The Executive Branch Administers the Laws Grade Level: 8
Subjects: Social Studies, English/Language Arts, & Mathematics
Learner Outcomes:
- Students will develop skills in using a Microsoft Word table of hyper links and Netscape browser to research sites to learn about the executive branch of West Virginia government.
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of the organization of the executive branch of West Virginia by completing an outline of the offices included, as well as duties, qualifications, terms of office, and other information regarding their election, from research of Article V and Article VII of the West Virginia Constitution.
- Students will compare/contrast the duties, salaries, and terms of office of the executive officials that comprise the board of public works by creating a Microsoft Word table communicating the data from their online research of the sites of the board of public works.
- Students will read online resources to learn about the state's finances.
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of major state revenue and expenditure by performing mathematical calculations, answering questions regarding expenses, and creating a Microsoft Word graph representing expenditures in selected areas.
Duration of Lesson: 3 days
Materials: Lesson 2 Outline, paper and pencil for each student, Lesson 2 hyperlinks
Technology Tools/Courseware:
Computer lab (or can be adapted for use in classroom with peer partners scheduled to share computer), Internet access, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and printer
Teacher Notes:
Procedures:
- Make sure to schedule computer lab according to school procedures.
- Make sure Microsoft Word hyper link table for Lesson 2 has been installed on individual computers.
- Review technology policy.
- Encourage independent research, while providing technical assistance to students who have questions.
Modifications:
- Instruct students to refer to and add to their personalized questions for which they want to find answers on their copy of "What I Want to Learn About West Virginia."
- Provide each student with a copy of "Lesson 2 Outline - Within These Mountains...The Executive Branch Administers the Laws."
- Instruct students to research the sites for which hyper links are provided in Lesson 2 table to complete the outline for the executive branch.
- Instruct students to complete the Microsoft Word table, following the directions included on the outline worksheet. They are instructed to save the table on their disk and turn it in to their teacher.
- Instruct students to research the site containing West Virginia finances for 1998, locate the information requested, and complete page 3 of their outline worksheet.
- Instruct students to create a Microsoft Word graph "West Virginia's Expenditures in 1998" using the information they calculated on their worksheet. Instruct students to save their graph on their disk and turn it in.
- Instruct students to use a dictionary to write the definitions for the meaning used in the West Virginia Constitution for the words commute, pardon, reprieve, consecutive, administer, execute, and executive.
- Instruct students to add what they learned, new questions they have, and new words they learned to their individual worksheet "What I Want to Learn About West Virginia."
Enrichment Activities:
- Individualize modifications for students with special needs, according to IEP or 504 plan.
- For students with reading difficulties, peer partnering could be utilized.
- For students with visual difficulties, blue transparency could be placed over worksheets.
- Individual assistance and peer tutoring could be used for students who lack technological skills.
- Students could locate newspaper articles that tell about officials of the executive branch executing their powers and duties.
- Students could learn more about the the locations of the various departments, bureaus, and divisions that help to carry out the executive duties of the state.
- Students could create more graphs, using other information regarding the revenue and expenditures of West Virginia, using the sites in the additional table of hyperlinks provided for the teacher.
Evaluation/Assessment:
Outline of
Executive BranchMicrosoft Table of Statewide Officials Mathematics
WorksheetMicrosoft Graph
of W. Va. 1998
ExpendituresPersonalized Inquiry
Worksheet20 points 20 points 20 points 20 points 20 points West Virginia Job/Career Clusters:
Human Services
Business/Marketing
Engineering/Technical
Fine Arts/HumanitiesWest Virginia Process/Workplace Objectives:
Problem Solving Communication Technology Working with Others Self Management Career Development 2,3,5,6,8 9,10,11,12 27,28,30,31,32,33 23 34,35,36,37,38,44 49
West Virginia Instructional Goals and Objectives:
(Boldface indicates Stanford test area)
English/
Language Arts
ListeningEnglish/
Language Arts
ReadingEnglish/
Language Arts
WritingEnglish/
Language Arts
SpellingEnglish/
Language Arts
Study SkillsEnglish/
Language Arts
Computer/Technology8.5
8.78.19
8.22
8.31
8.388.58
8.59
8.63
8.648.72
8.81
8.82
8.83
8.85
8.86
8.1018.135
8.137
8.1388.145
8.146
8.147
8.148
8.150
8.151
8.152
8.153
8.154
8.155
Social Studies
CivicsSocial Studies
EconomicsSocial Studies Geography Social Studies
HistorySocial Studies
Computer/Technology8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.6
8.8
8.13
8.158.17
8.18
8.19
8.22
8.268.40 8.54
8.558.59
8.60
8.61
8.62
8.63
8.64
8.67
8.68
8.69
8.70
Mathematics
Number Theory/
Number SenseMathematics
Computation/
EstimationMathematics
Patterns/Functions/
AlgebraMathematics
Probability/
StatisticsMathematics
Computer/
Technology8.1 8.2
8.78.10 8.15
8.16
8.188.26
8.288.46
8.58
8.59
8.60
National Standards:
Technology 2,3,4,6 Language Arts - Writing 1,3,4 Language Arts - Reading 5,6,7 Language Arts - Viewing 9 Language Arts - Media 10 Mathematics 1,2,3,6,8,9 Civics 1,3,4,5,8,9,10,11,16,17,19,20,21,25,28,29 Economics 6 Historical Understanding 1 Geography 3,6,9,10,11,13,15 Life Work 1,2,5,7,8 Thinking and Reasoning 2,3,6 Self Regulation 1,2,4 References:
State of W. Va. Main Page
West Virginia Governor's Page
West Virginia Secretary of State's Page
West Virginia Attorney General's Page
West Virginia State Treasurer's Page
West Virginia State Auditor's Page
West Virginia State Commissioner of Agriculture's Page
West Virginia Legislature's Kids' Page
WV Department of Education - IGOs
National Standards
Janet Benincosa Mickey Dean Becky Morris
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