This is Celebrate Freedom Week. These lessons always present a problem for me. They are NOT short. I have yet to figure out a good way to do it. The first day (The Declaration) is pretty short–maybe fifteen minutes. The others will take longer, 30-40 minutes. I do use a play for most of it, so that is a good place to at least introduce drama if you are teaching reading as well. It is actually a great little play to put on for parents. I used to make costumes by just making poster size cut-outs of the states and hanging them around the kids’ necks with yarn. For Ben, I used a black graduation robe and some plastic spectacles. No need for a backdrop, just project Independence Hall on your whiteboard. I always just presented in my classroom. It makes it less stressful for everyone. Don’t stress about making it perfect. Even a little play that isn’t perfect is a memory the students will have for a lifetime. Make this learning an experience, not just an activity!
Here is a link to the play. I have no idea who the author is. I was given the copy.
Even just reading and discussing this play takes me three days. I could probably do it all in one day if I devoted one class to it, but I just can’t justify that while teaching writing. When I did reading, I didn’t feel guilty since we could talk about the elements of drama.
Day One:
identify the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights (Celebrate Freedom Week).[4.13C]
Lesson objective(s):
Students can identify the problems with the Articles of Confederation that led to the Constitutional Convention by reading a play and completing a ticket out.
Explore: Read scene One and Two as a class.
Explain:
Scene One: Why did they have to re-write the Articles of Confederation?
Scene Two: Look at the location (Independence Hall, Philadelphia) Ask, Why did they chose that location– show pictures. (They signed the Declaration here–it was also one of the biggest cities) Why did they invite George W.? (He was like a celebrity. No one wanted to come. It seemed pretty boring to just come to a meeting for weeks to discuss a problem no one was sure how to solve. BUT–if the biggest celebrity in the country was there…)
How did their purpose change? Would be a good time to talk about sometimes if their writing is just not working, it may be better to rewrite than to revise.
Evaluation of student learning: Students must answer two of the 4 questions above as they leave today as a ticket out.
Materials:
Copies of the play with parts for everyone
Day Two
identify the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights (Celebrate Freedom Week).[4.13C]
Lesson objective(s):
Students can remember the reasons for and results of the Great Compromise by reading a play and completing a ticket out.
Explore: Read Scene 3 together today.
Explain:
Look specifically at scene 3. Discuss the Great Compromise. What were they arguing about? How did they solve it?
Evaluation of student learning:
Students must answer one the two questions from the explain lesson as a ticket out.
Day Three:
identify the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights (Celebrate Freedom Week).[4.13C]
Lesson objective(s):
Students can explain the results of the Constitutional Convention by reading a play and completing a ticket out.
Explore: Read Scene 4 together as a class.
Explain:
Look specifically at scene 4. Discuss the George W.’s chair and Ben Franklin’s response to the signing. Why did he say that? Was he right? Why or Why not?
Here is a link to pictures of the chair and the quote:
http://www.ushistory.org/more/sun.htm
Evaluation of student learning:
Students must answer of the questions about Ben Franklin’s response to the signing as a ticket out.
Teaching Without Twitching 