Syllabus, Week 4

Mr. Ditzenberger, American Government
Time: 4 Periods, 3:00 hours
Unit 1Lesson: Foundations of American Government
Week: 4 Dates: September 3-6

Objectives:
1. Students will demonstrate their understanding of forms and functions of government by teaching their understanding of related concepts to their classmates.
2. Students will be read and analyze the main foundational documents that led to the Constitutional government of the USA.
3. Students will understand the basic historical context in which the Declaration of Independence was written.
4. Students will explain the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation in a Socratic seminar that they prepare for by reading the text.

Standards: analyzing the political thought that influenced the development of the United States Constitution (for example, social contract* theory, the major ideas of republicanism*, natural rights* philosophy);

Materials: Textbook, http://ditzenberger.blogspot.com/index.html; textbook, lectures, video (on blog).

Monday
Review. From pg 18, Group A completes section 2 (#s 3 and 4); Grp B, Thinking Critically 1; Grp C, Thinking Critically 2; Grp D, Thinking Critically 3. Each group reports on its answers.
Dictator Activity
Review for test-study notes and homework assignments.

Tuesday
1. Write down everything you know about the Declaration of Independence and the historical context that it was written in.
2. Test.
3. Watch Declaration of Independence video.
4. Homework-Read section one and two of “Origins of Government” –brief quiz tomorrow over reading.

Wednesday
1. Opener: Brief Quiz.
2. Foundational Documents Lecture
3. Foundational Documents Activity
4. Current Event-natural rights (any government).

Thursday
1. Turn in current event.
2. Continue Foundational Documents Activity
3. Read section 3, beginning on page 30. Be prepared to discuss this question on Monday (Socratic seminar): What is wrong with
The government under the Articles of Confederation? Be prepared to discuss in a group for 10 minutes for a grade.