A World of Governments – Why?• The concept of comparative world
governments is challenging for sixth graders.• Students struggled with understanding of
other sources.• Teachers struggled with finding sources that
were informative yet appropriate for 6th grade.• Finding sources that covered all the
government and citizen strands of our TEKS, yet with enough culture strands for our subject matter.
Mind Play
• Get a partner and stand.• One person faces the screen, the
other faces AWAY from the screen.• Person facing the screen gives
content clues to solicit the category from their partner – characteristics, similarities, differences, examples, people involved, etc.
• Use no part of the term.• Sit down when you get all categories!
Country CardsAfghanistanArgentinaAustraliaBrazilCanadaChinaCosta RicaCubaFranceGermanyIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIsraelItalyJapanKenyaLibyaMexico
NigeriaNorth KoreaNorwayPakistanRussiaSouth AfricaSouth KoreaSouth SudanSpainSudanSwedenTanzaniaTaiwanUnited KingdomUnited States of AmericaVenezuelaAncient GreeceEuropean Union
Adding:Ancient
RomeSaudi ArabiaEgyptUnited
Nations
What on this?
• Country Name• Current Flag• Type of
Government• Constitution• Capital• Date of
Independence or colonial ruler
• Population• GDP per capita• Ethnicity• Religion• Literacy Rate
Introduction Lesson – Scavenger Hunt
• To introduce students to the Country Cards.
• To show where certain information can always be found on the cards.
• To introduce the government and citizenship TEKS to students.
• 6.11ABCD, 6.12ABC, 6.13ABC, 6.14AB, Social Studies Skills
What’s the Difference?Unlimited Government
Either no written or unwritten constitution exists prescribing what government can and cannot do, especially with regards
to the rights of citizens, or the constitution (written or unwritten) is ignored and government does as it
wishes
Limited Government
A written or unwritten constitution followed and subscribed to by most of a
nation’s citizens prescribes what government may or may not do,
especially with regards to the rights of citizens
ObjectivesBe able to answer the three key questions!
1. What are the attributes of different types of government?
2. How has government changed over time?
3. Who are the individuals involved in the evolution of government?
Presidential vs. Parliamentary
Presidential Examples:
U.S.
Mexico
South American countries
Parliamentary Examples:
U.K.
Canada
Australia
Legislature President
Voters
Legislature
Voters
Prime Minister
Presidential System
In a presidential system of government citizen voters directly or indirectly elect the chief executive or Head of Government. They also separately and independently choose members of the legislature. The chief executive and members of the executive cabinet cannot at the same time be members of the legislature. The executive serves for a definite, set term of office and may or may not also serve as the nation’s ceremonial Head of State.
Parliamentary SystemIn a parliamentary system of government citizen voters
directly elect members of the legislature. The members of this popularly elected legislature then choose one of their members (usually a member of the majority party) to serve as the chief executive or Head of Government. The Head of Government does not serve for a definite, set term but instead only for as long he/she enjoys the support of a majority of the members of the legislative body. Members of the executive cabinet are also at the same time members of the nation’s legislature. In most nations with a parliamentary system a different individual (such as an hereditary monarch) serves as the ceremonial Head of State.
Frayer Vocabulary Cards• Objective: The student will
understand the vocabulary necessary to the use of the Country Cards.
• TEKS: 6.11AB, 6.12A, 6.22A
ExtensionsWord Sorts• How are these words
connected?• Find similar/different
words.
Word Walls• Personal student
word wall in ISN• Classroom word
walls.
Sorting students• All students who are
holding forms of government line up next to the white board.
Bingo
• Students will review each of the vocabulary words that are used on the Country Cards.
• This lesson covers Social Studies Skills 6.22
Set up your Bingo Card (24 Terms)• Bicameral• Capital City• Chief of State• Civil Rights/
Freedoms• Electoral
College• Constitutional• Democracy• Dictatorship• Direct
Democracy• GDP• Ethnicity• Executive• Federal
• Federation• Legislative• Head of
Government• Independence• Islamic Republic• Judicial• Nation/State• Limited
Government• Literacy• Monarchy• Communist• Parliament• Republican
Government
• Political Parties• Universal• Transitional• Suffrage• Province• Per Capita• Unitary• Totalitarian• Socialist• Popular Vote• Unlimited
Government• Unicameral• Theocracy.
•A ruling position that is passed down within a certain family (hereditary).
•Usually a king or queen.
•Rule by one
• A person in charge of a country’s government and holds real power.
• Examples: President, Prime Minister, Chancellor
• Branch of government that includes the Head of State and Head of Government.
• Examples: Presidents, Prime Ministers, Chancellors
•Electors chosen by the voters of each state that elect the president and vice-president of the United States of America.
•A form of government where citizens themselves serve as their government, voting and acting on every issue. Example: Ancient Athens
• A government where the people rule, either by themselves directly or through elected representatives.
• A type of government where the leaders have limited power and must follow the same laws all citizens follow.
•Government owns everything, including the businesses, farms, and property, the government also provides health care, education, and general welfare for its citizens.
•The formal head of a nation, as distinguished from a Head of Government. In most nations, this is a ceremonial role with little power.
• A political organization that seeks to influence government policy by nominating candidates and trying to elect them to positions in government.
•An economic system of community ownership. In this system the goal is for the overall good of the people.
•A branch of government that makes laws and is also tasked with other duties such as approving executive appointees.
• Rights that protect individual freedoms, such as speech, religion, assembly, petition, and property.
•A group of states with a republican form of government.
•There is usually a division of powers between the states and the federal government.
• Gross Domestic Product is the market value of all officially recognized final goods and services within a country in a given period of time.
•A government where the power rests with the people.
•The people elect representatives to represent them in government.
• A county with one political party.
• Citizens are forced to do what the government tells them to do, and are usually prevented from leaving the country.
•Value of goods and services a person produces in a given time.
•Usually shown in an average dollar amount.
There is a division of powers between governments such as states or provinces and the national government.
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C o u n try C a rd V o c a b u la ry
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Vocabulary Cards
• To be used as flash cards.• Can be sorted.• Can be used for memory games.• Printed on one side can be used for
matching game or mix/match/freeze
Front Page• Learning Objectives: The student will
create a written newspaper page based on research of a country’s government.
• TEKS: 6.11ABC, 6.12A, 6.13B, 6.21A, 6.22BDE, 6.23B
You may need to show the students what an actual newspaper looks like.Sites that have copies of newspapers:
Report Card
• Learning Objectives: The student will understand the concepts of limited and unlimited government; rule by one, few or many; and will review the human rights records of assigned countries.
• TEKS 6.11ACD, 6.12AB, 6.13ABC
United Nations Dinner Party
• Learning Objectives: The student will identify various characteristics of assigned nations and compare and contrast types of government, roles and responsibilities of citizens, and influences of the government.
• TEKS 6.11BC, 6.12AB, 6.13ABC
3-2-1• Learning Objectives: Students will understand
and compare ways in which people organize and participate in various contemporary societies.
• Teaching Strategy:– Pass out Country Cards.– Allow students to read and research card.– Allow students time to discuss and complete the
following:• 3 important facts about the government of the country.• 2 questions you would ask a citizen of the country about
their civic participation.• 1 difference in participation between the citizens in this
country and citizens in the United States.
• Students can then share and evaluate in a variety of methods such as with a partner, small group, gallery walk, jigsaw, or poetry slam.
Country CardsAcrostic Poem
• Learning Objectives: The student will be able to identify and describe examples of limited and unlimited governments and roles of citizens in assigned countries.
• TEKS 6.11AB, 6.12A, 6.13ABC• Student will use the information on
the card to complete an Acrostic Poem about the country.
Example: Acrostic Poem
Sunni Muslim
Unification did not happen
Displacement of people
Arab culture vs African culture
Non-Muslims seceded
Types of GovernmentDemocracy—
The people govern themselves by meeting together and making laws for their society. (Pure)
Dictatorship—
One person rules the nation with no limits on his power and does whatever he wishes.
Types of GovernmentMonarchy—
One person rules for life usually as a result of inheriting the position as a member of a certain family. Power may or may not limited.
Republic—
Through elections the people choose those who govern them. (INDIRECT DEMOCRACY)
Types of GovernmentTheocracy—
Those who rule do so because they are members of a particular religious faith.
Totalitarian—
One or a few individuals possess total control over the government as well as the economy. No opposition is permitted.
Who Am I?Africa South of the Sahara
• Learning objectives: Students will be able to compare the characteristics and review the records of human rights abuses of limited and unlimited governments.
• Materials needed: “Who am I?” cards, Country name cards, critical thinking questions, and Country Cards African South of the Sahara.
Strategy• Teacher puts students into 6 groups.• Hands out set of Country Cards (Africa South of the
Sahara).• Give students time to review cards. Students will need
to write a summary sentence describing each of the 6 countries.
• Post the sentence summaries around the room under the placard for that country.
• Allow students to gallery walk.• Teacher should debrief each group about summaries,
noting similarities and differences between countries, especially about civil/human rights.
• Pass out Who am I? cards and have students to match descriptor with the Country Name cards.
• Have students finish Critical Thinking portion.
Class Discussion questionsWho Am I?
• Which countries have limited governments?
• Which countries have unlimited governments?
• Which country is the most like the United States? Explain your answer.
• If you had to move to one of these countries, which one would you rather live in? Explain your answer.
Power Play: Unlimited and Limited Governments
• Students will be able to – identify and describe limited and unlimited
governments, – compare characteristics of limited and unlimited
governments and – identify reasons for limited the power of
government.• What students will need:
– PowerPoint – set of characteristic cards and – something to write with.
Agree or Disagree?• The president of the United States has
complete control of the U.S. government.• The governor of Texas must drive the speed
limit when driving in Texas.• President Obama does not have the to follow
the same laws as you and me.• In a dictatorship, the leader does not have to
follow the same laws as its citizens.• The United States has a limited government.6-3-2013 97
Lesson Objective
• Today you will learn about two types of governments; limited and unlimited
6-3-2013 98
Limited Government
A type of government where the leaders have limited power and must follow the same laws all citizens follow .
6-3-2013 100
Unlimited Government
• A type of government where the leaders have no limits to their power.
6-3-2013 101
Characteristics of Limited Government• Power of government has a constitution or other written
law - LIMITED power• Leader follows same laws as all citizens.• Courts treat everyone as equal• Peaceful change of leaders• Free and open media• Regular elections and majority rules• Individuals have basic rights such as freedom of speech,
press, assembly, and religion.• Usually a well educated population
6-3-2013 102
Characteristics of Unlimited Government
• Control is completely with the ruler(s). They have UNLIMITED powers
• Government leaders do not have to follow the same rules as regular citizens
• Courts do not treat everyone as equal• People who disagree with the government are arrested• Military is very powerful• Poor education for some or most of the population• Citizens do not have basic political rights, such as freedom
of religion, or freedom to travel6-3-2013 103
Card Sort AnswersLimited Governments
• Citizens or their elected representatives can remove elected officials from office.
• The media, newspaper, magazines and television can freely report news from around the world.
• A national constitution limits the power of government.
• Individuals have basic rights such as freedom of speech, press, assembly, and religion.
• Democratic-republic government• Well-educated population
Unlimited Governments
• People who disagree with the government are arrested.
• The military shuts down newspapers and decides who can run in an election.
• Totalitarian government• Low literacy rate• Citizens must have permission
from the government to leave the country
• Citizens have few individual rights
6-3-2013 104
Critical Thinking Questions
• What are reasons citizens would want to limit the power of their government?
• If you were a citizen of an unlimited government, describe your freedoms?
• If you were a citizen of a limited government, describe your freedoms?
6-3-2013 105
Agree or Disagree?
• The president of the United States has complete control of the U.S. government.
• The governor of Texas must drive the speed limit when driving in Texas.
• President Obama does not have the to follow the same laws as you and me.
• In a dictatorship, the leader does not have to follow the same laws as its citizens.
• The United States has a limited government.6-3-2013 106
Role Play - Assessment
• In groups of 3-5, create a role play of a limited or unlimited government.
• Have your classmates determine which type of government your perform?
6-3-2013 107
Build a Citizen
• Students will be able to – understand government structure and
the nature of citizenship in various countries and societies.
• Materials needed: – Country Cards for unity of study, – copy paper and – markers.
Build a CitizenTeaching Strategy
• Teacher hands out Country Cards of study to each student or student group.
• Students will read and study the government structure and role of citizens within that government.
• Students will create and draw a “citizen” that represents that government:
Example: Build a Citizen
• Head(s) – Executive Branch Organization
• Body – Constitution and Rights/Responsibilities
• Arms(s)- Legislative Branch Organization
• Leg(s) – Judicial Branch Organization• Belt or Bow Tie- Suffrage
• Kim Boen – Round Rock ISD– [email protected]
• Liz De La Garza– Round Rock ISD– [email protected]