Goals & Objectives
Lesson Goals: Students will analyze Enlightenment thinkers, and how they influenced the United States Revolution in 1776.
Lesson Objective: Students will identify 3 Enlightenment thinkers and their ideas that directly influenced the drafting of the Constitution, and present the 3 ideas in the form of a constitutional recipe.
California State Content Standards
Content Standards: 11.1 Students analyze the significant events in the founding of the nation and its attempt to realize the philosophy of government described in the Declaration of Independence.
1. Describe the Enlightenment and the rise of democratic ideas as the context in which the nation was founded.
2. Analyze the ideological origins of the American Revolution, the Founding Father’s philosophy of divinely bestowed unalienable natural rights, the debates on the drafting and ratification of the Constitution, and addition of the Bill of Rights.
Common Core Literacy Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.2
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.6
Evaluate authors' differing points of view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the authors' claims, reasoning, and evidence.
Driving Historical Question
1. What was the Enlightenment, and in what ways did it challenge current power structures?
2. What were the causes of the Revolution? How did enlightenment thinkers influence the Revolution?
Lesson Introduction (Anticipatory Set/Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge) ‖ Time: 10
What the Teacher does: During the Lesson Introduction/Anticipatory Set the Teacher writes a journal entry on the board before the students arrive in class. The journal entry will ask an open-ended question, for example “What is was Enlightenment?” As students arrive for class, the teacher begins by posing the question to the class, and then extrapolating on the question, guiding student’s reflection. The teacher directs the class to write down anything they know about the Enlightenment, even if they cannot fully explain the idea or concept, just write down everything they know. While students are writing their journal entry the teacher informally walks around the class, and assesses students entries, noting who has a lot of ideas written down, and which students have few ideas written down. This allows the teacher to informally assess prior knowledge, and identify which students might need support going forward into the lesson body. Students will be given the first 5 minutes of class to write down their journal response. After 5 minutes has passed, an informal discuss takes place, facilitated by the teacher. The teacher asks the class to discuss their prior knowledge, and having assessed which students had prior knowledge and which did not earlier, the teacher can then call on certain students to shared their responses. This will allow the teacher to assess which ideas are well known, and which ideas few or no students came up with in their response. This will allow the teacher to know were to focus the lesson, which thinkers and ideas should be given more time in lecture. Student ideas are written informally on the board, to allow students to see what they came up with as the lesson progresses.
What the Students do: Students will be accustomed to daily journal entries, and should know where to look on the board to find the journal topic for that day. This precedent will be established on the first day of school, and everyday students will be given a journal entry, so the students know what is expected of them at the beginning of every class. Students are given a journal worksheet, with 5 sections on each side of the paper, representing each day of the week. Students must write the date in each box, and then write their response in that journal section, filling the entire box with text.
Once students arrive in class, they know what is expected of them, and should immediately begin writing their journal entry. Students should begin this assignment right when they arrive in class, and will be given 5 minutes, beginning with the bell, to write their response. The class should be silent, because each student should be doing their own personal reflection and writing their journal entry. This activity is a brainstorming journal entry, and therefore should only take 5 minutes. Anything the students know, the will be able to come up with in 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, the class will begin and informal discussion. The discussion will be led by the teacher, and will begin with the teacher asking for responses to the entry, with any student who wants to share allowed to raise their hand and give their response. If the level of participation is low, students will be called upon directly by the teacher to share their response. This informal discussion will last 5 minutes, and as students are sharing their ideas, the teacher will be writing these ideas down on the board. Students will be expected to participate and share their ideas in a respectful manner, by raising their hands and waiting to be called upon, rather than shouting out ideas. This will allow the teacher to assess each idea, and ask any follow up questions to the class and/or individual student.
Vocabulary (Content Language Development) ‖ Time: Throughout Entire Lesson
Vocabulary is a big part of understanding history, particularly the founding of the nation and the Enlightenment. Vocabulary will be introduce slowly and consistently throughout the lesson introduction/hook discussion, and mixed in as part of the general lecture.
Some Vocabulary Terms that will be highlighted throughout the lecture:
Enlightenment Natural Rights Checks & Balances Mercantilism Separation of Powers Republic
Monarchy Democracy
Content Delivery (Method of Instruction) ‖ Time: 15 minutes
What the Teacher does: The body of the lesson will begin with one teacher at the computer, controlling a PowerPoint presentation, while the other teacher does a formal lecture, verbally guiding students through the lecture. The PowerPoint presentation will be about the Enlightenment thinkers, and will contain 7 slides. An introduction to the Enlightenment slide explaining what exactly it was, followed by four slides, each detailing a different Enlightenment thinker, and their idea. The sixth and seventh slide will be about the Constitution, identifying main ideas. Each slide will take about 2 minutes of time, with not slide lasting longer than 3 minutes. Teacher will inform students to take note of each thinker, and their idea, as well as note the main ideas of the constitution.
What the Students do: Students will be expected to sit quietly and follow along with the lecture, by taking notes about the main points presented. Students will be expected to note each Enlightenment thinker, and his idea. Students will also be expected to note the main ideas of the Constitution.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) ‖ Time: 20 minutes
What the Teacher does: After the lecture concludes, the teacher then begins to explain the assignment, while the other teacher passes out blank sheets of paper. The students are directed to come up with a meal, which represents the Constitution, with a minimum of 3 ingredients in the meal. The ingredients are to represent Enlightenment ideas, while the meal represents the Constitution. Students must draw/illustrate the meal, and then label each part of the meal, detailing with Enlightenment Thinker and idea that ingredient represents. Students are directed to have more important ideas represented by more important ingredients. An example of cheeseburger will be given, with the burger patty representing the most important Enlightenment thinker/idea, followed the bun which represents the second most important idea, then the cheese, which represents the third most important. This explanation of the assignment and the example should take no more than 3 minutes.
After the assignment is explained, the students will then be allowed to work. The students can work from their notes, or from the textbook, whichever they prefer. Students will be given 17 minutes to work in class.
During these 17 minutes, both teachers will patrol the classroom, going student to student and progress-monitoring their understanding of the content and the directions of the assignment. Any questions or misconceptions should be cleared up here, and students who need additional support will be given that on a individual basis. If there are any widespread misunderstandings, the class will be told to pause their work, and be brought back together as a class to have an informal discussion of misconceived ideas, supplementing the lecture.
What the Students do: After lecture, students will be given a blank sheet of paper. They should immediately write their name in the corner, and come up with a title for their meal, an example being Constitution with Cheese. During the explanation of the assignment students will be expected to sit quietly and attentively, writing down the guidelines of the assignment on the backside of the blank sheet of paper. This will take 3 minutes, after which students will be allowed to ask any questions they have, to clarify any misunderstandings.
Students will then begin the assignment. They will be expected to come up with 3 Enlightenment thinkers, explain their ideas, and then prioritize those ideas in relation to importance to the Constitution.
Students will then be expected to be creative and illustrate a meal they think represents the Constitution. Students will draw a picture, in color, on the blank sheet of paper. The students will then label each item or ingredient in the meal, representing Enlightenment ideas. Students will be required to label the ingredient with the idea its representing, identify who’s idea that is, and explain the idea. The students will also be asked to identify why they prioritized this ingredient as the most important, second most, and third most, in relation to the Constitution.
During this time students will be given the opportunity to ask any questions they have, and receive individual support/help if they need it. Students will be asked to finish this assignment in class, be the expectation will be that as long as they are working throughout the allotted time, the assignment due date will be extended until the next school day, allowing students to finish the assignment as homework.
Lesson Closure ‖ Time: 5 minutes
The Lesson Closure strategy that will be used is the 3-2-1 strategy. Each student will be given an index card, where they will be required to written 3 things they learned about the lesson, 2 questions they have, and 1 things they want the instructor to know. This will allow the students to reflect on the lesson, while demonstrating what they learned. It will allow the teacher to assess student comprehension, and the success of the lesson. The lesson closure index card will be turned in, and will be graded with simple check minus, check, and check plus. It will be another form of summative assessment that the teacher will use.
Assessments (Formative & Summative)
Formative Assessment: To assess students prior knowledge concerning the Enlightenment and the Constitution. Students can reflect on prior knowledge, while the teacher can correct any misunderstandings they may have acquired. Students write a journal entry, brainstorming everything they know about the Enlightenment and the Constitution. This may come as a list of thoughts. Students will be given 5 minutes to reflect on prior knowledge, and write down what they know. Informal discussion is then had with the whole class, where students discuss their prior knowledge. Here any misconceptions can be assessed.
Summative Assessment: To assess students understanding of the lesson and gauge the success of the lesson objective. Assess student’s ability to draw links between Enlightenment ideas and the Constitution. Students create a recipe for the Constitution, with a minimum of 5 ingredients. Ingredients represent Enlightenment ideas, with ideas believed to be most important dictated by amount of ingredient. Student then draw or illustrate their constitutional meal, and label ingredients. Example: Constitutional Burger – Burger patty is made of Locke’s natural rights, Bun is Montesquieu’s separation of powers, etc.). Students are given written feedback from the teacher on their work. Students would receive their assignment back the next day, enabling the class to move forward with the lesson based on the assessed understanding of the lesson objective. The lesson closure activity, the 3-2-1 index card, will serve as an additional summative assessment, and receive a simple check minus, check plus, or check grading, based on the completion of each part of the index card, and the thought put into the answers.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
English learners will be accommodated by being allowed to use terms from their native language in the recipe, and in explaining the content, if they feel more comfortable doing so. The illustrations will allow for translation of ideas.
Striving Readers will be accommodated by being given highlighted material to read from, which will highlight key passages and ideas. Students will also be allowed extra time if necessary.
Students with Special Needs will be accommodated based on their need. An example being a student who has ADHD and has trouble focusing might be given more time if needed, or maybe be allowed to use more illustrations or work with a partner.
Resources (Books, Websites, Handouts, Materials)
11th grade Social Studies text book: The Americans: Reconstruction to the 21st Century