American Government/Civics - Unit Number 1- Connecting Themes
American Government/Civics Frameworks for the Georgia Standards of Excellence in Social StudiesThe following instructional plan is part of a GaDOE collection of Unit Frameworks, Performance Tasks, examples ofStudent Work, and Teacher Commentary for the American Government/Civics Social Studies Course.American Government/Civics - Unit Number 1- Connecting ThemesElaborated UnitFocusThis unit provides students with the building blocks and vocabulary to be successful in AmericanGovernment/Civics. Students will examine the concepts of Beliefs and Ideals, Conflict and Change/ConflictResolution, Distribution of Power, Governance, Individuals, Groups, and Institutions, and Rule of Law.Connection toConnectingTheme/EnduringUnderstandingsGSE for SocialStudies(standards andelements)This Unit serves as an introduction to American Government/Civics. Over the course of the year, students willexpand on the knowledge this unit introduces as the connecting themes are more fully developed throughoutthe course.This Unit serves as introduction for American Government/Civics. It introduces students to concepts that willbe needed to understand the GSE Standards in subsequent units.This unit will utilize the following skills:Connection toLiteracy Standardsfor Social Studies(reading and/orwriting)L9-10RHSS4Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describingpolitical, social, or economic aspects of history/social science.L9-10RHSS5Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance an explanation or analysis.This unit will utilize the following Information Processing Skills:1. Compare similarities and differencesConnection toSocial StudiesMatrices(informationprocessing and/ormap and globeskills)2. Organize items chronologically3. Identify issues and/or problems and alternate solutions14. Formulate appropriate research questions.This unit will utilize the following Map and Globe Skills:4. Compare and contrast categories of natural, cultural, and political features found on maps12. Use geographic technology and software to determine changes, identify trends, and generalize abouthuman activities.Georgia Department of EducationTHIS WORK IS LICENSED UNDER A CREATIVE C OMMONS ATTRIBUTION - NONCOMMERCIAL - SHAREALIKE 4.0 INTERNATIONAL LICENSE5.31.2017 Page 1 of 11
American Government/Civics Frameworks for the Georgia Standards of Excellence in Social StudiesEssential Questions and Related Supporting/Guiding QuestionsEnduringUnderstanding 1Beliefs and IdealsEnduringUnderstanding 2Conflict and ChangeHow do beliefs and ideals of a society influence the social, political, and economic decisions of that society? How do family and friends influence an individual's beliefs and ideals? How does an individual's values or beliefs influence the friends they choose? How do politics and government influence an individual’s beliefs and ideals?How are legal procedures, force, and compromise used in societies to resolve conflicts? How do family members and friends resolve conflict? What advantages and disadvantages are there to different forms of conflict resolution? How do governments/countries approach conflict resolution?How do documents and laws combined with contemporary values and beliefs influence the distribution ofpower in the United States?EnduringUnderstanding 3Distribution ofPower How is power structured within families? What are the advantages and disadvantages of having power distributed versus having oneperson/entity making all decisions for a country? How does the United States’ Constitution outline the distribution of power?What is the most effective way to govern?EnduringUnderstanding 4GovernanceEnduringUnderstanding 5Individuals, Groups,and Institutions How are school's governed? How are families governed? How did federalism and a system of checks and balances develop as central elements of the UnitedStates' governing process?How do the decisions of individuals, groups, and institutions impact a society? How can an individual's decisions differ when they are alone versus when they are in a group? How does societal pressure influence the decisions of individuals, groups, and institutions? How do an individual's decisions impact those around them?How does the rule of law in a democracy influence society?EnduringUnderstanding 6 Rule of Law Why are laws accepted by society even though they at times limit the actions of individuals? What are some advantages and disadvantages to having your rules and laws written? How do you think that rules and regulations influence the decisions that you make?Georgia Department of EducationTHIS WORK IS LICENSED UNDER A CREATIVE C OMMONS ATTRIBUTION - NONCOMMERCIAL - SHAREALIKE 4.0 INTERNATIONAL LICENSE5.31.2017 Page 2 of 11
American Government/Civics Frameworks for the Georgia Standards of Excellence in Social StudiesSample Instructional Activities/AssessmentsConcepts in American Government: Beliefs and IdealsUsing primary documents, students will understand how the beliefs and ideals of the founding fathers created a framework for Americanbeliefs and ideals.GSE Standards andElementsLiteracy Standardsn/a – This unit teaches terms and vocabulary that will be used to help students understand themes found in theAmerican Government/Civics GSE Standards.L9-10RHSS4 –Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political,social, or economic aspects of history/social science.L9-10RHSS5 – Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance an explanation or analysis.Map and Globe Skills:Social StudiesMatrices4. Compare and contrast the categories of natural, cultural, and political features found on maps12. Use geographic technology and software to determine changes, identify trends, and generalize about humanactivities.Information Processing Skills:1. Compare similarities and differences2. Organize items chronologically3. Identify issues and/or problems and alternative solutions14. Formulate appropriate research questions.EnduringUnderstanding(s)Beliefs and IdealsACTIVITY:Students will research primary documents, including the Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, and Petition ofRights, to discover early philosophies that eventually became the foundation of the United States Constitution.After reviewing the primary documents, students will develop a chart that organizes the early principles ofdemocracy that the Founding Fathers incorporated, from each of the three documents, into the Constitution.The following websites offer access to primary documents for this na-cartahttp://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th rdocs/Constitution.htmlGeorgia Department of EducationTHIS WORK IS LICENSED UNDER A CREATIVE C OMMONS ATTRIBUTION - NONCOMMERCIAL - SHAREALIKE 4.0 INTERNATIONAL LICENSE5.31.2017 Page 3 of 11
American Government/Civics Frameworks for the Georgia Standards of Excellence in Social StudiesSample Instructional Activities/AssessmentsConcepts in American Government: Conflict & Change and Conflict ResolutionUsing online research and resources, students will identify the different methods used to resolve conflicts; they will gain an appreciation forthe value of effective communication in resolving conflicts.GSE Standards andElementsn/a – This unit teaches terms and vocabulary that will be used to help students understand themes found in theAmerican Government/Civics GSE Standards.L9-10RHSS4 –Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political,social, or economic aspects of history/social science.Literacy StandardsL9-10RHSS5 – Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance an explanation or analysis.Social StudiesMatricesMap and Globe Skills:4. Compare and contrast the categories of natural, cultural, and political features found on maps12. Use geographic technology and software to determine changes, identify trends, and generalize about humanactivities.Information Processing Skills:1. Compare similarities and differences2. Organize items chronologically3. Identify issues and/or problems and alternative solutions14. Formulate appropriate research questions.EnduringUnderstanding(s)Conflict & ChangeConflict ResolutionActivity:1. Ensure that students understand the vocabulary.Students first need to understand the nuts and bolts of communication before they can apply their skills. Somekids might not experience healthy communication at home and will need to be taught the different forms andstrategies on paper before being able to recognize and employ them in real-life scenarios.2. Have them watch an example of conflict lhealth/conflictresolution/3. Have them write and perform their own conflict resolution skits.As a class, brainstorm conflicts relevant to high schoolers—which can involve friends, parents, teachers, orsiblings—and then split the class into groups. (Side note: Randomly assigning these groups helps studentsstrengthen their communication skills by speaking with peers they might not know very well.)Together, students will write and rehearse “before-and-after” style skits that demonstrate anineffective way of dealing with a problem, followed by a more ideal, effective ng-teens-how-communicate-resolve-conflictGeorgia Department of EducationTHIS WORK IS LICENSED UNDER A CREATIVE C OMMONS ATTRIBUTION - NONCOMMERCIAL - SHAREALIKE 4.0 INTERNATIONAL LICENSE5.31.2017 Page 4 of 11
American Government/Civics Frameworks for the Georgia Standards of Excellence in Social StudiesSample Instructional Activities/AssessmentsConcepts in American Government: Distribution of PowerUsing charts, students will investigate the distribution of power in a federal structure of government, such as the one in the United States.GSE Standards andElementsn/a – This unit teaches terms and vocabulary that will be used to help students understand themes found in theAmerican Government/Civics GSE Standards.Literacy StandardsL9-10RHSS4 –Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political,social, or economic aspects of history/social science.L9-10RHSS5 –Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance an explanation or analysis.Map and Globe Skills:Social StudiesMatrices4. Compare and contrast the categories of natural, cultural, and political features found on maps12. Use geographic technology and software to determine changes, identify trends, and generalize about humanactivities.Information Processing Skills:1. Compare similarities and differences2. Organize items chronologically3. Identify issues and/or problems and alternative solutions14. Formulate appropriate research questions.EnduringUnderstanding(s)Distribution of PowerGeorgia Department of EducationTHIS WORK IS LICENSED UNDER A CREATIVE C OMMONS ATTRIBUTION - NONCOMMERCIAL - SHAREALIKE 4.0 INTERNATIONAL LICENSE5.31.2017 Page 5 of 11
American Government/Civics Frameworks for the Georgia Standards of Excellence in Social he-Division-of-Powers#rf-007Based on the charts above,students should develop a definition of "Distribution of Power."Georgia Department of EducationTHIS WORK IS LICENSED UNDER A CREATIVE C OMMONS ATTRIBUTION - NONCOMMERCIAL - SHAREALIKE 4.0 INTERNATIONAL LICENSE5.31.2017 Page 6 of 11
American Government/Civics Frameworks for the Georgia Standards of Excellence in Social StudiesSample Instructional Activities/AssessmentsConcepts in American Government: GovernanceUsing journal articles on the topic of governance, students will compare and contrast the different structures of governance for a minimum ofthree countries.GSE Standards andElementsLiteracy Standardsn/a – This unit teaches terms and vocabulary that will be used to help students understand themes found in theAmerican Government/Civics GSE Standards.L9-10RHSS4 –Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political,social, or economic aspects of history/social science.L9-10RHSS5 –Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance an explanation or analysis.L9-10WHST4 –Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task,purpose, and audience.Social StudiesMatricesMap and Globe Skills:4. Compare and contrast the categories of natural, cultural, and political features found on maps12. Use geographic technology and software to determine changes, identify trends, and generalize about humanactivities.Information Processing Skills:1. Compare similarities and differences2. Organize items chronologically3. Identify issues and/or problems and alternative solutions14. Formulate appropriate research uce the concept of governance by showing the class the following Crash Course video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v lrk4oY7UxpQ&list PL8dPuuaLjXtOfse2ncvffeelTrqvhrz8HActivity: Students will use the following websites to research journal articles or newspaper websites for es.comwww.wsj.comAfter conducting research and identifying their sources, students will compose an essay. They will compare andcontrast the type of governance for the three countries chosen as part of their research. One country must be theGeorgia Department of EducationTHIS WORK IS LICENSED UNDER A CREATIVE C OMMONS ATTRIBUTION - NONCOMMERCIAL - SHAREALIKE 4.0 INTERNATIONAL LICENSE5.31.2017 Page 7 of 11
American Government/Civics Frameworks for the Georgia Standards of Excellence in Social StudiesUnited States. They may choose the other two countries. The essay will be a minimum of three pages. Thefollowing is a rubric that may be used to guide students in the expectations and requirements of this activity:Comparison and Contrast RubricCATEGORYPurpose &SupportingDetailsOrganization &StructureTransitionsGrammar &Spelling(Conventions)4321The paper comparesand contrasts itemsclearly. The paperpoints to specificexamples to illustratethe comparison. Thepaper includes onlythe informationrelevant to thecomparison.The paper breaks theinformation intowhole-to-whole,similarities -todifferences, or pointby-point structure. Itfollows a consistentorder whendiscussing thecomparison.The paper comparesand contrasts itemsclearly, but thesupportinginformation isgeneral. The paperincludes only theinformation relevantto the comparison.The paper comparesor contrasts, butdoes not includeboth. There is nosupportinginformation orsupport isincomplete.The paper movessmoothly from oneidea to the next. Thepaper usescomparison andcontrast transitionwords to showrelationshipsbetween ideas. Thepaper uses a varietyof sentencestructures andtransitions.Writer makes noerrors in grammar orspelling that distractthe reader from thecontent.The paper movesfrom one idea to thenext, but there is littlevariety. The paperuses comparison andcontrast transitionwords to showrelationshipsbetween ideas.The paper comparesand contrasts itemsclearly, but thesupportinginformation isincomplete. Thepaper may includeinformation that is notrelevant to thecomparison.The paper breaks theinformation intowhole-to-whole,similarities -todifferences, or pointby-point structure,but some informationis in the wrongsection. Some detailsare not in a logical orexpected order, andthis distracts thereader.Some transitionswork well; butconnections betweenother ideas are fuzzy.Writer makes 3-4errors in grammar orspelling that distractthe reader from thecontent.Writer makes morethan 4 errors ingrammar or spellingthat distract thereader from thecontent.The paper breaks theinformation intowhole-to-whole,similarities -todifferences, or pointby-point structure butdoes not follow aconsistent orderwhen discussing thecomparison.Writer makes 1-2errors in grammar orspelling that distractthe reader from thecontent.Many details are notin a logical orexpected order.There is little sensethat the writing isorganized.The transitionsbetween ideas areunclear ornonexistent.Georgia Department of EducationTHIS WORK IS LICENSED UNDER A CREATIVE C OMMONS ATTRIBUTION - NONCOMMERCIAL - SHAREALIKE 4.0 INTERNATIONAL LICENSE5.31.2017 Page 8 of 11
American Government/Civics Frameworks for the Georgia Standards of Excellence in Social StudiesSample Instructional Activities/AssessmentsConcepts in American Government: Individuals, Groups, & InstitutionsUsing research, students will discover examples of how decisions and actions by individuals, groups, and institutions affect society throughintended and unintended consequences.GSE Standards andElementsn/a – This unit teaches terms and vocabulary that will be used to help students understand themes found in theAmerican Government/Civics GSE Standards.Literacy StandardsL9-10RHSS4 –Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political,social, or economic aspects of history/social science.L9-10RHSS5 –Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance an explanation or analysis.Social StudiesMatricesMap and Globe Skills:4. Compare and contrast the categories of natural, cultural, and political features found on maps12. Use geographic technology and software to determine changes, identify trends, and generalize about humanactivities.Information Processing Skills:1. Compare similarities and differences2. Organize items chronologically3. Identify issues and/or problems and alternative solutions12. Formulate appropriate research questions.EnduringUnderstanding(s)Individuals, Groups, & InstitutionsActivity:Students will conduct research on how individuals, groups, and institutions can affect society through intendedand unintended consequences. Each student will develop his or her own list of examples. After students areprovided ample time to conduct the research, they will take turns listing their examples on a chart developed bythe teacher; this chart will be on a white board. The teacher may also choose to put up one chart for each of thethree categories in different areas of the classroom. The chart headings will be: "Individuals," "Groups," and"Institutions." Based on the results, the teacher will utilize the Socratic Method to engage students in adiscussion of the findings and how/why they are relevant to this topic. Some of the expected responses mayinclude: Individuals – voting, protesting, running for officeGroups – lobbyists, protests, campaign contributionsInstitutions – laws, Supreme Court decisions, treaties, military interventionGeorgia Department of EducationTHIS WORK IS LICENSED UNDER A CREATIVE C OMMONS ATTRIBUTION - NONCOMMERCIAL - SHAREALIKE 4.0 INTERNATIONAL LICENSE5.31.2017 Page 9 of 11
American Government/Civics Frameworks for the Georgia Standards of Excellence in Social StudiesSample Instructional Activities/AssessmentsConcepts in American Government: Rule of LawUsing the Rule of Law principles listed below, students will determine how the Rule of Law in the United States is central to our democracy.GSE Standards andElementsn/a – This unit teaches terms and vocabulary that will be used to help students understand themes found in theAmerican Government/Civics GSE Standards.Literacy StandardsL9-10RHSS4 –Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political,social, or economic aspects of history/social science.L9-10RHSS5 –Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance an explanation or analysis.Social StudiesMatricesMap and Globe Skill
Student Work, and Teacher Commentary for the American Government/Civics Social Studies Course. American Government/Civics - Unit Number 1- Connecting Themes Elaborated Unit Focus This unit provides students with the building blocks and vocabulary to be successful in American Government/Civics.
Civics, Geography, U.S. History, and Science—Grade 8 5 II. The Assessments The Civics Assessment Grade 8 The NAEP civics assessment encompasses three interrelated components: civics knowledge, intellectual and participatory skills, and civic dispositions. The knowledge component of t
civics and American government courses taught at the high-school level. They also can be used in American history courses. The lessons relate to core themes that lie at the very center of American government and politics, and practically every lesson needs to be built on it. They are adapted to state standards for civics and government.
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*The Participation in Government core curriculum is designed to be a culminating course of study that focuses on Social Studies Learning Standard 5—Civics, Citizenship, and Government (the civics standard). Participation in Government is the civics capstone of a student’s K–12 social studies experience.
The English portion has not. changed. For more information about the 2020 version of the civics test, visit . uscis.gov/citizenship/2020test . Listed below are the 128 civics questions and answers for the 2020 version of the civics test. These questions . You must answer the question with
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Counselling Micro Skills Chapter 1 - Introduction In this course you will briefly consider the core communication skills of counselling: those fundamental skills that alone or together can help a client to access their deepest thoughts or clarify their future dreams. The skills we will examine here are attending skills, basic questioning skills, confrontation, focusing, reflection of meaning .
