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Social Studies Curriculum

Grade 8
COURSE TITLE: AMERICAN HISTORY
UNIT 2

Unit 2: Federalism

(Suggested amount of time to spend on unit: 5-6 weeks)

FOCUS QUESTIONS

FQ1: Why did Americans move from The Articles of Confederation to the Constitution? (EQ2,3,4)

Representative democracy
Compare/contrast language of documents.

S 2; PS 3 Demonstrate an in depth understanding of major events and trends in local history (e.g., The Pequot War, establishment of self government, dis-establishment of the Puritan church, industrialization, waves of in-and-out migration, urbanization, racial tensions)

S2; PS5 Explain the relationship among the events and trends studied in local, state, national and world history.

S3; PS7 Identify and analyze the various causes and effects of movements of groups of people.

FQ2:How are the ideals of the American Democracy incorporated in the Constitution? (EQ2,4)

Structure of government
Shared and implied powers
Development of political parties
Separation of powers
Checks and balances
Judicial review
Bill of Rights

S5; PS2 Explain how the Constitution divides the power of government among the executive, legislative and judicial branches, and how each branch can check the power of another.

S5; PS3 Explain how and why powers are distributed among the national, state and local governments.

S5; PS4 Identify their representatives in national and state legislatures, and the heads of the executive branch at the national, state and local levels.

S5; PS5 Understand the process of how a bill becomes a law.

S5; PS6 Explain how an individual's rights to life, liberty and property are protected by the Constitution and criminal and civil laws.

S6; PS4 Identify significant characteristics of an effective citizen and how to influence public policy by participating in the government of their school.

S6; PS6 Identify and apply criteria useful in selecting political leaders at the local, state and national levels.

S7; PS4 Describe the role of the U.S Constitution in the limitation of government powers.

NOTES TO TEACHER:

RESOURCES:

Provided Resources:

America the Dream and the People

We the People

RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES:

Create classroom government first with Articles then with a Constitution, compare/contrast.

Mix and match - key terms or phrases from both documents are mixed and students sort and match.

Conversations with Madison and Pickney - debate.

ASSESSMENTS:

Essential questions
Focus questions
Performance tasks
Tests/quizzes
Teacher observation

 

Content: Social Studies Grade Level: 8 Date of BOE Adoption: July 17. 2002