436 Lesson 3- Civics and Government

    In this lesson, we taught students about government, citizenship, and how Hawai‘i became the 50th state. We started with an icebreaker and vocabulary charades to get students engaged and thinking about key terms.

                                                     

    Next, students analyzed a Library of Congress image using “I See, I Think, I Wonder” on their whiteboards. This helped them observe details, think about what was happening, and ask questions about government in the past.

                                                     

    We then reviewed the three branches of government using an anchor chart. Students used this knowledge in a picture sort activity where they categorized roles and responsibilities into legislative, executive, and judicial.

                                                    

    After that, we took a brain break and did a short yoga video. This helped students reset and refocus before moving into the next activity.

                                                     

    We then introduced civic participation through a mock voting activity. Students voted on a Hawaiian cultural activity (hula, lei making, or Hawaiian song) and we counted the votes together. This helped them understand how voting works and why it is important.

                                                     

    At the end of the lesson, we adjusted our plan and had students create a rights and responsibilities poster instead of completing the writing activity.

    Students were very engaged throughout the lesson. The charades icebreaker was successful, especially since they were familiar with it from a previous lesson. The primary source activity went well, and students seemed to enjoy using whiteboards instead of paper. Many students made strong observations and noticed important details like the date and the meaning of Hawai‘i becoming the 50th state. The branches of government review was also effective. Students had prior knowledge and were able to share thoughtful ideas. During the picture sort, they worked well together, took turns, and supported each other. The brain break was helpful for resetting students. Even though one student chose not to participate, we adapted by allowing her to take a quiet break instead. The mock voting activity was a highlight. Students were excited to vote and understood that their choices mattered. They also liked that their vote would impact a future class activity. The poster activity at the end kept students engaged when their energy was lower. They enjoyed drawing and were able to show their understanding of being a good citizen in a creative way.

    Timing was a challenge since we had a lot planned. Next time, we would either shorten the lesson or split it into two days. We also had a student who was hesitant to participate in both group and independent work. We tried to support her by giving her options, but we would like to find better strategies to help her feel more comfortable and involved.

    This lesson showed us that students learn best when they are actively engaged and given opportunities to collaborate and make choices. Activities like voting, discussion, and hands-on work helped keep students interested. It also showed us the importance of being flexible and adjusting our plans based on student needs and energy levels. Moving forward, we want to improve our pacing and be more realistic about how much we can fit into one lesson. We will continue to use interactive, hands-on, and culturally relevant activities to support engagement. We also want to focus on supporting all learners by offering different ways to participate and succeed.