Social Studies 4-3.2 Explain the significance of major ideas and philosophies of government reflected in the Declaration of Independence.
Essential Question How does the Declaration of Independence reflect the ideas and philosophies of government?
Learning Tasks/Activities:
Ø Students will sort key phrases (Declaration of Independence sort) from the Declaration of Independence for order of importance with their group. Their discussion should include why one phrase is more important than another is and why they think Thomas Jefferson included it in the document. All ideas should be written in the Declaration graphic organizer. After sorting for order, students will re-sort the phrases to determine if the idea/philosophy was included for social, economic or political reasons. Again, ideas will be recorded in the graphic organizer. (DOK 4) Ø Students will view the Discovery Education video clip “TLC Elementary School: We the People A History.” They will analyze the video using the video analysis sheet. (DOK 2-3) Ø Students will read closely the articles from ReadWorks.org “Colonization and Revolutionary War – The Declaration of Independence” and the Compass Odyssey passage “Analysis: The Declaration of Independence.” They will identify the major ideas that were reflected in the Declaration of Independence using these articles by writing a personal response to the text in their notebooks (What were the major ideas and philosophies of government reflected in the Declaration of Independence? Explain why you think as you do?) (DOK 2-3) Ø Students will view the YouTube video clip “Too Late to Apologize a Declaration with Lyrics.” They will analyze the video using the video analysis sheet. (DOK 2-3) Ø Students will participate in a chalk talk (See Chalk Talk sheet) to determine how the major ideas and philosophies affected various groups of people during the time period: women, African Americans, and Native Americans. (Those groups should be the headings in the center of the chalk talk poster.) (DOK 3) |
It is essential for students to know:
There are four major ideas that were reflected in the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson said it best: “All men are created equal…”: Although Jefferson did not recognize the rights of African Americans or women and all men were not treated equally, this phrase is the fundamental principle of American government. “… they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”: Rights are not given to men by their government but are inherent and undeniable. “to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”: The purpose of government is to protect the rights of the people. “whenever any form of governments becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it”: If the government does not protect the rights of the people, it is the right of the people to change their government. The Declaration of Independence also includes a list of grievances against King George III in order to persuade/ prove ( to skeptical colonists and the world) that the rights of the people had been violated, and therefore the people had the right to abolish their old government and form a new one. The Declaration concludes with a formal statement declaring the colonists’ independence from England. Thomas Paine wrote a persuasive pamphlet supporting independence called Common Sense to further the cause. |