Curriculum / ELA / 4th Grade / Alternate Unit 5: Politics and People: U.S. Government / Lesson 4

Politics and People: U.S. Government

Lesson 4

ELA

Alternate Unit 5

4th Grade

Lesson 4 of 29

Lesson Overview

Objective

Write a paragraph explaining what the Constitution of the United States is and why it is important.

Readings and Materials

Book: For Which We Stand: How Our Government Works and Why It Matters by Jeff Foster

Lesson Notes

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Lesson Map

Lesson

Describe federalism and why the United States chose it as a form of government.

Materials

For Which We Stand: How Our Government Works and Why It Matters pp. 14–18 — (stop after first two paragraphs)

Standards

RI.4.2RI.4.3

Lesson

Explain what plan the Constitution made for the government of the United States.

Materials

For Which We Stand: How Our Government Works and Why It Matters pp. 16–23

Standards

RI.4.2RI.4.3

Lesson

Describe a few of the rights protected by the Bill of Rights.

Materials

For Which We Stand: How Our Government Works and Why It Matters pp. 24–29

Standards

RI.4.2RI.4.3

Lesson

Writing

Write a paragraph explaining what the Constitution of the United States is and why it is important.

Materials

For Which We Stand: How Our Government Works and Why It Matters

Standards

W.4.2W.4.2.aW.4.2.bW.4.2.cW.4.2.e

Lesson

Explain what the sections "What Does the Government Look Like?," "The Three Branches," and "Checks and Balances" are mostly about.

Materials

For Which We Stand: How Our Government Works and Why It Matters pp. 30–34

Standards

RI.4.2RI.4.7

Lesson

Describe why the executive branch is important and why the President's Cabinet is important.

Materials

For Which We Stand: How Our Government Works and Why It Matters — pp. 82–83, 88, 133–137

Standards

RI.4.3RI.4.8

Lesson

Describe the difference between the Senate and House of Representatives and why they are both important.

Materials

For Which We Stand: How Our Government Works and Why It Matters pp. 98–108

Standards

RI.4.2RI.4.3RI.4.8

Lesson

Explain how bills become laws and why there are so many steps.

Materials

For Which We Stand: How Our Government Works and Why It Matters pp. 110–115

Standards

RI.4.3

Lesson

Explain what the Supreme Court is and why it's important using reasons and evidence from the text.

Materials

For Which We Stand: How Our Government Works and Why It Matters — pp. 120–126, 128–129

Standards

RI.4.2RI.4.8

Lesson

Discussion & Writing

Analyze and debate unit Essential Questions using details and understandings from the text.

Materials

For Which We Stand: How Our Government Works and Why It Matters

Standards

SL.4.1W.4.2W.4.2.aW.4.2.bW.4.2.cW.4.2.e

Lesson

Informative Writing

4 days

Write an informational report about an act or amendment that is important in U.S. history.

Materials

All unit texts
US Government Research Note-Taker
Single Paragraph Outline
Informational Writing Rubric (G4)
Various websites for research

Standards

L.4.1.fL.4.2W.4.2W.4.2.aW.4.2.bW.4.2.cW.4.5W.4.6W.4.7W.4.8

Lesson

Explain what candidates do to try and win an election.

Materials

Understanding Your Role... — pp. 4–5, 9–15

Standards

RI.4.3RI.4.7RI.4.8

Lesson

Debate if everyone has always had the right to vote.

Materials

Understanding Your Role... pp. 16–27

Standards

RI.4.3RI.4.8

Lesson

Describe the evidence the author gives to support the point that "to be a woman in 1840 was to be less than a man."

Materials

Roses and Radicals pp. 7–19 — Skip Know Your Radicals sections

Standards

RI.4.3RI.4.8

Lesson

Explain how an author uses reasons to show that a "once-promising strategy had reached a dead end."

Materials

Roses and Radicals pp. 73–80

Standards

RI.4.3RI.4.8

Lesson

Explain why the opposition to women's suffrage was so difficult to overturn.

Materials

Roses and Radicals pp. 88–92 — Skip Know Your Radicals sections

Standards

RI.4.3RI.4.8

Lesson

Explain why the New York Times called the parade "one of the most impressively beautiful spectacles ever staged in this country"?

Materials

Roses and Radicals pp. 102–110 — Skip Know Your Radicals sections

Standards

RI.4.3RI.4.8

Lesson

Explain who Harry Burn was and why he was important in the Women's Suffrage Movement.

Materials

Roses and Radicals pp. 129–146

Standards

RI.4.2RI.4.3

Lesson

Create a mini-poster highlighting the key contributions of a radical.

Materials

Roses and Radicals — All Know Your Radicals sections

Standards

RI.4.2RI.4.3

Lesson

Discussion & Writing

Analyze and debate unit Essential Questions using details and understandings from the text.

Materials

Roses and Radicals
Understanding Your Role...

Standards

SL.4.1W.4.2W.4.2.aW.4.2.bW.4.2.cW.4.2.e

Lesson

Explain why Dennis "Dioniso" Chavez was important.

Materials

Portraits pp. 25–27 — Dennis Chavez

Standards

RI.4.2RI.4.8

Lesson

Explain the role that Thurgood Marshall played in Brown v. Board of Education and what we can learn about him from his involvement in the case.

Materials

Hand in Hand pp. 120–125 — Start at "Working for the NAACP," end at "Progress was extremely slow."

Standards

RI.4.3RI.4.8

Lesson

Explain how Thurgood Marshall wove equality into the fabric of American justice.

Materials

Hand in Hand pp. 125–129

Standards

RI.4.3RI.4.8

Lesson

Explain who and what inspired Shirley Chisholm to get involved in politics and fight for change.

Materials

Let It Shine pp. 95–104

Standards

RI.4.3RI.4.8

Lesson

Explain who and what inspired Sonia Sotomayor to get involved in justice and fight for change.

Materials

Portraits pp. 77–79

Standards

RI.4.3RI.4.8

Lesson

Analyze how Barack Obama showed that "holding fast to hope despite obstacles is the first step to making any dream come true."

Materials

Hand in Hand pp. 224–231

Standards

RI.4.3RI.4.8

Lesson

Discussion & Writing

Debate and analyze unit Essential Questions.

Materials

All unit texts

Standards

SL.4.1

Lesson

Assessment

Gauge student understanding of unit content and skills with one of Fishtank's unit assessments.

Lesson

Writing

5 days

Research a local or national election and decide who you would vote for and why.

Standards

SL.4.1W.4.1W.4.1.aW.4.1.bW.4.2W.4.2.aW.4.2.bW.4.2.cW.4.2.eW.4.7W.4.8

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Politics and People: U.S. Government

Lesson Overview

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Objective

Readings and Materials

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