Course Title: Grade 4 Social Studies
Essential Standard: Understand the development, structure and function of North Carolina's government.
4.C&G.1 RBT Tag:C-2
Common Core Standard
Essential Vocabulary
Task Analysis (Unpacking Simplified)
Learning Activities/Assessments Resources
4.C&G.1.1 Summarize the key principles and revisions of the North Carolina Constitution.
Preamble Document Civics Government Elections Constitution
Student Outcomes: -I can explain how democratic government influences how laws are developed.
-I can define revision. Essential Questions: -What is the purpose of the North Carolina Constitution?
-What are the values and principles expressed in the Preamble of the NC Constitution?
-Why is it necessary to make revisions to the NC Constitution?
-What are some key amendments made to the NC Constitution? (rights for women; election of Governor; Slavery)
Collaborative Group Work
As a class watch the School House Rock video “I’m Just a Bill” a couple of times. Students should have a graphic organizer so that they can take notes. In small groups, create a flow chart showing how a bill becomes a law. In a paragraph, explain how the system of checks and balances is evident in this process.
Writing to Learn
Compare and contrast the three constitutions North Carolina has had. Use a graphic organizer to show the similarities and differences. Discuss as a class what changes were made and why they were made.
Questioning
-Why do you think the authors of the NC Constitution included the Declaration of Rights? Which rights do you think are the most important and why?
-What is the purpose of the Preamble? -Why do we have a Constitution?
Scaffolding
Create one foldable for each of the three branches of government. The foldable should outline the roles and responsibilities of each branch, the part of government that makes up each branch, and the
Constitution of 1776 Constitution of 1868 Constitution of 1971
http://aam.wcu.edu/projects/farrands/Unit plans.htm
http://www.lessonplanet.com/teachers/les son-plan-virtual-travel-plan--2
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Prod uct/North-Carolina-State-Constitution-390265
http://cfbstaff.cfbisd.edu/davidj/Special%2 0Events/Constitution%20Day/constitution_ day.htm
http://www.econedlink.org/
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/n c07.asp
http://www.nccppr.org/drupal/content/ne ws/2013/04/19/4256/constitutional- amendments-to-the-nc-constitution-proposed-in-2013
leader of each branch. Classroom Talk
Discuss how the US Constitution and the NC Constitution are similar. Why do we have a state constitution if we are a part of the United States?
http://ncpedia.org/government/nc-constitution-history
http://www.lib.unc.edu/ncc/ref/nchistory/ dec2005/
http://civics.sites.unc.edu/files/2012/04/N CStateConstExploringRelevancePPT.pdf
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= &esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=6&cad=rj a&ved=0CEAQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fw ww.wsfcs.k12.nc.us%2Fcms%2Flib%2FNC01 001395%2FCentricity%2FModuleInstance% 2F17768%2FNC_Constitution.ppt&ei=r7f3U ZvcN4GY9QSbzoFw&usg=AFQjCNEX5Re7hj
oBxhxkVnIN1oU6-UBR7Q&bvm=bv.49967636,d.eWU
http://kids.clerk.house.gov/grade-school/lesson.html?intID=17
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxT7QjlvD qM
http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0770 454.html
4.C&G.1.2 Compare the roles and responsibiliti es of state elected leaders.
Senate House of Representativ es
Executive Governor Department Agency Checks
Student Outcomes: -I can identify the three branches of the North Carolina government outlines in the NC Constitution. Essential Questions: -How is the North Carolina government
Collaborative Group Work
In pairs, work together to create one foldable for each of the three branches of government. The foldable should outline the roles and
responsibilities of each branch, the part of government that makes up each branch, and the leader of each branch.
Writing to Learn
http://www.ncwiseowl.org/ss/
http://www.lessonplanet.com/teachers/les son-plan-virtual-trip-to-historical-buildings-
symbols-of-our-three-branches-of-government
Balances Supreme Court Judicial Legislative Veto Public servants Capitol
organized?
-What is the purpose of the Legislative Branch? -What is the purpose of Executive Branch? -What is the purpose of the Judicial Branch? -Why is it important to have a system of checks and balances?
-Recognize state elected leaders have roles and responsibilities based on the state’s government. -Discuss leaders, citizens, and others play a variety of roles in state
government.
Pretend that you are a judge, governor, or senator. Choose a current event (you may want to have newspapers available or specific articles for students to choose their topic) to research. Write a letter to the editor telling how you as a judge, governor, or senator are involved or could be involved in that current event, issue, or debate. Questioning
-Why is it important for each elected official to have specific jobs and responsibilities?
-How do the three branches work together to form our system of government?
Scaffolding
Gallery Walk—around the classroom place paper with executive branch, legislative branch, and judicial branch. The students should be places in groups of three. Each group should have a problem/issue. As they walk around the room, groups should discuss how they would handle their issue based on the branch of government.
Depending on how many students in your classroom you may have to have multiple stations for each branch of government.
Classroom Talk
Create a classroom government to mirror the three branches of government. Bring a topic of
conversation or current event to each branch of the government for debate. As each branch/group decides how to resolve the problem, create classroom debates on how the branches interact. Come to a class consensus on how to handle the issue. (Topics could include current issues or a classroom issue such as books being left on the floor).
http://www.lessonplanet.com/teachers/les son-plan-branches-of-government--6
http://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/ghl/themes/ja nuary.html
http://www.secretary.state.nc.us/kidspg/g ov.htm
http://www.secretary.state.nc.us/kidspg/
http://www.netage.com/economics/gov/G ov-chart-top.html
courses.unt.edu/chandler/ADRIAN5600FRI DAY/govorg.ppt
http://www.lessonsindemocracy.org/forum /govtresp.html
Explain the influence of the colonial history of North Carolina on the governing documents of our state.
Revolution Conflict Surrender
I can explain how values and beliefs can influence history.
Essential Questions: -How did history influence our
government documents? Identify and explain references which offer background to the history of the early U.S. settlers and colonists (e.g., The Mayflower Compact (1620), Pitt’s Speech to Parliament on the Stamp Act (1776) and Burke’s Speech to Parliament on Conciliation with America (1775), The Declaration of Independence, 1776, and the Constitution of the U.S.).
Split the class into small groups. Each group should be assigned a different historical event/document. Their job is to investigate who was involved, when did it happen, what were the important issues, and how it influenced the NC Constitution. Students should be prepared to share this information with the rest of the class.
Follow up: Students should create a chart or table of the information on each event/document that is presented by the rest of the class.
Scaffolding
Using your knowledge of different historical events/documents, take a close look at the North Carolina Constitution. Highlight the parts of the constitution that were influenced the most by early U.S. settlers and colonists. Identify the events and/or reasons why the settlers/colonists would have included these parts in the constitution. Classroom Talk
How does the past influence the present?
on/ncconstitution.html
http://www.nhinet.org/ccs/docs/nc-1776.htm
http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/docu ment/
4.C&G.1.4 Compare North Carolina’s government with local governments .
Congress System Regulation Rule of Law
Student Outcomes: I can identify how local governments are similar to that of a state’s government. Essential Questions: -How are state and local governments similar? -Discuss cities and municipalities have mayors, city managers, city councils, and are also elected by the
Collaborative Group Work/Literacy Group
In small groups, students will have different jobs as they create a chart to compare and contrast federal, state, and local government. Include the elected officials found in each level of government and their roles and responsibilities. Each student should be assigned a role (leader, recorder, reporter, etc.) and a system of government. The students will have to work together to create the final product which will be presented to the class. Write to Learn
Students will write a letter to their Senator discussing an issue that their local community is
http://www.ncgov.com/
http://www.statelocalgov.net/state-nc.cfm
people.
-Describe how decisions of the state government affect local government and interact with federal law.
currently facing. Students should describe how the issue is affecting them and/or their family and offer a possible solution.
Scaffolding
