The American Presidency

Classroom Activities

Lesson Plan One – Unit Preview

To open the unit, students will preview some selections of the texts they will be reading. To begin, students will complete a 5 minute Do–Now in which they will answer the questions "Who can become President? How do they do it?" The teacher will transition students into a brief note–taking session in which the short passage describing the Presidency from primary source document, The United States Constitution is examined and a graphic organizer is completed outlining the specific qualifications for President. '

Students then complete a free response writing activity about the possibility of one of their classmates, or themselves, becoming President. Do they meet the qualifications outline in the Constitution? Can they run for office and gain election by the people? To follow the writing activity, the class will gather in a Socratic Seminar Circle and discuss "politics".

As mentioned in the Strategies section of this Unit, it is crucial to establish Norms and Expectations for behavior in this style of seating/discussion at the outset of the first discussion and as necessary throughout the school year. A list of guiding questions will be distributed by the teacher. Ten will usually suffice; examples for this discussion include "Is race an issue for someone running for President? Why? How? Explain" or "Does one have to be rich to run for President? Back it up with proof!" The teacher takes notes on student behavior, moderates and scores for participation.

This lesson will culminate with a return to regular seating and an Exit Ticket. The Exit Ticket will be a 3–2–1, in which students list Three Things they Learned Today, Two Questions or Comments, One Piece of Feedback on Today's Class.

Lesson Plan Two – Who Becomes President?: Adolescent Biography and the Race for President

To begin, in reference to Lesson One, students will create a list of the qualifications to become President. Teacher will ask students to share–out answers, then encourage students to remember that anyone's adolescence can grow into a influential career.

Next, a bulleted list of four distinct figures biographies will be displayed on the Smart Board or projector screen. Individually, students will speculate the profession of each figure described. Sample biographical selections could include Ted Kaczynski, Condoleezza Rice, George Washington and Martin Luther King, Jr. After the true identities are revealed, the class will be split into two groups. Keeping in mind the lessons taken away from the first activity, students will be instructed to read a selection and determine the profession of the person described. The teacher will split students into two groups. Group One will read a brief selection of Obama's narrative and Group Two will read a selection from Bill Clinton's. The students will discuss within their groups and make their predictions. After allotted time has passed groups will share out their results and teacher will reveal the identities.

Students will discuss as a class briefly, then answer five thought responses about biography (Does it matter if you are rich or poor/smart or uneducated/connected or unknown when it comes to being president?), assumption (If someone has a troublesome or rough childhood, does this mean they will not do well in life? Explain your answer.), profession (What type of person becomes President? What makes them liked enough to get elected?), professional ability and personal motivation (Do you believe in the phrase, "Where there's a will, there's a way."? Explain your answer.). The lesson will culminate with a short written response by students as an Exit Ticket, in which they answer the question "What are the three most valuable take away you've received from this lesson?"

Lesson Plan Three – Teaching the Elements of Autobiography

Once students begin thinking about the qualifications one must have to run for President, the class will shift gears to discuss generic consider the mode of autobiography. It is important to encourage students to be critical and aware of intent in writing at this point in the Unit. If they do not understand authorial motivation, a mini–lesson to address this deficiency may be in order. This lesson is to be taught after one or more of the autobiographical texts have been read.

The Do Now for this lesson will direct students to describe what they know about the mode of autobiography and biography. After the 5–minute Do Now time has expired, the teacher will briefly illicit responses from the class. Then, a T–Chart comparing Biography vs. Autobiography will be taken in students' classroom notebook guided by the teacher.

Students will then number off and break out into six stations around the room. Supplied with a chart, students will travel to each station for 3–5 minutes and read about the Elements of Autobiography. They will take notes in their graphic organizer, then move to the next station. After the students have circulated through, the class will reconvene and the elements will be considered against one of the autobiographical texts. If all have not been read, students will retain organizer until all are complete and in turn, also use it for a study tool. To culminate this activity, students will recount the difference between biography and autobiography and explain the six elements of autobiography in their own words.