Lesson Plan
Title: Unalienable Rights – Who Says?
Subtitle or Challenge question: How would different people (from different times) interpret an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence?
Grade level: 8-12*
*although this can be used by any teacher from any state this lesson is specifically designed to satisfy the Texas education code.
Topic/subject: Excerpt from the Declaration of Independence
“We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the Consent of the Governed”
Declaration of Independence, 1776
Author Information
Name: William Gilbert
Email: wedu.gilbert@gmail.com
School: McAllen High School
City: McAllen
State: Texas
Lesson Type: teacher choice, can be mixed, individual or group
Duration: 1 class period
Lesson plan overview: This lesson is designed to satisfy the Texas education code requirement for students to study and recite an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence. The students will help each other understand different viewpoints about the excerpt and what the vocabulary means to different people.
Prior knowledge: Vocabulary from the excerpt including: self-evident, unalienable, consent of the governed.
State or National Standards:
TEXAS
8th Grade: Click here for a copy of Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)
11th Grade: Click here for a copy of Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)
Objectives/Rationale: The state of Texas requires all students from grades 3-12 to study and recite an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence. This activity will allow for this requirement to be met as well as some novel exploration of the material.
Outcomes: The students will be able to define various aspects of the excerpt including ideas about equality, unalienable rights and consent of the governed through multiple points of views and perspectives.
Steps: Depending on the size of the class this classroom activity can take up to the whole period.
Materials:
Copies of the excerpt of the Declaration of Independence or textbook copy of the Declaration of Independence or electronic access to the Declaration of Independence. Or you can simply click here. Printable one page here.
Unalienable Guiding Questions
These are the guiding questions that can be printed out or projected.
Guiding Question Original Google Slide Source Material
Archetype Presentation
This can be printed out six slides per page for ease of use or you can link to the presentation and/or project it for the students. This group is made up of individuals from 1776 Colonial America.
Archetype Presentation Published Slideshow
Archetype Original Google Slides Source Materials
Historical Figures Presentation (American History)
This can be printed out six slides per page for ease of use or you can link to the presentation and/or project it for the students. This group only includes historical figures from throughout American history.
Historical Figures Published Slideshow (American)
Historical Figure Original Google Slides Source Materials
Historical Figures Presentation (Texas History)
This can be printed out six slides per page for ease of use or you can link to the presentation and/or project it for the students. This group only includes historical figures from throughout Texas history.
Historical Figures Published Slideshow (Texas)
Historical Figures Texas Original Google Slides Source Materials
Historical Figures Presentation (World History)
This can be printed out six slides per page for ease of use or you can link to the presentation and/or project it for students. This group can be used for world history/geography teachers and does not include any American history examples.
Historical Figures Published Slideshow (World History)
Historical Figures World History Original Google Slides Source Materials
Assessment criteria: The main point of this activity to engage the students in taking up different viewpoints about an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence. There are two options included to assess this but the interaction between students can be just as important.
Option A: reflection written by the student analyzing the viewpoints of the archetype or historical figure as he or she reinterprets the excerpt. Can be assessed by this rubric.
Option B: student answers guiding questions about the excerpt in a worksheet style form seen here.
Accommodations: