This unit is designed to give students an understand of the principles of American democratic politics through instruction concerning the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and local/state/federal laws. This unit also focuses on evaluating sources for credibility and using sources to complete tasks and activities.
Content Standards
CE.C&G.1.2
Explain how the Enlightenment and other contributing theories impacted the writing of the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights to help promote liberty, justice and equality (e.g., natural rights, classical theories of government, Magna Carta, Montesquieu, Locke, English Bill of Rights, etc.).
CE.C&G.1.5
Evaluate the fundamental principles of American politics in terms of the extent to which they have been used effectively to maintain constitutional democracy in the United States (e.g., rule of law, limited government, democracy, consent of the governed, etc.).
CE.C&G.2.3
Evaluate the U.S. Constitution as a “living Constitution” in terms of how the words in the Constitution and Bill of Rights have been interpreted and applied throughout their existence (e.g., precedents, rule of law, Stare decisis, judicial review, supremacy, equal protections,”establishment clause”, symbolic speech, due process, right to privacy, etc.).
CE.C&G.2.4
Compare the Constitutions and the structures of the United States and North Carolina governments (e.g., the various NC Constitutions, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Rights, Preambles, the organization of, the powers of, responsibilities, etc.).
Explain how the Enlightenment and other contributing theories impacted the writing of the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights to help promote liberty, justice and equality (e.g., natural rights, classical theories of government, Magna Carta, Montesquieu, Locke, English Bill of Rights, etc.).
CE.C&G.1.5
Evaluate the fundamental principles of American politics in terms of the extent to which they have been used effectively to maintain constitutional democracy in the United States (e.g., rule of law, limited government, democracy, consent of the governed, etc.).
CE.C&G.2.3
Evaluate the U.S. Constitution as a “living Constitution” in terms of how the words in the Constitution and Bill of Rights have been interpreted and applied throughout their existence (e.g., precedents, rule of law, Stare decisis, judicial review, supremacy, equal protections,”establishment clause”, symbolic speech, due process, right to privacy, etc.).
CE.C&G.2.4
Compare the Constitutions and the structures of the United States and North Carolina governments (e.g., the various NC Constitutions, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Rights, Preambles, the organization of, the powers of, responsibilities, etc.).
Unit Goals
1. Students will understand the American national government from its roots in the Constitution through the changes made during the Amendments.
2. Students will be able to determine the credibility of a source.
3. Students will understand the different levels of national, state and local government and their roles in law.
2. Students will be able to determine the credibility of a source.
3. Students will understand the different levels of national, state and local government and their roles in law.
Unit Objectives
1. Students will read selections from the Constitution during class time and correctly calculate the number of words in each section.
2. When given a set of identifiers, students will label the identifiers and place them into categories. Once sorted, students will evaluate the categories and determine an overall essential question or theme.
3. When given a current political issue, students will be able to connect said issue to an amendment or create their own amendment to suit the political issue.
4. When given information about local/state/federal laws, students will determine the laws for various topics (leaders, voting, money, education).
5. When given a source, students will be able to determine credibility by evaluating bias, values, intent of information, point of view and reliability.
2. When given a set of identifiers, students will label the identifiers and place them into categories. Once sorted, students will evaluate the categories and determine an overall essential question or theme.
3. When given a current political issue, students will be able to connect said issue to an amendment or create their own amendment to suit the political issue.
4. When given information about local/state/federal laws, students will determine the laws for various topics (leaders, voting, money, education).
5. When given a source, students will be able to determine credibility by evaluating bias, values, intent of information, point of view and reliability.