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Forms and Powers of Government

Published: 11/9/2012 8:28 AM

The Forms and Powers of Government is a unit consisting of 3 lessons (two lessons and a third optional lesson) organized around the big idea, “Students will understand that the structure and purposes of governments influence how governments respond to protect their existence and needs of their citizens”.

 

​Prior to the implementation of this unit, students will complete an entry level assessment aligned to the end of unit assessment to gauge their prior knowledge of forms and powers of government.
Students will also complete a civic disposition pre-assessment measuring their understanding, demonstration and/or advocacy of civic dispositions targeted in the unit.
Throughout this unit, students will self-assess their performance of the civic dispositions targeted in each lesson.
Students explore how the needs and wants of people shape the structure and purposes of a government, how governments have used different sources (e.g., documents, national symbols, language) to represent powers, leaders and individuals, and how societal changes impact the structure and purposes of governments.
In the end of unit assessment, students will develop a proposal for the best way to govern high schools of the 21st century based on knowledge of past and existing forms, purposes and powers of governments and present their proposal to a town hall meeting.

Forms and Powers of Government Unit Overview
Forms and Powers of Government End of Unit Assessment
     FOG End of Unit Assessment Resource A
Forms and Powers of Government Civic Dispositions Assessment Tools
 
Lesson Essential Question(s):
    1. What is government?
    2. Why do governments form and why do their powers vary?
The teacher will introduce the end of unit assessment for the students at the beginning of the lesson.
The teacher will give students the open ended question that aligns with the end of unit assessment to allow students and the teacher to assess student prior knowledge about the content and provide the opportunity for students to monitor their progress in reaching learning targets as they complete lessons within the unit.
Students will define government and compare different forms of government using information from the CIA database.
Students will apply their knowledge of the different forms of government by completing a think dot activity.
Students will also reflect on which form of government is best to run a high school of the 21st century.
Civic dispositions targeted in this lesson are reflected in the student friendly learning targets.
    1. I can demonstrate persistence, civility and open mindedness with my group as I define government.
    2. I can demonstrate critical mindedness and persistence to analyze descriptions of governments to compare the purposes, structure and sources of power of the forms of government (monarchy, totalitarian, democracy and republic).
    3. I can demonstrate critical mindedness and persistence to analyze descriptions of governments to compare forms of government (monarchy, totalitarian, democracy and republic) and their ability to establish order, provide security, accomplish common goals and/or meet citizen needs.
Lesson 1 Resources
   FOG Resource 1A     Forms of Government Entry Level Assessment
   FOG Resource 1C     Think Dot #1, #2 and Rubric
   FOG Resource 1D     Matrix Forms of Government
   FOG Resource 1E     Forms of Governments
   FOG Resource 1G     Scenarios for Review
   FOG Resource 1H     Wrap- Up Scoring Guide
 
Lesson Essential Question(s):
    1. What are principles of democratic governments?
    2. How do governments use constitutions to reflect powers, leaders, and rights and responsibilities of citizens?
Teacher uses a webbing exercise to form a class definition for democracy around the world.
Students then analyze four constitutions in groups of 3-4 and complete a response sheet for each constitution. Each constitution is taken from a current world government and students will use a fact file to analyze how effective the government is in meeting its constitutional goals.
Students will complete a learning check at the conclusion of this lesson and brainstorm what rights and liberties they would like to include in the 21st Century school governance model for the end of unit assessment.
Civic dispositions targeted in this lesson are reflected in the student friendly learning targets.
    1. I can identify and explain the criterion for democratic governments while demonstrating persistence, open mindedness and negotiation and compromise.
    2. I can demonstrate persistence, critical mindedness and civility with my group as we analyze the degree to which world constitutions meet the criterion for democratic governments.
    3. I can demonstrate persistence, critical mindedness and civility with my group to identify and explain how constitutions reflect a government’s powers, leader(s) and rights and liberties of citizens.
Lesson 2 Resources
   FOG Resource 2A      Response Sheet for World Constitutions
   FOG Resource 2B      World Constitutions
   FOG Resource 2C      Personal Assessment
   FOG Resource 2D      World Constitutions Analysis Role Sheet
   FOG Resource 2E      World map
   FOG Resource 2F      Country Information Sheets
 
Lesson Essential Question(s):
    1. How do political ideologies impact how governments establish order, provide security, and accomplish common goals?
    2. How do governance documents establish order, provide security, accomplish common goals, meet citizens’ needs and protect rights and liberties? Day one and two are optional lessons.
In these lessons, students define political ideologies and explain how ideologies impact decisions about how governments establish order, provide security, and accomplish common goals.
In day 3, students, will work to complete the end of unit assessment.
Students will work in small groups to develop a proposal for governing high schools in the 21st Century.
Two to three additional days will be needed for the completion of this task.
Students will present their proposal to an audience in a town meeting format.
Civic dispositions targeted in this lesson are reflected in the student friendly learning targets.
    1. I can demonstrate persistence and critical mindedness to analyze current events and determine how my personal political ideologies influence my stance on the issue.
    2. I can demonstrate civility, negotiation and compromise and critical mindedness to explain how political ideologies impact how governments establish order, provide security and accomplish common goals.
    3. I can demonstrate civility, negotiation and compromise, open mindedness, critical mindedness and persistence to work with a group to develop and present a high school governing proposal that establishes order, provides security, accomplishes common goals, meets citizens’ needs and protects rights and liberties.
Lesson 3 Resources
   FOG Resource 3A      Current Issues Placards
   FOG Resource 3B      Supporting Your Political Ideologies Matrix
   FOG Resource 3C      Political Spectrum
   FOG Resource 3D      Ideology Choice Board and Scoring Guide
   FOG Resource 3F      Ideology Choice Board Peer Assessment
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​Charles Hall
Office of Next-Generation Learners
Division of Program Standards
500 Mero Street, 18th Floor CPT
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 564-2106
Fax (502) 564-9848