LESSON PLAN
INSTRUCTOR(S): Mr. Severin
COURSE: Participation in Government / Civics
UNIT NAME: Civic Participation and Public Policy
DATE: January 18, 2017
UNIT/ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
How do citizens influence government policy?
FOCUS QUESTION (PROBLEM)/OBJECTIVE:
Why is codeswitching important when writing information to a formal
audience?
At the end of this lesson, students will KNOW the following content:
How to edit and revise their writing, what is codeswitching, how to use
transition words and the 5W’s to expand a paragraph and make things clearer
to the reader.
At the end of this lesson, students will BE ABLE TO perform the following
skills: Create, edit and revise articles that will go into a group newspaper based
on a theme including an argumentative essay.
At the end of this lesson, students will THINK ABOUT:
Theme(s): Individual Development and Cultural Identity; Time, Continuity
and Change
Questions Based on Theme: How has the media influence the lives of
Americans? How can you use the media as a tool for change and/or
information?
Vocabulary
Content Vocabulary: codeswitching, transition words,
argumentative essay
PROCEDURE:
Bridge/Connect
Do Now:
1. What are transition words and phrases and how can they
be used to improve the writing of an essay?
2. How can the five W’s help you write a better paragraph?
3. Closed-End Question(s) on Previous lessons/prior
knowledge to help students draw analogies and make
mental models:
Opened-Question(s) on Previous lessons/prior knowledge to
help students draw analogies and make mental models:
 What are some challenges that your group is facing?
MINI-LESSON
Pose the Focus Question (Problem): Why is codeswitching
important when writing information to a formal
audience?Questions to be asked about the focus question
(problem):
How can we find out the answer?
Would______put the question differently?
Is the question clear? Do we understand it?
Does this question ask us to evaluate something?
Can we break this question down at all?
Why is this question important?
Do we need facts to answer that?
Skill(s) Needed to Solve Focus Question (Problem):
Use transition words and phrases, an essay outline and the five
W’s will be reviewed with the class
When to use the skill(s):
When writing a formal piece
When not to use the skill(s): N/A
Steps/Strategies involved in completing the skill:
Students will be an example of a paragraph to revise and edit
and the skills needed to do so will be explained.
ACTIVITY
Content specific resources/primary document needed to
answer focus questions:
Take the time to finish creating your outlines and essay drafts
from the outlines.
If you are finished with this part, then use the checklist
provided to proof read and revise your group essay.
Remember, every article mentioned must have the authors
name written at the beginning with the title!
Ways in which students will practice the strategies involved in
the skill(s) on the resources/primary documents:
Students will interpret political cartoons, annotate, answer
questions and synthesize information from sources to answer
the focus question.
Cooperative Learning Activity Used:
Think-Pair-Share - Involves a three step cooperative structure. During the
first step students work silently and individually on the focus question posed
by the instructor. Individuals pair up during the second step and
exchange thoughts. In the third step, the pairs share their responses with
other pairs, other teams, or the entire group.
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Differentiated
Instruction
Summary/
Assessment
Walk around room asking critical thinking questions of
groups and students to support students while they are
learning the strategies.
Give students feedback on their answers.
Let students explain what they understood from their
reading and ask why they gave the answer(s) they did.
Ways in which the activity will be differentiated to meet the
needs of a range of learners?
Students have a choice of article that they can place in their
group newspapers, students will also be given an outline for
the argumentative essay and it can be completed as a group
with each member of the group completing a paragraph.
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Call on students and/or groups to share their work with
the class. Let students explain what they understood
from their reading and ask why they gave the answers
they did.
Debrief with students. Instruction is more effective if
students are taught to monitor whether or not the
strategy is working for them. Ask students how applying
the skill(s) helped them learn about and answer the
document(s).
Asked students what skills learned during the minilesson where applied to their pair and/or group work.
Ask students to verbally summarize findings
Ask focus question
Pose the essential question and ask students how the
focus question helps you answer the essential question
Ask students to relate the focus question and the
essential question to the theme(s)
How does the theme(s) relate to content already covered?
Students will present their completed outlines and/or
essay drafts to the class for suggestions.
Write down what you have learned from today’s lesson
about writing outlines and drafts.
Write a sentence with the term outline, codeswitching or
revising using the three known conjunctions.
HOMEWORK: Revise your essay if necessary using codeswitching and the sentence
frames provided.
MATERIALS:
Copy of slides, smartboard, computer, pencils, pens and primary reading material
Common Core Learning Standards
Reading:
1.
2.
3.
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary
sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of
the text as a whole.
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source;
provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key
details and ideas.
Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which
explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text
leaves matters uncertain.
Writing:
1.
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
REGENTS CONNECTIONS:
Freedom of press and speech has been a key feature of U.S. democracy
Instructional Next Steps: Students will present and share their newspapers with the
class.
How to Bridge and Connect (Transfer) Strategies and Skills to Various Problems
1. Teach strategies involved in skills in multiple context to solve problems. For example, if
students are learning proofreading, they can proofread a class flyer, a newsletter, a
business memo or resume cover letter, and so on. Another approach is to identify all of
the situations where students could use the skill and teach them specifically how to use it
in that context.
2. Teach students that they are applying skills that they already have. Teaching skills in
multiple contexts may help this problem. A student who learns how to use a dictionary to
look up unknown words in science and literature and social studies is likely to think that a
dictionary may also be helpful for an unknown word in a writing class.
3. Teach in what situations to use the strategies (steps) in a skill to solve a problem.
4. Teach through themes (a theme is a reoccurring concept or main idea). By recognizing
these themes/patterns, students will better understand events of the past and be able to
understand how it affects life today.
World War II
Germany
Hitler
Czechoslovakia
Gulf War
Iraq
Saddam
Kuwait
Role
Aggressor nation
Dictator
Innocent country invaded
by aggressor
5. One way to teach for transfer is to use analogies like this and explain to students what
makes the two situations the same. Different analogies can explain different aspects of a
problem. For example, to explain electricity, some teachers use the analogy of water in
pipes and some use the analogy of cars moving in a road. Less water moves through a
small pipe, just like less current moves through a small wire. Fewer cars can get through
a narrow road. The smallness of the pipe causes the reduction in flow. The narrowness of
the road causes the drop in the number of cars getting through. Students who learned the
water analogy did better on electricity questions about batteries (and worse on questions
about resistors). Students who learned the cars analogy did better on electricity questions
about resistors (and worse on questions about batteries).
Electricity
Electrons
Resistor
Resistance
Current
6.
7.
8.
9.
Water
Water
Narrowed pipe
Pipe narrowness
Water flow
Driving
Cars
Narrowed road
Road narrowness
Cars getting through
Students seem to learn better when they see many analogies, especially if the analogies
are different from each other, such as the water and car analogies above. Students start to
see which parts of the situation are important and which ones are just surface differences.
Teach students to organize the information they are learning and to integrate it with what
they already know will help them understand the information more.
Teach with examples rather than through explanations. Use many worked-out example
problems and help students see what they have in common. Sample problems work
particularly well for students who are beginners on a particular skill. As mentioned
earlier, school learning tends to use explanations and rules, but when children learn from
their parents, they tend to learn from examples, which clearly is an effective way to learn
and teach.
Teach students that learning is about understanding (as in checks and balances not just
the definition but the process). Experts, on the other hand, tend to have very wellconnected knowledge (not just more knowledge).
In order to transfer learning, students have to have a very good understanding of the
subject they are transferring from. For example, before asking students to use World
War I to understand World War II, make sure they understand World War I. It is not,
however, necessary to master all aspects of the fundamentals in a subject area before you
can do any transfer. For example, as soon as students can understand a passage, you can
have a discussion about what it means. They do not have to become expert decoders
before you can ever work on comprehension. Active learning, lots of practice, learning
for understanding, feedback, and well organized texts can help students build a solid
foundation.
Creating Mental Models
1. A mental model is a kind of shorthand for experience (or a stereotype of it).
Experts' mental models are better organized than beginners'. Beginners' mental models
tend to be jumbled, even if they have the same information. Experts also have
knowledge about when to use a mental model. For example, there is a difference between
knowing how to add two fractions and knowing when to add two fractions. Knowing
when to use information makes the link between “school learning” and “real life.”
Note: Use the information below to check off skills that will be broken down into steps
during the mini- lesson and applied by students during the independent activity.
SOCIAL STUDIES PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES (SKILLS)
Comprehension Skills
 making connections
 comparing and contrasting ideas
 identifying cause and effect
 drawing inferences and making conclusions
 paraphrasing; evaluating content
 distinguishing fact and opinion
 finding and solving multiple-step problems
 decision making
 handling/understanding different interpretations
Research and Writing Skills
 getting information; using various note-taking strategies
 organizing information
 identifying and using primary and secondary sources
 reading and understanding textbooks; looking for patterns
 interpreting information
 applying, analyzing and synthesizing information
 supporting a position with relevant facts and documents
 understanding importance
 creating a bibliography and webography
Interpersonal and Group Relation Skills
 defining terms; identifying basic assumptions
 identifying values conflicts
 recognizing and avoiding stereotypes
 recognizing different points of view; developing empathy and understanding
 participating in group planning and discussion
 cooperating to accomplish goals
 assuming responsibility for carrying out tasks
Sequencing and Chronology Skills
 using the vocabulary of time and chronology
 placing events in chronological order
 sequencing major events on a timeline; reading timelines
 creating timelines; researching time and chronology
 understanding the concepts of time, continuity, and change
 using sequence and order to plan and accomplish tasks
Map and Globe Skills
 reading maps, legends, symbols, and scales
 using a compass rose, grids, time zones; using mapping tools
 comparing maps and making inferences; understanding distance
 interpreting and analyzing different kinds of maps; creating maps
Graph and Image
 decoding images (graphs, cartoons, paintings, photographs)
 interpreting charts and graphs
Analysis Skills
 interpreting graphs and other images
 drawing conclusions and making predictions
 creating self-directed projects and participating in exhibitions
 presenting a persuasive argument
Note: Use the information below to create a scaffolding worksheet to help students answer
questions on different documents.
POSSIBLE SCAFFOLDING QUESTIONS FOR DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS
Photograph
· What are its physical characteristics?
· What was the photographer trying to capture?
· What choices are self-evident?
· What is the most salient image?
· What is the least salient image?
· What mood does the photograph communicate?
· Is this an effective piece of work? Why or why not?
Song/Poem
· Who was this written for?
· What is the central message?
· What is the mood that it conveys?
· Could it have been used as propaganda?
· Does the wording have any symbolic or hidden meaning?
Document
· What kind of document is this?
· Where was it written?
By whom?
· For whom?
· What is its purpose?
· Is there an apparent bias?
· What is its central message?
Artifact
· What is it made of?
· How was it done?
· How old is it?
· What was/is used for?
· Who would use it?
· What is its value?
· What does it show about its creator/user?
· What does it look like that we have today?
Map
· When was it done?
· By whom?
· What kind of map is it?
· What key symbols does it use?
· What does it reveal?
· Why was it drawn?
· How does it help you understand more about a place, region, area?
Poster
· What is its purpose?
· Who produced it?
· Who is the intended audience?
· What symbols does it use?
· Does it rely primarily on verbal or visual messages?
· What does the author hope the audience will do?
· Is it persuasive? Why or why not?
Oral history
· Who was interviewed? Why?
· What makes this person noteworthy?
· What are the key points of the interview?
· What does the interview reveal about the historical
period?
· What person during the same period could provide a
different perspective?
Cartoon
· Who drew it?
· What are the primary objects and characters'
· What does each object and character represent?
· What issue(s) does it address?
· What makes it persuasive?
· Who is the intended audience?
· What is the intended purpose?
· What does the cartoonist believe?
· Who would disagree with this message? Why?
All sources
· Who wrote or created the document?
· Was the author a direct witness of the event?
· What makes the author credible? Reliable?
· What is the point of view, perspective, or bias of the
author?
· How would we test the authenticity of the document?
DBQ DOCUMENTS TYPES AND PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
Informational Graphics are visuals, such as maps, charts, tables, graphs and timelines that
give you facts at a glance. Each type of graphic has its own purpose. Being able to read
informational graphics can help you to see a lot of information in a visual form.
Maps and charts from the past allow us to see what the world was like in a different
time. Using maps can provide clues to place an event within its proper historical
context. The different parts of a map, such as the map key, compass rose and scale help
you to analyze colors, symbols, distances and direction on the map.
Decide what kind of map you are studying:
raised relief map
topographic map
political map
contour-line map
natural resource map
military map
bird’s-eye view map
satellite photograph
pictograph
weather map
Examine the physical qualities of the map.
 Is the map handwritten or printed?
 What dates, if any, are on the map?
 Are there any notations on the map? What are they?
 Is the name of the mapmaker on the map? Who is it?
 All of these clues will help you keep the map within its historical context.
 Read the title to determine the subject, purpose, and date.
 Read the map key to identify what the symbols and colors stand for.
 Look at the map scale to see how distances on the map relate to real distances.
 Read all the text and labels.
 Why was the map drawn or created?
 Does the information on this map support or contradict information that you have
read about this event? Explain.
 Write a question to the mapmaker that is left unanswered by this map.
Tables show numerical data and statistics in labeled rows and columns. The data are
called variables because their values can vary. To interpret or complete a table:
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Read the title to learn the table’s general subject.
Then read the column and row labels to determine what the variables in the table
represent.
Compare data by looking along a row or column.
If asked, fill in any missing variables by looking for patterns in the data.
Graphs, like tables, show relationships involving variables. Graphs come in a wide
range of formats, including pie graphs, bar graphs and line graphs. To interpret or
complete a graph:
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Read the title to find out what the graph shows.
Next, read the labels of the graph’s axes or sectors to determine what the
variables represent.
Then notice what changes or relationships the graph shows.
Some graphs and tables include notes telling the sources of the data used.
Knowing the source of the data can help you to evaluate the graph.
Timelines show the order of events as well as eras and trends. A timeline is divided
into segments, each representing a certain span of time. Events are entered in
chronological order along the line. Take into account not only the dates and the order of
events but also the types of events listed. You may find that events of one type, such as
wars and political elections, appear above the line, while events of another type, such as
scientific discoveries and cultural events appear below it.
Written Documents
Most documents you will work with are textual documents:
newspapers
speeches
reports
magazines
memorandums
advertisements
letters
maps
congressional records
diaries
telegrams
census reports
Once you have identified the type of document with which you are working, you will need to
place it within its proper historical context. Look for the format of the document (typed or
handwritten), the letterhead, language used on the document, seals, notations or date stamps.
To interpret a written document:
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What kind of document is this?
What is the date of the document?
Who is the author (or creator) of the document?
For what audience was the document written?
What was the purpose or goal of the document? Why was it written?
List two things from the document that tell about life at the time it was written.
Write a question to the author that is left unanswered by the document.
Tell how the document reflects what is going on during this period.
Firsthand Account
A firsthand account is when someone who lives in a particular time writes about his/her own
experience of an event. Some examples of firsthand accounts are diaries, telegrams, and letters.
Firsthand accounts help us learn about people and events from the past and help us understand
how events were experienced by the people involved. Many people can see the same event, but
their retelling of the event may be different. Learning about the same event from different
sources helps us to understand history more fully.
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Identify the title and the author. What do you think the title means?
Use the title and details from the account to identify the main idea.
Read the account a few times. Determine the setting (time and place) of the account.
Determine the author’s position, job, or role in the event. What is his opinion of the
event?
Cartoons
What do you think is the cartoonist’s opinion? You can use political cartoons and cartoon strips
to study history. They are drawn in a funny or humorous way. Political cartoons are usually
about government or politics. They often comment on a person or event in the news. Political
cartoons give an opinion, or belief, about a current issue. They sometimes use caricatures to
exaggerate a person or thing in order to express a point of view. Like editorials, political
cartoons try to persuade people to see things in a certain way. Being able to analyze a political
cartoon will help you to better understand different points of view about issues during a
particular time period.
 Pay attention to every detail of the drawing. Find symbols in the cartoon. What does
each symbol stand for?
 Who is the main character? What is he doing?
 What is the main idea of the cartoon?
 Read the words in the cartoon. Which words or phrases in the cartoon appear to be
most significant, and why?
 Read the caption, or brief description of the picture. It helps place the cartoon in a
historical context.
 List some adjectives that describe the emotions or values portrayed or depicted in the
cartoon.
Posters and Advertisements
Posters and advertisements are an interesting way to learn about the past. Many
advertisements are printed as posters. They are written or created to convince people to do
something. By looking at posters, we can understand what was important during different
times in history. An advertisement is a way to try to sell something. Historical advertisements
provide information about events or products. By reading these advertisements, you can learn
many things about what people were doing or buying many years ago. Be sure to include
representations and or depictions of diverse groups of people in culturally appropriate ways.
Generally, effective posters use symbols that are unusual, simple, and direct. When studying a
poster, examine the impact it makes.
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Look at the artwork. What does it show?
Observe and list the main colors used in the poster.
Determine what symbols, if any, are used in the poster.
Are the symbols clear (easy to interpret), memorable, and/or dramatic?
Explore the message in the poster. Is it primarily visual, verbal, or both?
Determine the creator of the poster. Is the source of the poster a government agency,
a non-profit organization, a special interest group, or a for-profit company?
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Define the intended audience for the poster and what response the creator of the
poster was hoping to achieve.
Read the caption. It provides historical context.
What purpose does the poster serve?
Pay attention to every detail in the advertisement. Look for answers to: Who? What?
When?
Where? and Why?
Determine the main idea of the advertisement by reading all slogans, or phrases, and
by studying the artwork.
What is the poster/advertisement about?
When is it happening?
Where is it happening?
Who is the intended audience? Identify the people who the advertisement is intended
to reach.
Why is it being advertised?
Describe how the poster reflects what was happening in history at that time.
Note: Select from the following cooperative learning activities to be used during student
independent work.
COOPERATIVE LEARNING ACTIVITIES
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Numbered Heads Together - A team of four is established. Each member is given
numbers of 1, 2, 3, 4. Questions are asked of the group. Groups work together to
answer the focus question so that all can verbally answer the question. Teacher calls out a
number (two) and each two is asked to give the answer.
Jigsaw - Groups are set up. Each group member is assigned some unique material to
learn and then to teach to his group members that will help to answer the focus
question. To help in the learning students across the class working on the same subsection get together to decide what is important and how to teach it. After practice in
these "expert" groups the original groups reform and students teach each other.
Think-Pair-Share - Involves a three step cooperative structure. During the first step
students work silently and individually on the focus question posed by the instructor.
Individuals pair up during the second step and exchange thoughts. In the third step,
the pairs share their responses with other pairs, other teams, or the entire group.
Gallery Walk - students explore multiple texts or images that are placed around the
room. The students should be given an assignment to complete as they walk around the
room looking at each object that helps to answer the focus question. Teachers often use
this strategy as a way to have students examine multiple perspectives on historical
events. Because this strategy requires students to physically move around the room, it
can be especially engaging to kinesthetic learners.
Three Stay, One Stray - Groups are given a problem to solve that relates to the focus
question and are told to make sure that everyone in the group understands the solution
that the group has come up with. Then one member of each group is selected to "stray"
by going to the next group. At the new group, the designated student briefs the three who
have remained on the findings of the student's original group. Each group, in other
words, learns the findings of another group and has its findings reported to another
group. It is important that students who will be reporting out not know who they are until
the last minute, so that each member of the group must be ready to represent the groups
position.
Note: The questions below can be used at anytime during the lesson.
QUESTIONS THAT SUPPORT CRITICAL THINKING
To prepare students to explore and discuss multiple perspectives, teachers could use
questions such as the following ones:
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Questions about the question
How can we find out?
Would______put the question differently?
Is the question clear?
Do we understand it?
Does this question ask us to evaluate something?
Can we break this question down at all?
Why is this question important?
Do we need facts to answer that?
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Questions that seek clarification
What do you mean by...?
Could you explain that further?
Could you give me an example?
What is your main point?
Why do you say that?
Would you say more about that?
How does_____relate to_____?
Could you put that another way?
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Questions that probe assumptions
What are you assuming?
What could we assume instead?
Is this always the case?
Why do you think the assumptions holds here?
Why have you based your reasoning on_____rather than_____?
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Questions that probe reasons, evidence, and causes?
What are your reasons for saying that?
What other reasons do we need to know?
What do you think the cause is?
Are those reasons adequate?
How could we go about finding if that is true?
How do you know?
What would convince you otherwise?
Is that good evidence for believing that?
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Questions about viewpoints or perspectives
What would someone who disagrees say?
What is an alternative?
How could you answer the objection that_____?
Can/did someone else see it another way?
You seem to be approaching this issue from_____perspective. Why have you
chosen this rather than_____perspective?
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Questions that probe implications and consequences
When you say_____, are you implying?
If that happened, what else would happen as a result? Why? What effect would
that have?
Would that necessarily happen or only probably happen?
Note: The differentiating instruction strategies below can be picked from as ways to
differentiate the activity.
DIFFERENTIATING INSTRUCTION STRATEGIES
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Adjusting Questions - teachers direct the higher level questions to the students who can
handle them and adjust questions accordingly for student with greater needs. Questions
are targeted towards the student’s ability or readiness level.
Enrichment for Accelerated Students - Students who demonstrate mastery of
content/activity move on to tiered problem solving activities while others receive
instruction.
Peer Teaching - selected student(s) could be designated as the "resident expert" for that
concept or skill and can get valuable practice by being given the opportunity to re-teach
the concept to peers
Include Visuals such as graphs, charts and maps
Graphic Organizer
Writing Prompts to Learn Skills From Documents/Resources
Reading Buddies
Student Centered Activity
Student Raised Questions
Preview Vocabulary
Include Multiple Perspectives on the Topic
Allow student accountable talk
Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies 6–12
The standards below begin at grade 6; standards for K–5 reading in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects
are integrated into the K–5 Reading standards. The CCR anchor standards and high school standards in literacy work in
tandem to define college and career readiness expectations—the former providing broad standards, the latter providing
additional specificity.
Grades 9–10 students:
Grades 11–12 students:
1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of
1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of
2. Determine the central ideas or information of a
2.
3.
3. Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and
primary and secondary sources, attending to such
features as the date and origin of the information.
primary or secondary source; provide an accurate
summary of how key events or ideas develop over the
course of the text.
Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text;
determine whether earlier events caused later ones or
simply preceded them.
primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained
from specific details to an understanding of the text as a
whole.
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or
secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes
clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
determine which explanation best accords with textual
evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves matters
uncertain.
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are
5. Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key
5. Analyze in detail how a complex primary source is
6. Compare the point of view of two or more authors for
6. Evaluate authors’ differing points of view on the same
7.
7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information
are used in a text, including vocabulary describing
political, social, or economic aspects of history/social
studies.
points or advance an explanation or analysis.
how they treat the same or similar topics, including
which details they include and emphasize in their
respective accounts.
Integrate quantitative or technical analysis (e.g.,
charts, research data) with qualitative analysis in print
or digital text.
used in a text, including analyzing how an author uses and
refines the meaning of a key term over the course of a text
(e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
structured, including how key sentences, paragraphs, and
larger portions of the text contribute to the whole.
historical event or issue by assessing the authors’ claims,
reasoning, and evidence.
presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually,
quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a
question or solve a problem.
Evaluate an author’s premises, claims, and evidence by
corroborating or challenging them with other information.
8. Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence
8.
9. Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in
9. Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary
10. By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend
10. By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend
in a text support the author’s claims.
several primary and secondary sources.
history/social studies texts in the grades 9–10 text
complexity band independently and proficiently.
and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or
event, noting discrepancies among sources.
history/social studies texts in the grades 11-CCR text
complexity band independently and proficiently.
Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical
Subjects 6–12
The standards below begin at grade 6; standards for K–5 writing in history/social studies, science, and technical
subjects are integrated into the K–5 Writing standards. The CCR anchor standards and high school standards in
literacy work in tandem to define college and career readiness expectations—the former providing broad standards,
the latter providing additional specificity.
Grades 9–10 students:
1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the
claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and
create an organization that establishes clear
relationships among the claim(s), counterclaims,
reasons, and evidence.
Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly,
supplying data and evidence for each while
pointing out the strengths and limitations of both
claim(s) and counterclaims in a disciplineappropriate form and in a manner that anticipates
the audience’s knowledge level and concerns.
Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major
sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify
the relationships between claim(s) and reasons,
between reasons and evidence, and between
claim(s) and counterclaims.
Establish and maintain a formal style and
objective tone while attending to the norms and
conventions of the discipline in which they are
writing.
Provide a concluding statement or section that
follows from or supports the argument
presented.
Grades 11–12 students:
1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish
the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the
claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create
an organization that logically sequences the claim(s),
counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and
thoroughly, supplying the most relevant data and
evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and
limitations of both claim(s) and counterclaims in a
discipline-appropriate form that anticipates the
audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and
possible biases.
Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied
syntax to link the major sections of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the relationships between
claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence,
and between claim(s) and counterclaims.
Establish and maintain a formal style and objective
tone while attending to the norms and conventions of
the discipline in which they are writing.
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows
from or supports the argument presented.
Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects 6–12
Grades 9–10 students:
2.
a.
Write informative/explanatory texts, including the
narration of historical events, scientific procedures/
experiments, or technical processes.
a. Introduce a topic and organize ideas, concepts,
and information to make important connections
and distinctions; include formatting (e.g.,
headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and
multimedia when useful to aiding
comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant,
and sufficient facts, extended definitions,
concrete details, quotations, or other information
and examples appropriate to the audience’s
knowledge of the topic.
c. Use varied transitions and sentence structures to
link the major sections of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the relationships among
ideas and concepts.
d. Use precise language and domain-specific
vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic
and convey a style appropriate to the discipline
and context as well as to the expertise of likely
readers.
e. Establish and maintain a formal style and
objective tone while attending to the norms and
conventions of the discipline in which they are
writing.
f. Provide a concluding statement or section that
follows from and supports the information or
explanation presented (e.g., articulating
implications or the significance of the topic).
(See note; not applicable as a separate requirement)
Grades 11–12 students:
2.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Write informative/explanatory texts, including the
narration of historical events, scientific procedures/
experiments, or technical processes.
Introduce a topic and organize complex ideas,
concepts, and information so that each new element
builds on that which precedes it to create a unified
whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics
(e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to
aiding comprehension.
Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most
significant and relevant facts, extended definitions,
concrete details, quotations, or other information and
examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of
the topic.
Use varied transitions and sentence structures to link
the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and
clarify the relationships among complex ideas and
concepts.
Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary and
techniques such as metaphor, simile, and analogy to
manage the complexity of the topic; convey a
knowledgeable stance in a style that responds to the
discipline and context as well as to the expertise of
likely readers.
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows
from and supports the information or explanation
provided (e.g., articulating implications or the
significance of the topic).
3. (See note; not applicable as a separate requirement)
Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects 6–12
Grades 9–10 students:
Grades 11–12 students:
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development, organization, and style are appropriate
to task, purpose, and audience.
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development, organization, and style are appropriate to
task, purpose, and audience.
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning,
revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach,
focusing on addressing what is most significant for a
specific purpose and audience.
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning,
revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach,
focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific
purpose and audience.
6.
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce,
publish, and update individual or shared writing
products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to
link to other information and to display information
flexibly and dynamically.
6.
7.
Conduct short as well as more sustained research
projects to answer a question (including a selfgenerated question) or solve a problem; narrow or
broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize
multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under investigation.
7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects
to answer a question (including a self-generated question)
or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when
appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject,
demonstrating understanding of the subject under
investigation.
8.
Gather relevant information from multiple
authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced
searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each
source in answering the research question; integrate
information into the text selectively to maintain the
flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a
standard format for citation.
8.
9.
Draw evidence from informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
9. Draw evidence from informational texts to support
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for
reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a
single sitting or a day or two) for a range of disciplinespecific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce,
publish, and update individual or shared writing products
in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments
or information.
Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative
print and digital sources, using advanced searches
effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each
source in terms of the specific task, purpose, and audience;
integrate information into the text selectively to maintain
the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on
any one source and following a standard format for
citation.
analysis, reflection, and research.
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for
reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single
sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific
tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Unit 1 – Creating a New Nation
How did developments in politics, social life, religion, and the economy laid the foundation for
the United States?
Chapter 1 Essential Question:
Day(s)
1
Topic: North America Before Columbus
Focus Question: How did regional geography affect the development of Native
American cultures? (Customs and traditions of
the various Native American culture groups were
affected by the environment in which they lived.
Differences in landforms and climate created differences
in the types of food people ate, what
they wore, and the style of home in which they
lived.)
2
3
4
5
Topic: Europe Begins to Explore
Focus Question: How did advancements during the Renaissance lead to
European exploration? (Revenue from increased trade
and the creation of strong states, along with new
technologies in navigation and shipping facilitated
exploration.)
Topic: Founding the Thirteen Colonies
Focus Question: What were the main
causes of English settlement in North
America? (The English began to colonize
North America to compete with their
Spanish rivals to gain wealth and territory, to
escape religious persecution, and because of
the enclosure of lands in England.)
Economics, Trade, and Rebellion
Focus Question: How did development
of the English colonies form distinct
regions? (The colonies developed
based on their geography and economies.
The South had a structured society based on
cash-crop agriculture. The Middle Colonies
had cities, industry, and good soil for farming.
People in New England farmed their
own land or worked in shipping or related
trades.)
A Diverse Society
Focus Question: What contributed to
the diversity of the 13 English colonies?
(Enormous rates of immigration and the
forced emigration of enslaved Africans,
different occupations and religions as well
as new ideas and movements contributed
to the cultural diversity of the 13 English
colonies.)
Chapter 2 Essential Question: Why do people rebel?
6
The Colonies Fight for Their Rights
Focus Question: How did the relationship
between Britain and its colonies begin to
disintegrate after the mid-1700s? (The French
and Indian War led Britain to establish several
rounds of economic policies and new taxes that
angered many colonists, leading to unrest.)
Point out that in Section 1 students will learn
how Britain’s renewed controls over the colonies
led to resistance and protests.
7
The Revolution Begins
Focus Question: What led to the
American Revolution and the establishment
of the United States? (A series of restrictions
and reprisals established by the British on their
American colonies led to increased tensions and
rebellion in 1775.) Explain that in Section 2,
students will learn how relations between
Britain and its colonies deteriorated, leading
to rebellion and the colonists’ formation of
their own government.
8
The War for Independence
Focus Question: How did the American
colonists win the war for independence
against Britain? (They persevered over a struggle
of several years, and through timely victories,
good leadership, and the support of powerful
allies.) Point out that in Section 3 students will
learn how the smaller and less-professional
colonial forces were able to win the American
Revolution against the more-powerful
British
9
The War Changes American Society
Focus Question: How did the Revolution
change society in America? (The experience of
the war and the Republican ideals on which it
was based led to an expansion of voting rights
and to greater freedoms for many Americans.)
Tell students that they will learn in Section 4
how American society was affected by the
experiences of and ideas that evolved during
the American Revolution.
Chapter 3 Essential Question – How are governments created?
10
The Confederation
Focus Question: What problems were
caused by the Articles of Confederation? (The
Articles created a Confederation Congress made
up of representatives from the states. The central
government was weak, and Congress had only
limited powers. For example, it could not impose
taxes or regulate trade. Each state was independent
and did not always follow the lead of other
states.) Point out that in Section 1 students will
learn about the first national constitution of
the United States.
11
A New Constitution
Focus Question: What new form of
government did the delegates to the
Constitutional Convention create? (They
created a system of checks and balances and
a balance of power between the states and
national government.) Point out that in Section
2 students will learn how the Framers of the
Constitution achieved their goal by making
compromises
12
Ratifying the Constitution
Focus Question: Why did some people
oppose ratification of the Constitution? (They
thought it gave the national government too much
power and worried that the states would lose their
independence. They also worried because it did not
contain a bill of rights to protect individual liberties.)
Point out that in Section 3 students will
learn about the issues debated by the states as
they considered ratifying the Constitution.
13
Principles of the Constitution
Focus Question: How does the Constitution protect our rights?
Content: The Constitution is designed to prevent any one branch from becoming too
powerful; also, the Bill of Rights and the other amendments protect our rights.
Objective: In this section students will learn about how the Constitution places
limits on the power of the federal (central) government.
Unit 2 – The Young Republic
What challenges faced the new nation as it came on the world stage?
Chapter 4 Essential Question: Why do people form political parties?
14
Essential Question: What key events
occurred during George Washington’s
presidency? (The Bill of Rights was passed, controversial
tariffs were enacted, the Bank of the
United States was established, and political
parties began to develop.) Point out that in
Section 1 students will learn about how
George Washington helped define the
new presidency.
15
Partisan Politics
Essential Question: How did trade with
other nations, westward expansion, and the
rise of political parties affect the new
nation? (The United States avoided war with its
trading partners France and Britain and acquired
land from Spain, more settlers began settling in
the Northwest Territory, and conflicts erupted
between the newly formed Federalist and
Democratic-Republican parties.) Point out that
in Section 2 students will learn about the growing pains of the new republic.
16
Jefferson in Office
Essential Question: What are the main legacies
of Jefferson’s administration? (the
Louisiana Purchase and subsequent exploration,
keeping the United States out of war with Britain
and France) Point out that in Section 3 students
will learn about how Thomas Jefferson
acquired land for westward expansion and
tried to contain international tensions.
17
The War of 1812
Essential Question: What issues sparked the
War of 1812? (British impressments of American
soldiers, trade issues with France and Britain, a
British-Native American alliance against the
United States in the Northwest Territory) Point
out that in Section 4 students will learn about
the causes of the War of 1812, strategies for
fighting, and the war’s outcome.
Chapter 5 Essential Question: Can economies shape politics?
18
American Nationalism
Focus Question: Nationalism affected
what three aspects of U.S. government?
(the economy, by giving the national bank power
over state banks; the judicial system, by giving
federal courts power over state courts; foreign
affairs, by seeking to expand U.S. borders) Point
out that in Section 1 students will learn that
nationalism strenghtened federal power. Ask
students if nationalism is dangerous to a country
made up of individual states.
19
Early Industry
Essential Question: What technologies
contributed to early industry in America?
(Possible answers: transportation: roads and
turnpikes, canals and steamboats, railroads and
trains; industry: factories, interchangeable parts,
cotton gin and telegraph) Point out that in
Section 2 students will learn about the technologies
that fueled and were a result of the
Industrial Revolution.
20
The Land of Cotton
Essential Question: What were the major industries of the South?
Content: The South depended on farming and cash crops, such as cotton, rice,
tobacco, and sugarcane.
Objective: Students will learn that the economy and society of the southern states
differed from the economy and society of the northern states. Discuss with students
the results of slavery on the southern economy and society. Ask
students how southern society differed from northern society.
21
Growing Sectionalism
Essential Question: How did the Missouri Compromise address growing
sectionalism?
Content: The Missouri Compromise sought to restore the balance of power in
Congress by admitting Missouri to the Union as a slave state.
Objective: students will learn about the issues that lead to sectional disputes over
slavery. Challenge students to activate prior knowledge about the effects of
nationalism and how it contributed to sectionalism.
Chapter 6 Essential Question: Can average citizens change society?
22
Jacksonian America
Focus Question: How did democracy expand in the United States during Andrew
Jackson’s presidency?
Content: Voting rights expanded, presidential candidates were selected in
conventions, Jackson supported the spoils system and destroyed the Second Bank of
the United States because he believed it was unconstitutional.
Objective: Students will learn how the nation’s political system became more
democratic in the early to mid-1800s.
23
A Changing Culture
Focus Question: What contributed to changes in American culture in the first half of
the nineteenth century?
Content: Large waves of immigrants from non-Protestant and non-English speaking
nations, the Second Great Awakening, and a cultural renaissance all contributed to
significant changes in American culture.
Objective: Students will learn how immigration, a new religious movement, and a
new creative period in the arts changed American culture in
the first half of the nineteenth century.
24
Reforming Society
Focus Question: What were some of the main areas of society targeted for reform in
the first half of the 1800s?
Content: (Answers include: temperance, mental illness, urban poverty, prisons,
education, and women’s rights.)
Objective: Students will learn how the ideals of the Second Great Awakening led to
reforms in so many areas of society.
25
The Abolitionist Movement
Essential Question: What were the effects of
the abolitionist movement on the relationship
between the North and the South?
(The abolitionist movement increased tensions
enormously between the North and the South,
particularly over the regional division of power
in Congress.) Tell students that they will learn in
Section 4 how the abolitionist movement in
the United States developed and its effects on
the nation’s society and politics.
Chapter 7 Essential Question: Why did people migrate west?
The Western Pioneers
Essential Question: How did the idea of
Manifest Destiny influence the settlement of
the West? (People felt that it was their Godgiven
right to settle western lands.) Point out
that in Section 1 students will learn about the
early settlement of the West.
The Hispanic Southwest
Essential Question: How did American settlement
of the Southwest cause tensions
with Mexico? (The Mexican borderlands drew
many settlers from the East. They resisted
Mexican authority by refusing to convert to
Catholicism. American influence in the area grew
quickly.) Point out that in Section 2 students
will learn about the settlement of the Mexican
borderlands.
Independence for Texas
Essential Question: How did Texas gain its
independence? (Texans rebelled against the
Mexican government, fought many battles, and
finally defeated Mexico at the Battle of San
Jacinto.) Point out that in Section 3 students
will learn about the Texas defeat of Mexican
forces and the formation of a new
republic.
The War with Mexico
Essential Question: What resulted from
the annexation of Texas and the war with
Mexico? (After defeating Mexico, annexing
Texas, and reaching an agreement with Britain
about the Oregon Territory, the United States
gained so much land that it stretched across the
entire continent.) Point out that in Section 4
students will learn about how the United
States was transformed by the war with
Mexico.