Authentic+Instruction

__Authentic Instruction Activity Description- IAP__


 * Licensure Area:** Elementary Education K-6
 * Title and Audience:** Three Branches of Government, Social Studies, 5th Grade
 * Objectives:** ( spi # 5.4.05) Understand the relationship between the local, state, and national government.
 * Materials**: Websites containing information about different branches of government, for example: [] ; also a website that has step by step options for how to create a podcast, for example: [] computers that have a webcam for the podcasting segment of the activity
 * Description**: By the end of this activity, students should be able to confidently understand the difference between the three branches of government within our national government system. At the introduction of this activity, I would give a brief overview of podcasts; their purposes, and show them an example podcast I would have created prior as an example. Through a one week process, the students will research using the websites above learning first the background information they will be responsible for incorporating in their podcast regarding aspects of our government. The students should decide if they could work for one of the branches of government, which branch and position they would want to be involved with. For example, questions to help research consist of whether they want to be involved with the executive branch and presidency (democrat or republican), or would they want to be a member of the Supreme Court relating to the judicial branch? They should choose an occupation they would like to run or apply for and explain why they chose what they did. Next the student should move on to the website explaining the step by step use of podcasts. The final step of this activity is for each student to create a podcast long enough to include a detailed description of their desired position. The podcast should be no longer than five minutes, but a minimum of two and a half minutes.
 * Scaffolds:** For the students who may not be as advanced or have not used a podcast before, I would provide a station separate that breaks down information more clearly than the suggested website. I would make myself more available at this location because some students may not have computer access at home to practice or to work at home depending on progress. I would also be available in the room if students are having difficulty researching or debating on what information to include in their podcast.
 * Technology to Support Authentic Instruction:** The students will have to be able to successfully navigate the Internet to conduct searches and use the websites provided. More importantly, the students will have to learn how to use a webcam in conjunction with the computer itself as a hardware device. There are differant features and options available when designing a podcast that the provided website includes so that the student can find those feautures and display them as skills in their government advertisement video of themselves as a polititian.