How to Teach Different Types of Government
Students spend much of their time in history class exploring the principles of democracy. While it is important that students understand the form of government of the United States, it is also important that they have a basic understanding of the other government types that have been and still are common around the world. By teaching your students about other forms of government, you prepare them to act as informed citizens and increase their ability to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of the U.S. government system.
Instructions
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Create a government-type word wall. Designate a section of wall space on which you can display the names of key government types. Label the section as "Government Types Word Wall." Write government types on separate sentence strips or sheets of card stock, and scatter them around the wall. Include a diverse array of government types, including: democracy, absolute monarchy, constitutional monarchy, theocracy and totalitarian.
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Divide students into groups. Allow students to select their own groups or assign teams depending upon the atmosphere of your classroom and the attitudes of your students. If you have students whose ability levels vary greatly, it may be advantageous to create heterogeneous groups of mixed-ability levels.
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Assign each group a government type from the wall. You can assign randomly, or instead allow groups to draw numbers and take turns picking the government form of their choice.
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Instruct each group to create a presentation in which it: defines the government type, explains what power citizens have in that type of government and provides classic and contemporary examples of societies ruled with that type of government. Review the presentations after students have created them to ensure that all of their information is accurate and to prevent them from inadvertently sharing incorrect information with their peers.
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Allow each group to act as the teacher and present its gathered information to the class. Give student listeners the opportunity to ask questions after each presentation just as they would as a teacher questions after a lesson.
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Ask students to reflect upon the effectiveness of each type of government. Create a three-column chart. List the types of government explored in the first column. Instruct students to move through the government types, writing things that are good about each type in the second column on the chart and things that are bad in the third.
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Allow students to pick their preferred government types. Encourage students to reference their chart when selecting the type of government that they believe is most just and effective. Instruct students to compose several paragraphs in which they support their choice of government type by making reference to the information they have learned.
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References
- Photo Credit flags image by pearlguy from Fotolia.com
