Civics+Ideas

Civics Ideas and Beyond...



Unofficial 2010 Updated Trussville City Schools Secondary Curriculum Social Studies

 * Course Title: || Civics ||
 * Grade Level: || 7 ||
 * Course Description: || This one semester course is designed to provide students with basic knowledge and skills for functioning in modern American society. The workings of the American government and economy are studied as students explore the active role of citizens in the United States. This citizenship course provides an instructional emphasis to foster the student’s desire to assume responsibility for his/her actions and fosters the development of a productive role in society. ||
 * State COS Correlate: || Civics ||
 * Textbook Title: || CIVICS TODAY: CITIZENSHIP, ECONOMICS, & YOU, ALABAMA EDITION ||
 * Textbook Publisher: || Glencoe ||
 * Textbook ISBN: || 0-07-866257-5 ||
 * Textbook Copy Year: || 2005 ||
 * Accountability Standards: || Stanford 10 Objectives and AHSGE Standards ||

Units and Outcome-Based Objectives: = Unit 1- Influences on the Foundations of Government including Duties and Responsibilities of Citizenship = Essential Questions · // What influences the creation of a nation? // · // How does a structure of a government affect its people? // Unit Questions: · // Where did the American form of government come from? // · // What philosophers influenced our government? // · // What historical societies, documents and organizations influenced the U.S. government? // · // What is the difference between duties and responsibilities? // · // What are my duties as a citizen? // · // How is U.S. citizenship acquired? // · // What are my responsibilities as a citizen? // · // What are the character traits of a good citizen? //

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 * ** # ** || ** COS Objectives ** ||
 * 1 || Compare influences of ancient Greece, the Roman Republic, the Judeo-Christian tradition, the Magna Carta, federalism, the Mayflower Compact, the English Bill of Rights, the House of Burgesses, and the Petition of Rights on the government of the United States.
 * 2 || Explain essential characteristics of the political system of the United States, including the organization and functions of political parties and the process of selecting political leaders.

Describing the influence of John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Paine, Niccolò Machiavelli, and Charles de Montesquieu, and Voltaire on the political system of the United States. || Examples: individual—respect for rights of others, self-discipline, · negotiation, compromise, fiscal responsibility · civic—respect for law, patriotism, participation in political · process, fiscal responsibility · Differentiating rights, privileges, duties, and responsibilities between citizens and noncitizens · Explaining how United States citizenship is acquired by immigrants · Explaining character traits that are beneficial to individuals and society Examples: honesty, courage, compassion, civility, loyalty || -Defend how the United States can be improved by individual and collective participation in civic and community activities. Identifying options for civic and community action Examples: investigating the feasibility of a specific solution to a traffic problem, developing a plan for construction of a subdivision, using maps to make and justify decisions about best locations for public facilities -Determining ways to participate in the political process Examples: voting, running for office, serving on a jury, writing letters, being involved in political parties and political campaigns || = = = = = = = = = = = Unit 2- The Three Branches of Government on Local, State, and National Levels = Essential Questions: · // How does a structure of a government affect its people? // · // How can a governmental system work effectively when it disperses power among levels and branches of government? // · // How does a government maintain balance between an individual’s liberties and the public interest? //
 * 10 || Identify individual and civic responsibilities of citizens of the United States.
 * 12 || The new COS 12 is the same as the old COS 13

Unit Questions: · // What rights are guaranteed by the Constitution? // · // What are the limits on our rights? // · // How does the Bill of Rights protect against abuse of power? // · // How are our rights obtained and secured? // · // How do laws bring order to our lives and protect our rights? // · // What are the different types of laws? // · // What is meant by due process of law? // · // How do the laws apply to me? //

// (OMITED: Explaining the historical background of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901 and its impact on state and local government Example: lack of home rule ) // · Describing how local and state governments are funded || · // (Identifying) // Locating political and geographic districts at the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Alabama’s local and state governments and of the national government · Describing the organization and jurisdiction of courts at the local, state, and national levels within the judicial system of the United States · Explaining concepts of separation of powers and checks and balances among the three branches of state and national governments. || · Explaining rights of citizens as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights under the Constitution of the United States · Explaining what is meant by the term rule of law · Justifying consequences //of (breaking the law)// committing a civil or criminal offense · Contrasting juvenile and adult laws at local, state, and federal levels || Identify contemporary American issues since 2001, including the establishment of the United States Department of Homeland Security, the enactment of the Patriot Act of 2001, and the impact of media analysis. ||
 * ** # ** || ** COS Objectives ** ||
 * 4 || Describe structures of state and local governments in the United States, including major Alabama offices and officeholders.
 * 5 || Compare duties and functions of members of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Alabama’s local and state governments and of the national government.
 * 6 || Explain the importance of juvenile, adult, civil, and criminal laws within the judicial system of the United States.
 * 13 || The new COS 12 is similar to the old COS 13

= = = Unit 3- National and Personal Economics = Essential Questions: · // What is an economic system? // · // How does an economic system function and change over time? //

· // How are decisions made regarding the use and distribution of scarce resources? // · // What is supply and demand //// ? // · // How do the laws of supply and demand determine price and production? // · // What is the role of the consumer in making those decisions? // · // How do individuals make decisions regarding money management? // · Using economic concepts to explain historical and current developments and issues in global, national, or local contexts Example: increase in oil prices resulting from supply and demand · // (Analyzing the location of urban areas to determine how they are linked through the flow of populations, goods, and services ) // · Analyzing agriculture, tourism, and urban growth in Alabama for their impact on economic development || · Describing effects of government policies on the free market · Identifying laws protecting rights of consumers and avenues of recourse when those rights are violated · Comparing economic systems, including market, command, and traditional || || Examples: social—family values, peer pressure, education opportunities, women in the workplace economic—career opportunities, disposable income, change in consumption of goods and services · Determining benefits of Alabama’s role in world trade ||
 * UNIT Questions **
 * ** # ** || ** COS Objectives ** ||
 * 7 || Determine how people organize economic systems to address basic economic questions regarding which goods and services will be produced, how they will be distributed, and who will consume them.
 * 8 || Appraise the relationship between the consumer and the marketplace in the economy of the United States regarding scarcity, opportunity cost, trade-off decision making, and the stock market.
 * 9 || Apply principles of money management to the preparation of a personal budget that addresses housing, transportation, food, clothing, medical expenses, insurance, checking and savings accounts, loans, investments, credit, and comparison shopping.
 * 11 || Compare changes in social and economic conditions in the United States during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

= Unit 4- Comparing Governments = Essential Questions: · // Why do countries throughout the world develop different forms of government? // · // How does the American distribution of power compare to other forms of government around the world? // UNIT Questions · // What are the different forms of government? // · // How does each compare to the U.S. government? //

|| Essential Questions: · // How do historical and current events impact individuals and nations? // // Describe the conflict, cooperation, and interdependence of groups, societies, and nations using past and current events. // // Examples: Israeli-Palestinian conflict, conflict between India and Pakistan over Kashmir // // Tracing the political and social impact of the modern Civil Rights Movement from 1954 to the present, including Alabama’s role // ||
 * ** # ** || ** COS Objectives ** ||
 * 3 || Compare the government of the United States with other governmental systems, including monarchy, limited monarchy, oligarchy, dictatorship, theocracy, and pure democracy.
 * Continuing Unit – Current Event Exploration **
 * ** # ** || ** COS Objectives ** ||
 * // 12 // || // This objective was completely omitted! //