Teacher Education Lesson Plan Template
Teacher: Miss Finck
Date: Feb. 2, 2015 (Monday)
Title of Lesson: Writing the Preamble
Cooperating Teacher: Mrs. Wies
Core Components
Subject, Content Area, or Topic
Social Studies: Building a New Nation- Formation of Documents
Student Population:
20 Students
Learning Objectives
Students will be introduced to the Preamble of the Constitution.
Students will form an understanding for the purpose and the meaning of the Preamble.
Virginia Essential Knowledge and Skills
The student will demonstrate knowledge of the role of Virginia in the establishment of the new American
nation by
a) explaining why George Washington is called the Father of our Country and James Madison
is called the Father of the Constitution;
b) identifying the ideas of George Mason and Thomas Jefferson as expressed in the Virginia
Declaration of Rights and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom;
Materials/Resources
School House Rock: The Preamble ([Link]
Printed version of the Preamble
Group sections of Preamble
Poster size piece of paper
Safety (if applicable)
n/a
Time
(min.)
Process Components1
*Anticipatory Set
Review and refresh students in information covered the previous week.
What are some important people we learned about last week?
What were their contributions?
Can anyone tell me what the Preamble is?
2 min
McDonalds Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
*State the Objectives (grade-level terms)
Today we will learn what the Preamble is and why it was written.
30 sec
*Instructional Input or Procedure
Give students a brief explanation about the Preamble. Explain the following points:
The purpose of the Preamble
What the preamble consists of
Who wrote/made the Preamble
2 min
*Modeling
Play School House Rock: Constitution Preamble ([Link]
The short video provides a short song explaining the purpose and meaning of the
Preamble. Have students watch the whole video without pausing.
4 min
*Check for Understanding
Continuou
s
As we work through our guided practice exercise, students will be prompt to answer
questions about the information being discussed. Once small groups are made,
students will be asked to repeat what is expected of them.
*Guided Practice
Pass a copy of the Preamble to each student. Have students take turns reading a
section of the Preamble aloud and hold a class-wide discussion on what that section
means. Help students define difficult words. Following are the sections and props
related.
12 min
We the people- who are the people?
In order to form a more perfect union- To make the country as perfect as
possible. Union=together/ as a whole
Establish Justice- Justice=fairness to bring fairness to all
Insure Domestic Tranquility Domestic=home, Tranquility=peaceful To
make sure the country stays at peace
Provide for the common defense defense=Protection Provide protection
for all
Promote the general welfare- general welfare=well-being.
Secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and our posterity- libertyfreedom. Posterity= future generation/children. Makes sure our freedom
continues not only for ourselves but for future generation
Do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of Americaordain-to approve. We approve and establish this constitution for the United
States
McDonalds Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
*Independent Practice
Students are divided into groups of four. Each group is given a section of the
Preamble. The group is to discuss what their section means and re-write it in their
own words. The group is then to illustrate what they believe their section means.
*Sections of the Preamble assignment should be determined by the students level of
learning.*
15 min
Assessment
Continuou
s
As groups work on their sections activity, I will move between groups listening and
at time joining in the conversation. This will allow me to be able to see what students
are grasping the information and who will need some extra help or work.
*Closure
Once students have completed the revision of their sections, the new version of the
Preamble will be assembled together and displayed in order students to be able to
read out new version.
2 min
34 MINS
TOTAL TIME NEEDED
Differentiation Strategies (enrichment, accommodations, remediation, or by learning style).
Process: Students will be provide information in multiple way (ex. video and class discussion)
Context: The difficulty of the section given to a group will be determine by that groups developmental level
Product: Students will provide prove of understanding in a multitude of ways (ex. illustration, discussion, and
written product)
Classroom Management Issues (optional)
Remind students of the expectation that color pencils should be sharpened at the beginning of the
day. Students were constantly getting up to sharpen their pencil, which became very distracting.
Lesson Critique. To be completed following the lesson. Did your students meet the objective(s)? What part
of the lesson would you change? Why?
-
In the future, allot more time for independent practice
Remind students of preparation expectations before starting the lesson.
Assign roles in the group in order to avoid minor disputes.
*Denotes Madeline Hunter lesson plan elements.
Intern Signature
Cooperating Teacher Signature
McDonalds Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Date
1 Italicized sentences indicate what I, as the teacher, plan to say.
