Unit Outline
This Unit would work for grades 6-8. I prepared these lessons for an 8th grade level unit, though adjustments could be made to adjust it for older or younger students. Through these lessons I really want students to start thinking about rights they hold, where those rights developed, who protects those rights, and the negatives and positives that the United States, as a nations, has when it comes to rights. For this reason I want students to ask themselves, both before and after this unit, the following questions
- What are rights?
- Where do rights come from?
- What rights do we have?
- Who protects our rights?
- Do all rights have the same importance?
- Does everyone have rights?
- Why are their many rights that are controversial?
Standards
NCSS
Culture - students will look into the culture of the United States and other countries to look at several changes that have happened in order to look at what these changes did to change culture and how changes in culture forced the items that needed to be changed.
Time, Continuity, and Change - We will look at how different people have come to view the government and themselves over time
People, Places, and Environments - We will look at the impact that social movements and the environments they created have changed the concept of rights and liberties, and how they are still doing so today.
Individual Development and Identity - Hopefully students will continue to grow to know themselves. Throughout this unit students will come up against controversial issues, by doing this I hope students come to know themselves, in addition to the issues, better
Individuals, Groups, and Institutions - Students will look into the impact of individuals and groups and the affect that they have had on the public's and eye and on the various institutions of government. We will look at the institutions effect on us as citizens.
Power, Authority, and Governance - Students will begin to understand how people change and create change the structures of power, and how difficult that process is.
Global Connections - The issues of rights is worldwide topic. People's rights are taken away everyday, both here in the United States and around the world. Students will look beyond the borders to see that rights should be upheld and granted to every person. As a class we will also look at instances and examples of how hard that can be.
Civic Ideals and Practices - Students will look into the practices of our government and how it works. Often our government does play the role of protector. It is there goal to protect us as individuals and our country as a whole to improve the lot of its citizens. It is possible, and it occurs often, where these two jobs overlap each other and their must be a compromise. It is the job of the American citizen to be aware of this and to act on their best judgment and ideals to push for what is best for the country without giving up their basic is rights. Being a great citzen is being an informed citzen, and that and that is a huge push in this unit.
MMSD
History
Employ cause and effect arguments to demonstrate how significant events have influenced the past and the present in the United States
Political Science
Identify and explain democracy’s basic principles including individual rights, responsibility for the common good, equal opportunity, equal protection of the laws, freedom of speech, justice, and majority rule with protection for minority rights.
Identify, cite, and discuss important political documents, such as the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and landmark decisions of the Supreme Court and explain their function in the American political system.
Explain how laws are developed, how the purposes of government are established, and how the powers of government are acquired, maintained, justified, and sometimes abused.
Behavioral Science
Identify major events and trends that have influenced culture.
Compare and contrast the rights and responsibilities of citizens in diverse societies.
Identify and describe ways regional, ethnic, and national cultures influence individual’s daily lives
Explain how most issues encountered in social studies are complex, need thoughtful analysis, and may lack simple solutions
Wisconsin DPI
B.8.2 Employ cause-and-effect arguments to demonstrate how significant events have influenced the past and the present in United States and world history
B.8.5 Use historical evidence to determine and support a position about important political values, such as freedom, democracy, equality, or justice, and express the position coherently
B.8.6 Analyze important political values such as freedom, democracy, equality, and justice embodied in documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights
C.8.1 Identify and explain democracy's basic principles, including individual rights, responsibility for the common good, equal opportunity, equal protection of the laws, freedom of speech, justice, and majority rule with protection for minority rights
C.8.2 Identify, cite, and discuss important political documents, such as the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and landmark decisions of the Supreme Court, and explain their function in the American political system
E.8.4 Describe and explain the means by which individuals, groups, and institutions may contribute to social continuity and change within a community
E.8.6 Describe and explain the influence of status, ethnic origin, race, gender, and age on the interactions of individuals
E.8.9 Give examples of the cultural contributions of racial and ethnic groups in Wisconsin, the United States, and the world
E.8.14 Describe cooperation and interdependence among individuals, groups, and nations, such as helping others in times of crisis
This Unit would work for grades 6-8. I prepared these lessons for an 8th grade level unit, though adjustments could be made to adjust it for older or younger students. Through these lessons I really want students to start thinking about rights they hold, where those rights developed, who protects those rights, and the negatives and positives that the United States, as a nations, has when it comes to rights. For this reason I want students to ask themselves, both before and after this unit, the following questions
- What are rights?
- Where do rights come from?
- What rights do we have?
- Who protects our rights?
- Do all rights have the same importance?
- Does everyone have rights?
- Why are their many rights that are controversial?
Standards
NCSS
Culture - students will look into the culture of the United States and other countries to look at several changes that have happened in order to look at what these changes did to change culture and how changes in culture forced the items that needed to be changed.
Time, Continuity, and Change - We will look at how different people have come to view the government and themselves over time
People, Places, and Environments - We will look at the impact that social movements and the environments they created have changed the concept of rights and liberties, and how they are still doing so today.
Individual Development and Identity - Hopefully students will continue to grow to know themselves. Throughout this unit students will come up against controversial issues, by doing this I hope students come to know themselves, in addition to the issues, better
Individuals, Groups, and Institutions - Students will look into the impact of individuals and groups and the affect that they have had on the public's and eye and on the various institutions of government. We will look at the institutions effect on us as citizens.
Power, Authority, and Governance - Students will begin to understand how people change and create change the structures of power, and how difficult that process is.
Global Connections - The issues of rights is worldwide topic. People's rights are taken away everyday, both here in the United States and around the world. Students will look beyond the borders to see that rights should be upheld and granted to every person. As a class we will also look at instances and examples of how hard that can be.
Civic Ideals and Practices - Students will look into the practices of our government and how it works. Often our government does play the role of protector. It is there goal to protect us as individuals and our country as a whole to improve the lot of its citizens. It is possible, and it occurs often, where these two jobs overlap each other and their must be a compromise. It is the job of the American citizen to be aware of this and to act on their best judgment and ideals to push for what is best for the country without giving up their basic is rights. Being a great citzen is being an informed citzen, and that and that is a huge push in this unit.
MMSD
History
Employ cause and effect arguments to demonstrate how significant events have influenced the past and the present in the United States
Political Science
Identify and explain democracy’s basic principles including individual rights, responsibility for the common good, equal opportunity, equal protection of the laws, freedom of speech, justice, and majority rule with protection for minority rights.
Identify, cite, and discuss important political documents, such as the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and landmark decisions of the Supreme Court and explain their function in the American political system.
Explain how laws are developed, how the purposes of government are established, and how the powers of government are acquired, maintained, justified, and sometimes abused.
Behavioral Science
Identify major events and trends that have influenced culture.
Compare and contrast the rights and responsibilities of citizens in diverse societies.
Identify and describe ways regional, ethnic, and national cultures influence individual’s daily lives
Explain how most issues encountered in social studies are complex, need thoughtful analysis, and may lack simple solutions
Wisconsin DPI
B.8.2 Employ cause-and-effect arguments to demonstrate how significant events have influenced the past and the present in United States and world history
B.8.5 Use historical evidence to determine and support a position about important political values, such as freedom, democracy, equality, or justice, and express the position coherently
B.8.6 Analyze important political values such as freedom, democracy, equality, and justice embodied in documents such as the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights
C.8.1 Identify and explain democracy's basic principles, including individual rights, responsibility for the common good, equal opportunity, equal protection of the laws, freedom of speech, justice, and majority rule with protection for minority rights
C.8.2 Identify, cite, and discuss important political documents, such as the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and landmark decisions of the Supreme Court, and explain their function in the American political system
E.8.4 Describe and explain the means by which individuals, groups, and institutions may contribute to social continuity and change within a community
E.8.6 Describe and explain the influence of status, ethnic origin, race, gender, and age on the interactions of individuals
E.8.9 Give examples of the cultural contributions of racial and ethnic groups in Wisconsin, the United States, and the world
E.8.14 Describe cooperation and interdependence among individuals, groups, and nations, such as helping others in times of crisis