### Lesson Plan: Ministers and Their Portfolios
**Grade Level:** Primary 6
**Subject:** General Knowledge
**Duration:** 60 minutes
#### **Objective:**
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Understand the role of a minister in government.
2. Identify key ministerial positions and their responsibilities.
3. Recognize current ministers and the portfolios they manage.
#### **Materials Needed:**
- Whiteboard and markers
- Printed handouts of key ministers and their portfolios
- Projector and laptop for slides/videos (optional)
- Index cards for activity
- Poster boards and markers
#### **Lesson Outline:**
1. **Introduction (10 minutes)**
- Start with a brief discussion on leadership and governance.
- Ask questions like, "What do you think the government does?" and "Who do you think helps the President or Prime Minister run the country?"
2. **Direct Instruction (15 minutes)**
- Define 'minister' and explain their role in the government.
- Present key ministerial positions (e.g., Minister of Education, Minister of Health, Minister of Finance, etc.) and their general responsibilities.
- Use a PowerPoint presentation or a video clip that shows different ministers discussing their roles and the departments they manage.
3. **Guided Practice (15 minutes)**
- Hand out worksheets with descriptions of various ministerial roles.
- In small groups, students will match ministers to their corresponding responsibilities using the information provided.
- Walk around to assist and answer any questions.
4. **Independent Practice (10 minutes)**
- Provide index cards with names of current ministers and their portfolios.
- Students will work individually or in pairs to match the names to the correct ministerial roles on a poster board.
- Encourage students to share any unique facts or interesting details they found.
5. **Group Activity (5 minutes)**
- Conduct a quick quiz game where students answer questions about ministers and their portfolios.
- Reward correct answers with points or small prizes.
6. **Conclusion (5 minutes)**
- Recap the roles of various ministers and why they are important.
- Allow students to ask any final questions.
- Provide a quick review sheet for students to take home to discuss with their families.
#### **Assessment:**
- Students' ability to correctly match ministers to their portfolios during guided and independent practice.
- Participation in group activity and discussion.
- Completion of the review sheet for further understanding.
#### **Differentiation:**
- Pair students with mixed abilities for group work.
- Provide additional resources (flashcards, diagrams) for students who need extra help.
- Challenge advanced students with additional questions about the functions of lesser-known ministerial departments.
#### **Follow-Up:**
- Assign students to research one minister and present a short report on what they learned in the next class.
- Organize a mock government session where students take on the roles of various ministers and discuss how they would handle specific issues.
This lesson plan aims to give students a foundational understanding of government ministers and their responsibilities, fostering both civic awareness and critical thinking skills.