Topic outline
Unit One: Civic Values and Principles of Democracy
Lessons 1-3
Unit One: Civic Values and Principles of Democracy
Lessons 4-6
Unit Two: The Three Branches of Government (Lesson 1-3)
- Step 1 Reading File 811.9KB PDF document
- Step 2 Worksheet File 464.1KB PDF document
- Step 2 Reading File 641.8KB PDF document
- Step 3 Worksheet File 724.3KB PDF document
- Game Rules File 125.2KB PDF document
- Game Board File 417.5KB PDF document
- Game Cards File 2.2MB PDF document
Unit Two: The Three Branches of Government (Lesson 4-6)
- Step 7 Case File 190.2KB PDF document
- Step 1 Pre-Game Notesheet File 362.2KB PDF document
- Page 1 (About) File 39.5KB Word document
- Page 2 (Wall) File 41.5KB Word document
- Page 3 (Photos and Events) File 30KB Word document
- Step 3 Reading File 527.9KB PDF document
- Step 3 Comprehension and Processing Questions File 301.8KB PDF document
- Step 2 Reading File 1011.1KB PDF document
- Step 4 Federal Power Cheat Sheet File 715.2KB PDF document
- Step 4 Venn Diagram File 145.4KB PDF document
- Step 4 Federal & State Power Cards File 2.2MB PDF document
- Step 5 Review Sheet File 606.2KB PDF document
- Game Instructions File 856.9KB PDF document
- Step 1 Video Questions File 110.1KB PDF document
- Step 3 Stolen Valor Act Reading File 258.2KB PDF document
- Step 2 Webquest Sheet File 330.5KB PDF document
- Step 2 Game Worksheet File 469.6KB PDF document
- Step 3 Student Activity Sheet File 659.8KB PDF document
- Step 3 Graphic Organizer File 296.8KB PDF document
- Step 3 "Why Supreme?" Reading File 352.3KB PDF document
Unit Three: Citizenship and Participation
What does it mean to be a citizen? What type of responsibilities must we fulfill to carry out our duties as responsible citizens of an engaged republic? Following the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin was asked “Well Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” Franklin’s simple, yet challenging response, “A republic, if you can keep it.” Franklin’s words simply echoed the fears of our founders that a republic is challenging to preserve, and it relies on an engaged and involved citizenry. In this unit we will discover what that means.
Above, new citizens of the United States participate in the final step of the naturalization process in a ceremony held in 2013. The picture is made available by David Olsen of The Press Enterprise. Ceremonies such as the one shown above take place in all 50 states across our nation.
Subunit 1
Lesson 3.1 What does it mean to be a citizen?
What does citizenship really mean? The Word Cloud above shows many of the aspects that make a person a good citizen. In Lesson 3.1 you will explore the basics of citizenship and truly understand the responsibilities tied to it.
Essential Question: What does citizenship mean and what responsibilities come with citizenship?
Lesson 3.2 Naturalization & the Federal Government's Role
Above, as photographed by PNW Local News, new citizens in Bellevue, Washington take the oath to become naturalized U.S. citizens in 2011. In Lesson 3.2 you will discover the process of becoming a citizen of our country as outlined by our Federal Government. You will also look deeper into the process of enforcing immigration law.
Essential Question: How does a person become a citizen and what role does the Federal government play in immigration law?
Lesson 3.3 - How are public policies on immigration shaped?
The cartoon shown above is a famous historical political cartoon created by Joseph Keppler who founded Puck magazine. It is dated to the late 19th century and expresses the sometimes hypocritical views toward immigrants that citizens of our country occasionally express.
The United States of America has historically been known as the land of opportunity. Anyone, from any walk of life, who has the desire to succeed can make a life here, so goes the story. From the time the first Native Americans began settling this land, through European settlement, to the present immigrants seeking liberty and opportunity, or asylum, our nation has been a land of immigrants. However, despite the welcoming view of the Statue of Liberty in New York City, our nation has had its issues dealing with and accepting different ways of life. In Lesson 3.3 you will extend what you have begun to explore in Lessons 3.1 & 3.2. Immigration is going to be the topic of focus as you evaluate media sources and political persuasion as they relate to the contemporary debate surrounding immigration.
Essential Question(s): What are interest groups, think tanks and the media and what role does each play in the formation of public policy?
Is the information I can access valid and factual? How do I know? Are bias and prejudice present in the information I access? Is there an ideological agenda present in the information I am accessing?
Subunit 1 Summative Assessment - Letter to the Editor
Subunit 2
Lesson 3.4 - Being Informed
The poster above from the website Wake Up Human can be found on many websites. The saying is a call to action, as well as a reminder that when we speak, it is easy to be opinionated, but an opinion is much more valuable if it is informed.
Lesson 3.4 will focus on two parts of citizen responsibility, informed participation and developing and defending positions on public policy issues. You have already worked with some of the basics of the responsibilities of citizenship. In this lesson, you will gain depth of understanding on the responsibilities of citizenship.
Essential question: What responsibilities do citizens and non-citizens have in a republic?
Lesson 3.5 The Skills of Citizenry
- Walter Berns, Constitutional law professor, Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and professor emeritus at Georgetown University, image compliments of American Enterprise Institute.
Applied citizenship encourages citizens to be actively involved in their communities. How does a person go about doing this? In the Lesson 3.5 reading you are going to learn about the skills needed to be a citizen, specifically a 21st century citizen. Yes you are learning about skills, citizenship is a learned process requiring skills. People are not born active citizens, they learn this. As you go through Lesson 3.5 you will begin to explore the skills that will enable you to be an active citizen for decades. After completing the reading in Lesson 3.5, you will complete an activity that will push you to start practicing the skills of active citizenship.
Essential Question: What skills do people need to monitor and influence local, state and national affairs?
Lesson 3.6 - Voting
The cartoon above was created by Atlanta Journal Constitution editorial cartoonist Mike Luckovich and it was originally printed on May 26, 2006. The image was made available by the Illinois Review. The cartoon highlights the sometimes disengaged views that youth stereotypically have when it comes to voting. Historically speaking, the younger demographic votes at a disproportionately lower rate than other demographics.
Many people get informed on the candidates are feel like they are part of the civic discussion, yet taking the final step and voting becomes a hangup for people. In this lesson, you will explore the actual process of registering to vote and ultimately voting. You will find that that process is very streamlined in the state of Minnesota.
Essential Question(s): What skills are needed to participate in the electoral process?
How do I register to vote?
How can I identify and evaluate political candidates and ultimately cast a ballot?
Lesson 3.7 Role of Political Parties in Elections and Public Policy Formation
The donkey and elephant are the popularized symbols of the two main American political parties, the Democrats and the Republicans. No animals were harmed in the taking of this picture; unfortunately, no legislation was agreed to either.
Political parties serve many purposes in the world of government. At their base level, parties serve as a means for like-minded people to organize. Through this lesson, you will discover the role political parties play in elections and the formation of public policy.
Essential Question: What impact do political parties have on elections and public policy formation?
Lesson 3.8 Voting & the Impact of Elections
How important is voting? What impact do elections have? Questions like these are debated everyday, and in Lesson 3.8 you will briefly explore both. Above, soldiers serving overseas register to vote in primary elections, an important step in the candidate selection process.
A name appearing on a ballot in November is the final step in a long campaign process. The political parties have a process of selection that tests the candidates for legitimacy and helps people sort through the candidates based on personalities and the candidates views. The winners will have a say in driving the issues they feel are most vital to our communities. In Lesson 3.8, learn about the candidate selection process and the ways in which elections shape the politics of our country.
Essential Question(s): How do elections shape the political system of the United States?
How are candidates chosen and how do candidates ultimately end up on a ballot?
Subunit 2 Summative Assessment - Campaign and Election
Unit Four: Individual Rights and Liberties
Unit 4: Individual Rights and Liberties
“The world has never had a good definition of liberty, and the American people, just now, are much in need of one. We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing"
--Abraham Lincoln, speaking at the Baltimore Sanitary Fair, April 18, 1864The five essential freedoms of the First Amendment are displayed on the exterior wall of the Newseum in Washington D.C. Perhaps the most significant pronouncement of individual rights in history, the impact of the First Amendment has colored the history of the United States and has influenced and shaped the political philosophies of countless millions of people across the globe.
Rights. What are they? Moreover, what is a right? More than the opposite direction of left or the action taken when a person picks up or “rights” a knocked-over floor lamp, a right is a moral, ethical, or legal principle considered as the basic cause of truth, justice, morality, or ethics. Within the English political tradition--especially that of the United States of America--individual people are believed to hold certain rights that cannot be taken away without due process of the law. However, where do one person’s rights begin and end? How far can an individual act in accordance to his or her own wishes before the law is broken? Who determines what is permissible and how is this determined? In this unit of study you will examine the rights guaranteed to the individual by the United States Constitution. You will also encounter the meaning and expression of liberty--the freedoms you enjoy within the framework of the laws--and evaluate how the many exercises and expressions of liberty have been interpreted by the courts throughout American history. Though the rights and liberties were written down in what was considered to be the plain language of the late 18th century, they have been constantly reviewed, reinterpreted, and redefined by subsequent generations of Americans according to the context of the circumstances in which they lived. This process of constitutional review, reinterpretation, and redefinition continues to this day and fuels the same controversy today as it did over two centuries ago.Lesson 1: Individual Rights at the State and Federal Level
"Individual rights are the means of subordinating society to moral law.”--Ayn Rand, Russian-born American author of The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged.
The United States Bill of Rights (the first page is displayed above) is the indispensable and perhaps most exceptional element of the U.S. Constitution. Though it developed from English legal traditions, The U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights are the defining documents of modern political philosophy.
Have you ever watched a talk show on a cable news network? Regardless of the political perspective of the show or its participants, the verbal exchange (note that I did not say dialogue or conversation) often revolves around the “constitutionality” of a right or liberty--or if an idea or action is acceptable (legal) according to the constitution. Whatever the subject of the discussion, when the idea of “constitutionality” arises sparks are sure to fly. However, there are some individual rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Consequently, the Minnesota Constitution also guarantees individual rights, but it is not a carbon copy of the U.S. Constitution upon which it is based. In this lesson, you will learn about the meaning and importance of rights in the United States Constitution, Bill of Rights, and subsequent amendments and compare them to those specified in the Minnesota Constitution.Lesson 2: Courting Controversy: The First and Second Amendments
“I'm not interested in censorship. I like the First Amendment very much.”--Henry Rollins, American activist and lead singer of punk group Black Flag
This image could be entitled “Amendments in Conflict”. In the wake of the tragic Sandy Hook School Shooting in December of 2012, gun control advocates held mass demonstrations around the United States. Utilizing the rights entitled to them by the First Amendment, groups that wished to limit the ownership of firearms chanted slogans, printed up anti-gun posters, and peaceably assembled. Interestingly, ownership of firearms in the United States is protected by the Second Amendment.
The rights specified in the First and Second Amendments are not without their limits. The five freedoms of the First Amendment--religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition--have been constantly and consistently challenged and redefined by generations of Americans. The Second Amendment, though ratified at the same time as the other first ten amendments in the Bill of Rights, entered into controversy starting late in the 19th century. As the United States shifted from a largely agrarian, rural population and became more industrial and urban, the use and technology of guns began to change. The often abbreviated text of the Second Amendment--the right to bear arms--has come under greater scrutiny in recent decades as local, state, and federal levels of government tried to limit access to firearms in an attempt to prevent crime. Whether efforts like these have reduced or increased gun violence is up for debate. In this lesson, you will learn about the scope and limits of rights protected by the First and Second Amendments and the changes to individual rights stemming from legislative action and court interpretation of those amendments.
Lesson 3: Rights of the Accused
“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?”--The Miranda Warning
Handcuffs may or may not be part of someone’s arrest by the police. If used, they are primarily meant to restrain the person suspected of a crime. However, a greater restraint has been created for your individual benefit. That restraint, referred to as the rights of the accused, is composed of a series of rights granted to you by the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth Amendments to the Constitution meant to protect you from the incredible power of the government.
Ah yes. The American legal system. You do not really pay attention to it until it pays attention to you. Whether or not you find yourself on the wrong side of the law (and hopefully you never will), it benefits you to know what rights people accused of a crime are actually entitled to by the United States Constitution. In this lesson, you will examine the scope and limits of rights of the accused under the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments. In addition, you will also encounter changes to the rights of the accused created by legislative action and court interpretation.
Lesson 4: Due Process, Equal Protection, and the Fourteenth Amendment
“...No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”--Excerpt from Section One of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Outside of the ten amendments found in the Bill of Rights, the 14th Amendment holds a place of great significance to everyone living in the United States. This law has been the legal lynchpin of the great strides in civil rights and continues to shape our interpretation of due process and equal protection under the law.
The Fifth Amendment states that no person may be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of the law. Due process is how justice is administered and was created to protect individuals from the arbitrary powers of the state. During the period of Reconstruction following the American Civil War, many radicals in the United States Congress believed that greater legal clarification beyond the Fifth Amendment was needed to protect recently freed slaves from the powers of the individual states where they had originally been enslaved. This provided the impetus for the creation and ratification of the 14th Amendment. In addition to making almost anyone born or naturalized within the borders of the United States a citizen, preventing former confederate leaders from holding official government offices, and repudiating confederate war debt, the 14th Amendment ensured equal protection under the law and due process for any person in each in every state. Consequently, the amendment has become a cornerstone of American jurisprudence. In this lesson, you will learn about the principles of due process and equal protection of the law in addition to the many protections provided by the 14th Amendment.
Unit Five: State and Local Government
Unit 5: State and Local Government
The first page of the original democratic version of Minnesota’s constitution. Minnesota originally had 2 constitutions, one drafted by democrats and one by republicans. They were very similar in nature but had some differences. You can find out more from the MN Historical Society.[1]
You learned about the constitution of the United States earlier in this course. In Unit 5 you will be learning about both state government and local government. Minnesota’s constitution was first adopted on October 13, 1857 and we continue to follow it today. In this unit you will examine the similarities and differences between Minnesota’s government and the U.S. government. You will also learn about local government and learn about the local government(s) in your own home town.[2]
[1] "Minnesota Historical Society." 14 Jul. 2014 <http://www.mnhs.org/>
[2] "Minnesota Constitution - Office of the Revisor of Statutes." 2011. 14 Jul. 2014 <https://www.revisor.mn.gov/constitution/>
Lesson 1: Minnesota State Government
“I grew up in Minnesota, where we treasure our tradition of civic engagement - and our record of having the nation's highest voter participation.”--Al Franken
The state flag of Minnesota. Minnesota has been a state since 1858 before that it was a territory of the United States of America. Minnesota is known as the land of 10,000 lakes because of the many lakes throughout the state, unknown to many, but Wisconsin actually has more lakes than Minnesota.
Minnesota government works both with the United States government and local governments within Minnesota. You will look at local governments in lesson 2. In this lesson you will learn about the taxation and spending of the U.S. government and Minnesota’s government. This lesson also covers the differences and similarities between Minnesota’s government and the federal government
Lesson 2: Local Government
"As free citizens in a political democracy, we have a responsibility to be interested and involved in the affairs of the human community, be it at the local or the global level."--Paul Wellstone
The Minneapolis City Hall finished in 1909 is home to the governing body of Minneapolis and also shares space with Hennepin county. Most cities have a city hall or some sort of government building and most are not as lavish as this, but this is a beautiful building that you can see in person on your next trip to Minneapolis.
Local government is just as important and often times more important than state and federal government. People use local government for many things from simply trash removal to parking enforcement and police and fire. Local government is the level of government where young people can most often get involved. In this lesson you will be researching your own local government and creating a project after you become an expert on your city.
Unit Six: Public and Foreign Policy
Unit 6: Public and Foreign Policy
What is foreign policy? How does it differ from public policy? How are the two inter-related? When we talk about the environment we typically view that as a public policy issue. Although when we look at the environment through the lens of public policy, surprisingly it may also be viewed as a foreign policy issue. Throughout this unit you will learn how public policy relates to foreign policy by looking at it through the lens of international organizations (such as the United Nations) and also the U.S. Armed Forces.
The general assembly of the United Nations. The United Nations was an organization founded in 1945 and today, in 2014, brings 192 nations together to work together for the development of justice, human dignity, and well-being of all people.
Unit 6 contains:
- Interrelated content that builds upon previous knowledge.
- Six benchmarks, with ten learning targets, arranged in three subunits.
- Ten lessons that build on individual learning targets and benchmarks to provide mastery of Minnesota State Social Studies Standards in the area of Public and Foreign Policy.
- A final project that looks at the historical foreign events and the purpose and effectiveness of U.S. leadership in those effective.
Subunit 6.1: American Indian Sovereignty
As part of the Public and Foreign Policy we are going to look briefly at the American Indian and their relationship with the U.S. Government.
American Indians from the Osage Nation with President Calvin Coolidge.
Lesson 6.1.1: A Historical Look at American Indian Sovereignty
What are the historical roots and political impact of American Indian sovereignty? During this lesson we are going to look at how the establishment of sovereign nations and the initial relationship of the American Indians and the U.S. Government.
Lesson 6.1.2: American Indian Relationship with US Government
The American Indian has had a long and sometime tumultuous relationship with the U.S. Government. In this lesson you will learn about the post-1934 legislation enacted and how it impacts the American Indian. The lesson will conclude by having self-exploration of a current topic regarding proposed U.S. Congress legislation and the impact on the American Indian.
Subunit 2. Understanding Public Policy
What is public policy? Topics such as the environment are quick to come to mind.
Individuals protesting the use of GMOs or Genetically Modified Organisms
Lesson 6.2.1: Identifying Public Policy Issues
During this lesson the student will be looking at how public policy is identifying. This will be done by looking at the cycle that public policy goes through. The steps of this process are defined in one sequence by using a particular example. Students will be looking at local public policy issues to identify the process.
Lesson 6.2.2: Taking a Course of Action with Public Policy
This lesson plan will have students engage in an authentic experience of researching a public policy issue that is important to them. Students start by brainstorming topics of interest, collectively combine their list with others in the class, and then pick a topic of interest to them. Students will be utilizing the process of public policy to complete their report.
Lesson 6.2.3: Purpose and Role of U.S. Armed Forces
The U.S. Armed Forces has five branches (Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, and Navy). This lesson will look at how the U.S. Armed Forces play an important role in both our public policy and foreign policy.
Subunit 3. Understanding Foreign Policy
We are part of NAFTA and the United Nations (or UN), yet what does that mean when it comes to Foreign Policy? During this subunit we are going to look closely at our roles in those organizations and also our roles in international affairs.
A variety of international flags. Foreign Policy is found within many countries as they work together in organizations such as the United Nations and NAFTA.
Lesson 6.3.1: Nation States
Understanding Nation States is an important when it comes to understanding the roles and purpose of Foreign Policy. This lesson will have students exploring the components of Nation States and what makes them unique. Students will design their own Nation State.
Lesson 6.3.2: International Laws
The most simple definition for international law is a set of rules that countries follow when they deal with each other. There are three different types of International Law which include; Public International Law (the relationship between sovereign states and international entities such as International Criminal Court), Private International Law (this addresses questions of jurisdiction in conflict), and Supranational Law (a set of collective laws that sovereign states voluntarily yield to). This lesson will teach about the three different types of international law, yet the student will explore, "Is International Law really law?"
Lesson 6.3.3: The United Nations
This lesson will introduce students to the history and role of the United Nations. Students will research how the United Nations utilizes the Department of Peacekeeping Organization (DPKO) to promote peace in countries throughout the world. Students will close the lesson by looking at the US and UN's relationship during world events.
Lesson 6.3.4: Understanding U.S. Foreign Policy and Those Who Promote It
This lesson looks at how the Central Intelligence Agency is responsible for setting most of the U.S. Foreign Policy. Students will examine different times where intelligence was used to promote success in development of treaties, allies, and/or battle victories.
Lesson 6.3.5: Impact of U.S. Foreign Affairs
This lesson is an authentic look at how the United States utilizes diplomats to build relationships with other countries. Learning will start by assessing how diplomats and international organizations are effectively used to build relationships between other countries. Then students will be asked to create a brochure that highlights the work of diplomats and international organizations for a particular country.
Unit 6. Final Project
Students will be analyzing the reasons for and against the U.S. engaging in leadership roles during international events. The lens for this will be looking at how the U.S. effectively utilized their diplomats and international organizations to achieve their foreign policy ends.
