# data[].attributes.body
GOVERNMENTS: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

# data[].attributes.headline
2.    	  Standards, Skills, Strands, Concepts:

# data[].attributes.subject
2.    	  Standards, Skills, Strands, Concepts:

# data[].attributes.body
A.        HISTORY STANDARDS

[Greece]

6.4.2 Trace the transition from tyranny and oligarchy to early democratic forms of government and back to dictatorship in ancient Greece, including the significance of the invention of the idea of citizenship.

6.4.3 State the key differences between Athenian, or direct democracy, and representative democracy.

[Mesopotamia/Egypt]

6.2.3 Understand the relationship between religion and the social and political order in Mesopotamia and Egypt.

6.2.4  Know the significance of Hammurabi’s code.

[India]

6.5 Students analyze the...political,...religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of India.

[China]

6.6.5  List the policies and achievements of the emperor Qin Shi Huangdi in unifying northern China under the Qin dynasty.

6.6.6  Detail the political contributions of the Han Dynasty to the development of the imperial bureaucratic state and the expansion of the empire.

B.        KEY DISCIPLINES

Government, Civics, History, Sociology, Ethics

C.        HISTORICAL/SOCIAL SCIENCE ANALYSIS SKILLS AND 21st CENTURY SKILLS ADDRESSED IN THIS PLAN

Chronological and Spatial Thinking:

1.    Students explain how major events are related to each other in time.

Research, Evidence, and Point of View:

1.    Students frame questions that can be answered by historical study and research.

Historical Interpretation

2.  Students understand and distinguish cause, effect, sequence, and correlation in historical events, including the long- and short-term causal relations.

3.  Students explain the sources of historical continuity and how the combination of ideas and events explains the emergence of new patterns.

5.  Students recognize that interpretations of history are subject to change as new information is uncovered.

6. Students interpret basic indicators of economic performance and conduct cost-benefit analyses of economic and political issues.

# data[].attributes.body
A.         Overview and Rationale: The purpose of this unit is to guide students in exploring the differences, both qualitative and quantitative, between several different forms of government. Students will examine Monarchy, Democracy (two types: direct and representative), Tyranny, and Oligarchy.  Students will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each and demonstrate understanding of how, in ancient civilizations, one form of government has given way to another.

B.        Overarching Question (stemming from standards and substandards and designed to guide exploration of content and concepts throughout the unit):

How do civilizations and societies govern themselves?

C.        Inquiry Question (stemming from Overarching Question, requires students to take a stance and provide their reasons why):

What is the best form of government?

D.        Supporting Questions (questions that will support students in addressing the Inquiry Question):

What are the different forms of government in the ancient world?

Which different forms of government developed in ancient Greece?

What are the benefits of each form of government?

What are the problems/challenges of each form of government?

How and why do forms of government change?

E.        History-social science content (a summary of historical background & history-social science content relevant to the unit):

Students have studied the ancient civilizations of Sumer/Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China, prior to beginning the study of ancient Greece.  One aspect of this has been the form of government/politics in these civilizations, each of which had a distinctive form of monarchy.  In Mesopotamia and Egypt, monarchy and theocracy were intertwined, while in China the emperors had various governing philosophies (legalism, Confucianism), and a rising emphasis on bureaucracy.  India had a Buddhist king (Ashoka).

In a monarchy, the ruling power is in the hands of one person, usually a king with some power being bestowed upon and or passed on to the queen or the royal children. An example is the British monarchy up until 1688 and The Glorious Revolution when Parliament took power from the monarchy.  The monarch’s power has become increasingly symbolic over the past three hundred years. Monarchy’s strength comes from the people who feel a genuine attachment to the royal family and the tradition, pomp and circumstance it brings into their everyday lives. The weakness of a monarchy lies in the fallibility of the Royal Family itself.

An oligarchy is a system of government where the ruling power is in the hands of the few. An example of an oligarchy was Apartheid South Africa, which was largely ruled by a small group of wealthy landowners. Its greatest weakness is a disconnect between the government serving the needs of the wealthy few by neglecting those of the middle and lower classes. Its strength lies in the wealth of the powerful few.

A tyranny is a system of government where the ruling power is in the hands of one person who is not a lawful king. Examples would include Duterte of the Philippines or Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. Adolf Hitler and his Third Reich come to mind. The greatest strength of a tyranny is the ability to mobilize public resources quickly and decisively. Its weakness is the ability of one person to bend the will and resources of the people to his/her individual gain or ideology and the lack of any institution to restrain the tyrant.

In a democracy, all citizens share in the ruling power.

Direct democracy is a system of government where every citizen can vote on every issue. In the New England region of the United States, towns in areas such as Vermont decide local affairs through the direct democratic process of the Town Meeting. This is the oldest form of direct democracy in the United States and predates the founding of the country by at least a century. The pure form of direct democracy exists only in two Swiss cantons. In these Swiss “states” every citizen can vote on every issue and they are automatically registered. Its strength is reflecting the true will of the people. Its weakness is that it can be slow to respond to public urgency.

Representative democracy is a system where people vote for representatives who decide public issues in their name. The United States is an example of a representative democracy. Its strengths include the ability for all citizens to participate in the process. Its weaknesses are a vulnerability to voter apathy and non-participation and a general disconnect between the process and the people. Both direct and representative democracies are vulnerable to a tyrant who appeals to the masses, gets elected, and then replaces democracy with tyranny.

# data[].attributes.body
A.        ELA STANDARDS

How standards taken from the California Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy will be addressed in your unit.

1. Reading Comprehension (Focus on Informational Materials)

R1.4   Monitor expository text for unknown words or words with unknown meanings, by using word, sentence, and paragraph clues to determine meaning.

R2.2   Analyze text that uses the compare-and-contrast organizational pattern.

R2.3  Connect and clarify main ideas by identifying their relationships to other sources and related topics.

R2.7 Make reasonable assertions about a text through accurate supporting citations.

R3.2 Analyze the effect of the qualities of the character (e.g., courage or cowardice, ambition or laziness) on the plot and the resolution of the conflict.

As students and teacher read informational text (Chapter 26),

the teacher will:

·      ask questions and encourage students to pose their own questions about the text and the unfamiliar words in it.

·       guide students in identifying the types of government, and recalling forms of government introduced in prior chapters.

·       help students identify the main purpose of the text.

·       guide students in identifying examples that support the argument that one form of government is better or worse than another.

As students and teacher read fables(StudySync/additional materials),

The teacher will:

·      ask questions and encourage students to pose their own questions about the text.

·       help students understand the genre “fable”

·       guide students in determining the “moral” of each story.

2. Listening and Speaking

The teacher will promote collaborative conversations throughout the unit, as students examine primary sources, listen to books, and address the Inquiry Question.

For example, as the students read Chapter 26, they will share their ideas about why one form of government is good or bad, fair or unfair, efficient or inefficient.

As the teacher reads Chapter 26 to students (and they group-read), he will pause to guide discussion and provide opportunities for students to pair-share about key ideas and details of each form of government.

After students explore several sources about forms of government, they will jot down ideas in preparation for a collaborative conversation about which is best, and why.

[Comprehension]

LS1.1 Relate the speaker’s verbal communication (e.g., word choice, pitch, feeling, tone) to the non-verbal message (e.g., posture, gesture).

LS1.2 Identify the tone, mood and emotion conveyed in the oral communication.

As teacher and students read fables aloud, teacher will read expressively and encourage students to do the same, and discuss how this conveys the mood and content of the story (e.g. which characters are to be admired)

[Organization and delivery of oral communication]

LS1.6 Support opinions with detailed evidence and with visual or media displays that use appropriate technology.

In the role play, students will state their opinions and question one another’s opinions, with their own evidence.  In the political ad creation, they will support their opinions visually.

[Analysis and evaluation of oral and media communications]

LS1.9 Identify persuasive and propaganda techniques used in television and identify false and misleading information

In creating their own political ad and evaluating others’ ads, they will identify and assess persuasive techniques.

3. Speaking Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)

LS2.4 Deliver persuasive presentations:

a.             Provide a clear statement of the position

b.             Include relevant evidence

c.              Offer a logical sequence of information

d.             Engage the listener and foster acceptance of the proposition or proposal

In the role-play, students will select a form of government for which they will advocate in an oral presentation to the class. The goal is to persuade the viewer/listener.

4. Writing

[Writing Strategies]

1.1      Choose the form of writing that best suits the intended purpose.

1.6      Revise writing to improve the organization and consistency of ideas within and between paragraphs.

[Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)]

2.5      Write persuasive compositions:

a.         State a clear position on a proposition or proposal

b.         Support the position with organized and relevant evidence.

c.         Anticipate and address reader concerns and counterarguments.

After exploring several sources about forms of government, participating in the live “role play,” and discussing their ideas, students will provide a written response to the Inquiry Question, supporting their ideas about the best form of government with evidence and arguments drawn from the various sources and their experience.  For their essay, students will provide an introduction, an opinion, details and evidence, and a conclusion.  The response will be revised before a final draft is submitted.

# data[].attributes.body
B.        ELD STANDARDS

Standards from the California English Language Development Standards will be addressed in this unit in the following ways:

Part I:  Interacting in Meaningful Ways

a.  Collaborative

1. Exchanging information and ideas with others through oral collaborative discussions on a range of social and academic topics

3. Offering and justifying opinions, negotiating with others in communicative exchanges

As students engage in collaborative conversations, for example, when discussing the various forms of government, the teacher will support ELs in various ways, such as:

·      asking questions appropriate to the ELD levels of the students,

·       modeling frequently used phrases

·       previewing vocabulary in meaningful contexts.

·       The teacher will support students when they address the inquiry question with sentence frames.

b.  Interpretive

5. Listening actively to spoken English in a range of social and academic contexts

6. Reading closely literary and informational texts and viewing multimedia to determine how meaning is conveyed explicitly and implicitly through language

7. Evaluating how well writers and speakers use language to support ideas and arguments with details or evidence depending on modality, text type, purpose, audience, topic, and content area

8. Analyzing how writers and speakers use vocabulary and other language resources for specific purposes (to explain, persuade, entertain, etc.) depending on modality, text type, purpose, audience, topic, and content area

The teacher will support active listening in reading fables and textbook materials.  The teacher will explain the concept of the fable as a genre, and the use of talking animals, animals as symbols of personality traits and types, and other devices.

The teacher will also model asking questions during the role-play, and the evaluation of which students are more persuasive and how and why they are more persuasive. Students will use textbooks, Google slides, and other illustrated written materials to see how meaning is conveyed.

c.  Productive

10. Writing literary and informational texts to present, describe, and explain ideas and information, using appropriate technology

11. Justifying own arguments and evaluating others’ arguments in writing

The teacher will support students as they write their evidence-based opinions with oral discussion, graphic organizers, and sentence starters.  The activity will be scaffolded so that each student can participate at an appropriate level (e.g. writing a sentence, a paragraph, or a multi-paragraph essay).  The teacher will support students as they create a “political ad” for the style of government they support, with assistance in using technology (Google slides, Google images). In their response to the Inquiry Question, students will be assisted in engaging with arguments made by others (including sentence starters, such as “Supporters of monarchy/oligarchy/democracy/tyranny say…” “They are wrong, because…”

Part II:  Learning About How English Works

a. Structuring Cohesive Texts

1. Understanding text structure

2. Understanding cohesion

The teacher will provide a template and sentence starters to demonstrate the structure of an evidence-based essay, pointing out the words that are used for cohesion (“another reason…”; “on the other hand…”; “for example…”; “this shows that…”)

b. Expanding and Enriching Ideas

3. Using verbs and verb phrases

4. Using nouns and noun phrases

The teacher will work with students to help them use appropriate verb tenses, and to write sentences with noun-verb agreement in number.

c. Connecting and Condensing Ideas

6. Connecting ideas

The teacher will model the use of connecting words such as “because”  and “by”, and will provide structured practice with constructions using these words, in preparation for writing evidence-based sentences and essays.

# data[].attributes.body
C. VAPA STANDARDS

Addressing California State Standards in the Visual and Performing Arts in this unit:

[Theatre]

T2.2    Use effective vocal expression, gesture, facial expression, and timing to create character.

T5.1    Use theatrical skills to communicate concepts or ideas from other curriculum areas, such as a demonstration in history–social science of how persuasion and propaganda are used in advertising.

One culminating activity will be a theatrical role-play in which students will defending one system of government (monarchy, oligarchy, democracy, tyranny).  Students will create the “characters” of a monarch, a tyrant, several members of the oligarchy, or a candidate seeking democratic election, and attempt to persuade the viewers/listeners of the superiority of their system of government. Another activity is the creation of a political advertisement (on Google slides).  Students will also put on the short play, “The Trial of Socrates.”

[Visual Arts]

VA2.3  Demonstrate beginning skill in the manipulation of digital imagery (e.g., computer generated art, digital photography, or videography).

VA2.7  Communicate values, opinions, or personal insights through an original work of art.

Students will create a political ad (on Google slides), using digital images (from Google images or other online sources), combining words and images.

# data[].attributes.headline
5.  	Culturally Diverse Perspectives and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

# data[].attributes.subject
5.  	Culturally Diverse Perspectives and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

# data[].attributes.body
How does this unit incorporate culturally diverse perspectives or embody culturally responsive pedagogy in terms of:

·      sources that reflect diverse perspectives?

·       literature selections and visual images that portray diversity?

·       oral histories, stories and experiences from students’ families and communities?

The ancient civilizations we study are drawn from Africa and Eurasia (Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, Greece).  Our activities around forms of government use a variety of examples from different cultures and settings, and allow students to articulate different cultural perspectives on topics relating to decision-making in familiar settings such as the family and community.  Different approaches to parental authority, governmental authority, rule-making, self-government, reflecting cultural differences, are encouraged and respected.  Accessible analogies for governmental decisionmaking - like coaches on teams - are used.

# data[].attributes.headline
6.  	Sampling of Instructional Activities 

# data[].attributes.subject
6.  	Sampling of Instructional Activities 

# data[].attributes.body
Activity #1:  Introduction: “Four Types of Government” and “Real Life Examples of Governing”

Part a:  Introduction – (Part 1) Google Slide presentation, “Four Types of Government” (Chapter 26)

Part b: Real Life Examples of Governing:  students are presented with real-life group decision-making problems in settings they can relate to:

·      an athletic event where a last-minute decision needs to be made. Who makes it? The coach? The best player? The starting unit?

·       an entertainment event where a group of friends need to decide between two venues – who decides? The meanest kid? The kid with the most money? Maybe everyone votes?

·       a family deciding whether to move to a new town

·       etc.

When students evaluate who would be the best person(s) to make an important decision, the teacher explains how each choice approximates one of the four major types of government. (For example, how a coach is like a tyrant, how the starting player can be like a king, how a team vote is like a democracy, etc.)

Connection to unit theme: These slides present the Inquiry Question in an informal, accessible, introductory way, to get students to begin thinking about the underlying concepts of group decision-making, self-governance, authority, etc.

(NOT ASSESSED)

Activity # 2:  History Vocabulary Builder – (Part 2) Google Slide presentation, “Four Types of Government” (Chapter 26), Part II

Connection to unit theme: this activity is the introduction to the concepts and terminology at the center of the unit: monarchy, oligarchy, tyranny, democracy (direct and representative)

As the slides are shown, each major term is discussed and added to a “Word Wall.”

Activity # 2 introduces some of the key academic vocabulary to be used in the unit, so students will begin to develop fluency and literacy with these terms and concepts.

(ASSESSED - spelling/definition test)

Activity #3:  Activity addressing the past: Reading Chapter 26

Teacher will use gradual release of responsibility techniques for reading Chapter 26, “The Rise of Democracy.”

·      As teacher reads and models reading aloud, key vocabulary will be identified and added to the Word Wall.

·       As students read aloud, teacher will provide guidance and correction as needed (with differentiation for ELs). Activity #3 goes more deeply into the terminology and meaning of the forms of government.  It creates context based on prior units.

(ASSESSED)

Activity #4: Activity addressing the past: Prior Chapters of History Alive!

·      Teacher guides students to recall and classify forms of government from prior units (China - emperor; Egypt - monarchy; India - oligarchy/theocracy; Sumer/Mesopotamia - monarchy/tyranny)

·      Students are encouraged to think outside of the box in assigning one of the four governments to the “government-less” hominid communities they’ve studied and support their theories with evidence from the text.

Connection to unit theme: in identifying monarchies, oligarchies and tyrannies in units they’ve already covered, students explore and expand prior knowledge of the subject matter.

(ASSESSED)

Activity #5:  Using Literature/Digital Technology: The Fable

·      Teacher introduces fables as a genre; reads fables aloud; also use StudySync online for fables and questions.

·       Teacher leads collaborative discussion about the genre and its characteristics.

·       Students read fables and write down what they believe is the “moral” of each; class discussion will compare student suggestions in literary interpretation, and evaluate the evidence from the fable that they base their idea on.

Connection to unit theme: in formulating their own ideas of what sort of person they aspire to be, students evaluate each form of government and the traits that are valued or not  (e.g.: compare the merciless legalism practiced by China’s 1st Emperor and the self-governing form of Confucianism practiced by the Han Dynasty)

(NOT ASSESSED)

Activity #6:  Using Digital Technology - iXL

IXL Lesson I.2 (6 questions on Classical Athens: government and culture) (ASSESSED)

Activity # 7: VAPA activity

Students participate “Trial of Socrates” (Readers’ Theater)

·      Students are assigned roles and do a “table read” of this short theatrical work, based on the trial of Socrates.

·      Students rehearse and ultimately perform the play for their fellow students.

Connection to the Unit Theme and Inquiry Question: by encouraging students to think about how the judicial system worked in Athens (as a democracy), and also about what sort of people are produced by different systems of government.

Taking part in “Seeking Socrates” addresses ELA and ELD standards, as well as VAPA standards in the area of theater.  It also reinforces working in a team setting and prepares students for public speaking.

(NOT ASSESSED)

Activity # 8: Using Digital Technology - Kahoot! competitive online quiz program

Students will answer 30 questions describing scenarios/challenges a government might face (e.g., death of a leader, imminent invasion), and how a particular government might react; and then identify the form of government being described.
(ASSESSED)

Activity # 9: Political Ad

Students will create an advertisement for their preferred form of government. Were they able to present their ideas in an engaging and persuasive way? Were they able to sell their ideas by presenting the features/benefits of their top selling points? Were they able to create a visually appealing ad?

Connection to the Unit Theme and Inquiry Question: By presenting what they consider to be the most “sellable” benefit of a chosen type of government, student synthesize what they’ve learned about the pros/cons of each form of government and empower themselves to address the Inquiry Question.

(NOT ASSESSED)

# data[].attributes.body
A.   Introducing the Inquiry Question and Supporting Questions

Inquiry Question:

What is the best form of government?

Supporting Questions:

What are the different forms of government in the ancient world?

Which different forms of government developed in ancient Greece?

What are the benefits of each form of government?

What are the problems/challenges of each form of government?

How and why do forms of government change?

The following activities aid student in:

·      making connections to prior knowledge and experiential backgrounds

·       thinking about the focus of the inquiry: What is the best form of government??

·      promoting curiosity/doubt/disequilibrium and developing ownership of the topic

Activity # 1

Exploring familiar, real-life scenarios of group decision-making.  This is where the idea of “government” and types of government begins - decision-making by and for groups.

Activity #1 also helps students tap into their prior knowledge and become aware of their own and others’ ideas about which government is “best”. It will also show them how the “best” government depends on the group being governed and the situation they’re facing.

Activity #1 produces lively discussion that encourages students to put themselves into different scenarios and to think about how the role they might occupy affects preferences (do you want a king if YOU are the king? What if you are NOT the king?)  Students share their own experiences, good and bad, about decision-making by themselves and others, for groups.  This helps to identify the qualities of effective government and of leaders.

Student disagreement in the small real-life scenarios will help them see others’ points of view, and question their own.  Those examples, and historical comparisons, will help students question familiar verities about why democracy is “great”, why tyranny is “bad” and why monarchy is “old-fashioned”.

Activity #2

Foldable graphic organizer on the four types of government in Chapter 26 (Activities # 2 and # 3, also integrating vocabulary from resulting word wall)

With direction from teacher, students create a “four pocket” foldable by folding an 11” X 17” piece of paper along the horizontal axis so that about 1/3 of the paper is folded  along the length of the paper. The paper is then folded in half along the vertical axis twice, resulting in a wide foldable with four pockets.

With direction from teacher, students create a timeline that spans the width of the paper from left to right that summarizes the various units we’ve studied thus far: The Stone Age and Hominids, Mesopotamian City-states, Egypt, Kush and Canaan, India and Buddhism, China and the Silk Road and finally, Greece and the birth of Democracy.

Students are then challenged to use prior knowledge to identify one of each of the following governments from the civilizations we’ve studied: Monarchy, Oligarchy, Tyranny and Democracy.

The teacher promotes curiosity, doubt and disequilibrium by further challenging students to look beyond information given in the text and argue their own interpretations of the kinds of government being practiced. For example, how was China’s first emperor both a tyrant and a monarch? How did Hammurabi’s empire also practice democracy? How might Homo Habilis have displayed the traits of an oligarchy?

As students create their the index cards describing how each of these governments may have appeared in pure and hybrid form in the past, the teacher further challenges the limits of their understanding by having them answer supporting questions. As students apply these answers to their own ideas about past governments, they are encouraged to share and defend their theories.

# data[].attributes.headline
7.  Inquiry Task – Going Deeper (cont'd)

# data[].attributes.subject
7.  Inquiry Task – Going Deeper (cont'd)

# data[].attributes.body
B.   Conducting the Inquiry:

Activities 1 and/or 2 both provide activities wherein students will address the Inquiry Question and the Supporting Questions.

In doing so, the Teacher will guide students in their work to:

(1) process and analyze a minimum of 3 sources (at least one of which is a primary source),

(2) draw evidence from the sources regarding the Inquiry Question, and

(3) develop evidence-based opinions and/or explanations.

Activities 1 & 2 provide support for students throughout the process.  Instruction is scaffolded by supplying all students with a timeline they can work from. It is likely not all students will be able to answer the more in-depth challenges of formulating hypotheses about how different aspects of the four governments in question can be partly present or influence different types of governments. (like Hammurabi’s very democratic Code being present in a Tyranny that becomes a Monarchy)

For those students who need a little more help scaffolding can be supplied by helping students:

·      to close-read pre-selected passages from the text in order to help them identify the characteristics of the 4 types of governments we’re studying.

·      Use already developed annotation skills in extracting main ideas from the text.

·      Participate in group conversation in Activity 1 in order to relate different types of self-governance in everyday life that relate to one of the 4 types of governments we’re studying.

·      simply locate different types of governments that we’ve already studied using identifiers like, “how the ruler came to power” and “was power passed down to a son or daughter” or “do the people have a say in their government.” Though not as in-depth, this activity can be extremely worthwhile.

·      Allowing students to pair up can also offer scaffolding in Activity 2 (the foldable exercise).

·      Scaffolding can also take place by supplying a list of Monarchs, Oligarchs, Tyrants and Democracies (Greece) and having students match them to a list of identifiers of these types of governments (like those listed above).

# data[].attributes.headline
7.  Inquiry Task – Going Deeper (cont'd)

# data[].attributes.subject
7.  Inquiry Task – Going Deeper (cont'd)

# data[].attributes.body
C.   Processing and Analyzing the Sources and Finding Evidence

Inquiry Question:

What is the best form of government?

Supporting Questions:

What are the different forms of government in the ancient world?

Which different forms of government developed in ancient Greece?

What are the benefits of each form of government?

What are the problems/challenges of each form of government?

How and why do forms of government change?

Source #1: “History Alive” Textbook, Chapter 26

Supporting question:

·      Which different forms of government developed in ancient Greece?

·       How and why do forms of government change?

Source #2: Textbook, other chapters

Supporting question(s):

·      What are the different forms of government in the ancient world?

P. 45, Chap. 5.5, Sumerian kings

P. 52-53, Sargon

P. 54-55, Hammurabi

P. 56-57, Assyrian kings

P. 58-59, Nebuchadnezzar

P. 73, Chap. 8, Egyptian pharaohs

P. 82, Chap. 9.2; p. 84, Chap. 9.3, Egypt’s government officials

P. 145, 15.3, Hindu castes

P. 161, Chap. 17, Ashoka, the Buddhist king

P. 167-168, Chap. 18, the Gupta Empire

P. 197, Chap. 20.3, Shang Government

P. 209, Confucianism/Han Dynasty

P. 212, Chap. 21.5 Legalism/Qin Dynasty

P. 215, Chap. 22, Qin Shihuangdi

P. 223, Chap. 23, Han Dynasty

Source #3:  Teacher created handout: “The Pros and Cons of Monarchy, Oligarchy, Tyranny, and Democracy”

Supporting question(s):

·      What are the benefits of each form of government?

·      What are the problems/challenges of each form of government?

Source # 4: Pericles on Athenian Democracy, http://www.historyguide.org/ancient/pericles.html

Supporting question(s):

·      Which different forms of government developed in ancient Greece?

·      What are the problems/challenges of each form of government?

# data[].attributes.headline
7.  Inquiry Task - Going Deeper (cont'd)

# data[].attributes.subject
7.  Inquiry Task - Going Deeper (cont'd)

# data[].attributes.body
D.   Responding to the Inquiry Question (Writing The Essay)

The following is a series of three language arts lessons used to guide students through the process of providing an evidence-based response to the Inquiry Question, orally and in writing.

Lesson #1 - Getting Ready to Discuss

The teacher will ask the students, “Now that we have studied various ways civilizations govern themselves, let’s return to the historical investigation question: What is the best form of government?”

The teacher will ask the students to think about some of the strengths and weaknesses of various forms of government in different places.

Sample Sentence Starters for the Discussion/Essay

In my opinion, ___________ is the best form of government.

I think that because _________________________.

Another reason is ________________________________.

In _______________ (the book/5 governments packet), it said this form of government worked well by doing this: __________________________.

Some people think _______________________ is the best form of government because ___________________________.

They think this because _____________________________.

In ___________________ (the book/5 governments packet/class discussion), it said some strengths were_______________________________.

This might be true but I think it’s more important that______________________, because ________________________________.

In ancient times, most governments were _______________________________.

Some examples of this are _______________________________________.

These tyrants are written about on pages: ___________________________.

That form of government was good at the time, because _______________________.

But it was also bad because _____________________________.

The teacher will ask the students to share with a partner and then share out with the class.

Lesson #2 - Writing

Using the graphic organizer and sentence starters as a support, students will write a persuasive essay advocating for a particular form of government.

The teacher will assist students in using the graphic organizer and sentence starters to write about the strengths and weaknesses of each form of government.

After students write, the teacher will model how to give positive feedback, using sentence starters. Then students will read their sentences to a partner, and give each other feedback.  The teacher will ask students to check to see that they supported their opinions with evidence.

Lesson #3 - Differentiating Instruction

With emergent writers, the teacher will compile the writing of the students in a class book. She will then do a shared writing to create an introduction and conclusion for the book, using guiding questions such as, “What is government? What are some different types of governments?”  And to conclude, “What are some of the strengths and weaknesses of different governments?”  Finally, students will illustrate the pages.

# data[].attributes.body
Culminating Project: Participation in a democracy - role play

Students are instructed to compile four scenarios (one each for each of the forms of government studied in this unit) highlighting problems faced by all countries and designed to bring different facets of government to light. (eg.: “You’re being invaded by a hostile enemy…” “The country’s infrastructure is crumbling…” “Poverty has become widespread…” “Racial discrimination is keeping part of the population underserved…” Each scenario leads to the question, “Why is your government the best one to handle this situation?”

Everyone in the class is then instructed to choose the type of government they consider to be “the best” as well as the one they consider to be the “second best”. Students are then invited to take part in a panel discussion where they will defend one of the four types of government studied in this unit. Tyranny is represented by one student, Oligarchy by three, Monarchy is a King, Queen, Prince(ss) team and Democracy is represented by four students.

All students take their turn in defending one or more of the different types of government. Aided by their “Pros and Cons of (Democracy, Tyranny, Monarchy, Oligarchy) handouts, “panelists” do their best to convince the class that their government is best by being the first to “buzz in” with their answer like they do in game-shows (like Family Feud). Moderated by the teacher, who gives answers point-value awards for effective governing and who also helps in adding to the scenarios, student(s) with the most points win(s).

# data[].attributes.body
Below is a list of the activities that will be assessed as well as how they will be assessed (allowing for a variety of outcomes that include meaningful, authentic performance-based evaluation measures).

Activities that will be assessed

Activity # 2:  History Vocabulary Builder

Were students able to correctly spell the names of and state the definitions of the four types of government? (monarchy, oligarchy, tyranny, democracy)

Activity #3:  Reading Chapter 26

Were students able to correctly spell and define the key academic terms in this chapter? (city-state, aristocrat, citizen, assembly, direct, representative)

The assessment will include a spelling and definition quiz for all the major terminology from Chapter 26.  The quiz will also include “matching” that synthesizes prior Units about Sumer/Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China.

Activity #4: Activity addressing the past: Prior Chapters of History Alive!

Quiz matching/identifying governmental systems of prior chapters under the Greek categories.

Were students able to identify different types of governments using identifying characteristics?

Activity # 8: Using Digital Technology - Kahoot! competitive online quiz program

30 scored MC questions.

Were students able to synthesize learning by identifying the 4 types of governments given .

Activity # 9: Political Ad

Were students able to create an advertisement for their preferred form of government? Were they able to present their ideas in an engaging and persuasive way? Were they able to create a visually appealing ad?

Responses to the Inquiry Question will use the following rubric to assess include both language skills and social studies content/concepts/skills.

Rubric:

www.bcsc.k12.in.us/cms/lib/IN01000842/.../BCSC_6th_Grade_Writing_Rubric.doc

This is a four-part rubric, which assesses Ideas & Content (1-6 pts.), Organization (1-6 pts.), Style (Voice, Word Choice, Fluency (1-6 pts.)), and Language Conventions (1-4 pts.) For the first three categories, a score of 4 meets standards; for Language Conventions a score of 3 meets standards.

# data[].attributes.body
Books

FORMAT: Last name, First initial. (year). Title. Publisher. Description.

Frey, W. (2004). History Alive! The Ancient World. Teachers’ Curriculum Institute.

Smith, R. (2008). Ancient History Readers’ Theater, “The Trial of Socrates.” Teacher Created Resources.

This short play presents the trial and sentencing of Socrates.  It allows the students to see and participate in Athenian democracy and its system of justice.

Computer Programs and Applications

iXL, Sixth grade social studies, https://www.ixl.com/social-studies/grade-6

Self-paced learning tool with mini-lessons on relevant topics (5-7 questions); scores and time spent online reported to teacher.

Kahoot! https://kahoot.com/

Program allows teacher to create online quiz to be used on Chromebooks.

StudySync online https://www.studysync.com/ This online resource is a companion to the ELA book.

Websites

Google slides. Open source software for creating presentations.

Google images. Open source access to very large online image bank.

Pericles on Athenian Democracy, http://www.historyguide.org/ancient/pericles.html

Collection of primary ancient sources, translated.

The Aesop for Children, Library of Congress, http://www.read.gov/aesop/001.html

Collection of fables, arranged by individual title, illustrated, and set in a “book style”.

4 Youtube videos, about 5 minutes each, presenting the 4 forms of government

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd_IKTMkzoU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw8ZgcHkfmI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvbL_Hp-8S8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06Jj4uYQEMs

# data[].attributes.body
Included:

·      Sample foldable with 4 government cards and timeline.

·       Pros & Cons of 4 Types of Government packet

·       “What is the best form of government?” sentence frame

handout