ALEX Learning Activity

  

Comparing And Contrasting The Virginia Plan And New Jersey Plan

A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.

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  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: Kristi Ware
System:Bessemer City
School:Bessemer City Middle School
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 2322
Title:
Comparing And Contrasting The Virginia Plan And New Jersey Plan
Digital Tool/Resource:
Virginia Plan vs. New Jersey Plan
Web Address – URL:
Overview:

In this learning activity, students will collaboratively compare and contrast the New Jersey Plan and the Virginia Plan using a Venn Diagram.  The students will discuss the similarities and differences between the two plans.  The students will also look for characteristics in our current government.  Finally, students will discuss the results of the debate over both plans.

This activity was created as a result of the ALEX Resource Development Summit. 
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
Social Studies
SS2010 (2010)
Grade: 5
United States Studies: Beginnings to the Industrial Revolution
9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government
•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States
Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights
•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic
Unpacked Content
Strand: History, Civics and Government
Course Title: United States Studies: Beginnings to the Industrial Revolution
Evidence Of Student Attainment:
Students:
  • Describe and analyze the role of the Articles of Confederation and influential groups and individuals on the development of the United States Constitution.
  • Identify the main principles of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and analyze events such as the election of George Washington as President for their impact on the development of the republic.
Teacher Vocabulary:
  • inadequacies
  • Article of Confederation
  • ratification
  • limitations
  • factions
  • Federalist
  • Anti-Federalist
  • republic
  • powers
  • principles
Knowledge:
Students know:
  • Inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation and the impact these had on the creation of the Constitution of the United States.
  • The duties and powers of the three branches of government.
  • The supporters and oppositions of the constitution.
  • The main principles of the bill of rights.
  • The impact of George Washington as president in a republic.
Skills:
Students are able to:
  • Analyze and describe the impact of government documents.
  • Describe and provide examples of major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution including the duties and powers of the three branches of government.
  • Compare and contrast the positions of various groups involved in historic events, such as the writing of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
  • Analyze primary source documents.
Understanding:
Students understand that:
  • The Articles of Confederation and influential groups and individuals played a role in the development of the United States Constitution.
Alabama Alternate Achievement Standards
AAS Standard:
SS.AAS.5.9- Define constitution as a plan of government; identify the three branches of government; identify the major freedoms of the Bill of Rights, including speech, religion, press, right to bear arms, and assembly.
SS.AAS.5.9a- Recognize George Washington as the first president of the United States.
Learning Objectives:

The students will be able to describe major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including the duties and powers of the three branches of government.
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
During/Explore/Explain
Activity:

1) Pair the students

2) Give each pair a copy of the reading passages. Each can read either the New Jersey Plan or Virginia Plan. 

3) After the students have read their passage they will discuss what they read and complete a Venn Diagram together. 

4) Ask the students: Do you think one plan was better than the other? Why?  

Do you see any characteristics of either plan in our current federal government? 

What was the result of the debate over the Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan?
Assessment Strategies:

The Venn Diagram should be used as an assessment of the activity.

Ask: What was the result of the debate over the Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan?

Students should be able to express that the Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan led to the Great Compromise which was the establishment of our current Congress (House and Senate). 
Advanced Preparation:

-Prior knowledge of the Constitutional Convention, content vocabulary, and why Articles of Confederation failed.

-Make enough copies for students to be able to write on their papers. 
Variation Tips (optional):

This can be done individually as well as in pairs or groups. For higher achieving students this could be turned into a debate. For lower performing students they could be given highlighters to specifically highlight the information from the passages that could go on the Venn Diagram.
Notes or Recommendations (optional):
 
  Keywords and Search Tags  
Keywords and Search Tags: branches, compromise, government, New Jersey, plan, Virginia