Tennessee State Capitol 4th Grade Lesson Plans Lesson plans provided by 1 the Tennessee State Museum For more information on other programs at the museum contact: Public Programs Department (615) 741-0830 (800) 407-4324 or online at: www.tnmuseum.org Tennessee State Museum, April 2003, 1,000 copies. Publication authorization #316532, This public document was promulgated at a cost of $.67 a copy. Lesson plans provided by 2 the Tennessee State Museum 4th Grade Capitol Lesson Plans Curriculum Framework Objectives: 4.1.04 c 4.5.09 a, b 4.3.02 b 4.5.10 a, b 4.4.02 b, e 4.5.11 e 4.4.03 b, c 4.5.12 c 4.4.04 b Introduction As a class create a K-W-L chart. Display a large ÙHave students create acrostics for five of the piece of butcher paper on the chalkboard. Divide vocabulary words. Each line of the acrostic it into three columns. Label the columns with the includes terms or phrases which describe the following: “What we already know about the vocabulary word. Tennessee State Capitol;” “What we want to know;” and “What we learned.” Before starting Example: the unit have students share their thoughts for the A ffirmative L egislation first and second columns. Keep chart displayed Y es A way to help society throughout unit. After your capitol visit, review E ndorsement W ritings the chart. Evaluate students by filling in the last column. ÚHave students complete the crossword puzzle which is provided in the appendix. Vocabulary ØHave students identify or define each of the following terms related to the State Capitol. Definitions are provided in the appendix. judicial branch capitol aye (State of) Franklin speaker citizen Andrew Johnson vote assembly Andrew Jackson capital election James K. Polk Cherokee bill William Strickland limestone governor representative Sequoyah law legislative branch John Sevier senator executive branch constitution chambers Nashville Lesson plans provided by 3 the Tennessee State Museum Time Lines and Maps Ø Mapping It Out Nashville has not always been the capital of Tennessee. Knoxville, Murfreesboro, and Kingston all served as the state’s capital. Provide students with a copy of the “Tennessee Capital Cities” found in the appendix. Have them label and identify each of the capital cities along with the various rivers in the state. ÙMapping It Out After students have completed the map activity, discuss why Nashville was chosen as the perma- nent capital in 1843. Have them consider Nashville’s (central) location, its accessibility by way of the Cumberland River, and mention the fact that the land was a gift to the state. Next provide students with copies of “Tennessee’s New Ú “T” Time Capital” found in the appendix. Have them decide Encourage students to conduct research in books where the state capital should be and place it on and the Internet (see suggested resources). Next, the map of Tennessee. Then have students provide have students complete the “Tennessee Time” two to three reasons why that city should be activity sheet found in the appendix. chosen as the capital. ÛClothesline Time Make a time line using a clothesline and hang it up in your classroom. Display a picture or outline of Tennessee on the left to mark the starting point. As students conduct research throughout this unit, have them fill out index cards with a year on one side, and a fact on the other. Discuss each year and fact and add it to the time line. Students can refer to the “T Time” activity to help get them started. Encourage them to conduct additional research to flesh out the time line. Tennessee Government and Civics ØThree Branches Lead students in a discussion of the roles of the three branches of government. Be sure to cover the following chart which addresses those branches of government which work or have worked in the State Capitol. (You may decide to cover only the basic functions and information regarding each branch.) Lesson plans provided by 4 the Tennessee State Museum Lesson plans provided by 5 the Tennessee State Museum ÙHave students complete “The Tennessee Three” Û Rights and Responsibilities activity found in the appendix. Explain to students that every U.S. citizen has rights and responsibilities. Lead students in a ÚMock Session discussion about the difference between the two. A. Pass out copies of “How a Bill “Rights” can be defined as “something due to one Becomes a Law” found in the appendix. by the law or Constitution.” “Responsibilities” Lead students in a discussion of the can be defined simply as “duties.” (A good legislative process. reference and example is the Bill of Rights.) Next, have students complete the “R & R” activity B. Next have students develop their own found in the appendix. Discuss the correct an- “bills” or ideas for laws and put them in swers when completed. writing. C. Divide class into two groups, the House of Representatives and the Senate. D. Have both groups send five members to “The Committee.” This group will review each of the “bills” and pick ten to place on the appropriate “Calendars.” Those “legislators” whose bills have been chosen should be given the opportunity to prepare for debate. E. Assign the roles of speaker and chief clerk in each “house.” The speakers will preside over the debates and keep order in their respective chambers. The chief clerks will be responsible for tallying the official votes. F. Have students participate in debates concerning each of the bills. G. Once the debates are closed, the speakers instruct their fellow members to vote on the bills. The speakers then sign the bills which have passed with a majority vote and send them to the “governor.” (This can be the teacher or another student.) H. Have the governor make his decision then explain why. Lesson plans provided by 6 the Tennessee State Museum Ü Don’t Just Sit There– Get Involved! Now that you have discussed rights and responsi- bilities with your students, discuss ways in which they can get involved. Yes, even school kids can get involved with public policy and/or government issues. Discuss several possibilities that will encourage your class to participate in your com- munity (or state). *One activity is having students write letters or send e-mail to their local or state legislators. As a class, discuss what are Terrific Tennesseans some of their major concerns regarding Throughout Tennessee’s history there have been education, conservation, family issues, etc. many memorable characters. Have students Students can express their opinions and choose one of the following people whose bust concerns as they write their lawmakers. sculpture or portrait is on display in the building, For state legislators’ contact information and complete the “Terrific Tennesseans” activity consult the General Assembly’s web site at found in the appendix. Information about each www.legislature.state.tn.us. individual can be found in The Tennessee Encyclo- pedia of History & Culture, published by the **Have students make posters or flyers Tennessee Historical Society and given to all that promote a good cause then display Tennessee School libraries. It is also available them throughout your school. For online at http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net. example: “Don’t be a litterbug!” William Strickland Sequoyah ***Another activity is to choose a class John Donelson Andrew Jackson project that will help improve society. Cave Johnson Felix Grundy Examples are organizing a clean-up day at James Robertson James. K. Polk school, volunteering to help out at a com- Gov. William B. Campbell David Crockett munity center, volunteering at the local John Bell Andrew Johnson animal shelter. The possibilities are Hugh Lawson White Gov. James Jones endless and the kids (and you) will have Ephraim H. Foster Sarah Childress Polk fun doing it! Gov. William Carroll Dr. Gerard Troost Charlotte Robertson John Sevier Matthew Fontaine Maury Lesson plans provided by 7 the Tennessee State Museum Appendix Lesson plans provided by 8 the Tennessee State Museum Vocabulary Defined 1. Capitol– the building in which the state legis- 10. Citizen– a person who is entitled, by birth or lature meets. The state capitol is located on naturalization, to the rights and privileges of the Charlotte Avenue. city, state, or country where he resides. 2. Capital– a city that is the official seat of 11. William Strickland– the architect or designer government in a state. Nashville is the capital of of the state capitol. The capitol is considered the Tennessee. greatest work of his career. It was started in 1845 but not completed until 14 years later in 1859. 3. Assembly– refers to the two houses of the Strickland died before the building was finished Tennessee legislature, the House of Representa- and is entombed within the northeast wall. tives and the Senate. 12. Governor– the chief executive of a state. The 4. Representative– a member of a legislative governor of Tennessee is Phil Bredesen. body selected by popular vote. A Tennessee state representative must at least be 21 years old, serves 13. Vote– the way someone officially makes his a two-year term, and represents approximately choice of a candidate for an office or the way a 50,000 citizens. legislator expresses his decision about a proposed bill. 5. Senator– a member who is elected by popular vote to the upper house in a legislature. A Tennes- 14. Constitution– a written set of basic laws and see senator must at least be 30 years old, serves a principles that outline the function and limits of a four-year term, and represents approximately government. Tennessee’s first constitution was 150,000 citizens. written in 1796.