President’s Responsibilities

Overview

Today (Lesson 11 of 20) students explore the role and duties of the U.S. President. They will build a clear list of responsibilities and practice writing an informative explanation.

Learning intentions

• Students will be able to identify key responsibilities of the President of the United States.
• Students will be able to explain how the President’s actions connect to U.S. government.
• Students will be able to select facts, organize them, and write an informative paragraph.
• Students will be able to use appropriate writing conventions while describing information clearly.

Success criteria

• I can list four main responsibilities of the President.
• I can match each responsibility to a simple supporting detail.
• I can write an informative paragraph with a topic sentence and concluding sentence.
• I can use evidence from notes or the video to support my explanation.

Curriculum links

• Writing informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey ideas clearly and accurately.
• Writing routinely over shorter time frames for discipline-specific tasks.
• Writing informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas clearly.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Warm-up (Connect). Teacher asks: “What is the President responsible for helping the country do?” Students give quick oral answers; teacher records a few words on a board/notebook page.

2. 5–15 min · Mini-lesson (Teach responsibilities). Teacher explains four core duties using kid-friendly language:

• Commander in Chief (leads the military)
• Chief Executive (carries out/enforces laws)
• Chief Diplomat (works with other countries)
• Head of State (represents the U.S. in important ways) Students repeat each duty and turn-and-talk with teacher (since class is 1 student) to name one simple example for each.

3. 15–25 min · Watch and capture notes. Teacher plays a video focused on presidential duties (or reads a short, teacher-created narration if preferred). Students listen for facts and complete a simple note chart: “Responsibility → One detail.” Teacher pauses at key moments and prompts: “What did you notice?”

4. 25–35 min · Guided organization (Make a plan). Teacher shows a model paragraph frame:

• Topic sentence: “The President has important responsibilities.”
• Body: four sentences, one per responsibility, each with one detail.
• Concluding sentence: “Overall, these responsibilities help the country function.” Students choose their four responsibilities from the chart and dictate or draft sentence starters first (depending on writing readiness).

5. 35–50 min · Independent writing (Informative paragraph). Teacher sets expectations: “Write an informative paragraph with four responsibilities.” Students draft using the frame, aiming for clear sentences and correct end punctuation. Teacher provides gentle support with spelling/wording, but students do the composing.

6. 50–57 min · Quick review (Check for clarity). Teacher uses a short checklist:

• Did I list four responsibilities?
• Did I include one detail for each?
• Does the paragraph start and end well? Students self-check aloud, then teacher confirms or revises one sentence together.

7. 57–60 min · Exit ticket (Evidence of learning). Students write (or dictate for the younger/semi-emerging writer) a quick list: “Four responsibilities of the President are…” with one example each.

Resources

• Note chart page template (Responsibility / One detail)
• Informative paragraph frame (topic sentence, four body sentences, concluding sentence)
• Pencil, lined paper, and a highlighter/marker
• Video about presidential duties (short and age-appropriate)
• Teacher-created summary cards of the four duties
• Simple checklist for paragraph revision

Assessment

• Formative: Observe note-taking accuracy during the video and confirm each responsibility’s detail.
• Formative: Review the student’s chosen four responsibilities before drafting.
• Exit ticket: List four responsibilities with at least one supporting detail each.

Differentiation

• Speech/language support for delayed speech: allow dictation to a parent/recording, then copy the student’s words into the writing; use picture icons for each duty (flag, law document, globe, military symbol).
• Advanced learner support: require one “because” sentence explaining why each duty matters to the country; encourage precise verbs (enforce, negotiate, represent, lead).
• Scaffold for organizing: provide sentence starters and a paragraph frame; allow one responsibility per line to reduce cognitive load.
• EAL/quiet thinker support: offer a “choice board” (Commander in Chief / Chief Executive / Chief Diplomat / Head of State) so the student can point and explain before writing.

Extension (for advanced learners)

• Day-in-the-life writing: Create a short account of one busy day for the President that includes all four responsibilities (one scene per duty) written in informative narrative style: “This morning the President… Later, the President…”
• Add accuracy challenge: Include one realistic action (sign a law, meet a leader, review military briefing, represent the country) and label it with the corresponding duty.