Time needed: 30-45 minutes
Social Studies Pedagogy: Sort & Order
Standards:
2.C&G.2.1 - Exemplify characteristics of good citizenship through historical figures and everyday citizens.
Civic Goals: Developing an understanding of civic dispositions
Essential Questions:
What qualifications are required to be a president?
What qualities should a president possess?
Lesson Development:
Assessment:
During this lesson, students will be assessed by observations and their participation in the whole group discussion as well as their individual sort and orders.
Social Studies Pedagogy: Sort & Order
Standards:
2.C&G.2.1 - Exemplify characteristics of good citizenship through historical figures and everyday citizens.
Civic Goals: Developing an understanding of civic dispositions
Essential Questions:
What qualifications are required to be a president?
What qualities should a president possess?
Lesson Development:
- Read aloud "What Presidents Are Made Of" by Hanoch Piven
- After reading, discuss with students the qualifications of the president.
- Must be 35 years old
- U.S. citizen
- Must have lived in U.S. for 14 years
- Must be 35 years old
- Then continue discussing with the students, "Do we want just any 35 year old citizen to be the president?" No - what are some qualities and characteristics a president should possess?
- As whole class is discussing, teacher writes qualities and characteristics on the board. Teacher should ask some of the following questions to guide the discussion:
- What kind of person do they seem to be? (i.e. honest, leader)
- What are they passionate about?
- Are they for the good of the people?
- What kind of person would you vote for?
- Students will return to their seats and begin sorting some of the characteristics we discussed in order of importance to them.
- (optional) create a worksheet for the sort and order so it makes it easier for the students.
- Have students order 1-5, 1 being the most important quality they think a president should possess.
- Students will discuss their sort & orders in small groups the next day.
Assessment:
During this lesson, students will be assessed by observations and their participation in the whole group discussion as well as their individual sort and orders.