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<>Methods: Each child will be paired with a partner and each pair will receive one or two note cards with a department or bureau written on it. In their groups, students will decide the responsibilities or function of their departments (the can use their worksheets from the previous evening’s homework). Students will then work together as a class to figure out the chain of command: which departments are under which, and who is in charge of each. Students will actively participate in organizing a visual concept map/flow chart of the parts of the executive branch with their note cards. In their pairs, students will add to a chart on butcher block paper by contributing the function, responsibilities and heads of their assigned bureaus or departments. Teacher will lead a discussion at the end of the activity about the possible benefits and problems associated with the separation of powers within the Executive Branch, relating the discussion to what went right and wrong on September 11, 2001. <>

Concepts Taught: The functions and responsibilities of different departments within the executive branch of the federal government. Why it was difficult for the executive branch to work together right after 9/11. Why the executive branch of the federal government is so compartmentalized. <>

Resources: Notecards with branches/bureaus written on them, Butcher Block Paper, Dark colored markers, Worksheet for homework outlining the different branches, Internet access for students to complete the assignment (after school or at home), http://www.loc.gov/rr/news/fedgov.html <>

Assessment: Formal Assessment- completed worksheet prior to activity and completion of paragraph for homework for the next day about why we need all of these departments, and why it was difficult for them to work together. Informal assessment- participation in their pair to figure out the responsibilities of their assigned branches/departments and participation in class assignment of creating flow chart out of their notecards <>

Closure: Close discussion by reminding the class that there are many different departments within the Executive Branch, and that there is a reason for this separation of powers. Collect the homework sheet. <>

Evaluation of Lesson: Reflect on which concepts students were and were not able to grasp, and adjust lesson accordingly. Reflect on level of participation in small and large group activities, and adjust methods if need be to promote as much active participation as possible. Upon review of formal assessments for this lesson, adjust method of instruction and/or content as needed to promote better student understanding of material. <>

Standards Addressed:

Elementary Standard 2- English/Language Arts

§ Creating visual representations of text structures.

§ Analyze the meaning of words and phrases in context.

Elementary Standard 5- Social Science: Understands the interrelationships of political principles and systems of USA, compare basic principles of US and international interests, compare basic political systems of US in the Constitution, understand the responsibilities of government shared and limited by the Constitution

Elementary Standard - Social and Emotional Learning: Analyze reasons for societal rules.

Professional Standard 1- Content Knowledge 1A: Understands major concepts that are central to the discipline in which certification is sought. 1E: Understands how a student’s disability affects processes of inquiry and influences patterns of learning.

<>Professional Standard 4- Planning for Instruction: 4E: Understands how to integrate technology into classroom instruction. <>

Professional Standard 5- Learning Environment
5C: Understands how to help students work cooperatively and productively in groups. <>

Professional Standard 6- Instructional Delivery 6C: Knows how to enhance learning through the use of a wide variety of materials as well as human and technological resources. <>

Professional Standard 8- Assessment
8D: Understands how to use the results of assessment to reflect on tand modify teaching. <>

Professional Standard 10- Reflection and Professional Growth
10A: Understands that reflection is an integral part of professional growth and improvement of instruction.

Activities

Government Agencies Worksheet: As a homework assignment, students will complete a worksheet outlining the key departments within the executive branch of government and their functions and/or responsibilities. The worksheet will include: Executive Branch, President, Secret Service, Department of Transportation, FAA, Legislative Branch, House Select Committee, Senate Select Committee, CIA, National Security Council, Department of Justice, FBI, INS, National Security Agency, National Security Advisor, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, Department of Treasury, Department of State, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The worksheet will include directions for finding all necessary information on http://www.loc.gov/rr/news/fedgov.html. Use this activity as the advance organizer for the Directed Lesson Plan “Government Agencies.”

Class Government: You can add on to the “Government Agencies” lesson by setting up a class government, once students have a good grasp of the functions of the different departments/bureaus of the Executive Branch. Name yourself the President and your classroom the Executive Branch. Arrange students’ desks in clusters of four or five, depending on the number of students in the class. Assign each cluster of desks to be a branch or bureau with a job analogous to one within the Executive Branch- for example, one group can be the Department of the State, and their job is to run errands to other classrooms and the office for the President (teacher). Rotate one student as the head of each department by the week; that student is responsible for making sure the department does its job when assigned by the President. Once everyone in the group has been the department head, rotate departments so a new group of students is a new department.