United States Government: Democracy in Action

Unit 1: Foundations of American Government

Big Idea Activity — Lesson Plan

Is democracy the best form of government?

Assignment: Government Role Plays
Students will create a mini-production demonstrating the key concepts of one of the following forms of government: absolute monarchy, dictatorship, or republic.

Assignment Task List

Step 1: Students will brainstorm ideas for their mini-production. To avoid duplication, you may wish to assign groups a form of government. Have groups identify which form of presentation their group's mini-production will take. The Activity page provides the following options, but encourage students not to limit their ideas to these: a dialogue between two people, a reporter interviewing a historical or current leader, a discussion among three or more people, a drama about a "family" who is ruled by the type of government, or a monologue or soliloquy from one speaker.

Differentiated Instruction For groups having difficulty identifying a topic, provide them with these historical and current examples:

Absolute Monarchy
Dictatorship
Republic
•  King Louis XIV
•  Peter the Great
•  Saudi Arabia
•  Brunei
•  Caesar
•  Soviet Union
•  Nazi Germany
•  North Korea
•  Chile (Pinochet)
•  Classical Athens
•  Roman Republic
•  United States
•  Switzerland

Step 2: Students will organize their research. Project a blank K-W-L chart on the whiteboard. Write the following items on the chart and discuss them with students before group work begins.

K-W-L Chart about the __________________________ form of government.
What I Know	What I Want to Find Out	What I Learned
	• Definition • Purpose of this type of government • Who makes laws? • Rulers' attitudes toward or impressions of citizens and subjects • Advantages/efficiency of this system • Disadvantages of this system • Role of judiciary (if any) and rule of law • Citizens' rights/incentives

Step 3: Students should gather and summarize online and print information relevant to their mini-production and the information they gathered in Step 2. Direct students to take notes and prepare an outline as a guide.

Differentiated Instruction Project Writing Process Transparency 3 (34.0K) : Make a Plan on the whiteboard. Demonstrate how students should take the general information they discussed in Step 2 and expand upon that information in the "Make a Plan" chart.

Differentiated Instruction Provide the following documents to help students who are having difficulty finding source material.
American History Primary Source Document Library
The Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson
The Federalist, No. 10 by James Madison
World History Primary Source Document Library
The Republic by Plato
The Magna Carta by English Nobles
The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
Second Treatise of Government by John Locke
The Social Contract by Jean-Jacque Rousseau
The English Bill of Rights by the English Parliament
Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen by the French National Assembly
Thomas Macaulay Speaks on Leadership and Government by Thomas Macaulay
Defense of the Dictatorship of the Proletariat by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
The Founding of the Chinese Communist Government by Mao Zedong

Step 4: Students will write the script of their mini-production. Remind them to consider their "characters" as they write the script.

Differentiated Instruction Project Writing Process Transparency 7 (34.0K) : Map Out a Plan on the whiteboard. Demonstrate how to create a "screenplay" in the "Map Out a Plan" chart.

Step 5: Groups will gather or create props and practice their role plays. Provide one class period for students to work in the art room if necessary to create backdrops.

Step 6: Groups will present their mini-productions. Encourage viewers to peer assess one another's role plays according to the following items:
___ detailed research
___ multiple sources used
___ a deep understanding of the form of government
___ conversation driven by research
___ well rehearsed actors
___ creativity in communicating with intended audience
___ outstanding effort in preparing props
___ organization, focus, and an appropriate length
___ group members who work together harmoniously and dynamically

After all of the mini-productions have been completed, have students use information from the presentations to discuss this question: Is democracy the best form of government?

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