Lesson+Plan+1+(Draft)


 * DAILY LESSON PLAN**

**__I. INTRODUCTION__:**

**Teacher's Name:** Matthew Piech **Date:** TBD **Subject:** Civics-Government **Time Allotted:** 50 minutes

**__II. RATIONALE AND BACKGROUND__:**

The Advanced Language Skills Proficiency (ALPS) I module at the Defense Language Institute English Language Center (DLIELC) is a 16-week intensive English as a Foreign Language (EFL) course. It provides NATO-allied international military officers with the foundational English language skills needed to progress into ALPS II and ALPS III with the end goal being admission into the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterrey, California. Language objectives are taught within four contexts, one of which is civics and government.

ALPS I is designed for international military officers at the intermediate English language level. Both the language skills and the contexts in which they are taught are highly relevant to students' professional lives. When officers arrive at the NPS, they are placed in graduate-level military courses comprised primarily of native English speaking officers. Likewise, ALPS I students are highly motivated to learn the language skills needed to succeed at the NPS.

Although ALPS I students are professional military officers in their native countries, most lack basic knowledge of U.S. civics, government, and history. Due to contemporary world events, many officers in ALPS I are from the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. However, students from NATO-allied countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Central and South America also enroll.

For the purposes of this TS 734 assignment, I have based this lesson on the following Kansas High School Social Studies and ESOL Standards:

**__CONTENT STANDARD__:**

**HS Social Studies: Civics-Government.** //The student uses a working knowledge and understanding of governmental systems of Kansas and the United States and other nations with an emphasis on the United States Constitution, the necessity for the rule of law, the civic values of the American people, and the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of becoming active participants in our representative democracy.//

**Benchmark 3:** //The student understands how the United States Constitution allocates power and responsibility in the government.//

**Indicator 1:** //The student describes the purposes, organization, and functions of the three branches of government and independent regulatory agencies in relation to the United States Constitution.//

**__ESOL STANDARD (Grades 6-12)__:**

**Domain 3: Reading.** //English learners will read English to acquire language and comprehend, analyze, interpret, and evaluate a variety of literary and informational texts.//

**Standard 3: Vocabulary and Symbols.** //Recognize and interpret meaning of vocabulary and symbols in print.//

**Intermediate:** //Determine the meaning of new content-specific vocabulary in literary and informational texts by using text features, rereading, and using context clues, with support.//

**__III. LESSON OBJECTIVES__:**

**Content Learning Objective:** After reading about the functions of the three branches of the U.S. government, the learner will correctly categorize 15 government responsibilities by writing each one under the appropriate branch heading. 12 or more responsibilities categorized correctly indicates mastery.

**Language Development Objective:** After presenting four reading context clue strategies, the learner will use these strategies to hypothesize the meaning of 10 new vocabulary words presented in a short article by writing a personal definition for each word. 8 or more correct definitions indicates mastery.

**Social/Language Learning Strategy Objective:** After presenting the four reading context clue strategies, the learner will be able to work in a small group of three students where each one reads him/her a set of related sentences containing a new vocabulary word. The learner being read to will provide a correct oral defintion for the new word using one or more of the context clue strategies presented. 2 out of 2 correct definitions indicates mastery.

**__IV. LIST OF RESOURCES__:**

* Interactive whiteboard with audio speakers * Multimedia PowerPoint presentation: //Reading - Using Context Clues// * Teacher-produced article on the three branches of the U.S. government * //Worksheet 1: Hypothesizing Word Meaning//. Students will use this worksheet to write 10 personal definitions for the vocabulary words found in the branches of government article * //Worksheet 2: 15 Government Responsibilities//. Students will use this worksheet to categorize government responsibilities by branch * Sets of related sentences with new vocabulary words for small group activity * Twiducate social media program

**__V. CURRICULUM AND LINGUISTIC ANALYSES__:**

**Curriculum Concepts:**

Students will gain a conceptual understanding of how the three branches of government ensure the separation of powers within a democratic society. Learners will be able to associate various functions of government with their respective branches.

**Linguistic Analysis:**

//Function// - Students will learn that context clues provide a viable alternative to using a dictionary, glossary, or electronic translator to determine the meaning of unknown words.

//Structure// - Students will learn to use the following four context clues: embedded definitions, synonyms, antonyms, and examples.

//Vocabulary// - Students will learn low-frequency words found within the context of civics-government.

**__VI. PROCEDURES__:**

**A. Introduction and Motivation:**

1. Project images of the following world leaders on the interactive white board: Hosni Mubarak (Egypt), Muammar Gaddafi (Libya), and Bashar al-Assad (Syria). Ask students if they recognize these individuals and, if so, to identify them. Then, ask why these leaders have lost power or stand to lose power in the near future. If no one mentions it, indicate that citizens in all three of these countries want freedom. Explain that many early settlers in the United States also wanted freedom and that is why they left their homelands to come here. Inform students that those who wrote the U.S. Constitution were keenly aware of the need to distribute governmental power in order to create and preserve democracy.

2. Ask for volunteers to share with the class how their governments are organized. After several students have had the opportunity to contribute this information, ask if anyone knows how the United States government is organized. Respond appropriately.

3. Tell the class that today they will read about the three branches of the U.S. government. Additionally, inform students they will learn several strategies for determining the meaning of new words without using a dictionary, glossary, or electronic translator.

**B. Lesson Body:**

//Sequence://

I. Present the multimedia PowerPoint presentation on //Reading - Using Context Clues//. Conduct the practice exercises that are included in the PowerPoint together as a class in order to check for comprehension. Adapt instruction as needed.

II. Provide each student with a copy of the teacher-produced article on the three branches of the U.S. government. Tell students to pay special attention to the boldfaced words in the article, but instruct them not to use a dictionary or translator to look up the definitions. Instead, encourage students to use the context clue strategies covered earlier to try to hypothesize the meanings of the boldfaced words.

III. Distribute //Worksheet I: Hypothesizing Word Meaning//. Review the directions with the class. Allow students time to complete the worksheet using the context clues presented. Monitor student progress. When students have finished, have them exchange their papers with a classmate. Tell students to grade each other's papers as you review the answers with the class. Afterwards, collect the worksheets. Review the results as students are working on Worksheet 2.

IV. Hand out //Worksheet 2: 15 Government Responsibilities//. Review the directions with the class. Then, give students time to complete the worksheet based on their understanding of the article on the three branches of the U.S. government. Once students have completed the worksheet, have learners trade papers with a classmate. Again, tell students to grade each other's papers as you review the answers with the class. Address any confusion. Afterwards, collect the worksheets in order to review the results.

V. Have students get into groups of three. Give each learner two strips of paper with each one containing several related sentences featuring a new vocabulary word. Tell the students that one of them will begin by reading the boldfaced word from the sentences on one of the strips to another person in the group. Then, the student will read the sentences in which the word appears. The student listening will hypothesize the meaning of the vocabulary word by using context clues provided in the sentences read to him or her. Afterwards, the student reading will indicate whether or not the student listening is correct (the definition will appear on the strip of paper). Then, the student reading will repeat the same process with the second strip with the other learner in the trio. After the learner reading has completed the second strip, another member of the group will become the reader and another will become the listener. This will continue until all students in the group have read their strips and responded to two prompts.

//Higher-Level Questions://

1. Why have Mubarak and Gaddafi lost power and why is al-Assad in danger of losing power?

2. Is democracy appropriate for every country? Why or why not?

3. What is the best way to ensure democracy in a new country or one that has just been freed from the rule of a dictator?

//Plans for Remediation://

Students needing remediation will meet with the teacher before or after class during Supplemental Learning Time (SLT) as required by DLIELC policy.

**C. Lesson Closure:**

//1. Review://

Restate the main concepts covered in today's lesson through a quick review.

//2. Homework://

a. Reserve approximately five minutes at the end of the lesson to log-on to the class social media page on Twiducate. Tell students that for their first homework assignment, they will need to review several new words you have defined using context clues in an article featured on Twiducate. Inform the class that you have given correct definitions for some, but not all, of the boldfaced words. Their assignment is to discuss with one another which words are incorrectly defined while supporting their answers with evidence. Each studen must interact with at least one other classmate in a meaningful way in order to receive credit.

b. For their second homework assignment, tell students that they will need to write one or two opinion-based paragraphs describing the benefits and drawbacks of the separation of power in the United States government. Tell the class that this assignment will be evaluated based on the level of thoughtfulness put into one's answers.

**__VII. EVALUATION__:**

**Informal Assessment:** Students will be assessed informally based on the results of their two worksheets, the accuracy of their definitions in the small group activity, and the quality of their answers on Twiducate. Additionally, the answers provided in the short homework writing assignment will provide evidence of whether or not students understand how the separation of powers works in the United States.

**Formal Assessment:** Students will be assessed formally at the end of the week via a written quiz.