Prior to the implementation of this unit, students will complete an entry level assessment aligned to the end of unit assessment to gauge their prior knowledge of rights, responsibilities and duties.
Students will also complete a civic disposition pre-assessment measuring their understanding, demonstration and/or advocacy of civic dispositions targeted in the unit.
Students then submit their analytical writing piece to an appropriate newspaper, magazine, internet site or other form of media for publication.
Lesson 1
Lesson Essential Question:
- How do contemporary issues/societal problems illustrate how civic rights, responsibilities, duties and dispositions in the U.S. changed over time to assist in preserving American representative democracy and promoting the common good?
In this lesson the students will provide examples of civic rights, responsibilities and duties and explain how they promote the common good or preserve American representative democracy.
Students will select a topic related to democratic principles (authority, responsibility, liberty, security, freedom, justice and privacy) to help prepare for the end of unit assessment.
Students will identify issues within the selected topic, conduct research on the issue, and submit a writing proposal form. Civic dispositions targeted in this lesson are reflected in the student friendly learning targets.
Student Friendly Learning Target(s):
- I can demonstrate open mindedness, civility and negotiation and compromise to identify rights (personal, political, economic), responsibilities (personal and civic), and duties of individuals in the U.S. to promote the common good.
- I can demonstrate critical mindedness to explain and give examples of issues where conflict has existed between individuals.
- I can demonstrate critical mindedness and civility to work with a group to explain and give examples of issues in which the rights of an individual may, at times, be in conflict with the responsibility of the government to protect the common good.
- I can demonstrate critical mindedness to research and analyze how rights, responsibilities and duties have changed over time by synthesizing a variety of research from print and non-print sources from multiple perspectives on an identified issue.
RRD lesson 1 resources
Lesson 2
Lesson Essential Question:
- How do contemporary issues/societal problems illustrate how civic rights, responsibilities, duties, and dispositions in the U.S. changed over time to assist in preserving American representative democracy and promoting the common good?
In this lesson the students will provide examples of civic rights, responsibilities, and duties and explain how they promote the common good or preserve American representative democracy.
Students will also participate in a carousel brainstorming activity on civic dispositions.
Students will then select a topic related to democratic principles (authority, responsibility, liberty, security, freedom, justice, and privacy) to help prepare students for the end of unit assessment.
Students will identify issues within the selected topic and conduct research on the issue.
This lesson will focus on the importance of contributions from citizens/non-citizens in promoting American representative democratic society.
The focus of Day 3 is for students to develop a civic disposition by becoming proactive young citizens and realizing that they can contribute to their community and their contributions are important.
The focus of the lesson is to evaluate the impact citizens can have on the functioning of a democratic government by assuming responsibilities.
Civic dispositions targeted in this lesson are reflected in the student friendly learning targets.
Student Friendly Learning Target(s):
- I can demonstrate critical mindedness and persistence as I work with my group to analyze how democratic governments preserve and protect the rights and liberties of their constituents.
- I can analyze, using critical mindedness, how contributions by citizens/non-citizens sustain American representative democracy.
- I can demonstrate civic mindedness, negotiation and compromise and civility to classify and evaluate with a partner how I contribute to American representative democracy by creating an action plan.
- I can demonstrate courage and civic mindedness in sharing my action plan with my classmates and respect for the rights of other individuals, honesty, and critical mindedness as I evaluate my classmates’ action
RRD lesson 2 resources
Lesson 3
Targeted Lesson Essential Question:
- How do interested individuals and groups influence contemporary issues, societal problems, and preservation of a democracy? Students will begin this lesson by completing a graphic organizer about political influences.
Next, students will rotate among seven stations with information about the roles individuals, political parties, elections, media, special interest groups, lobbyists and PAC’s play in addressing issues.
On the second day, students will begin to research the roles that individuals, political parties, elections, media, special interest groups, lobbyists and PAC’s play with respect to their selected issue.
One the third day students will then use the research conducted on day two along with materials from previous lessons to write a draft of their analytical writing piece (end of unit assessment).
Students will begin this lesson by completing a graphic organizer about political influences. Next, students will rotate among seven stations with information about the roles individuals, political parties, elections, media, special interest groups, lobbyists and PACs play in addressing issues.
Students will conduct research about how each of the seven actors have influenced their chosen issue and will write a draft for the end of unit assessment.
Civic dispositions targeted in this lesson are reflected in the student friendly learning targets.
Student Friendly Learning Target(s):
- I can demonstrate critical mindedness and persistence as I examine and evaluate the roles that individuals, political parties, elections, media, special interest groups, PACs and lobbyists play in preserving a democracy.
- I can use my issue (identified in the previous lesson) to analyze, using critical mindedness, how individuals, political parties, elections, media, special interest groups, lobbyists and PACs have addressed contemporary issues and societal problems.
- I can demonstrate civility, open mindedness and negotiation and compromise as I work with a partner to evaluate how individuals, political parties, elections, media, special interest groups, lobbyists and PACs have impacted my issue
- I can demonstrate critical mindedness and persistence as I complete my analytical paper for the end of unit assessment.
Lesson 3 Resources