Imagine Independence.
Concept / Topic To Teach:
This is a two-week unit plan that will require reading and understanding the US
Declaration of Independence.
Standards Addressed:
Grade 8 US History & Geography 8.1.2
�Analyze the philosophy of government expressed in the Declaration of Independence,
with an emphasis on government as a means of securing individual rights (e.g., key
phrases such as �all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain unalienable Rights�)�.
General Goal(s):
To provide an understanding of the Declaration of Independence and its related
ideals, and to explore its relevance to life today.
Specific Objectives:
1. Read and study the Declaration of Independence.
2. Read short biographies of the signers of the Declaration.
3. Read Thomas Jefferson�s account of the Declaration.
4. Write a �Declaration� that applies the principles found in the Declaration of Independence.
Required Materials:
The text of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson�s
account of the Declaration, and short biographies of the signers. All of these
materials are found on the website http://www.ushistory.org/declaration.
Paper and pen, to be used to design a Declaration of Independence for the
student�s new, imaginary country.
Anticipatory Set (Lead-In):
Imagine you live on land that was settled by your grandparents or great-
grandparents. You pay taxes to a king from a country you have never seen,
who can make arbitrary decisions in which you have no voice. This king has
committed various offenses against you and your neighbors, and has repeatedly
ignored or punished your attempts to establish guidelines and communication
with him. Enough is enough; you and your fellow neighbors have decided that
you need your own government, that you can no longer tolerate being governed by
this absent king who has proven to be unfit to rule. How do you begin? We will
study the document that declared America�s independence from England.
Step-By-Step Procedures:
1. Read the Declaration of Independence; discuss the rights as declared in the 2nd paragraph.
2. Write down the rights that you believe people have; are these �unalienable?� Are they birthrights, or are they earned? Explain.
3. Study each grievance as listed, against the king; discuss the meaning of each. Look up any words or phrases that you do not understand; keep a list of definitions.
4. Write down grievances that you feel are important. Use your own words, but follow the spirit of the original Declaration.
5. Read the final three paragraphs of the Declaration. Discuss the conclusions drawn by the document; do you agree with these conclusions?
6. Rewrite these three paragraphs in your own words. What does your document say? Is this the reality in which you live now?
7. Read short biographical sketches of Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and three other signers of the Declaration of Independence. What were these men like? Were they all �professional� politicians?
8. �Interview� three of the signers of the Declaration; one of these should be Thomas Jefferson. Talk show format would be good. Record questions and answers; be sure to base your answers on the information you have collected in your research, and be prepared to back up your answers. Read to these men your own �Declaration of Independence.� What do they think of it?
Plan For Independent Practice:
Draw a map of your imaginary country; include farms, industry, educational
facilities, hospitals, etc.
Closure (Reflect Anticipatory Set):
How complicated is it to declare independence from your current government and
start over? Is it worth it? Do you think that everyone in your country will agree
with your Declaration? Why or why not? What would be the next step in the
formation of your country?
Assessment Based On Objectives:
Assess the student�s understanding of the Declaration of Independence by
evaluating the version that the student has written. One test will be given on
vocabulary, and one on the meaning of various statements in the US Declaration
of Independence. Assess the student�s familiarity with and understanding of five
signers of the declaration by reading the �interview� written by the student.
Evaluate the student�s application of the principles stated in the Declaration of
Independence with two essay questions relating the US to the student�s imaginary
country.
Adaptations (For Students With Learning Disabilities):
n/a
Extensions (For Gifted Students):
n/a
Possible Connections To Other Subjects:
This learning unit will lead to the next, which will demonstrate the necessity for a
Constitution, and will involve studying the US Constitution and applying its
principles to the forming of a Constitution for the student�s imaginary country.