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Learning Experience Plan

Subject: U.S. History Grade level: 11th grade
Unit: U.S. Constitution Day/Periods: 0.0!.1"
#o$ic: De%ocracy
Content Standards:
Standard : Civics& Citi'enshi$( and Govern%ent
Students )ill use a variety o* intellectual s+ills to de%onstrate their understanding o* the
necessity *or establishing govern%ents( the govern%ental syste% o* the United States and
other nations& the United States Constitution& the basic civic values o* ,%erican
constitutional de%ocracy& and the roles( rights( and res$onsibilities o* citi'enshi$( including
avenues o* $artici$ation.
Civic -deals and Practices:
.asic *reedo%s and rights and res$onsibilities o* citi'ens in a de%ocratic re$ublic
/ole o* the citi'en in the co%%unity and nation and as a %e%ber o* the global co%%unity
Civic $artici$ation and engage%ent
/es$ect *or diversity
Civic ideals and $ractices in countries other than our de%ocratic re$ublic
Struggle *or rights( access to citi'enshi$ rights( and universal hu%an rights
Literacy Standards:
CCSS.01,21iteracy./H.1123.4 0valuate an author5s $re%ises( clai%s( and evidence by
corroborating or challenging the% )ith other in*or%ation.
CCSS.01,21iteracy.6.11213.1 6rite argu%ents to su$$ort clai%s in an analysis o* substantive
to$ics or te7ts( using valid reasoning and relevant and su**icient evidence.
CCSS.01,21iteracy.6.11213.1a -ntroduction $recise( +no)ledgeable clai%8s9( establish
the signi*icance o* the clai%8s9( distinguish the clai%8s9 *ro% alternate or o$$osing clai%s(
and create an organi'ation that logically se:uences clai%8s9( counterclai%s( reasons( and
evidence.
CCSS.01,21iteracy.6.11213.1b Develo$ clai%8s9 and counterclai%s *airly and thoroughly(
su$$ling the %ost relevant evidence *or each )hile $oints out the strengths and li%itations
o* both in a %anner that antici$ates the audience5s +no)ledge level( concerns( values( and
$ossible biases.
CCSS.01,21iteracy.6.11213.1c Use )ords( $hrases( and clauses as )ell as varied synta7
to lin+ the %ajor sections o* the te7t( create cohesion( and clari*y the relationshi$s bet)een
clai%8s9 and reasons( bet)een reasons and evidence( and bet)een clai%8s9 and
counterclai%s.
CCSS.01,21iteracy.6.11213.1d 0stablish and %aintain a *or%al style and objective tone
)hile attending to the nor%s and conventions o* the disci$line in )hich they are )riting.
CCSS.01,21iteracy.6.11213.1e Provide a concluding state%ent or section that *ollo)s
*ro% and su$$orts the argu%ent $resented.
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Learning Experience Outcomes:
Students )ill learn and understand the
conce$t o* )riting an argu%entative letter.
Students )ill use all the in*or%ation they
learned *ro% this lesson and $revious
lessons to incor$orate into their
argu%entative letter. Students )ill hel$ each
other $roo*read gra%%ar and content o*
other students5 dra*t o* their letters.
Students will understand how our society
and government are influenced by the
Constitution
Students will understand how citi!ens
participate in a community by exercising their
civic rights and responsibilities
Students will understand the conditions and
actions that contributed to conflict"
cooperation and compromise#
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Learning Experience $ssessments:
1ecture and discussion on argu%entative
letter )riting.
Students )ill be individually )rite an
argu%entative letter to a to)n or state
re$resentatives )ith a $ro$osition o* ho) the
U.S. Constitution could be i%$roved by just
one s%all individual a%end%ent.
%ifferentiation
$pproaching
Students )ho are having
$articular di**iculty in
co%$art%entali'ing their
thoughts or ideas( argu%ent(
evidence and *or%ing an
introduction and conclusion.
#hese students )ill
8auto%atically9 be given a
s$eci*ic gra$hic organi'er *or
letter )riting that they )ill
have to co%$lete be*ore they
start )riting their letter. #hey
)ill also be given letter )riting
$ro%$ted :uestions sheet.
#his )ill hel$ guide the% to
)hat ans)ers they should
thin+ about throughout their
letter )riting.
On&level
Students )ho are in the
inter%ediate level o*
understanding in ter%s o* this
$articular assess%ent. 6ill
have the o$tion o* having the
$ro%$ted :uestions sheets(
but are re:uired to use to the
gra$hic organi'er.
'eyond
Students that are beyond the
inter%ediate level have the
o$tion o* both the gra$hic
organi'er and/or the
$ro%$ted :uestions sheet.
#hey are not obligated to use
these.
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$ll students will have the opportunity to ta(e a graphic organi!er or prompted )uestions sheet *hey will
help even the +beyond, students to organi!e and focus their argument for their letter writing
assessment
-roup .or(: /sing the opposite of the trac(ing method" students of each varying differentiation level
will be grouped into 0 or 1 students Peer review will help those approaching and even on&level
students in this assessment .ith the help of beyond student2s3 within each group will adherently help
each student in the long&run
4aterials56
esources
Procedures5Strategies
Sponge $ctivity: 8activity that )ill be done as students enter the roo% to get the% into the
%indset o* the conce$t to be learned9 Do ;o): Students )ill )rite their
thoughts/ideas/argu%ents on )hat they consider to be a $ositive addition to the
Constitution. 6hat la) 8that is not already $resent )ithin the U.S. Constitution
docu%ent9 should be added< 6hy do you thin+ so< -= there is a la) that should
be a%ended...)hat la) and )hy<
$nticipatory Set: 8*ocus :uestion8s9 that )ill be used to get students thin+ing about the day5s
lesson9 Students should +ee$ in %ind...
6hat are the rights( liberties( and res$onsibilities o* U.S. citi'ens<
Should the states have the right to ignore the la)s o* the national govern%ent<
6hat rights and res$onsibilities does the Constitution give %e<
$ctivating Prior 7nowledge: 8)hat in*or%ation )ill be shared )ith/a%ong students to connect
to $rior +no)ledge/e7$erience9 Since this is the *or%al assess%ent o* both the lesson
and the unit( $revious +no)ledge that )as learned throughout this unit )ill
assuredly be both bene*icial and use*ul *or students to use )ithin this $articular
lesson and assess%ent.
-n the *or%al )riting assess%ent 8letter9 students )ill be encouraged to use the
necessary vocabulary *ro% the unit.
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P$t
Gra$hic
organi'er
>
Pro%$ted
?uestions
Sheet
%irect 8nstruction: 8in$ut( %odeling( chec+ *or understanding9
%86EC* 89S*6/C*8O9 8S O:E6 *;E CO/6SE O< = .EE7 2> %$?S3
1. @Do ;o)A: Students at the start o* the class $eriod %ust give several ideas o*
)hat could be an additional la) or a%end%ent to the Constitution. 6hat do
student5s thin+ should be an additional la) to the Constitution< 6hy<
3. Bno) your $ur$ose. 6hat do you intend to argue<
. 10C#U/0: Students )ill learn the basics o* argu%entative )riting 8the
$o)er$oint slides )ill as+ the :uestions belo) and give e7a%$les to )hat
each is9:
6hat is an argu%ent< 6hat is the student5s clai% or thesis<
6hat is the $oint<
6here do you *ind su$$orting evidence to your clai%< 8Give students e7a%$les
o* internet )ebsites and library access to )here they can use and *ind resources
to su$$ort their clai%s9.
Counterargu%ents to your clai%< Ho) is your argu%ent sound against the
counter2evidence<
,udience: Consider )ho you are tal+ing to.
Students should understand
Ho) to cite )or+s $ro$erly.
, brie* e7$lanation o* ho) to *or%at the *or%al letter 8headings( address(
greeting( introduction( body( conclusion( closing and signature9
". Students )ill then brea+ into grou$s o* to " students 8de$ending on class
si'e9.
!. Students )ill )rite do)n ideas( $oints to %a+e( argu%ent( :uestions( etc.
C. Students )ill be given handouts 8gra$hic organi'ers and $ro%$ted :uestions9
D. Students )ill brainstor% a*ter the lecture is given.
4. Students )ill begin to research *or evidence that )ill su$$ort their clai% over
the course o* 3 days: Students are to %eet )ith the $ro*essor in order to
revie) their evidence...)hether it is substantial or not.
9. Students )ill )rite a rough dra*t o* their letter to bring in on the rd day. Peer
revie)s )ill be done in grou$s 8students %ust $eer revie) at least 3 letters9.
*wo eyes are better than one@
10. Students )ill then hand in their $eer revie)ed letters to the teacher to be
loo+ed over and chec+ed *or any other changes that need to be %ade
11. #he "th day students )ill be given their letters bac+ and have to %a+e
the necessary corrections overnight in order to hand in a *inal hardco$y dra*t
on the !th day o* the lesson.
13. Concluding: Students )ill be given the o$$ortunity to discuss their
argu%ents and evidence in di**erent grou$s than their $eer2revie)ed grou$s.
#his )ill give the% a variety o* understandings and ne) +no)ledge to other
$eo$le5s o$inions.
1. During the *inal leg o* the lesson: Class discussion )ill be $ro%$ted by:
6hat did you learn *ro% this e7$erience<
Do you thin+ your argu%ent and evidence )as viable enough to be considered
a la)< 6hy or )hy not<
#hroughout grou$ discussion( did you *ind another student5s argu%ent could be
a $ositive addition to the Constitution< 6hy or )hy not< Did their evidence
su$$ort their clai%<
=ro% grou$ discussion: 6ould you alter your argu%ent or clai% a di**erent
argu%ent a*ter hearing and discussing )ith your class%ates and their *indings<
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-uided Practice: 8ho) students )ill de%onstrate their gras$ o* ne) learning9
Peer revie) )ill hel$ students gras$ their learning. .y learning the ideas(
argu%ents and su$$ortive evidence o* others( students )ill be able to see the
corrections and additional in*or%ation or evidence they need to $rove their
$oint in their o)n letters.
Closure: 8action/state%ent by teacher designed to bring lesson $resentation to an a$$ro$riate
close9
During the *inal leg o* the lesson: Class discussion )ill be $ro%$ted by:
6hat did you learn *ro% this e7$erience<
Do you thin+ your argu%ent and evidence )as viable enough to be
considered a la)< 6hy or )hy not<
#hroughout grou$ discussion( did you *ind another student5s argu%ent could
be a $ositive addition to the Constitution< 6hy or )hy not< Did their evidence
su$$ort their clai%<
=ro% grou$ discussion: 6ould you alter your argu%ent or clai% a di**erent
argu%ent a*ter hearing and discussing )ith your class%ates and their
*indings<
8ndependent Practice: 8)hat students )ill do to rein*orce learning o* the
lesson9
6riting a co%$elling corres$ondence to a to)n or state re$resentatives )ith a
$ro$osition o* ho) the U.S. Constitution could be i%$roved by just one s%all
individual a%end%ent. Students )ill be able to e7$lain the change they are
suggesting to the U.S. Constitution. #hey are to describe ho) their change
)ould better the Constitution( there*ore bettering U.S. $olitical syste%.
Student5s %ust e7hibit $roo* to )hy their $ro$osed change )ould be
i%$erative to our govern%ent and societal syste%. .e*ore %ailing o** student5s
letters( as a class( students )ill discuss their $ro$ositions and *ind
co%%onality and resolutions to our societal and $olitical syste%.
A *his assessment will not be graded at the end of the lesson *his is a lesson
and assessment that will ta(e place over the course of 1 to > days 2= wee(3
*his will give students for time to research" peer review and drafting the letter
several times to ma(e it sufficient to send in the mail
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LE**E6 .68*89- -6$%89- 6/'68C
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The Argument Clearly states an
arguable claim.
Student proposes
a solution or
course of action
that is viable.
Makes an
argument claim,
but does not
propose a
solution or
action.
The arguable
claim is
confusing or
unclear.
No argument is
stated within the
letter.
Subtopics:
Claims
supporting your
argument
Gives clear and
accurate
supporting
claims in support
of the argument.
ses logic with
clear facts,
statistics, and
states research
with named
sources
!otherwise it is
considered
plagiarism".
#utlines the
supporting
claims in but
student may
overlook
important
reasons to
support the
argument.
Gives $ or %
weak claims that
do not support
the argument&
states confusing
or irrelevant
supporting
claims.
'oes not give
convincing
claims in support
of the argument.
Reasons for
counter
argument
'iscusses the
reasons against
claim and
e(plains why it
is valid anyways.
'iscusses reason
against the
claim, but leaves
certain reasons
out. 'oes not
e(plain why the
claim still
stands.
)easons against
the claim, but
does not discuss
them in the letter
at all.
'oes not
acknowledge or
discuss the
reasons against
the claim.
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Voice and Tone *riter cares
about the
argument that
they have
proposed. The
letter appeals to
emotion, reason,
a credible
argument and
hard facts.
Tone of letter is
acceptable, but it
lacks the
enthusiasm of
the writer. Needs
to appeal to the
audience to
which the letter
is informed
*riting is bland.
Needs more
emotion, reason
and a credible
argument.
*riter is not
invested in the
topic.
rammar
!rotocol
*riter uses
proper or correct
grammar,
spelling and
punctuation.
*riter may have
a couple of
errors in
grammar,
spelling and
punctuation.
*riter has
enough errors
that it causes
distraction.
There are too
many errors that
the letter is
unintelligible.
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