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NEW YORK STATE SOCIAL STUDIES RESOURCE TOOLKIT

3rd Grade Leadership and Government Inquiry

Does It Matter How Leaders Are Chosen?

Public domain. Pete Souza, photograph of President Barack Obama, January 2009.

Supporting Questions

1. Who is in charge of the government?2. How are leaders of governments chosen?3. What can happen when leaders make decisions that people do not like?

T H I S W O R K I S L I C E N S E D U N D E R A C R E A T I V E C O M M O N S A T T R I B U T I O N - N O N C O M M E R C I A L - S H A R E A L I K E 4 . 0 I N T E R N A T I O N A L L I C E N S E . 1


3rd Grade Leadership and Government Inquiry

Does It Matter How Leaders Are Chosen?

New York State Social Studies Framework Key Idea & Practices

3.7: Governments in communities around the world have the authority to make and the power to enforce laws. The role of the citizen within these communities or countries varies across different types of governments.

Gathering, Using, and Interpreting Evidence Comparison and Contextualization

Economics and Economic Systems Civic Participation

Staging the Question Discuss whether leaders are necessary.

Supporting Question 1 Supporting Question 2 Supporting Question 3

Understand Understand Assess

Who is in charge of the government? How are leaders of governments chosen?

What can happen when leaders make decisions that people do not like?

FormativePerformance Task



Create cards for each form of government and sort the cards into categories according to who holds the power.

Complete a chart for three countries, naming the type of government, the head of state (name and title), and how the leader is chosen.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different kinds of government leadership.

Featured Sources Featured Source Featured Sources

Source A: “Who Rules?”Source B: “Democracy?” and “Democracy vs. Autocracy”

Source A: Government profiles: Descriptions of how leaders are chosen and images of heads of state of selected countries

Source A: “Thailand’s Army Arrests Students for Using Salute from ‘Hunger Games’”Source B: “Thousands Protest in Hong Kong on Monday for Free Elections”

Summative Performance Task

ARGUMENT Does it matter how leaders are chosen? Construct an argument (e.g., detailed outline, poster, essay) that addresses the compelling question using specific claims and relevant evidence from contemporary sources while acknowledging competing views.

Taking Informed Action

ACT Create a public service announcement about the role of voting to share with the rest of the school before the next school election.

T H I S W O R K I S L I C E N S E D U N D E R A C R E A T I V E C O M M O N S A T T R I B U T I O N - N O N C O M M E R C I A L - S H A R E A L I K E 4 . 0 I N T E R N A T I O N A L L I C E N S E . 2


Overview

Inquiry Description

This inquiry is an exploration into governments around the world; it examines how the fundamental principles of governments vary in different world communities with diverse political systems. In uncovering the idea that the role of citizens varies in governments around the world, students develop an argument supported by evidence that answers the compelling question “Does it matter how leaders are chosen?”

In addition to the Key Idea expressed earlier, this inquiry reflects the following Conceptual Understandings:

(3.7a) The US government is based on democratic principles. The fundamental principles of other governments may be similar to or different from those of the US government.

(3.7b) The process of selecting leaders, solving problems, and making decisions differs across governments in nations and communities around the world.

(3.7d) The definition of citizenship and the role of the citizen vary across different types of political systems, and citizens play a greater role in the political process in some countries than in others.

This inquiry embeds the Taking Informed Action sequence throughout. The understand element is developed through Supporting Questions 1 and 2, while the assess element is represented in Supporting Question 3. The action piece, the development of a public service announcement on the role of voting, can be done in addition to or as a substitute for the Summative Performance Task.

NOTE: This inquiry is expected to take three to five 30-minute class periods. The inquiry time frame might expand if teachers think their students need additional instructional experiences (i.e., supporting questions, formative performance tasks, and featured sources). Teachers are encouraged to adapt the inquiriesto meet the requirements and interests of their particular students. Resources can also be modified as necessary to meet individualized education programs (IEPs) or Section 504 Plans for students with disabilities.

Structure of the Inquiry

In addressing the compelling question “Does it matter how leaders are chosen?” students work through a series of supporting questions, formative performance tasks, and featured sources in order to construct an argument supported by evidence and counterevidence from a variety of sources.

Staging the Compelling Question

This inquiry opens with the compelling question “Does it matter how leaders are chosen?” To engage students in considering the compelling question, teachers and students can discuss the idea of whether leaders are necessary.

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In doing so, students should develop an understanding of the concept of leadership and of the relationship between leaders and followers.

Supporting Question 1

The first supporting question—“Who is in charge of the government?”—plays upon students’ understandings of authority figures and the institution of government. This question grounds the inquiry by establishing the idea that, although they may have different titles (e.g., president, king), every country has people in charge of leading the government. The featured sources—two secondary texts describing various forms of government and who is in charge in each—demonstrate how governments around the world differ in terms of who holds authority. In the formative performance task, students use the featured sources to create cards naming each form of government (i.e., autocracy, monarchy, dictatorship, democracy, oligarchy, theocracy, anarchy). They then sort the cards into categories according to who holds the power in that type of government—one person, a few people, or all people—and explain their choices to a partner.


The second supporting question—“How are leaders of governments chosen?”—examines the process of selecting national leaders, illustrating how this process and other decision-making processes differ across governments around the world. The formative performance task is to complete a chart for three countries, naming the type of government and the head of state (name and title) and describing how the leader is chosen. The featured sources—descriptions of how leaders are chosen accompanied by an image bank of heads of state in selected countries—should help students complete the task.

NOTE: Teachers may need to attend to the vocabulary needs of students in navigating the government descriptions and to the possibility that the heads of state in the source may change.


The third supporting question—“What happens when leaders make decisions that people don’t like?”—investigates how the role of citizens varies in countries around the world and asks students to examine how citizens respond to unpopular actions taken by their governments. The featured sources—two articles reporting on unrest in two countries—illustrate the fact that citizens face similar and different challenges around the world. In the formative performance task, students cite the advantages and disadvantages of different forms of government and participate in a structured discussion.

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Summative Performance Task

At this point in the inquiry, students have explored various forms of government, identified examples of each form, and described how the leaders are selected. Additionally, they have investigated the implications of disagreeing with one’s government. Students should be able to demonstrate the breadth of their understanding and their ability to use evidence from multiple sources to construct an evidence-based argument responding to the compelling question “Does it matter how leaders are chosen?”

Student arguments will likely vary, but could include any of the following:

It matters how leaders are chosen because if there were no elections, people would have no say in their government.

It matters how leaders are chosen because governments should represent what the people want. It does not matter how leaders are chosen because even when leaders are elected, people may still not like

the government. It does not matter how leaders are chosen because even if people get to vote, there may not be good

choices.

Students have the opportunity to Take Informed Action by creating a public service announcement about the role of voting to share with the rest of the school before the next school elections.

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Featured Source Source A: iCivics, article about different heads of government, “Who Rules?”, 2011

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© 2011 iCivics, Inc. www.icivics.org/teachers.


Featured Source Source B: Congress for Kids, descriptions of two types of governmental, “Democracy” and “Democracy v. Autocracy,” 2015

Democracy

The United States has had the same type of government for more than 200 years. It’s called a “representative democracy.” Among the nations of the world, it is unusual for a system of government to last so long. Most governments are based on a written set of principles, sometimes called a “constitution” or a “charter.” When citizens directly participate by voting, the government is called a “democracy.”

Used with permission. Congress for Kids: http://www.congressforkids.net/Independence_democracy.htm.

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http://www.congressforkids.net/Independence_democracy.htm

http://www.icivics.org/teachers


Democracy vs. Autocracy

The power and strength of government come from the people in a democracy. The word “democracy” comes from two Greek words: “demos” meaning “people” and “kratos” meaning “power” or “authority.” The United States is a democracy.

Some countries have autocratic governments. The word “autocracy,” the opposite of democracy, comes from the Greek words: “autos” meaning “self” and “kratos” meaning “power.” In an autocratic government, one person or group holds all the power, without the participation, or sometimes even the consent, of the people.

Used with permission. Congress for Kids: http://www.congressforkids.net/Independence_demovsauto.htm.

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http://www.congressforkids.net/Independence_demovsauto.htm



Featured Source Source A: Government profiles: Descriptions of how leaders are chosen and images of heads of state in selected countries

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Created for the New York State K–12 Social Studies Toolkit by Binghamton University, 2015. Adapted from iCivics.org, kids.net.au, and kids. nationalgeographic.com.

Barack Obama. President of the United States of America.

Public domain. Pete Souza, photograph of President Barack Obama, January 2009. https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/images/Administration/People/president_official_portrait_lores.jpg.

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https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/images/Administration/People/president_official_portrait_lores.jpg


The Swiss Federal Council

Used with permission. The Federal Council.

Salman bin Adbul-Aziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia.

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Kim Jong-un, leader of North Korea.

© Reuters.


Featured SourceSource A: Newsela staff, article describing Thai student protests adapted from the Los Angeles Times, “Imitating the movie “Mockingjay,” protesters get arrested in Thailand,” November 20, 2014

Imitating the Movie "Mockingjay," Protesters Get Arrested in Thailand

By Los Angeles Times, adapted by Newsela staff

Life is imitating a movie in Thailand. Students there are using a hand signal from the “Hunger Games” movies to protest against the military. Now, officials have banned the three-finger salute and have arrested young demonstrators for using it.

Three students in the capital, Bangkok, were arrested in a movie theater showing “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1.” The students were the latest protesters accused of using a hand gesture from the movie. "Mockingjay" is the newest movie based on the books by Suzanne Collins about teens fighting a tyrant.

Thailand's military took over the government on May 22 and cut back freedoms, including the right to protest. The military said it was necessary to restore order after months of protests.

Using Symbols Against Military Rule

In 2013, Thailand was hit by demonstrations for and against the last prime minister. People against the prime minister called his government dishonest and corrupt and said it should go. Supporters said the government was elected by the people and should stay.

Groups of five or more people have been banned since the military took over. Young people are frustrated by not being able to get together and demand more freedoms.

Many young protesters are using symbols to protest the military rule. Some are reading “1984,” George Orwell’s novel about a fight against a dictatorship, openly in public.

Premieres of “Mockingjay” were canceled at two Bangkok movie theaters. Student organizers had bought up hundreds of tickets. They planned to give tickets away and gather people against the military. A colonel with the city's police said the three students who were arrested were taken to an army camp for “attitude adjustment.”

The Chinese government held back “Mockingjay” from the country’s theaters until next year, said the magazine Variety. It wasn’t clear if that was because of the movie's popularity with pro-democracy activists. Chinese officials have been dealing with protests for greater democracy in Hong Kong for over a month.

"Ruin Their Future"

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In Thailand, five other student protesters were arrested for using the three-finger salute. They used it during a speech by the army's leader, Prayuth Chan-Ocha.

Prayuth told reporters that it only bothered him when the students used the hand sign because it could "ruin their future." Prayuth also said that restrictions of freedoms will continue until the time is right to lift them.

Defenders of human rights criticized the government. They said banning symbols of protest is going too far.

Matilda Bogner, a United Nations human rights official, called it a human rights violation. It shuts down people's right to speak out, she said.

"Life in Thailand is growing more absurd by the day," John Sifton wrote in a Twitter post. He works for the group Human Rights Watch.

If Prayuth's government is that afraid of young people imitating a movie, that is a sign that things need to change, Sifton wrote.

Original version by the Los Angeles Times, adapted by Newsela (newsela.com). https://newsela.com/articles/thai-hungergames/id/6147/.

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https://newsela.com/articles/thai-hungergames/id/6147/

http://newsela.com/



Featured SourceSource B: Newsela staff, article describing Hong Kong protests over elections adapted from the Los Angeles Times, “Thousands Protest in Hong Kong on Monday for Free Elections,” September 29, 2014

Thousands Protest in Hong Kong on Monday for Free Elections

By Los Angeles Times, adapted by Newsela staff

© AP Photo/Vincent Yu.

Thousands of protesters blocked the streets of Hong Kong on Monday. The protesters are calling for the Chinese government to give them free elections.

Hong Kong is a territory of 7 million people on China’s south coast. It was long ruled by the British. In 1997, power was transferred to China. The Chinese government promised that the government of Hong Kong would be able to govern the territory for at least 50 years. Hong Kong’s people enjoy more freedoms than people in mainland China.

Now, the territory is protesting because China announced new election rules at the end of the summer. The rules would limit free elections. Only people approved by the Chinese government could run for election as Hong Kong’s top official in 2017.

People in Hong Kong are unhappy over other issues, as well. These include high housing prices. There is also a growing income gap between the rich and poor. In addition, young protesters don’t feel connected to mainland China. Instead, they feel a strong sense that they are Hong Kongers.

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Protesters Block Streets

Monday’s demonstrations forced schools, banks and other businesses to close. Government officials said they would stop the plans for a big fireworks celebration on Wednesday. The holiday marks the founding of China.

The protesters demonstrated in neighborhoods throughout Hong Kong. They sat down on roadways and blocked streets. Police backed away from fighting directly with the demonstrators. On Sunday, police had fired tear gas at protesters. Tear gas is a chemical that irritates the eyes. It is used to break up protests.

The Chinese government had warned that the demonstrations could cause serious damage to Hong Kong businesses. Some workers refused to work in support of the protesters. Also, a number of businesses opened late or closed early. But for the most part, business went on as usual.

The protests were started over the summer by a group called Occupy Central.

What Will Happen Next?

Chi-Keung Choy is a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Choy said the protests have become much more widespread. No one seems to be in control. Choy said he does not know what will happen next. However, to get the protesters off the streets, government officials will have to give in to some of their demands, he said.

Western governments are concerned about the situation. But they have been careful about showing support for the protesters.

Hua Chunying is a spokeswoman for the Chinese government. She warned other countries not to interfere.

“Hong Kong belongs to China,” she said. “We strongly oppose any countries interfering or supporting Occupy Central by any methods.”

“This Is a People’s Movement”

In Hong Kong, demonstrations are usually well organized and calm. The wildness of the protests has surprised people. It has also encouraged many people to stand with the protesters.

Jerry Ip is 25 years old. He and a few friends were tear-gassed by police Sunday night. He said, “I felt like I’d die.” Even so, Ip said he would not give up. “We’re fighting for the future of Hong Kong. This is our homeland.”

Hong Kong’s government has tried to calm the situation. Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying is the top official in Hong Kong. He promised that police would treat protesters with respect. He also said that he hoped people would “keep calm.”

Leung said government officials would soon hold talks about the election rules. Then on Monday, he took it back. He said the government would listen to what people think another time.

A local lawmaker named Alan Leong said that people in Hong Kong were going to be upset about this decision. ”This is a people’s movement,” he said.

Original version by the Los Angeles Times, adapted by Newsela (newsela.com). https://newsela.com/articles/hongkong-protest/id/5402/.

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https://newsela.com/articles/hongkong-protest/id/5402/

http://newsela.com/

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