Documents of Democracy (Inquiry Lesson)
Goals and Objectives
Students will identify the principles of the major documents associated with democratic ideals.
Students will evaluate and analyze primary source documents to learn about the main principles behind the documents that represented the democratic governments of the different societies of the world.
Students will use application to today from looking at primary sources.
Students will evaluate and analyze primary source documents to learn about the main principles behind the documents that represented the democratic governments of the different societies of the world.
Students will use application to today from looking at primary sources.
California State Content Standards
10.2 Students compare and contrast the Glorious Revolution of England, the American Revolution, and the French Revolution and their enduring effects worldwide on the political expectations for self-government and individual liberty
Standard 10.2.2: List the principles of the Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights (1689), the American Declaration of Independence (1776), the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen (1789), and the U.S. Bill of Rights (1791).
Standard 10.2.2: List the principles of the Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights (1689), the American Declaration of Independence (1776), the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen (1789), and the U.S. Bill of Rights (1791).
Common Core Literacy Standards
WHST 9: Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
RH 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.
RH 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.
Lesson Introduction
The teacher revisits the meaning of democracy and asks a series of questions of what the major ideas were of the philosophers the class learned about. The teacher will then ask a hypothetical question, proposing a scenario. The scenario puts the students in the position of being under an oppressed government that threatened their ideas of democracy. The teacher then asks, “what would you do to change that?”. The teacher would then brainstorm with the students, writing the ideas in a web.
Vocabulary
The vocabulary will be presented on the outline with their definitions and an accompanying picture next to the word, as well as in the power-point. This will be gone over in the power-point presentation and read aloud by the teacher.
- Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
- Declaration of Independence
- English Bill of Rights
- Democracy
- Liberty
- Equality
- Declaration
- Rights
- Oppression
Content Delivery
The teacher will give a general background of information on the three documents that are going to be studied (The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, The U.S. Bill of Rights, and the English Bill of Rights). This will be done through a power-point presentation and an accompanying handout of the major vocabulary. The teacher will read a section of the document and ask direct questions to have students find the main idea of the section. The teacher will then inform the students that they will be analyzing documents of democracy.
The teacher will present the students with copies of the three primary source documents. The teacher will explain that each of these documents were created to make it known what the people stood for and what they decided to be fair and just.
The teacher will then ask the driving historical question, “How did each of these declarations of rights support democracy?”
The teacher will present the students with copies of the three primary source documents. The teacher will explain that each of these documents were created to make it known what the people stood for and what they decided to be fair and just.
The teacher will then ask the driving historical question, “How did each of these declarations of rights support democracy?”
Student Engagement
The documents will be put in six stations (two stations for each document) with different questions on slips of paper that correspond to the documents, one question per slip. The questions will be relevant to the driving historical question. They will also promote ideas of comparing and contrasting. Students will be broken up into groups of two and they will be given a number. The numbers will indicate which questions each group will be assigned. Each station will have three groups, one of each number group per station. Students will read the document and answer a different question for each document. They will have about 8 minutes per document to answer the question and will rotate with two other groups so each document is visited by the six groups.
Lesson Closure
Students will bring their slips back to their seats. The teacher will put up posters on the board that correspond with each question on the slips. The teacher will then ask the students to write their answers to the main question from their slip onto each poster. After they have all been written, the teacher will discuss the answers with the students using guided questions and bring back the driving historical question to the documents. The teacher will then ask the students to write a mini version of the a declaration of rights. This paragraph will have the reason for declaring the rights, must mention democracy, and at least 3 rights. This will be an exit slip.
Assessments
Formative: The teacher will assess prior knowledge during the introduction part of the lesson when listening to students’ answers. The teacher will walk around while the groups are reading and answering their questions. When students are writing their answers to the questions from their slips, the teacher will assess accuracy of information and evaluation.
Summative: The teacher will assess the students’ comprehension by looking at their mini declarations and see if they have the concept of connecting democracy and the declaration of rights.
Summative: The teacher will assess the students’ comprehension by looking at their mini declarations and see if they have the concept of connecting democracy and the declaration of rights.
Accommodations
The vocabulary is provided with illustrations and read to the students to help with English Learners and Striving Readers.
The power-point is a visual to aid striving readers and ELs.
The students are put into pairs with proficient English speakers and readers so they can have the support of another student and discuss their ideas with them before sharing with the entire class.
The power-point is a visual to aid striving readers and ELs.
The students are put into pairs with proficient English speakers and readers so they can have the support of another student and discuss their ideas with them before sharing with the entire class.
Resources:
Primary Documents, Social Studies, and the Common Core: The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen http://michaelkmilton.com/2012/08/22/primary-documents-ss-c-the-declaration-of-the-rights-of-man-and-citizen/
English Bill of Rights 1689 http://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/england.asp
Lesson on The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen http://courses.washington.edu/hsteu302/wk viii discussion.htm
U.S. Bill of Rights http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/295/
English Bill of Rights 1689 http://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/england.asp
Lesson on The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen http://courses.washington.edu/hsteu302/wk viii discussion.htm
U.S. Bill of Rights http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/295/