GCU College of Education

5E LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

Revised 9/2018
Teacher Candidate: Rebekah McMurphy
Grade Level: Fifth Grade
Date: November 17, 2019
Unit/Subject: Civics/Government Lesson Plan
Instructional Plan Title: Checks and Balances: How Do You Respond?
I. PLANNING
Lesson Summary:
This day four lesson is guided towards students to have them experience how checks and balances effect how the
government functions. The students will experience what it is like for themselves by becoming a person in
government within one of the three branches and have to make decisions to a given scenario based on their roles and
responsibilities (both individually and as a group (branch)). Students will complete this in a Socratic Seminar format
with a theatrical aspect of playing a character. The class will discuss how checks and balances play a part in the
scenario between the branches, and then make a compare and contrast bubble map to show the connections. After,
students will use theatrical elements on a Flipgrid to answer the guiding question of the day.
Classroom and student factors:
30 Students Total: 7 IEPS (1 Hearing Aids, 2 ADHD, 3 Learning Disabled, 1 High Functioning Autism), 15 ELLs (1
at Level 2, 1 at Level 3, 7 at Level 4, 6 at Level 5)
Reading Levels: 1 at 2 Years Below Grade Level Reading, 9 at 1 Year Below Grade Level Reading, 15 at On Grade
Level Reading, 4 at 1 Year Above Grade Level Reading, 1 at 2 Years Above Grade Level Reading
Standard(s): Lesson Objective:
Social Studies Standard: Social Studies:
5.C3.1: Describe the origins, functions, and structure of
Students will be able to investigate the importance of
the United States Constitution and the three branches of
checks and balances in the United States government and
government.
analyze how it effects each branch in the government by
 Key structures include distributing, sharing, and
utilizing research, previous knowledge, and a real-life
limiting powers of the national government
experience of a theatrical Socratic Seminar.
through separation of powers, checks and
balances, and federalism.
Arts Standard: Arts:
TH. CR. 3. 5b: Create technical elements that occur in Given one-to-one chrome books, students will be able to
rehearsal for a theatrical work. (e.g. lighting, sound, use technical elements on a Flipgrid to describe their
scenery, props, costumes, makeup, media). answer to the lesson focus question (how do checks and
balances effect the function of each branch of
government) based on their experience in the theatrical
Socratic Seminar.
Lesson Focus Question (Big Idea of the Lesson): Focus Question Possible Answers (for teacher
How do checks and balances effect the function of each planning only – what is the big idea that students
branch of government? should get out of the lesson?):
How do checks and balances effect the function of each
branch of government?
 The Judicial Branch is responsible for
interpreting laws, the Executive Branch is
responsible for administering laws, and the
Legislative Branch is responsible for making
laws.
 The branches have checks and balances to
ensure no branch of government has too much
power over the other.
 The branches have responsibilities that effect the
others.
 If one branch did not have responsibility for
others, the other branches would gain too much
power.
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  The branches “check” the power of the others to
ensure there is no dictatorship in the
government.

Picture from:
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-
government-and-civics/us-gov-foundations/us-gov-
principles-of-american-government/a/principles-of-
american-government-article
Anticipation of Common Misconceptions/Challenges:
1. Students could make connections to checks and balances being related to math and finances rather than
governmental functions and structure which could affect their thinking.
2. Students could have misconceptions during the Socratic Seminar which could impact the learning and
understanding of their peers. The teacher will need to adjust any misinformation prior to continuing.
3. Students could have a challenge of putting themselves into a character/person from their specific branch and
relating to them to analyze how they would be affected by the given scenario.
Key Vocabulary: Differentiation:
1. Checks and Balances ELLs:
2. Judicial Branch  Sentence Frames
3. Legislative Branch  Extra Visuals
4. Executive Branch  Prompts for Socratic Seminar
5. Functions
SPED:
6. Government
7. Power  Hearing Aids:
8. Distribution o Follow IEP Accommodations
9. National o Seating Up Front
10. Origin o Written Directions
11. Structure  ADHD:
12. Democracy o Checklist for Tracking Learning with
13. Dictatorship Stickers
o Work for Brain Breaks
o Simplified Wording – To the Point
 Learning Disabled:
o Brain Breaks
o Extended Time
o Guided Notes (Teacher Prompted)
o Simplified Wording
o Prompts for Presenting
 High Functioning Autism:
o Auditory Websites
o Manipulatives – Squishy Balls, Tactile
Objects

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 o Brain Breaks
o Corner Cooldown
Low-Level Reading:
 Sentence Frames
 Visuals for Support
 Websites Guided Towards Reading Level –
Vocabulary at their Level or Slightly Above
High-Level Reading (Gifted):
 Extra Questioning on Higher DOK Levels
 Websites Guided Towards Reading Level –
Vocabulary at their Level or Slightly Above
Probing Questions:
Engage
1. What do you know about checks and balances?
2. What does power look like in your life?
Explore
3. Why is the government important?
4. What are the functions of the government?
5. How do individuals have roles within a given branch? What do they look like? Are they different from other
people in the same branch’s roles?
6. How does your decision impact their group’s decision?
7. Who holds the most power in this situation?
8. Does your job in the branch effect the decision? Why or why not?
9. What is your role in the branch?
10. What would happen if your job did not exist? Would it effect your branch? How about other branches?
Explain
11. How is there a balance of power between branches?
12. How does the Legislative Branch effect the Judicial Branch?
13. How does the Legislative Branch effect the Executive Branch?
14. How does the Executive Branch effect the Judicial Branch?
15. How does the Executive Branch effect the Legislative Branch?
16. How does the Judicial Branch effect the Legislative Branch?
17. How does the Judicial Branch effect the Executive Branch?
18. What is the purpose of checks and balances?
19. What would happen to the structure of the government if checks and balances were not in place?
Elaborate
20. Who do you think holds the most power in the government (what branch)?
21. Why are checks and balances important?
Evaluate
22. How do checks and balances effect the function of each branch of government?
Materials:
Engage
 Class KWL Chart
 Pink and Green Sticky Notes
 Pencils and/or Pens
 Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrk4oY7UxpQ
Explore
 Scenario Cards
 Guided Notes/Worksheet
 Character Cards
Explain
 Anchor Chart Paper
 Markers

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Elaborate
 Anchor Chart Paper
 Markers
 Ruler
 Circle Stencils
Evaluate
 Interactive Social Studies Notebook
 Pencil
 Flipgrid (1 to 1 Chromebooks)

II. INSTRUCTION
The 5Es
ENGAGE
Open the lesson by activating prior knowledge, linking previous learning, and presenting objective and focus question.
1. The teacher will begin the lesson by introducing the KWTL chart of what students have learned about each
branch of government prior to the lesson.
a. Students will answer what they know on pink sticky notes and attach to KWTL class chart.
b. Students will answer what they want to know more about on green sticky notes and attach to KWTL
class chart.
c. Sentence Frames for Differentiation:
i. I know _____ about the _____ branch.
ii. I want to learn about __________________.
d. The class will discuss their answers through teacher questioning and student share out. The teacher will
clarify any misconceptions.
2. Then, prior to introducing what students will learn, they will review the previous days concepts with a video to
help as a reminder.
a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrk4oY7UxpQ
3. On the T column of the chart, the students will respond to a question prompted by the teacher. They will write
down what they think it means.
a. What are checks and balances?
b. Students will record what they think checks and balances means related to any context they know.
EXPLORE
Teacher explanation/Modeling of EXPLORE activity. Students collaborate to complete EXPLORE Activity and teacher
asks probing questions to groups and individuals as they work.
1. The teacher will prompt students on what they will be learning (checks and balances) and introduce the class
activity of the day.
2. First, students will be given a character/real person to research in a role in a specific branch.
a. Examples: Judges in Judicial Branch, President of the United States in the Executive Branch, and
Congressman in the Legislative Branch.
b. Students will then research on Symbaloo on the 1-1 Chromebooks, their people and what their roles are
in the specific branch.
c. They will record their notes on their guided worksheet.

3. Once students have completed their research, they will then join into their three groups (approximately 10
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 students each) to discuss their roles and responsibilities within their branches, along with record what the
branch’s functions are based on knowledge from the previous lessons and research of the day.
4. After completing their background research on their worksheets, students will be proposed with a scenario (real-
life) and have to compile their roles (individually for their character and as a group for their branch) to discuss
how they will respond to the situation.
5. Once completed, the class will enter into a Socratic seminar (EXPLAIN) to discuss how they would handle the
situation along with respond to other branch’s decision making and analyze how it effects their own choices. It
also will show how each branch holds powers in certain situations.
a. Discussion Questions for Scenario Explanation
i. Why is the government important?
ii. What are the functions of the government?
iii. How do individuals have roles within a given branch? What do they look like? Are they
different from other people in the same branch’s roles?
iv. How does your decision impact their group’s decision?
v. Who holds the most power in this situation?
vi. Does your job in the branch effect the decision? Why or why not?
vii. What is your role in the branch?
viii. What would happen if your job did not exist? Would it effect your branch? How about other
branches?
ix. More Discussion Questions in Explain to Facilitate Academic Language and Knowledge
b. Recording of Ideas (See Explain)
6. This will repeat for two more scenarios.
7. Each scenario will focus on a particular branch having “the most power”.
EXPLAIN
Students explain/share findings from EXPLORE activity and teacher facilitates class discussion. Includes questions,
teacher modeling and questioning to help connect student responses with content concepts.
Discussion: Direct Instruction
1. After analyzing each scenario with their groups 1. The teacher will create a checks and balances
(and their specific roles in it), the students will anchor chart.
gather for a Socratic seminar style of responding 2. Include:
with how they would respond to the given a. Definition (What it Means)
scenario. This will include what their role and b. What Effects It
decisions are (See EXPLORE). c. How the Branches Interact Because of
a. To prompt how the branches, interact in Checks and Balances.
the scenario, students will have to make
decisions based on their knowledge of
their roles and incorporate other group’s
decisions.
b. Probing questions will help prompt
academic language and knowledge
obtained.
Probing Questions to Ask:
 How is there a balance of power between
branches?
 How does the Legislative Branch effect the
Judicial Branch?
 How does the Legislative Branch effect the
Executive Branch?
 How does the Executive Branch effect the
Judicial Branch?
 How does the Executive Branch effect the
Legislative Branch?
 How does the Judicial Branch effect the
Legislative Branch?
 How does the Judicial Branch effect the
Executive Branch?
 What is the purpose of checks and balances?

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  What would happen to the structure of the
government if checks and balances were not in
place?
ELABORATE
Practice of the big idea/Application of the big idea to a new concept.
1. After learning about individual roles in branches and how branches interact with one another through checks
and balances, students will work in groups of six to seven to create a compare and contrast bubble map on
anchor chart paper.
2. Students will sketch out the roles and functions in each branch of government and make connections when
responsibilities/power are the same between two branches by drawing a connection between both.

3. The teacher will guide groups through probing questions while working.
a. Probing Questions:
i. Why are checks and balances important?
ii. Who do you think holds the most power in the government (what branch)?
4. If time allows, groups can share out their findings/connections.
EVALUATE
Formative assessment activity that is aligned to the objective and focus question to close the lesson.
1. Students will answer the lesson focus question in their interactive social studies notebook.
a. Question: How do checks and balances effect the function of each branch of government?
b. Sentence Frames:
i. Checks and balances effect _________
ii. Checks and balances effect the _____ branch because ______.
iii. Checks and balances are important because _______.
iv. Without checks and balances the government __________.
2. After answering the question, students will complete a Flipgrid recording and then respond to two other peers.
a. For the Flipgrid, students will use media elements of a theatrical work to explain their reasoning.
b. They also can use props or create scenery to share their examples.

RATIONALE
Explain three instructional strategies you included and why. How do they promote the 4 C’s of 21st Century Learning and
Teaching (Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, and Creativity)?
In the lesson, students are incorporating collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity through various
aspects and activities, while also applying a real-world application based on their culture and community. Students put
themselves in a person’s shoes who has a role in the government to better understand their community. Then, they utilize
critical thinking to apply what the person would do in a given role. After, they collaborate and communicate with other
people who are in the same branch of government as their own character to make decisions that impact the government
and United States through the real-world application. In this activity, students incorporate the four c’s in the Socratic
Seminar, along with in their bubble maps to make connections. They also will apply their creativity in their Flipgrids to
not only respond to the question of the day but use theatrical elements to demonstrate how their character/role in
government helped them learn what checks and balances are.

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Guided Notes Worksheet

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