Design Topic: Virginia Government Subject: History and Social Studies Grade: 5th Designer: Cora

Houseworth
Understanding by Design

Unit Cover Page

Unit Title: Understanding the Three Branches of Virginia Government Grade Levels: 5th

Topic/Subject Areas: Virginia Government/History and Social Studies

Key Words: Legislative, Executive, Judicial, Governor, Senate, House of

Representatives, Branches, Laws, Court System, Judge

Designed By: Cora Houseworth Time Frame: 2 Weeks

School District: Regent University School: Teacher Ed & IDS Dept.

Brief Summary of Unit (including curricular context and unit goals):

The “Understanding the Three Branches of Virginia Government” unit teaches students that the
Virginia government is divided into three interdependent branches which work together to create
laws, promote justice, and provide structure in the state. By the end of the unit, the students will be
able to articulate the three different branches of the Virginia state government as well as their
functions and leaders if appropriate. Students will be asked to closely analyze the importance of
the duties of each branch of government, and the branches as a whole. Students will discuss the
importance of the Virginia state government in their personal lives, and they will work through real
world situations and model government processes in order to have a full grasp of how the three
branches operate. Overall, the unit seeks to convey to the students that each branch of the Virginia
government works in different ways to ensure that everyone is treated fairly, and to ensure that
Virginia laws agree with the state constitution so that people are prevented from making laws that
only benefit themselves while taking advantage of others.

Unit design status: X Completed template pages – stages 1, 2, 3

Completed blueprint for each performance task X Completed rubrics

Directions to students and teacher Materials and resources listed

X Suggested accommodations X Suggested extensions

Status: Initial draft (date: ___________) Revised draft (date: ____________)

Peer Reviewed Content Reviewed Field Tested Validated Anchored

STAGE 1 – DESIRED RESULTS

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 1

Design Topic: Virginia Government Subject: History and Social Studies Grade: 5th Designer: Cora
Houseworth
Unit Title: Knowing & Understanding Virginia’s Three Branches of Government

Established Goals:
VS.10 The student will demonstrate an understanding of Virginia government, geography, and
economics by
a. identifying the three branches of Virginia government and the function of each;
b. describing the major products and industries important to Virginia’s economy;
c. explaining how advances in transportation, communications, and technology have
contributed to Virginia’s prosperity and role in the global economy.
(VDOE History & Social Science VS.10, 2015).

Understandings: Students will understand that… Essential Questions:

 The Virginia government is divided into three

interdependent branches which work together
to create laws, promote justice, and provide
structure in the state.
 The legislative branch of the Virginia
government enacts laws to make sure that
people are kept safe and so that everyone is
treated fairly in court no matter who they are.
 Each branch of the Virginia government works
in different ways to ensure that Virginia laws
agree with the state constitution so that people
are prevented from making laws that only
benefit themselves while taking advantage of
others.
 How does the Virginia government ensure that
Virginia’s laws agree with the state
constitution?
 How are Virginia laws drafted into being?
 Why is each branch of Virginia government
important?
 Why is the legislative branch divided into two
parts?
 How are Virginia state laws carried out?

Students will know: Students will be able to:

 There are three branches of the Virginia
government: legislative, executive, and judicial
 The legislative branch of the Virginia
government is called the General Assembly
 The legislative branch of the Virginia
government enacts laws
 The General Assembly is divided into two
parts, the Senate and the House of Delegates
 The governor of Virginia heads the executive
branch
 The executive branch makes sure that state
laws are carried out
 The judicial branch is Virginia’s court system
 The judicial branch decides cases about people
accused of breaking the law and whether or not
a law agrees with Virginia’s constitution
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
 Identify the three branches of Virginia state
government
 Explain the responsibility of the executive
branch of the Virginia government
 Describe the function and role of the legislative
branch of the Virginia government
 Identify the head of the executive branch
 Explain why it is important for Virginia laws to
agree with the state constitution
 Analyze the role of the judicial branch of the
Virginia government
 Determine the duty of the judicial branch of the
Virginia government
 Analyze the importance of having a court
system
 Name the two parts of the legislative branch of
the Virginia government
2
Design Topic: Virginia Government Subject: History and Social Studies Grade: 5th Designer: Cora
Houseworth
 Explain how the three branches of the Virginia
state government work together
 Analyze why the Virginia government is broken
into three branches

STAGE 2 – ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Performance Tasks: Other Evidence:

1. Summative Authentic Assessment 1. Quiz – Virginia State government branches

(GRASP) – The students will write a letter
to their overseas pen pal. This pen pal, who 2. Homework – Mind map connecting the
lives in Guinea, is interested in how different branches of the Virginia state
Virginia’s government differs from his government using key vocabulary terms
country’s government, and why Virginia
set their government up in this way. 3. Homework – Worksheet on the judicial
court system in Virginia. Students will be
2. Reciprocal Teaching – Complete a asked on the worksheet to define each type
reciprocal teaching prompt by filling out of court, determine the type of cases each
the four sections—predict, clarify, court deals with, and name the head of each
question, and summarize—using the first system. Students will also be asked at the
few paragraphs of “Article V. Executive” bottom of the worksheet to draw a figure
of the Virginia Constitution. The students showing the hierarchy of the court system.
will fill out the sections on the process of
election for a governor, the qualifications
of the office of governor, and the
responsibilities of the governor to include
how state laws are carried out (Rutherford,
2015, p. 78).

3. Class blog - Students will post one

paragraph to the class blog answering three
to five questions regarding the limits of
power of each branch of Virginia state
government. Each student will be assigned
one branch to answer questions about, and
they will then reply to one other person in
their class* (Rutherford, 2015, p. 134).

Student Self-Assessment and Reflection

1. Students will complete a “Tell Me Something Good” reflection activity on the second Monday of
instruction. The teacher will have the students respond to the statement “Tell me something
good,” specifically regarding their understanding of the unit so far in their interactive notebooks.
The teacher will then call on 3-5 students to share with the whole group. After the students have
shared, the entire class will provide three claps to recognize the positive events that are happening
around them. For example, the teacher may say, “Three claps for all the good things happening to
students in our class! Ready…1, 2, 3.”(Tell Me Something Good, n.d.).
2. Complete an exit ticket after class on one of the days, specifically responding to the prompt,
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 3
Design Topic: Virginia Government Subject: History and Social Studies Grade: 5th Designer: Cora
Houseworth
“What questions do you still have based off of today’s lesson?” (Rutherford, 2015, p. 115).
3. Students will self-asses in their interactive notebooks on how they think the GRASP assessment
went, to include answering questions such as, “What did I do well?” “What can I do better next
time?” “What was the hardest part of the project for me? And why?”
STAGE 3 – LEARNING PLAN
Summary of Learning Activities:
1. Hook: TSW pictorially represent how the government would work in their own made up world and
write captions for the pictures they draw, which will then be hung around the classroom. The students
may be as detailed as they would like, but the picture needs to answer the four main questions below:
- Who would be in charge? What are three main rules you would have? How would you
enforce those laws? How would you make those laws?
2. TSW complete a pre-assessment using the graffiti learning strategy. Students will respond to
questions on the poster paper for each branch of government such as, “what does this branch do?”
“who is in charge of this branch?” “why is this branch important?” (Rutherford, 2015, p. 92).
3. TTW introduce all of the standards, goals, and essential questions and understandings.
4. Teaching: TTW use direct instruction (PowerPoint) and the strategy Total Physical Response (TPR)
to help students remember the three branches after introducing the branches and their functions
briefly (Total Physical Response, n.d.). (instructional strategy)
5. TSW set up interactive notebooks to be used for the whole unit, which will be turned in at the end of
each class for the teacher to assess students’ understanding. The interactive notebooks will be used
for remediation and reflection throughout the unit at the teacher sees fit as well.
- Notebooks may be differentiated using helpful hints or pre-written and printed out
notes/worksheets, with no blanks or some blanks, for students to fill out and glue into
their notebooks as directed (Guided Notes, n.d.). (differentiation by learning profile)
6. TSW complete a Think-Pair-Share on why there are three branches of the government as opposed to
one, two, four, etc. and discuss students’ thoughts (Rutherford, 2015, p. 112). (cooperative strategy)
- TSW complete a mind map on three branches of the Virginia government for homework.
7. Lesson: TTW use a constructivist method of teaching and ask the students to complete a 1 minute
write up responding to the question on the board, “What do you think a governor does?” (Wiggins
and McTighe, 2006, p. 241). TTW explain what the executive branch is, who heads the executive
branch (including the current governor), and what the role of the executive branch is using slides.
(instructional strategy)
8. Lesson Cont.: The teacher will play the first part of Governor Northam’s inaugural address. TSW
complete a Turn and Talk on how the executive branch works to promote justice using the speech as
a starting point(Turn and Talk, n.d.). (instructional and cooperative strategies)
9. Lesson: TTW pose the question to the class, “How do your parents make sure that you obey rules?”
TTW ask the following questions after discussion: “How are Virginia state laws carried out?” or
“How does Virginia government make sure laws are obeyed?” and have the students use the method
Inside/Outside circles to discuss (Inside/Outside Circles, n.d.).
10. TSW complete a reciprocal teaching prompt using “Article V. Executive” of the Virginia
Constitution. They will discuss their findings afterward (Rutherford, 2015, p. 78).
11. The teacher will show the students a picture of two cartoon houses stacked on top of one another, and
the students will complete a See-Think-Wonder on the picture.
12. Lesson: The teacher will use the board and “Virginia (A True Book: My United States)” to explain
the legislative branch, and its two parts, the Senate (upper house) and the House of Representatives
(lower house). (instructional strategy)
13. TSW complete a Scavenger Hunt learning strategy answering questions on the legislative branch,
Senate, and House of Representatives.
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 4
Design Topic: Virginia Government Subject: History and Social Studies Grade: 5th Designer: Cora
Houseworth
- Students may be given easier questions or prompts based on their level, and having blanks
to fill in, instead of just empty lines. (differentiated by readiness)
14. The teacher will introduce the GRASP assignment and answer questions about it, and tell the
students that they will be given time to work on it throughout the next few days.
15. Lesson: The teacher will go through the slides “How a Bill Becomes a Law” from Capital Classroom
with the students (How a Bill Becomes a Law, n.d.). (instructional strategy)
16. TSW complete a Stop and Jot strategy in their interactive notebooks as they go through the slides on
how a bill becomes a law (Stop and Jot, n.d.).
- The Stop and Jot may be differentiated by having students answer the two questions that
they would like to while going through the slides. (differentiated by interest)
17. TSW complete a Whip Around discussion strategy on why the legislative branch has two parts (Whip
Around, n.d.). (cooperative strategy)
18. TSW complete a “Tell Me Something Good” reflection. (Tell Me Something Good, n.d.)
19. TTW use a facilitative instructional method, and have the students model the process of a bill
becoming a law (Wiggins and McTighe, 2008, p. 241). (instructional strategy)
20. TSW complete a Walk-Talk-Decide on why it’s important to have a justice system, and why it’s
important that the justice system is fair based upon real-world court cases and outcomes that the
teacher gives each group of students (Walk, Talk, Decide, n.d.). (cooperative strategy)
21. Lesson: TTW go over the TPR for each branch, and then use direct teaching to explain the judicial
branch. The teacher’s PowerPoint will contain pictures and graphics to help the students, and the
students will update their interactive notebooks. The teacher will facilitate a group discussion on the
judicial system at work in everyday life from students’ experiences.
22. Lesson: TSW complete a Quiz, Quiz, Trade strategy to review information about the three branches
that they have learned so far, then TTW use direct teaching to explain the different court systems.
The teacher will use the white board primarily for this direct teaching and will draw the connections
between each court system (Quiz, Quiz, Trade, n.d.).
23. Activity: TSW pull different crimes or situations and go to the correct courtroom spot in the
classroom for the court system they think their crime or situation would be heard in, and explain why
they chose that court system.
- This activity may be differentiated by having different sets of situations and crimes to
allow advanced, average, and struggling students to pick a situation or crime that they can
easily identify and respond to (differentiated by learning profile)
- TSW compete a worksheet on the court systems for homework.
24. TSW take the Quiz on Virginia Government. They may remediate for half credit later if needed.
25. TSW post a class blog answering three to five questions regarding the limits of power of each branch
of Virginia state government. Each student will be assigned one branch to answer questions about,
and they will then reply to one other person in their class.
26. The students will complete an exit tickets responding to the prompt, “What questions do you still
have based off of today’s lesson” (Rutherford, 2015, p. 115)
27. Students will turn in GRASP assignment, and will use the Author’s Chair strategy to present their
GRASPs to each other (Author’s Chair, n.d.). (cooperative strategy)
28. Students will complete a final reflection on their summative GRASP assessment in their interactive
notebook and share their reflection with a partner. Students will also self-asses in their interactive
notebooks how they think the authentic assessment went to include asking and answering questions
such as, “What did I do well?” “What can I do better next time?” “What was the hardest part of the
project for me? And why?” Students will complete a 5-minute write up reflection on the unit as a
whole, responding to the questions, “Why was this unit important for me to know?” “How can I use
this information in my life?” “What questions would be good to ask and answer to further my
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 5
Design Topic: Virginia Government Subject: History and Social Studies Grade: 5th Designer: Cora
Houseworth
knowledge of Virginia government, and where could I find that information?”

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 6

 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

1. Hook: TSW pictorially
represent their ideal
government
2. Students will complete a pre-
assessment on Virginia
government using the graffiti
learning strategy
3. TTW introduce all of the
standards, goals, and
essential questions and
understandings.
4. TTW use direct instruction and
the strategy Total Physical
Response (TPR) to introduce
the branches and their
functions briefly
5. TSW set up interactive
notebooks to be used for the
whole unit
6. TSW complete a Think-Pair-
Share
7. TTW use a constructivist 9.TTW use inquiry-based 11.
method of teaching and ask instruction and pose the
the students to complete a question to the class, “How
1 minute write up are Virginia state laws 12.
responding to the question carried out?” or “How does
on the board, “What do you Virginia government make
think a governor does?” sure laws are obeyed?” 13.
8. TSW complete a Turn and 10. TSW complete a reciprocal
Talk on how the executive teaching prompt using
branch works to promote “Article V. Executive” of the
justice Virginia Constitution
TSW complete a See-Think- 14.
Wonder using the picture on
the board 15.
TTW use “Virginia (A True
Book: My United States)” to
explain the legislative branch
TSW complete a Scavenger 16.
Hunt learning strategy
answering questions on the
legislative branch, Senate,17.
and House of
Representatives
The teacher will introduce the
GRASP assignment
TTW go through the slides
“How a Bill Becomes a
Law” from Capital
Classroom with the students
TSW complete a Stop and Jot
strategy in their interactive
notebooks
TSW complete a Whip
Around discussion strategy
on why the legislative
branch has two parts

Student Name: __________________________________

29. TSW complete a “Tell Me 20. TSW complete a Walk-Talk- 22. TSW complete a Quiz, Quiz,24. TSW take the Quiz on 27. TSW turn in GRASP
Something Good” Decide on why it’s Trade strategy to review Virginia State Government assignment, and will use
reflection activity important to have a justice information about the three
25. TSW post a class blog the Author’s Chair strategy
TTW use a facilitative system, and why it’s branches that they have answering three to five to present their GRASPs to

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)

30.
instructional method, and
have the students model the
process of a bill becoming a21.
law
important that justice
system is fair.
TTW go over the TPR for
each branch, and then use
learned so far, then TTW
use direct teaching to
explain the different court
systems
questions regarding the
limits of power of each 28.
branch of Virginia state
government. Each student
each other
TSW complete a final
reflection on their
summative GRASP
Stage 3 – Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

direct teaching to explain

23.
the judicial branch and
what the judicial system
does. The teacher will
facilitate a group
discussion on the judicial
system at work in everyday
life from students’
experiences
TSW complete an activity on
the court systems
26.
will be assigned one branch
to answer questions about,
and they will then reply to
one other person in their
class
TSW complete an exit tickets
responding to the prompt,
“What questions do you
still have based off of
today’s lesson”
assessment in their
interactive notebook and
share their reflection with a
partner. Students will also
self-asses in their
interactive notebooks
Design Topic: Virginia Government Subject: History and Social Studies Grade: 5th Designer: Cora Houseworth

7
Design Topic: Virginia Government Subject: History and Social Studies Grade: 5th Designer: Cora Houseworth

Evaluation Date: _________________________

Task Title: Virginia Government GRASP Assignment Rubric

Task Description: This Rubric is used to evaluate the Virginia government GRASP assignment for History and
Social Science VS. 10. In the GRASP assignment, the students are asked to write a letter to their overseas pen
pal. This pen pal, who lives in Guinea, is interested in how Virginia’s government differs from his country’s
government, and why Virginia set their government up in this way.

Criteria Points Proficient Competent Novice

(5-6 Points) (3-4 Points) (1-2 Points)

The letter includes all of the The letter includes at least The letter includes one or two
components below: three of the components of the components below:
- The three branches of below: - The three branches of
Virginia state government - The three branches of Virginia state government
- Why there are three Virginia state government - Why there are three
Accuracy of branches - Why there are three branches
information __/6 - How each branch branches - How each branch
functions - How each branch functions
- Why it’s important that functions - Why it’s important that
Virginia laws must agree - Why it’s important that Virginia laws must agree
with Virginia’s Virginia laws must agree with Virginia’s
constitution with Virginia’s constitution
constitution

- There are fewer than three - There are three to five - There are more than five
Neatness, grammar or spelling errors grammar or spelling errors grammar or spelling errors
organization, __/6 in the letter in the letter in the letter
- The entire letter, including - Part of the letter, including - None of the letter,
page count,
pictures and drawings, is pictures and drawings, is including pictures and
spelling, and neat and organized neat and organized drawings, is neat and
grammar - The letter is two to four - The letter is one to one organized
pages long and half pages long - The letter is less than one
page long

Incorporatio - The letter includes two - The letter includes one - The letter includes no
n of pictures pictures and two original picture and one original pictures or original
and original __/6 drawings that help drawing to help drawings.
demonstrate the demonstrate the
drawings
information being information being
presented in written form presented in written form
Teacher Comments:
_____________________________________________________________________________
Score __/18 _____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 8

Design Topic: Virginia Government Subject: History and Social Studies Grade: 5th Designer: Cora Houseworth
References
Author's Chair. eduTOOLBOX. (n.d.). Retrieved October 9, 2021, from
https://www.edutoolbox.org/rasp/2086.

Guided Notes. Teacher Toolkit. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2021, from
https://www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/guided-notes.

How a Bill Becomes a Law. Capitol Classroom How A Bill Teacher. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29,
2021, from
https://capclass.virginiageneralassembly.gov/Teacher/HowABill/HowABillTeacher.html.

Inside/Outside Circles. Teacher Toolkit. (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2021, from
https://www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/inside-outside-circles.

Quiz, Quiz, Trade. Teacher Toolkit. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2021, from
https://www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/quiz-quiz-trade.

Rutherford, P. (2015). Instruction for All Students. Just ASK.

Stop and Jot. Teacher Toolkit. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2021, from
https://www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/stop-and-jot.

Tell Me Something Good. Teacher Toolkit. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2021, from
https://www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/tell-me-something-good.

Total Physical Response. Teacher Toolkit. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2021, from
https://www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/total-physical-response.

Turn and Talk. Teacher Toolkit. (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2021, from
https://www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/turn-and-talk.

Walk, Talk, Decide. Teacher Toolkit. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2021, from
https://www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/walk-talk-decide.

Whip Around. Teacher Toolkit. (n.d.). Retrieved September 29, 2021, from
https://www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/whip-around.

Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J. (2008). Understanding by Design. Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development.

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 9