📖

The Call for Change

The Articles of Confederation

Day 100of 180
Week 20of 36
30Minutes
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🖨️ Download Worksheet (PDF)
🎯 What You'll Learn

Learning Objectives

1

Understand why the Articles of Confederation needed to be replaced

2

Recognize the importance of effective government

3

Learn how challenges can lead to positive change

📖 Scripture Connection

Proverbs 15:22

“Without counsel, plans go wrong; but with many advisers, they are established.”

— Proverbs 15:22 (WEB)

Shows the importance of working together and seeking wise counsel in government and decision-making

📦 Materials Needed

  • Large paper or poster board
  • Colored markers
  • Sticky notes
  • Timeline template
📚 Step-by-Step

Lesson Plan

1Opening (5 min)

Gather students and review previous day's lesson about Shays' Rebellion. Ask students to imagine what it might be like to live in a country without a strong government.

💭 Review Question: What problems did the states face under the Articles of Confederation?
2Teaching (10 min)

Explain how the weak national government created serious challenges for the new United States. Discuss how different states had different laws and struggled to work together.

📌 Key Talking Points:
  • No power to collect taxes
  • Could not regulate trade between states
  • No central court system
  • Each state acted like its own country
💬 Discussion Questions:
  • Why do you think working together is important?
  • How might a country function better with clear rules?
  • What makes a good government?
3Activity: Government Challenge Poster (10 min)
hands-on

Students create a poster showing the problems with the Articles of Confederation and potential solutions

📝 Instructions:
  1. Divide poster into two sections: Problems and Solutions
  2. Use sticky notes to list challenges faced by the early United States
  3. Draw or write potential improvements
  4. Share posters with class
🔄 Variations:

Simpler: Teacher helps list problems and solutions

Challenge: Students research additional historical details

4Closing (5 min)

Summarize how challenges can lead to positive change and improvement

📝 Review Questions:
  • What was wrong with the Articles of Confederation?
  • Why did the United States need a new system of government?
  • How can working together solve problems?
🙏 Prayer:

Dear God, help us to work together and seek wisdom when facing challenges. Guide us to find peaceful solutions and support one another.

Coming up: Next week, we'll learn about the Constitutional Convention and how a new government was formed

💎 Memory Verse

Proverbs 15:22

“Without counsel, plans go wrong; but with many advisers, they are established.”

— Proverbs 15:22 (WEB)

🎯 Activity: Pass the Verse: Students stand in a circle and each says one word of the verse in order

👨‍👩‍👧 For Parents

Teaching Notes

📚 Background:

This lesson explores the limitations of the Articles of Confederation and why a new governmental structure was necessary

💡 Teaching Tips:
  • Encourage discussions about teamwork and problem-solving
  • Help children understand that improvement often comes from recognizing mistakes
  • Connect lesson to family and school experiences of cooperation
🤔 Common Struggles:

Children might find abstract governmental concepts challenging

👀 Signs of Understanding:

Understanding of basic governmental challenges and importance of working together

🚀 Want More?

Extension Activities

  • Create a skit demonstrating state conflicts under the Articles of Confederation
  • Draw a comic strip showing the problems of the early government
  • Research how different countries solve governmental challenges

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