Comparing governments - International

This lesson focuses on comparing and contrasting national governments in North America and/or Central America. It is the second in a sequence, the first being "Comparing Governments - Local, State, and National" by Tami Weaver and Wendy Pineda, also on the Learn NC website. This plan could be easily adapted for eighth grade or high school ESL students.

A lesson plan for grade 5 English Language Arts, English Language Development, and Social Studies

By Tami Weaver and Wendy Pineda

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Related pages

• Writing and English as a Second Language: Strategies for helping English Language Learners throughout the writing process.
• Comparing governments - Local, State, and National: This lesson on comparing governments will focus on looking at the similarities and differences between local, state, and federal governments in North Carolina and the United States. It is suggested that this lesson be followed by Comparing governments - International. This plan could be easily adapted for eighth grade or high school ESL students.
• Who's Your Mama?: A Family Who's Who: This is the first of two lessons that can be used with Cynthia Rylant's book, The Relatives Came. Students will read, draw, role-play and sing about family roles and titles.

Related topics

• Learn more about Canada, Central America, English language learners, North America, United States, government, language arts, maps, similarities and differences, and social studies.

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• compare and contrast the governments of the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Honduras.
• summarize the similarities and differences of the governments.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

3-5 days

Materials/resources

• map of North and Central Americas
• globe
• atlas
• transparency of the comparison grid
• chart paper
• markers

Technology resources

• computer lab with internet connections
• LCD projector
• overhead projector
• transparency
• transparency markers

Pre-activities

Use the Comparing Governments - Local, State, and National lesson to build background knowledge of the US Government and give the students the critical vocabulary they need to be successful in this lesson.

Activities

1. Discuss with class the location of each of the countries while looking at a map, atlas, or globe. Point out that some of the countries share borders and because of that do influence each other.
2. Hand out the comparison grid and fill out information on the U.S. as a whole group using an overhead projector. Once students understand how to complete the comparison grid, they may work with a partner in the computer lab or media center to research the information to complete the rest of the comparison grid.
3. Divide your class into 6 different groups and assign them 2 countries each. Using the information on the comparison grid have students make a list of the similarities and differences of the 2 countries on chart paper. Have them circle the 2 most important ideas on the list. As an option, you can divide them into 12 smaller groups and have two groups with the same countries but one group does the similarities and the other group does the differences.
4. Post the chart paper throughout the classroom and have the students walk around the room and read the other groups’ lists, looking for similarities and differences.
5. Have an open discussion about what they noticed or learned by walking around the room and reading the other lists.
6. Have each student create a flag from the country of his or her choice. Then have them write a short explanation about the background of the flag and what each symbol means, labeling it on the flag.

Assessment

The students will write a research report comparing and contrasting the similarities and differences of the governments of 2 countries of their choice. This report will be assessed using a rubric

Supplemental information

A good resource is the state adopted 5th Grade Social Studies Book.

Modifications

• Choose countries from Central America that your students are from, have family in, or have visited.
• When completing the comparison grid, ELL students may work with a partner and only complete the first five questions for each country.
• When the students are walking around the room and reading the lists on chart paper have them only read the circled items.
• When the students create the flag, ELL students can illustrate the flag and label it using single word descriptions. They would not have to write the explanation on the background.
• The ELL students will work with partners, have extended time, and shortened assignments.
• Ask the ELL teacher to work with the students on language needed to compare and contrast. For example, comparative and superlative.

Alternative assessments

The students will write 3 simple sentences about how the 2 countries are alike and 3 simple sentences about how the 2 countries are different. Use the Research Rubric for ESL students to assess work ESL Rubric

Critical vocabulary

government, capital, alike, different, map, flag, symbol

Comments

This lesson plan was developed during the English Language Development Standard Course of Study lesson planning institutes hosted by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and LEARN NC, June and July, 2004. It includes specific strategies, instructional modifications, and alternative assessments which make this lesson accessible to limited English proficient students. Please note that this lesson has been aligned with the goals and objectives of the N.C. English Language Development standards.