UbD+-+2nd+Grade+Unit+Plan


 * Name:** Amanda Hawley and Emily Di Bartolomeo


 * Unit Title:** United States Government


 * Grade Level:** 2nd


 * Subject:** History. US Government


 * Time Frame:** The lessons for this unit will last anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes and will take place over the course of ten consecutive days, plus one day for the assessment. This unit will take place entirely in-class and will not include any out-of-class work.


 * Summary:** This unit aims to cover California State Standards 2.2.4, 2.2.1, and 2.3.1. At the end of this unit, students should be able to demonstrate a basic understanding of communities, laws and how they are made, and local and national governments and their branches.

Day 1: To introduce the concept of community, the teacher will read __The Little House__ by Virginia Lee Burton. This book introduces rural, suburban, and urban communities. In addition, students will draw pictures of each different setting. (30 minutes)

Day 2: Continuing with community, the teacher will show students an aerial map of the school and surrounding area. From this map, students will identify specific locations and geographic features that #|make up their community. Students will recreate this community using a simple letter-number grid system. (45 minutes)

Day 3: Teacher will introduce the different cultures that can make up a community. Students will read about various cultures and will fill in their attributes while creating a flip book. (30 minutes)

Day 4: This day will serve as an introduction to laws. Students will learn about what laws are and will create and illustrate a flip book in order to organize this information. The class will then work on a writing assignment titled "What if we had no laws?". (45 minutes)

Day 5: This lesson will begin with a read-aloud of __House Mouse, Senate Mouse__ by Peter and Cheryl Barns. This story will introduce the house and senate as well as how America makes laws. We will then #|complete two worksheets that correspond to the story. We will then conclude with a Schoolhouse Rock video titled, "I'm Just a Bill." (30 Minutes)

Day 6: On day 6, the teacher will introduce local government and we will create a tree showing the three branches. After a class brainstorm session, we will then write a letter to the Mayor regarding an issue that the students feel is important to their community. (30 minutes)

Day 7: During this lesson we will introduce national government and its three branches. We will then compare our two government trees and talk about the differences between local and national government. We will conclude this lesson with a #|worksheet titled "Why People Create Government." (30 minutes)

Day 8: On day 8, we will go further in depth into the judicial system in order to explain how the government determines whether laws have been violated and how they punish wrongdoers. In preparation for our next day's lesson, we will spend time creating questions for a police officer who will be coming to speak to our class. (45 minutes)

Day 9: This will be the day of our police officer visit. He or she will come to speak to the class about the regulation of laws. Students will have the opportunity to get their questions answered. After the presentation, we will compose #|thank you letters to the officer in which we will discuss what we learned from the presentation. (45 minutes)

Day 10: The teacher will read a story titled __This is London,__ by Miroslav Sasek. Students will be introduced to another country and its government system. We will then discuss different governments around the world and how they differ from our own. (30 minutes)

Day 11: Summative unit assessment.


 * STAGE ONE: DESIRED RESULTS**


 * Standards:**
 * 2.2.1:** Locate on a simple letter-number grid system the specific locations and geographic features in their neighborhood or community (e.g., map of the classroom, the school).


 * 2.2.4:** Compare and contrast basic land use in urban, suburban, and rural environments in California.


 * 2.3.1:** Explain how the United States and other countries make laws, carry out laws, determine whether laws have been violated, and punish wrongdoers.


 * Big Ideas:** Students will understand that our country and state are made up of communities and laws. They will learn how these laws are made, and will show understanding of local and national governments and their branches.

1. How does our government effect your lives? 2. What is the influence of multiculturalism on our communities? 3. Why are laws important? 4. How does national government effect local government? 5. How would our country be different without the judicial system?
 * Essential Questions:**


 * Vocabulary:** Students will know terms such as community, businesses, government, diversity, laws, mayor, council, executive, legislative, judicial, local government, citizen, symbol, and court.


 * Students will be able to:** identify the different branches of government, describe the differences between rural, urban, and suburban settings, read and recreate a map of the community, and recite the process of how a bill becomes a law.


 * STAGE TWO: ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE**


 * Performance Task :** The formal summative assessment for this lesson will be in the form of a fill in the blank/ multiple choice test . It will be given on the 11th day of the unit and will assess student understanding of the topics taught throughout the unit.


 * G:** This unit aims to cover California State Standards 2.2.4, 2.2.1, and 2.3.1. At the end of this unit, students will understand that our country and state are made up of communities and laws. They will learn how these laws are made, and will show understanding of local and national governments and their branches.


 * R:** The role of the teacher is to administer the test orally. This will ensure that each student gets the opportunity to listen to and follow along with each question. The role of the students is to listen attentively and complete each question as the teacher reads.


 * A:** 30 2nd grade students in a middle class socio-economic area. There will likely be a mixture of ELL and a few special needs and GATE students.


 * S:** Students will place their desks in testing position and bring out their privacy shields. The assessment will take place in their everyday classroom.


 * P:** Students should be able to answer all questions in a #|timely fashion. Those who are not able to finish will be brought to the back resource table to finish while the rest of the class moves on to the next activity.


 * Standards for success:**


 * 2.2.1:** Locate on a simple letter-number grid system the specific locations and geographic features in their neighborhood or community (e.g., map of the classroom, the school).


 * 2.2.4:** Compare and contrast basic land use in urban, suburban, and rural environments in California.


 * 2.3.1:** Explain how the United States and other countries make laws, carry out laws, determine whether laws have been violated, and punish wrongdoers.


 * Criteria for Success:** Passing the final assessment with a 75 percent or higher.


 * Other Evidence:** Completed worksheets, monitoring for understanding, and verbal responses during class discussions.


 * STAGE 3: LEARNING PLAN**


 * Daily Lesson Plans**


 * See attached materials for worksheets, hand-outs, and the summative assessment.***

Day 8