Origins of US Government Unit Bundle
$33.97
Confidently teach the principles of the Constitution, Enlightened influences, and the founding documents in your Civics Government class with this complete unit.
Everything in here is plug-and-play–activities, projects, PPT lectures, and games–making it a perfect way to upgrade your existing unit or build one from scratch!
Description
This bundle is a perfect way to build out your Foundations or Into to US Government unit.
All resources are independent of each other, letting you pick and choose and weave in your own favorite activities. But they also give you a complete ready-to-go unit when used together.
Everything you need is included, even if you are starting from scratch:
- multiple ways to deliver core content
- student-centered activities to process content
- quick and in-depth research projects
- formative and summative assessments
Collectively, these activities can be done well in 3-4 weeks.
Included in this Origins of US Government unit bundle:
Enlightened Influences on US Government Kit
- Lecture with Guided Notes of the 5 major principles that influenced American democracy
- Enlightened Thinkers Stations where students read and listen to the famous words of 11 influential sources like the Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, Locke’s Two Treatise, and Paine’s Common Sense
- Crack the Code Puzzle where students use the sources to answer questions and reveal a hidden code word
Declaration of Independence Enlightened Influences Kit
- Declaration Close Read with annotating and paraphrasing task to find the 5 Enlightened principles
- Quote-Sorting Activity where students connect various quotes from Enlightened Thinker, the Declaration, and its grievances
- Preamble Close Read with background context, academic vocabulary, and paraphrasing the famous sentence
- Preamble Clause One-Pagers for students to make connections with the Declaration and provisions inside the Constitution
- Goal Setting Slips to use the Preamble as a mentor text for students to draft their own goals for the year
Principles of the Constitution Activity Kit
- Lecture with Guided Notes on the 8 major principles found in the Constitution
- Matching Slips to preview and practice the concepts
- Principles in the News & Political Cartoons to pull various principles in action from that day’s headlines
- Gummy Bear Diorama where students create displays of their assigned principle
Federalist & Anti-Federalist Papers Ratification Debate Kit
- Lecture with Guided Notes on the events leading to the debate & key arguments made by both sides
- 5 Paired Essay Excepts for close reading
- Argument Analysis Stations of paired essay excerpts
Principles in the Declaration & Constitution Review Card Games Kit
- 56 Cards including 7 different card types and multiple formats to connect how key founding principles are seen throughout the founding documents
- 6 Game Ideas to using the cards for a variety of ways
- Use Throughout Course to pre-assess, reinforce learning, or review before a unit or EOC final
Different Forms of Government Activity Kit
- Lecture with Guided Notes on the 9 general government types
- Matching Slips & Continuum Line to preview and practice the concepts
- Type of Government in the News & Political Cartoons to pull various principles in action from that day’s headlines
- Gummy Bear Diorama where students create displays of their assigned principle
Founding Documents Podcast Kit
- 4 Guided Notes to accompany Civics 101 podcast episodes
- Political Cartoon & News Analysis forms to pair current events with content covered
This bundle includes over 200 PDF pages, about 60 slides, plus Google files.
What grades is this intended for?
This was designed for high school, but some included resources could still work for upper middle school, especially if are willing to customize things as necessary.
What supports are included? How can I modify this?
Graphic organizers and guided notes, visual icon cues, readings with accompanying audio read-aloud included via a QR code, how-to skill sheets for specific social studies skills, and lecture slides with clear, focused content per slide.
Google versions of student materials and lecture slides are editable to tailor to your students’ needs.
Can I use this in a homeschooling setting?
Sure! Most things can still be used in a solo or a small-group setting.
Is this editable? What file types does this resource come in?
The main resource files are secured, non-editable PDF files intended to be printed.
Included are links to editable Google files, to customize to your classroom needs and assign digitally if you choose.
What standards does this address?
Several! Standards vary, but this resource supports these from various states:
- Analyze major intellectual influences in primary sources that contributed to the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and the Bill of Rights
- Describe the influence of sources like the Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, English Bill of Rights, and Common Sense on the US
- Identify individuals whose ideas influenced American government, like Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, and Paine
- Identify grievances in the Declaration in terms of various enlightened principles
- Identify the American beliefs and principles reflected in the US Constitution and analyze how they shaped the nation
- Explain how the Constitution upholds various core principles like checks and balances, popular sovereignty, federalism, individual rights, and limited government
- Make connections and differentiate among various founding documents like the Articles of Confederation, Constitution, and Federalist Papers determine their individual significance
- Analyze the Federalist and Anti-Federalist arguments concerning ratification of the US Constitution and inclusion of a bill of rights
- Identify key individuals who contributed to the founding documents including Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, James Madison, George Washington, and George Mason
- Differentiate among government systems like autocracy, democracy, monarchy, oligarchy, and theocracy
- Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of different forms of government
- Analyze sources for central idea; identify text evidence to support claims
- Make connections among texts and with real-world events
- Applies critical thinking skills (summarizing, drawing inferences, concluding) to assessing a variety of sources, organizing information acquired
- Analyzes/evaluates information, evidence, and counterarguments from primary and secondary sources
What are the terms of use for this resource?
This resource, including all ancillary files, may be used as needed for regular, non-commercial single-classroom use between a teacher and their students.
This includes printing copies and sharing digital files with students through a secure platform, like Google Classroom or Canvas, email, or a classroom-only shared drive.
The using and sharing of any part of this resource in any manner outside the above-mentioned capacity is strictly prohibited. Prohibited uses include, but are not limited to,
- posting files on the open internet or in a Facebook group
- emailing files to or sharing print copies with others (without purchasing additional licenses)
- uploading or storing files in a shared cloud drive accessible by anyone other than students
- including any part, or any derivative work, within any commercial endeavor like curriculum development, professional training, or for-profit teaching like Outschool, or selling this resource as your own in either print or digital formats
Doing so violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), copyright law, and these terms.
By downloading this resource from Let’s Cultivate Greatness, the original user has been granted one license for a single teacher (or number of teachers matching the number of licenses purchased) and their students at any one time.
Let’s Cultivate Greatness retains the full copyright of this resource.
