Global Education Institute Lesson Plan

Your name and school: Breanna Oxley Dubuque Senior HS

Lesson grade level: 12th grade
Lesson title: Government Comparison Fish Bowl
Enduring Question: Did the Founding Fathers Get it Right?
Lesson abstract (40 words maximum): Day one will consist of research comparing Americas government
and another countrys government. Day two will be a structured Fish Bowl activity to deliberate about what
type of government the Founding Fathers should have chosen after the American Revolution.
Learning Objectives:
I can evaluate if our Founding Fathers chose the best government for our nation.
I can articulate and deliberate if our Founding Fathers chose the best government for our nation.
I can construct and articulate another countrys current government.
Iowa Core Standards:
SS.912.PSCL.2 Essential Concept and/or Skill: Understand how the government established by the
Constitution embodies the enduring values and principles of democracy and republicanism.
Understand the central ideas of American constitutional government and how this form of
government has shaped the character of American society.
SS.912.PSCL.3 Essential Concept and/or Skill: Understand the purpose and function of each of the
three branches of government established by the Constitution.
Understand the purposes, organization, and functions of the legislative, executive, and judicial
branches and the independent regulatory agencies.
SS.912.PSCL.7 Essential Concept and/or Skill: Understand how various political systems
throughout the world define the rights and responsibilities of the individual.
Understand ideologies, structures, institutions, processes and political cultures of different
political systems in the world.
Understand the essential characteristics of limited and unlimited governments.
Global Competency Standards:
Analyze, integrate, and synthesize evidence collected to construct coherent responses to globally
significant researchable questions.
Develop an argument based on compelling evidence that considers multiple perspectives and draws
defensible conclusions.
Recognize and express their own perspective on situations, events, issues, or phenomena and identify
the influences on that perspective.
Materials/Equipment/Websites:
Graphic organizer to compare governments
Computer
https://www.constituteproject.org/
http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
Trading card paper
Markers

Final Fish Bowl Reflection Sheet and Final Fish Bowl Requirement Sheet
Detailed Procedures/Questions/Activities:
-

Day 1 Activity
o Anticipatory Set (5 minutes):

I have picked 4 different types of governments that are seen throughout history and today in
the world. Each corner of the room will be a different government and the students can move
to the type of government they want to explore. There will be a maximum of 6-7 students
(depending on the class number) that can be in each corner. I will draw names to move if
there are too many in one corner.

4 types of government- Democracy, absolute monarchy, oligarchy, dictatorship

o Lesson (36 minutes):

Once in their groups each group will have a mobile device that will be able to pick which
specific country they would like to research using the following website
http://www.governmentvs.com/

They will receive a hand out that has 2 PowerPoint slides on the front explaining what should
be included in their trading card. On the back will be a chart that they will use to fill out with
their research

Each person in the group picks a different country they are going to complete their research
on for a trading card. This trading card is the only thing that can be brought to the fish bowl
along with a mobile device for further research. The trading card must include

Name of your country

Country flag

Definition for your type of government

Region in which your country is located

Details as related to executive branch of the United States

Details as related to legislative branch of the United States

Details as related to judicial branch of the United States

Specific example in each branch of your government (if you dont have a branch of
government i.e. there is not a legislative branch equivalent then you will not have a
specific example)
o Resources to use

CIA World Fact Book

Culture Grams

Library of Congress Country Studies

Constitution Project

Google Constitution

Library of Congress Country Study

o Conclusion (5 minutes):

The students should have their outline sheet filled out and completed by the end of class.
Their homework will be to make their trading card based on the requirements on the
PowerPoint slides that are on the other side of the outline sheet.

I will also hand out the Fish Bowl requirement sheet which is the same sheet we have used
for 2 previous Fish Bowls.

Day 2- Activity
o Anticipatory Set (6 minutes):

The students will move four desks in the middle of the room and move the rest of the desks
in a circle outside of it.

o Lesson (30 minutes):

Fish bowl

Each type of government group gets 5 minutes to discuss their ideas in the fish bowl
about their government and the application in either 1776 or in 2016.

The last 10 minutes it is fair game for everyone to answer-- Did the Founding Fathers
get it right?

Final reflection turned in on a sheet to get their 6th point

Once the discussions are over the students will be filling out a final reflection sheet to
form their final thoughts on the topic.

Assessment(s): The students will be assessed on their final fish bowl preparation and participation. This fish
bowl will help recap information leading up to their final summative assessment test for the semester.