GCU College of Education

LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

03/2014

Teacher Candidate: Dana Enochs

Grade Level: Third grade
Date: October 30, 2016
Unit/Subject: Social Studies
Instructional Plan Title
One tree, Three Branches
I. PLANNING
Lesson The students will be capable of identifying the three branches of government and their
summary and basic roles in the United States government.
focus:
Ohio State 3.SS.12
Learning
Standards: G Governments have the authority to make and enforce laws.
Specific learning target(s) / objectives: Teaching notes:
Students will be able to identify three different Make sure to note to students the upcoming presidential
branches of government and the leaders along election. Also, the effects the outcome of the election will
with their roles that as they relate to the branches have no matter the winner on the other two branches of
of government. They will also be able to identify government.
the key vocabulary terms as they are defined.

Agenda: Formative assessment:

 Begin the lesson by explaining to the
students that they will be learning
about the three major branches of the
nation's government.
 Have students begin brainstorming
and discussing what they believe
they know about the branches of
government.
 Make a list on the board.
 Hand out the Three Branches of
Government Reading material.
 Have students create a branches of
government tree.
 Students do a compare and contrast
graphic organizer to find the
differences and similarities
between the three branches.
 Students complete a worksheet
assessment as homework.
1) Have each student draw a tree that has
three branches on it, labeling each branch;
Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. Then
the students pick three things for each
branch from the list on the board to put in
the corresponding branch of the
government. Assess the students as they
are completing the process.
2) Using a graphic organizer have students
find the differences and similarities
between the three branches of government.
This will tell me what they understand and do not
understand regarding the three branches of
government. Once they have done each of these I
can assess the students’ strengths and weaknesses
to be able to further help them.

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Academic Key vocabulary: Function:
Language: Judicial Defining and understanding the purpose of the
Executive three Branches of the U.S. Government id key
Legislative to understanding the lesson.

Instructional  Three Branches of Government Information Sheet

Materials,  Drawing paper
Equipment and  Crayons
Technology:
 Leaf shapes
 Glue sticks
 Three Branches of Government Questions worksheet
 Graphic Organizer

II. INSTRUCTION
A. Opening
Prior Students will state what they think they know prior to beginning the lesson making a
knowledge list on the board to compare with what they know at the end of the lesson.
connection:
B. Learning and Teaching Activities (Teaching and Guided Practice):
I Do Students Do Differentiation
Demonstrate drawing a Basic 1) Students will draw a 1) For those students
shape of a tree with 3 branches similar tree. Labeling the who are having
on a whiteboard. Labeling each three branches accordingly. trouble, working
branch: as executive, 2) Student will then choose with a peer or in a
legislative and judicial. nine different things from group may be
the board to write on each helpful.
Hand-out to the students three leaf. They must then decide 2) pre-print the leaves
leaves for each branch. which branch of will be available for
government they go into. their use as well.
Demonstrate finding three 3) Once students have .
items from the list on the completed their trees they
board, then write them on each will work on their graphic
leaf, and glue the leaves on the organizers.
branches of the tree.

III. ASSESSMENT

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Summative Have students complete the Three Branches of Government Worksheet to assess
Assessment: their true understanding of the lesson. If students are unable to properly complete
the assessment a review lesson may be in order.

Closure: To end the lesson, remind the students that in the United States, all three branches of
the government work together, and that no one is more important than the others.
What they learned today is just part of what makes the United States Government
work and that later we will discuss how the States government work with the national
government to run the country.
Homework: Complete a question and answer worksheet as homework

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Three Branches of Government
Executive Branch
The President leads the Executive
Branch carrying out laws,
vetoing laws,
Directing national defense, and
directing
Government. This branch works in the White House.
Judicial Branch

The Supreme Court is made up of

nine judges these nine judge lead the judicial branch. These judges are called Justices.
This branch reviews laws and decides cases that involve states’ rights. This branch
works in the Supreme Court Building.

Legislative Branch is the House of

Representatives which includes 435 voting
members and the senate which includes 100
members. These people make up congress and
they lead the legislative branch. They make the
laws and send them to the president for approval.
This branch works in the United States Capital.

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Homework
Three Branches of Government questions
1. Where the President work?

2. The leaders of the Legislative Branch work where?

3. The nine leaders of the Judicial Branch are called what?

4. What the Supreme Court does?

5. Who is the head of the Executive Branch?

6. Where the Judicial Branch works?

7. What does Congress do?

8. Where is, Congress located?

Answers
1. White House
2. Congress
3. Justices
4. Regulates laws
5. President
6. Supreme Court
7. Writes laws
8. Capital
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Graphic organizer
Compare and Contrast

Legislative

Judicial

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