Title: The Judicial Branch
Grade Level: 5th
Time Needed: One class period
Essential Standards:Social Studies
5.C&G.1.2 Summarize the organizational structures and powers of the United States government (legislative, judicial and executive branches of government).
Integrated Curriculum Standards:
Technology
5.TT.1 Use technology tools and skills to reinforce and extend classroom concepts and activities.
Language Arts
5.SL.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
5.SL.1.3 Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others.
5.RFS.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
5.W.9.2 Apply grade 5 reading standards to informational texts
Lesson Objectives: Students will:
Materials: interactive whiteboard, “Judicial Branch in a Flash!” reading page (1 per student), 1 Active Participation Guide, 1 review worksheet, pencils, chart paper, markers, sentence strips
Procedure: This lesson will be co-taught in a station teaching fashion. The class will be divided into two groups, with one teacher delivering the interactive whiteboard lesson and the other teacher reading and discussing “Judicial Branch in a Flash!”.
Interactive Whiteboard Lesson
Differentiation: This part of the lesson can be differentiated in multiple ways, as indicated above. Different group configurations can be utilized, as can different methods of assessment. This lesson is appropriate for ELLs and students with special needs because it presents the information in a variety of ways, includes multimedia, repeats information, and checks frequently for understanding.
Assessment: This lesson already contains multiple methods of assessment. The teacher can choose to have the students complete the activities individually on paper to turn in, or to observe their performance while completing the activities as a group. The teacher can also assess student participation.
Judicial Branch in a Flash!
Differentiation: This lesson can be differentiated for ELLs and students with special needs through group configuration. They have a chance to work independently, in pairs, and in a small group. They will also be able to work with a teacher if they need assistance with reading. The Venn diagram and sequencing will provide all students a chance to do meaningful, participatory activities. ELLs should also be encouraged to create a vocabulary book for the key words in the reading, with pictures and their own definitions. AIG students can work together to put all twelve sentence strips from the sequencing activity in the correct order or read about some famous Supreme Court cases.
Assessment: The Venn diagrams, sequencing, and group discussion can be used for assessment of this part of the lesson.
Resources:
Grade Level: 5th
Time Needed: One class period
Essential Standards:Social Studies
5.C&G.1.2 Summarize the organizational structures and powers of the United States government (legislative, judicial and executive branches of government).
Integrated Curriculum Standards:
Technology
5.TT.1 Use technology tools and skills to reinforce and extend classroom concepts and activities.
Language Arts
5.SL.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
5.SL.1.3 Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others.
5.RFS.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
5.W.9.2 Apply grade 5 reading standards to informational texts
Lesson Objectives: Students will:
- identify the positions and responsibilities of each branch of government
- read and discuss nonfiction text
- work in pairs to compare and contrast court systems
- work in pairs to sequence court procedures
Materials: interactive whiteboard, “Judicial Branch in a Flash!” reading page (1 per student), 1 Active Participation Guide, 1 review worksheet, pencils, chart paper, markers, sentence strips
Procedure: This lesson will be co-taught in a station teaching fashion. The class will be divided into two groups, with one teacher delivering the interactive whiteboard lesson and the other teacher reading and discussing “Judicial Branch in a Flash!”.
Interactive Whiteboard Lesson
- Have one group gather around the interactive whiteboard. Explain that this lesson will partially be a review of the Executive and Legislative branches, but it will also teach them about the Judicial branch.
- The first slide is about the Executive branch. Students can review the positions that make up this branch, checking by touching the stars. There is also a short movie clip on this page.
- The second slide reviews the Legislative branch. It also has a movie clip and a review of the two houses of Congress.
- The next slide is about the Judicial branch. There is a short paragraph about the Supreme Court, which explains that there are nine Justices who are elected for life. It also explains that the President nominates a Justice when there is a position to be filled and that Congress votes to elect that person. At this point, the teacher can lead a discussion about what type of person would make a good judge and what a judge does. The teacher should also explain that the Supreme Court chooses what cases to hear and usually only hears cases with far-reaching implications or ones it which a lower court has contradicted an earlier Supreme Court ruling. The process of reaching and announcing a decision should be mentioned.
- The next slide is a short, four-question review. Students can come up to the board to pull the tab and reveal the answer.
- Next is a fill in the blank paragraph about the three branches. Students can come up and move the correct word into the blank, or the teacher can erase the word bank and have the students write the answers.
- There is a crossword puzzle on the next slide. Students can work in pairs to come up with the answers, or it can be completed as a whole group activity.
- Finally there is a multiple choice quiz. The teacher can choose to have students complete this independently as assessment, or it can be done together and discussed.
- The last slide has a 1-2 sentence conclusion about each branch.
Differentiation: This part of the lesson can be differentiated in multiple ways, as indicated above. Different group configurations can be utilized, as can different methods of assessment. This lesson is appropriate for ELLs and students with special needs because it presents the information in a variety of ways, includes multimedia, repeats information, and checks frequently for understanding.
Assessment: This lesson already contains multiple methods of assessment. The teacher can choose to have the students complete the activities individually on paper to turn in, or to observe their performance while completing the activities as a group. The teacher can also assess student participation.
Judicial Branch in a Flash!
- Students should gather at a round or kidney table away from the interactive whiteboard.
- Teacher will explain that they will be discussing the Judicial branch of government and how it operates.
- Teacher will distribute one reading sheet to each student. Make sure to remind students of strategies for reading nonfiction before they begin reading. Each student can read independently while the teacher works with students that need extra help.
- When everyone is finished reading, the teacher will answer any questions that they may have and clarify the difference between the two court systems and what types of cases are heard in each. There should also be a discussion of what constitutes a civil or criminal case, as well as the trial process.
- After the group discussion, the teacher will check for student understanding by going over the active participation guide and complete the sentence (from worksheet) with the group.
- Students will then be divided into pairs to complete the Venn diagram and sequencing activity shown on the worksheet. The pairs will work together to draw a Venn diagram on the chart paper and fill it out. Each group will also be given three sentence strips with the sequencing activity sentences written on them to sort and put in order. When most of the groups have completed the two activities, the whole group will come back together to present and discuss their work.
- Again, the teacher will take time to answer any questions and clarify points before sending the students to the next station.
Differentiation: This lesson can be differentiated for ELLs and students with special needs through group configuration. They have a chance to work independently, in pairs, and in a small group. They will also be able to work with a teacher if they need assistance with reading. The Venn diagram and sequencing will provide all students a chance to do meaningful, participatory activities. ELLs should also be encouraged to create a vocabulary book for the key words in the reading, with pictures and their own definitions. AIG students can work together to put all twelve sentence strips from the sequencing activity in the correct order or read about some famous Supreme Court cases.
Assessment: The Venn diagrams, sequencing, and group discussion can be used for assessment of this part of the lesson.
Resources:
- http://express.smarttech.com/?url=http://exchangedownloads.smarttech.com/public/content/83/837689ed-5711-410b-940d-e7e8c523d7ba/The%20Three%20Branches%20of%20the%20US%20Government.notebook#
- http://www.icivics.org/teachers/lesson-plans/judicial-branch-flash
- http://cdn.icivics.org/sites/default/files/uploads/Judicial%20Branch%20In%20A%20Flash_0.pdf