuss what their reaction would be if they heard the speech.

Accommodations for students with special needs

1) Provide a copy of the notes.

2) Instead of writing out a whole speech, have certain students write bullet points of what they would say or to fill out a graphic organizer.

Teacher’s Notes:

Presidential Inaugurations:

Inauguration Day events:

-The president swears in by putting his hand on a bible and taking the oath of office

-The president gives a speech about the plans and visions for the next four years

-Celebrations such as parades, parties, etc.

http://www.studiesweekly.com/currentevents/

Duration: One 40-50 minute lesson.

Goal: Students will understand various parts of the president’s job description.

Objectives:

Essential Question: What does the president do?

NCSS Themes:

Procedures:

Attention Getter:

Ask students to share what their parents or family members do for a living and what they do at their jobs. Ask students what they think the job description is for various jobs such as firefighting, mail carrying, and waitressing. Then, ask students to think about what they think the president’s job description is.

1. Explain to students that United States presidents always have specific roles to fulfill. Tell students that this lesson is about the different roles of the president.

2. Give a general introduction to how presidential roles are changing over time (see backgrounder).

3. In this lesson, students will compare the various roles of the president to a hypothetical “president of the classroom” role they will take on. In order to do this, the teacher will alternate between whole class instruction and individual seat-work by following the steps of the graphic organizer. Below is a step by step guide to how the graphic organizer is to be completed with students:

a. On a chalk board, overhead, or SMART board, begin the graphic organizer with students by writing down number one which is “Chief of State”. Write the definition so students can copy it down on the lines provided. Then discuss examples of the president fulfilling his role as Chief of State and have students write a couple examples in the left box.

b. In order to remember what each of the roles mean, tell students that they will compare what the president does to what they would do as “classroom president.” For example, the leader or president of the classroom may congratulate honor roll students just as the president of the United States congratulates people who have done extraordinary things. Have students come up with scenarios of their own. Struggling students may need to be prompted for ideas.

c. Repeat letters “a” and “b” for each additional presidential role. For prompting ideas, refer to the completed graphic organizer.

Conclusion

On an exit card, have students write out which role they think is the most difficult. Have students explain why they believe that role is the most difficult.

Materials Needed:

“Roles of the President” graphic organizer

Extension Activities

1. This activity can be extended by having students compare the presidential roles with examples from their home.

Accommodations for students with special needs

1. Provide struggling students with extra prompts while they are filling out the graphic organizer.

2. To complete the organizer, allow some students to take “cloze notes”. In other words, provide notes with one-word blanks so students can fill them in as they go.

This lesson is envisioned as a two-day lesson or a one 90-minute block teaching session that include the HNN backgrounder, articles, political cartoons, and video. There is also an optional day three “debate session” to help student’s process and synthesize the material.

Common Core Standards Correlation:

Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies Grades 9-12: standards 1-4, and 6-9

Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies Grades 9-12: standards 1-9

Readings/Resources:

Objectives:

Day One

A. Introduction (Bell Ringer):

I) Have students view video and then take notes on what the enumerated tasks of the vice president.

Role and History of Vice Presidential Candidates [VIDEO, 10 minutes]

II) Why did the founding fathers create the 12th Amendment and change the election of the vice-president?

Read Top Ten Contested Elections: The Revolution of 1800

1) What was the crisis that surrounded the 1800 presidential election?

2) What are the advantages and disadvantages of electing the President and Vice-President together?

3) How does a joint election lead to the development of more a more entrenched two-party system?

Essential Question: How important is the vice-president to running the government?

B. General Discussion

Have students identify the vice president for each of the following presidents, and explain how each president treated them and why:

1) Franklin Delano Roosevelt

2) Dwight D. Eisenhower

Based on the political cartoon below, how might Ike feel about Nixon as vice president while he campaigned during the mid-year elections?

3) John F. Kennedy

4) Richard Nixon

5) Jimmy Carter

6) George W. Bush

What does the political cartoon below tell us about how Cheney viewed his role as vice president?

Day Two

C. Group Work: Article Analysis

Students can actively read the article for homework, and then work in groups to cooperatively answer the questions

Joel K. Goldstein: How the Vice President Can Serve as the President's Most Unbiased Adviser

Group Work: have students answer the following questions and then share out their responses:

1) What role did Walter Mondale, vice president to Jimmy Carter, propose for the office of the vice presidency?

2) How would the vice president help with presidential decision-making?

3) Why is debate important to decision-making, and how does the vice president help the debate on public policies?

4) Why must a vice president be a trustworthy advisor, versus a “pawn” to cater to partisan groups?

5) How does our current vice president help our president?

Summary of Essential Question: How important is the vice president to running the government?

Day Three (optional)

D. Summary Debate: Is the vice president an asset or liability to the president of the United States?

1) Have students create a T-chart that lists the assets and liabilities of a vice president’s actions on the president’s position

2) Have students research the role of our current vice president on national politics. Each student should bring in three policies or developments the current vice president worked on, and explain how it impacts the president’s policy positions

3) Students should evaluate the importance of the vice president’s actions and how they relate to helping or hindering the president’s position with the American people.

Enrichment:

Have students create a political cartoon that illustrates their assessment of the current vice president’s impact on the president’s policies.

Have students construct their own video interpretation of the role of the vice president throughout history.

Common Core Standards Correlation:

English Language Arts Standards - History/Social Studies - Grades 6-8:

Key Ideas and Details:

RH.6-8.1. RH.6-8.2. RH.6-8.3.

Craft and Structure:

RH.6-8.4. RH.6-8.5. RH.6-8.6.

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:

RH.6-8.7.

Readings/Resources:

• HNN backgrounder (assigned for first day;
• Mark Fiore video on Voter ID laws
• The Constitution
• Civil Rights Act
• Voting Rights Act
• literacy tests and poll taxes

Objectives:

Day One and Two: Qualities of Leadership in a President

A. Introduction (Bell Ringer):

I) Have students view the Mark Fiore video on voter ID cards, and consider the questions below:

1) What are the conservative arguments this video claims illustrates to justify voter ID cards?

2) What are the liberal arguments that are imbedded in the videotext?

3) How is this video biased? What are the pros and cons of requiring identification to vote?

Essential Question: Is voting an inalienable right or a privilege?

B. Move to a general discussion of the HNN Backgrounder, and a discussion of what voting represents to the development of our government and society today.

C. How has the privilege of voting change over time?

Have students work in pairs, or groups of three, to read each of the following amendments to the Constitution: the 15th Amendment, the 19th Amendment, and the 26th Amendment, and then create an annotated timeline of the changes over time.

Have students consider the following questions when annotating the changes:

1) Why would such changes be necessary in their respective society?

2) Were there any specific people, or events, that influenced the change?

3) How did the legislation influence the development of society? Was there an increase in voting? Did this legislation allow more people to vote? Explain you answer in some detail.

D. How has the privilege of voting for minority groups been restricted, and then fought for in the twentieth century?

I) Have students read the Internet article on literacy tests and poll taxes and fill in the graphic organizer.

II) Have students view the two videos from the History Channel on the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act and then discuss the importance of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Bill on minorities and young people. Students should discuss how the two pieces of legislation are inherently linked in the process of protecting the right to vote.

III) Would voter identification laws preserve the privilege or voting?

IV) Discussion Question to Consider: To what extent are young people and minorities inclined to defend their right to vote through public protest in today’s society?

E. Debate the Essential Question: Is Voting a Right or a Privilege?

Using the information and readings discussed throughout the lesson, have students construct arguments, with supporting evidence that considers one of the positions (a right or a privilege). Students should make note to include how their position would impact public policy and the building of an engaged citizenry.

Enrichment:

Have students create a Public Service Announcement either supporting or rejecting voter ID laws

Have students write their congressman about voter identification laws.

Duration:  One 40-50 minute lesson.

Goal: Students will understand the differing national voting characteristics of various groups in America.

Objectives:

Essential Question: Who typically votes in America?

NCSS Themes:

Procedures:

Attention Getter:

Have students raise their hands if they know someone who has ever voted during presidential elections. Then, have them raise their hands if they know someone who does not vote. Ask students to raise their hands if they would vote during presidential elections if they were old enough.

1. Briefly discuss the history of voting in the United States and how it has evolved into what it is today. Explain how originally, people had to own land in order to have the right to vote. African American voters could not vote until after the Civil War but faced de facto disenfranchisement until the civil rights movement. Women could not vote until 1920 when the 19th Amendment was passed.

2. Ask students the question: “Though everyone can vote today, who actually shows up to the polls?” Explain that this lesson will focus on answering this question.

3. Pass out “Who usually votes in America?” and go over the statistics in detail so students fully understand them and have the chance to ask questions.

4. Tell students that they will be placed in groups and they will receive a piece of paper with a description of a person. Using the descriptions, each group must come to a conclusion on whether their person will likely show up to vote based on the statistics from the “Who usually votes in America?” sheet.

5. Place students in groups so that there are ten groups in the classroom. (There are 5 fictional descriptions of people that the groups will discuss. That means that two groups will be discussing the same person and will possibly come to different conclusions.)

6. Pass out the character descriptions. Allow students time to work.

7. Once students have come to a conclusion about their group character, put all the names of the five characters on the board. Call on each character one by one and go over the five traits (age, gender, ethnicity, education, and employment). For example, ask students the age of their character and write it on the board so the class can see.

8. In the end, ask each group whether they thought their character would vote based on the statistics and ask them to support their reasoning.

9. When all of the groups have had a chance to share their findings, lead a class discussion of the information written on the board.

Conclusion

Ask students to answer the following question on a piece of paper:

Imagine that you are running for president. Thinking about how different groups usually vote, which group of people would you focus on the most? Explain your answer.

Materials Needed:

“Who usually votes in America?” statistics sheet, character descriptions, and chalk.

Extension Activities

This lesson can be used as an additional math lesson by having students create graphs and charts with their statistics. They can also use the census statistics (from the link provided) to look further into voter behavior and calculate various averages.

Accommodations for students with special needs

1. Provide visual representations of the percentages by drawing out pie charts for the student.

2. Make sure students who need help are placed in appropriate groups.

3. Give students with special needs the statistics sheet the day before the lesson so they have time to prepare and look over it.

4. Provide a graphic organizer to help break down writing for the concluding section of this lesson.

*Statistics are found from the United States Census site,

*All numbers have been averaged based off the past four elections and rounded to the nearest whole number.

Duration: One 40-50 minute lesson.

Goal: Students will understand the key principles that form the basis of the Constitution.

Objectives:

Essential Question: How does the constitution make the United States a strong and unified nation?

Common Core Standards:

NCSS Themes:

Procedures:

Activity 1:

Procedure for simulation (10-15 minutes)

1. Put students into groups of varying sizes. Make sure that they know these represent states and their varying populations.

2. Briefly describe the Continental Congress under the Articles of Confederation. Make sure students understand the limitations of this government.

3. Set the scene for the Constitutional Convention. Tell them that the Founding Fathers met in Philadelphia in 1787 to fix the Articles of Confederation and ended up writing a whole new constitution after much debate. Tell them that they will be participating in a simulation that illustrates this debate.

4. Present the issue to the students: in this case whether to have McDonalds or Burger King for hot lunch at school. (You can adapt the issue depending on your students’ interests.)

5. Give the groups a minute or so to decide on what their group would rather have for lunch.

6. Pull the class together and call on each group one-by-one and ask what they have decided. Suggest that each group get one vote on the matter and have the groups discuss for a few minutes amongst themselves the fairness of each group only getting one vote. Tell students to come up with solutions if they find this way of voting unfair.

7. Pull the class together and discuss some of the suggestions student come up with. As students share their suggestions, present the pros and cons of each one. For example, if students suggest one vote per person, inform them that the big groups would dominate and get whatever they want. Ask if there is some way to compromise.

8. After students have presented a few suggestions for compromise, debrief students on how the simulation relates to the Constitutional Convention. Tell them that the Founding Fathers had to compromise in order to form the government that we have today. Describe that the big states (Virginia plan) and the small states (New Jersey plan) had to compromise in order to distribute power fairly. In order to make this distribution of power fair, the Founding Fathers came up with many principles that are important in our government today and in our Constitution.

Activity 2:

Procedure for breaking down key concepts of the constitution (30-35 minutes)

1. Redistribute students into even-numbered groups.

2. Give each group one notecard with a constitutional term and definition written on it. (See terms and definitions provided below.)

3. Instruct students to collaborate with their partners to create a poster in order to teach the class what their chosen term means and its importance relating to the simulation. Each group’s poster should include the key term and definition, a relevant picture, and a brief written explanation as to how their term relates to the simulation.

4. After students have been given time to create their posters, have each group present their poster.

Conclusion

Tie all of the terms together and briefly explain how all of the key terms form the basis of the United States Constitution and how they establish the basis of civilized discussion. Ask students how effective a democracy would be if these ideas were not part of the Constitution.

Materials Needed: Poster board, notecards, markers or colored pencils.

Key Terms

Extension Activities

1) Introduce students to the conservative and liberal interpretations of the Constitution. Use a current issue such as the health care reform. Illustrate how conservatives find it unconstitutional since it is not listed in the Constitution while liberals view the constitution as flexible and changing according to current needs.

2) Read Writing the U.S. Constitution by Lori Mortensen. (Mankato, MN: Picture Window Books, 2010)

3) As an additional reference, you might find the book What Is a Constitution? by William David Thomas (Pleasantville, NY: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2008) helpful to explain concepts to students.

Accommodations for students with special needs

1) Provide the key terms and definitions to students before the lesson so students can familiarize themselves with them.

2) During the simulation activity, occasionally ask for thumbs-up or thumbs-down response to yes or no questions during the discussions in order to promote the inclusion of all students.

3) Make sure students with special needs are in groups with classmates who can help them. Also ensure that they understand the instructions and help them begin the activity.

This topic is supported by a variety of lessons over a two-week period, with each topic building on the other.

Common Core Standards Correlation:

English Language Arts Standards - History/Social Studies - Grades 6-8:

Key Ideas and Details:

RH.6-8.1. RH.6-8.2. RH.6-8.3.

Craft and Structure:

RH.6-8.4. RH.6-8.5. RH.6-8.6.

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:

RH.6-8.7.

Readings/Resources:

Objectives:

Day One and Two: Qualities of Leadership in a President

A. Introduction (Bell Ringer):

1) Semantic Map/create a Web of ideas for the phrase Qualities of a Leader and write the class responses on the board.

2) With this Semantic Map, have students identify why many Americans believe George Washington was the best president in history.

3) Move to a general review discussion of the HNN Backgrounder, and explain the roles of the president (chief diplomat, executive, and commander-in-chief), and the president’s responsibilities to the American people

Essential Question: What are the qualities that make an effective president of the United States in the 21st century?

B. What does the Constitution assert are the powers of the president?

Have students work in pairs, or groups of three, to read Article 2 of the Constitution, and then create an informational poster on the powers of the President of the United States as understood in the United States Constitution.

Have students present their posters, and then discuss the following:

1) To what extent are the values of leadership from the class list exemplified in the U.S. Constitution?

2) Where do the values from our class list, which we expect the president to uphold, come from?

3) Why doesn’t the Constitution provide these specific values for presidential service?

4) How do we know if a presidential nominee has these qualities?

For a single-day activity, teachers could present their own poster that outlines the information from Article 2 and all its sections, or the video “The Qualities and Qualifications of the President”

Day Three, Four and Five: The Electoral College (OPTIONAL SUPPLEMENT)

A. How does the American system of electing a president compare and contrast with becoming a prime minister in a parliamentary system?

Homework prep: Have students read and/or research how the Electoral College and a parliamentary government election works, and make a diagram of each for their notes. For the Electoral College refer to the University of Missouri's "How the Electoral College Works"; for a parliamentary prime minister, refer to the History Learning Site.

Break the class into eight groups. Evenly assign the following topics to the groups: assess either the strength of the Electoral College, the strength of the parliamentary system, the weakness of the Electoral College, or the weakness of the parliamentary system. Then have the groups share out their responses -- put responses on the board, creating a class chart.

Discussion Questions

1) Which system would better guarantee that the best man for society wins? Explain. (The students must weigh the pros and cons for each system)

2) Which system best serves the interests of the majority?

B. How have presidential election conflicts between the popular vote and the Electoral College developed?

In class, have students actively read the Introduction to the Electoral College (see attachment) and as a group answer questions 1 – 4

Show the video Election: Presidents and the Constitution

Discuss the conflict between the popular vote and the Electoral College, as exemplified in the Corrupt Bargain of 1828, and the presidential elections of 1876 and 2000.

Refer back to question #5 on the handout: Do you favor replacing the Electoral College with direct popular election of the president? Why or why not?

C. Should the Electoral College be abolished or modified?

Students will debate the question. Based on the arguments below, split the class in two and allow students 10 minutes to prepare and formulate their arguments with examples.

This exercise is an informal debate, which argues the question: Should the Electoral College be replaced with direct popular election of the president?

Arguments for the Electoral College

Arguments for Direct Popular Vote

Debrief Questions:

Enrichment: Students can write a letter to their senator or congressperson either supporting direct popular voting or the Electoral College

Day Six, Seven and Eight: Rate the Presidents

A. What are the qualities of past presidents that are still important in considering today’s president?

1) Assign each student two past presidents from Washington to George W. Bush and assign them to research the achievements and failures of the president’s term(s) in office (you may want to split up FDR’s presidency because of its length and breadth of content). Consider their profession and social status in society as a contributing force in shaping their policies.

1. How technologically developed was society?

2. How did people live on a day-to-day basis that would influence political expectations?

3. What were the general manners and mores of that time’s society?

4. How diverse was the political landscape?

2) Students will present a chart that illustrates their assessment, and includes a well-developed paragraph for each president that justifies their assessment of the president’s term of office (EXCELLENT; VERY GOOD; SATISFACTORY; BELOW SATISFACTORY; FAILURE; DIED TOO EARLY TO ASSESS.)

3) After the presentations have finished, discuss the following:

1. Is there a “type” of president we hold as a standard?

2. To what extent are the values we sought in previous presidents the same as today’s needs/values? Explain.

3. How has society changed that the expectations we have of our president changed?

4. Do we need great presidents or can we get by ok with so-so presidents? Does the president need to be the smartest person in the room?

Summary Question:

What are the qualities that make an effective president of the United States in the 21st century?

Enrichment:

Have students create a poster campaign of the candidate they support for president in the 2012 election.

Have students create a campaign commercial for the Presidential Election that illustrates the qualities of leadership they believe their candidate has.

Enrichment Beyond the Classroom:

Students play Sporacle: Name the Presidents

Key Concepts: participatory democracy; electoral politics

Duration: two (2) double-blocks (middle and high school), four (4) class periods (elementary school)

Goal: Students will understand the relationship between electoral engagement and political theory.

Objective: Students will learn how the form and function of representative government determines the degree voter apathy in a democratic system.

Essential Question: Does voter apathy decrease if a parliamentary (proportional) system of government replaces a congressional (winner-take-all) system?

Common Core Standards Met: CCR English Language Arts Standards 7-10

21st-Century Skills Employed: Civic Literacy

Procedures

Session One:

Grade Scale: 5 (A), 4 (B), 3 (C), 2 (D), 1 (F)

Materials/Resources Required

Non-tech: paper/graph paper, pens and/or pencils; computer access to Internet and Google suite (Google docs)

Glossary

proportional representation: representation based on the proportion of the vote won by a given political party

parliament: legislative assembly based on proportional representation

multiparty democracy: democratic system in which multiple parties participate and share representative power

two-party democracy: democratic system in which multiple parties may participate but only two share representative power

Links

Douglas J. Amy: How Proportional Representation Elections Work

Grade Scale: 5 (A), 4 (B), 3 (C), 2 (D), 1 (F)

  Materials/Resources Required

Non-tech: butcher paper, colored pens and/or pencils; computer access to Internet and Google suite (Google docs)

Glossary

sanctions: restrictions on trade and finance designed to punish a country for misbehavior political dissent: open voicing of views that differ from those of the government international community: all the nations of the world working together

Links

Syria teaching resources at PBS Newshour

President Detective- When you are voting for a President what factors should you consider?

Key concepts:

Duration:  Multiple activities are provided depending on which activities you choose the lesson may be one 45-minute session to two 45-minute sessions.

Goal:

Students will understand that choosing a President will require thoughtful analysis of their personal preferences, who is telling the truth, complicated issues and their willingness to look for answers.

Objectives: Students will be able to discuss issues, understand their personal preferences, compare and contrast different opinions based on facts, and match candidate’s platforms with their own priorities.

Essential Question: How does a student decide which Presidential candidate best matches their prioritization of issues?

Common Core Standards:

Key Ideas and Details

Craft and Structure

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

21st Century Skills

Procedures

The Choosing a President PowerPoint contains multiple resources and activities so you can pick and choose according to your class, which items would be most appropriate. Depending on your choices, you can complete the lesson in one session to two sessions.

Pre-work for Session One: :  (Analyzing student preferences- Stereotypes )

Session One:  (Analyzing student preferences- Stereotypes )

Pre-work for Session Two: : ( Deciding who is telling the truth? and Understanding complicated issues )

Session Two: ( Deciding who is telling the truth? and Understanding complicated issues )

Materials Needed:

Non-tech: paper, poster board or drawing paper, colored pens and/or pencils for “Drawing the President” assignment.

Resources:

Teacher needs to have computer access to Internet. Links are provided on the PowerPoint if students have access. If students do not have access, teacher will need to make paper copies.

Glossary

Additional Reference Links:

Additional Lesson Plan Links:

  Materials/Resources Required

Non-tech: butcher paper, colored pens and/or pencils; computer access to Internet and Google suite (Google docs)

Glossary

nuclear proliferation: the spread of nuclear weapons technology and nuclear weapons nuclear weapon: a weapon using nuclear material (material made up of atoms that can be easily split to release large amounts of explosive energy international relations: relations between countries diplomacy: the process of opening discussions and maintaining contacts between different countries Links

Iran teaching resources at the Middle East Studies Center.

  Materials/Resources Required

Non-tech: butcher paper, colored pens and/or pencils; computer access to Internet and Google suite (Google docs)

Primary and Secondary Sources

United States Constitution, Article II, Section 1 Ben’s Guide to U.S. History (Grades 6-8) Ben’s Guide to U.S. History (Grades 9-12)

Glossary

caucus: informal, local balloting often referred to as a “straw poll” to select delegates to a party nominating convention

primary: formal state balloting to select delegates to a party nominating convention nominating convention: gathering of state party delegates that selects a political party’s presidential nominee

Electoral College: body of state delegates chosen through the process of national balloting and given the power to elect the president

Links

Elections teaching resources at TeacherVision.

Key concepts: Succession of Kim Jong-Un, North Korea and the world, North Korea and its relationship with South Korea including the Korean War

Duration: Multiple activities are provided depending on which activities you choose the lesson may be one 45-minute session to three 45-minute sessions. (The group activity will take one session.)

Goal: Students will understand the political situation in North Korea and how it affects the world.

Objectives: Students will be able to locate North Korea on a map, discuss the political situation in North Korea, understand the Korean War, compare and contrast North Korea and the United States, and identify examples of isolationism. In the group activity students will analyze North Korean facts and hypothesize different scenarios based on textual evidence.

Essential Question: How does North Korea’s actions affect the world?

Common Core Standards

Key Ideas and Details

Craft and Structure

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

21st Century Skills

Procedures

The Kim Jong-un and North Korea PowerPoint contains multiple resources and activities so you can pick and choose according to your class, which items would be most appropriate. Depending on your choices, you can complete the lesson in one session to three sessions.

Pre-work for Session One:

Session One: (Where is North Korea? Basic facts, Cult of Personality)

Pre-work for Session Two:

Session Two: (North Korea’s Aggressive Acts, Korean War)

Pre-work for Session Three:

Session Three: (Reading primary sources about whether should Japan have nuclear weapons and then hypothesizing what North Korea’s reaction would be.)

Materials Needed:

Non-tech: paper, poster board, colored pens and/or pencils for map assignment.

Resources:

Teacher needs to have computer access to Internet. Links are provided on the PowerPoint if students have access. If students do not have access, teacher will need to make paper copies of the map slide.

Glossary

Armistice—when both sides agree to stop fighting, however, North Korea and South Korea are still officially at war.

Cult of Personality— “A cult of personality arises when an individual uses mass media, propaganda, or other methods, to create an idealized and heroic public image, often through unquestioning flattery and praise. Cults of personality are usually associated with dictatorships.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult_of_personality

DMZ—Demilitarized Zone- a buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea filled with over a million landmines. Human Rights Violation—some examples of human right violations are torture, being enslaved, not given a fair trial. Isolationism—removing one’s country from international affairs.

Juche—stresses national self-reliance, extreme isolation, and racial purity.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation—stopping the spread of nuclear weapons

Additional Reference Links:

Links: Columbia University’s Asia for Educators site for more information and lesson plans about Korea’s past and present and other Asian countries. Free classes are offered to teachers in certain states.

Books:

“NOT” suitable for middle school students but an EXCELLENT novel is The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson.

Duration:  two (2) double-blocks (middle and high school), four (4) class periods (elementary school)

Goal:  Students will understand the social and political limits placed on central components of American democracy while differentiating between representative and direct democracy.

Objective:  Students will compare and contrast the current Occupy Wall St. protest tactic of establishing encampments in public spaces with similar tactics employed by the Bonus Army of 1932, noting similarities and differences in the means and ends of both groups.

Essential Question:  Does the occupation of public space offer a successful vehicle for protest, given the nature of representative democracy and the legal limits placed on the rights to assemble and petition for redress of grievances enshrined in the Bill of Rights?

Materials Needed

Non-tech: paper, poster board, colored pens and/or pencils

Resources

Computer access to Internet and Google suite; document camera, if necessary; OWS Primary and Secondary Sources

Wikipedia articles OWS website, blog, and Twitter feed

Glossary

Vocabulary Preview

Links

CNN video discussion

Key concepts:  Boston Tea Party vs. Tea Party 2009, Preamble of the Constitution, constitutional concepts of “originalism” vs. “living document,” Section 1 Article 8 of the Constitution, Grassroots Activism, Social Media in Elections

Duration:  Multiple activities are provided; depending on which activities you choose the lesson may be one 45-minute session to three 45-minute sessions.

Goal:  Students will understand how political movements are created, organized and influence American politics.

Objectives:  Students will compare and contrast the Boston Tea Party of 1773 with the Tea Party movement of 2009, learn the Preamble of the Constitution, compare and contrast the constitutional concepts of “originalism” and “living document”, understand Section 1 Article 8 of the Constitution, understand grassroots activism and how social media is changing campaign strategies.

Essential Question:  Americans have been participating in political protests since the beginning of our country’s history.  How has the organization of political groups and their actions evolved over time?

Common Core Standards

Key Ideas and Details

Craft and Structure

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

21st Century Skills Procedures The Tea Party Movement 2009 PowerPoint contains multiple resources and activities so you can pick and choose according to your class, which items would be most appropriate. Depending on your choices, you can complete the lesson in one session or up to three sessions.   Pre-work for Session One:

Session One:  (Tea Party Movement 2009, Boston Tea Party, Tea Party Beliefs, Preamble)

Review origin of Tea Party name. Video clip of Rick Santelli’s comment and multiple Boston Tea Party videos clip are included as links on the PowerPoint.

CNBC Rick Santelli’s Tea Party comment from 0 seconds to 2 min 30 seconds CSNBC clip Boston Tea Party 1773  (Choose links as needed) Tea Party - Schoolhouse Rock - No more Kings 3 minutes The Boston Tea Party Takes Place - December 16, 1773  30 seconds The Boston Tea Party 4 minutes

School House Rock - Preamble (America Rock)  3 minutes ASL Translation of the Preamble to The Constitution of the United States of America 1 min The preamble in sign language!  1 minute

Pre-work for Session Two:

Session Two:  (Constitutional concepts of “originalism” and “living document”)

Session Three:  (Article 1 Section 8 of Constitution, Grassroots Activism and Social Media)

George Hewes—first person account of Boston Tea Party Scott Brown Volunteer in Fitchburg

Alternative Exercise: *Compare Tea Party Movement to Occupy Wall Street Movement See the previous lesson from HNN about Occupy Wall Street in Historical Context as reference material. Use organizer from NY Times Learning Network learning.blogs@nytimes.com NYT GraphicMaterials Needed: Non-tech: paper, poster board, colored pens and/or pencils Resources: Teacher needs to have computer access to Internet. Links are provided on the PowerPoint if students have access. If students do not have access, teacher will need to make paper copies. Glossary

Conservative: Holding to traditional attitudes and values.  Grassroots Activism- A grassroots movement is politics at a local level. It is usually spontaneous and has many volunteers in the community that give their time to support  a local party. Libertarian- “One who advocates maximizing individual rights and minimizing the role of the state.” from the freedictionary.com Living document- concept that the Constitution will need to change with the times. Minor- A young person, not an adult Originalism- concept that the Constitution needs to be interpreted based on what the original writers intended it to mean. Social Media- web-based and mobile technologies that create interactive conversations. Uphold the law- to carry out the law as it is written.

Additional Reference Links (not included above or in PowerPoint): Boston Tea Party Historical Society- site contains pictures and facts Boston Tea Party Historical Society- play about original Tea Party No Time for Tea (3-5 Grade)U.S. Constitution Other Tea Party Lesson Plans: *The Life of the (Tea) Party: Comparing Social Protest Movements By DINAH MACK and HOLLY EPSTEIN OJALVO *The Tea Party Movement- C-SPAN