CIVICS Β· AMERICAN GOVERNMENT Β· UNIT 1
Introduction to Government Unit Plan
Everything you need for an engaging, student-driven first unit in Civics or American Government, with easy-to-follow lesson plans for every day.
Unit 1 Overview
Why do we have government?
This is the first unit in my Civics and American Government curriculum. Before students dig into the Constitution or the three branches, they need a foundation: what a state actually is, what government is for, where it came from, and the different forms it can take.
Over the course of the unit, students define the characteristics of a state, explore the purposes of government through the Preamble, compare theories on how government began, research forms of government around the world today, and wrap up with the characteristics of democracy.
You can buy every resource for this unit here, or join Students of History to immediately access every lesson online, along with every other unit in the course.
Day-by-Day Flow
How the unit runs
The unit plan guide includes lesson plans for every day, so you always know which resource to use and how. Here's how the unit moves from start to finish.
What Is a State?
The unit opens with a PowerPoint and guided notes on the four characteristics of a state: population, territory, sovereignty, and government. Students complete an interactive notebook page and start the unit guide packet they'll use all unit.
The Purpose of Government
Next, students look at why governments exist. After the lesson, they analyze the Preamble to the Constitution and connect each phrase to a purpose of government.
How Did Government Begin?
Students compare the force, evolutionary, divine right, and social contract theories. A political cartoon activity and a bonus theories worksheet help them apply each one.
Types of Government
Station readings walk students through the major forms of government. Then they research modern examples of each type around the world today.
Characteristics of Democracy
Students learn what makes a democracy work, read about rights in a democracy, and finish with a current event political cartoon assignment.
Review & Assessment
A review guide, vocabulary worksheet, and links to online review games get students ready for the editable unit test.
What's Included
Over 20 resources, ready to teach
Every resource comes in both print and digital formats, plus a unit plan guide with lesson ideas for each day and links to videos and online resources.
- A complete unit guide packet students use throughout the unit
- A full set of digital notebook activities for Google Drive
- 4 PowerPoint lessons, each with a matching guided notes page
- Flipped classroom videos of each presentation
- Interactive notebook pages on the state, purposes of government, theories, and vocabulary
- A Preamble analysis activity
- A political cartoon activity on the beginnings of government
- Forms of government station readings
- A modern examples of government research assignment
- A reading on rights in a democracy and a current event cartoon assignment
- A unit review guide, vocabulary worksheet, and online review games
- An editable unit test
Teacher Reviews
What teachers say about this unit
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βThe activities and resources are well thought out and different from the basic perspective.β
Jazz S.Teacher
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βExcellent materials. Every lesson was in detail and well done. My students loved the unit.β
Joshua L.Teacher
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βThese lessons are very well laid out and info packed. My students were super engaged.β
Andrea T.Teacher
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βThis was an excellent resource for my government unit. The students loved the station activity.β
Megan G.Teacher
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βThis has been a great resource for my classroom! Great for engaging my students!β
Claire B.Teacher
Two ways to get this unit
If you just need this unit, you can buy it once and keep it forever. If you teach the whole course, a subscription gets you this unit plus every other Civics and Government unit, so you never have to plan from scratch again.
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The complete Introduction to Government bundle.
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- Β Every resource and lesson plan for Unit 1
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This is unit 1 of 12 in my complete Civics and American Government curriculum.
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