This document outlines the steps to teach students about the concept of a declaration of war in the United States using a concept attainment model. It involves having students work through examples and non-examples to develop the essential characteristics and a definition. The steps include: 1) defining the concept and examples, 2) developing positive and negative examples, 3) reviewing the process, 4) presenting examples for classification, 5) generating a hypothesis, 6) developing a label and definition, 7) providing additional examples to test the definition, and 8) evaluating student understanding.

1. Concept Attainment
Model
War in America

2. Step 1: Select and Define a
Concept Through the Concepts
Essential Characteristics
 Give a short presentation regarding the Declaration of War in
the Untied States and what it essential characteristics it has.
 Establish Concept Hierarchy by introducing the concepts of
Military engagements and Military engagement authorized by
United Nations Security Council Resolution and funded by
Congress.
 Break students up into pairs giving each different handouts,
assigning each one either military engagement or Military
engagement authorized by United Nations Security Council
Resolution and funded by Congress. Students will read
independently and come together to fill out a graphic
organizer defining the essential characteristics of each.

3. Postive Neagtive
Step 2: Develop Positive and
Negative Examples
 War of 1812
 Mexican-American War
 Spanish-American War
 World War I
 World War II
 Korean War
 Vietnam War
 Persian Gulf War
 War in Afghanistan

4. Step 3: Review the Attainment
Process with the Class
 Explain to the class that they will be given examples and
non-examples of war and they have to discuss why or why
not it fits into the concept

5. Step 4: Present the Positive and
Negative Examples
 I will provide to the class the examples with accompanied by
text and pictures of each incident, they will divided them into
group so they can sort the non examples and examples.

6. Step 5: Generate a Hypothesis
and Continue Example Cycle
 Students will be reminded and review the positive examples
and be asked to come up with the essential characteristic
and whether the example has the essential characteristic

7. Step 6: Develop Concept Label
and Definition
 Students will be asked to show, express or write the essential
characteristic in United States’ declarations of war.

8. Step 7:Provide Test Examples to
Further Solidify the Definition
 I will provide more negative and positive examples to the
class while they are in there groups to they will need to
determine if it was a declaration of war or if it fits any of the
other models.

9. Step 8: Evaluate the Process with
the Class
 Students will be assigned a Quickwrite; students will be given
the opportunity to reflect on their thoughts on the concept
attainment model, their difficulties and when did they attain
the concept.