Comparing governments: International

This lesson focuses on comparing and contrasting national governments in North America and/or Central America. It is the second of two lessons about government. The other is Comparing Governments: Local, State, and National. This plan could be easily adapted for eighth-grade or high-school ESL students.

A lesson plan for grades 5 and 7 English Language Development and Social Studies

By Tami Weaver and Wendy Pineda

Learn more

Related pages

• Reaching Latinos through social studies: Teachers can help immigrant students feel more comfortable in the classroom by basing social studies lessons on students' own knowledge and backgrounds.
• 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.

Related topics

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

Help

Please read our disclaimer for lesson plans.

Legal

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

• maps of North America and Central America
• globe and/or atlas
• transparency of the comparison grid
• chart paper
• markers
• computers with internet access
• LCD projector
• overhead projector
• transparency and transparency markers

Pre-activities

• Use the lesson plan “Comparing Governments” Local, State, and National” to build background knowledge of the U.S. 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 six different groups and assign them two countries each. Using the information on the comparison grid have students make a list of the similarities and differences of the two countries on chart paper. Have them circle the two most important ideas on the list. As an option, you can divide them into twelve smaller groups and have two groups cover the same country — one group completing the similarities and the other group completing 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 students 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 two countries of their choice. This report will be assessed using a rubric.

Supplemental information

The fifth-grade social studies textbook may be a good resource for this lesson.

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 complete only the first five questions for each country.
• When the students are walking around the room and reading the lists on chart paper, have them read only the circled items.
• When the students create the flag, have ELL students illustrate the flag and label it using single-word descriptions. They would not have to write the explanation on the background.
• Allow ELL students to work with partners, have extended time, or 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

Have ELL students write three simple sentences about how the two countries are alike and three simple sentences about how the two countries are different. Use the research rubric for ESL students. to assess work.

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. PThis lesson has been aligned with the goals and objectives of the N.C. English Language Development standards.