Lesson Plan : American Politics

Grade:	Grade 9-10
Subject:	Social Studies

Topic:	American Politics
Title:	Current Events in American Society and How They Effect American Politics
GSE’s/GLE’s	·         CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information. ·        CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text. ·        CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.3 Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them. ISTE STANDARDS: ·        3. Select digital tools or resources to use for a real-world task and justify the selection based on their efficiency and effectiveness. (3, 6)
Goals:	Student will demonstrate ability to do following:  1. Pick 2-5 related current events (oldest must be no more than 5 years old, newest must be less than 12 months old)  2. Explain how these events are related  3.Explain their positions on these current events  4. Debate both sides of each issue (both their own and other students’)  5. Compare and contrast their ideas with others through classroom discussion
Objectives:	Internet Research Discussion and debate with peers Notes (On other students’ presentations) Understanding and Analysis of the importance of current affairs
Materials:	Access to Internet and Print Materials
Introduction:	Student’s will be paired together and will be informed of today’s task, to work in pairs to select and analyze multiple (2-5) RELATED current events within appropriate time frame and will work in pairs to create a presentation to the class about their selected current events as well as their assessment of the events and what impact they have had (thoughts on future impacts is acceptable as well, however cannot replace current or prior impacts) on current American society and politics, citing specific examples.
Development:	Each pair of students will access the internet via a computer lab or computers in classroom to select which events to choose and research said events as well as the impact they have had on current American society and politics.
Practice:	Teacher gives example of series of related current events (ex. Shootings in Ferguson Missouri, NYC, Zimmerman case) then guides students to websites with possible choices for current events to choose from (Yahoo News, ABC News, Etc.) as an introduction of simple ways to find beginning information on current events.  Students are then directed to pick a series of related current events and before delving into topic, must inform teacher of their events they have chosen and how they are related (as well as a brief summary of their overall purpose of topic).  Students will then begin project as described.
Accommodations:	Students with special needs or those facing difficulty on this topic will be accommodated through additional assistance from teacher and aide (if available) with regards to selecting events which are less difficult to find information on, associating events with one which they have chosen, and presentation methods are variable dependent upon the students’ choosings.
Checking For Understanding:	Teacher will be mobile in room as students are researching, offering assistance when desired as well as asking poking/prodding questions to students when teacher believes their chosen events and thesis should be changed, developed more fully, sources are not reliable or simply to evaluate students’ appreciation and understanding of lesson and their pair’s efforts.
Closure:	Teacher directs students to present their events and explain their choices as well as how they have had impacts on current American society and/or politics by doing the following: (AFTER REMINDING EACH GROUP THAT NOTE TAKING ON EACH GROUP OTHER THAN THEIR OWN IS A GRADED PART OF THIS ASSIGNMENT) 1.Ask each group to share the event which they found most important or impacting, describe this event as well as others, citing how they are related and how they have had impacts or effects on current American society/politics  2. After each group, get input from students from other groups, thoughts, feelings, assessments, etc.  3. Explain why it is important to be aware of events taking place throughout the country (how US events are important to the world and vice versa as well, briefly) - how they impact our daily lives, and why we should participate in politics.
Evaluation:	Teacher will collect the individuals’ notes regarding other students’ presentations, will then accompany this with their own group presentation as well as participation regarding other students topics (participation will be secondary to understanding of their own and other students’ topics and impacts) and grade for completion. Students will write a 1 page summary discussing how current events affect us, using examples from their topic as well as other students’ topics, which will be evaluated with their notes and presentations.