Skits and John Adams' administration

Students will perform skits which have been prepared on the events of John Adams' administration, including: The Alien and Sedition Acts, The Judiciary Act of 1801 (The Case of the Midnight Judges), The XYZ Affair, and the Kentucky and Virginia Resolves.

A lesson plan for grades 9–12 Social Studies

By Angie Panel Holthausen

Learn more

Related pages

• Religion and slavery in the American South: Comparing perspectives: In this lesson plan, students consult a variety of primary sources from the Documenting the American South Collection to uncover the varied impacts of religion in the lives of slaves in the American South. They are encouraged to seek out multiple, and sometimes contradictory, perspectives of this history.
• Women, then and now: In this lesson, students will analyze images and a home demonstration pamphlet, a Cooperative Extension Work document from the Green 'N' Growing collection at Special Collections Research Center at North Carolina State University Libraries. The primary sources will help students assess the roles, opportunities, and achievements of women beginning in 1950.
• Feed a fighter: In this lesson students will examine “Additional Helps for the 4-H Mobilization for Victory Program,” a Cooperative Extension Work document from the Green 'N' Growing collection at Special Collections Research Center at North Carolina State University Libraries. The document will help students understand the efforts civilians underwent to support military efforts in World War II.

Related topics

• Learn more about American history and social studies.

Help

Please read our disclaimer for lesson plans.

Legal

Learning outcomes

Students will:

• identify and explain four events of John Adams’ administration.
• perform skits using proper vocal quality and dramatic expression.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1 Hour

Materials/resources

• Copies of scriptsfor each student.
• Markers and poster board for making props
• Whatever costume pieces are available

Pre-activities

I usually have students read in their text about John Adams’ administration and answer some study guide questions which I prepare for them.

Activities

Assign students to skit groups. Below I have written the minimum and maximum needed for each group. I usually also have a panel of judges that award the best skit group with a prize (to be announced - usually some silly item from the Dollar store!)

• The XYZ Affair - 10
• The Alien and Sedition Acts - 5-9 (If there are less than 9 in the group, some actors will just take more than one line on the script)
• The Kentucky and Virginia Resolves - 3
• The Judiciary Act of 1801 - 4
• 4 Judges

Give each group approx. 20 minutes to prepare.

I present this as kind of a “live lecture”. I set the stage for each skit, they present, then we debrief afterwards.

Assessment

I generally do not grade this activity; usually, the competitive aspect the judges add is enough of an incentive for groups to do well. You could, of course, give each group a grade, using your judges’ scores as guidance. I usually have the judges give each group a rating of 1-10 on each of the following categories: vocal quality (spoke loudly, clearly), dramatic expression, made and used appropriate props, found and used creative costuming, seemed prepared.

Supplemental information

Comments

I wrote these scripts myself, so feel free to change them in whatever way you would like. When I have time, it is really fun to have the students prepare two “takes” of their skit - one using the script, and then one which is a modern adaptation of the script, using present day attitudes and slang. They present the first, we debrief, then they present the second. Seeing the skit twice seems to enhance comprehension.