Welcome to Core! I am looking forward to teaching all of you during the rest of the year. We have so much to share together and to learn from one another. Below and in your course handouts you will find important information about our curriculum for Core-7. We will be picking up on the develoment of an ideal society that was begun in 6th grade Core, and continuing the 7th grade Core theme of the American experiment. What does a utopian society look like? How have the democratic ideas and ideals of the "pursuit of happiness" informed the development of the United States? Let's begin to find out... Syllabus 7th Grade Core Syllabus Picking up the thread about democracy and the development of an ideal society that was begun in 6th grade Core, the 7th grade Core program’s theme is America’s Experiment. Democratic ideas and ideals that were designed to safeguard individuals’ and society’s “pursuit of happiness” are the focus of our study of our nation’s Constitution and Bill of Rights. This theme is investigated through novels, short stories, a play, poetry, and non-fiction readings. Personal writing, research skills, and other study skills are used to think about and analyze uniquely American values and goals. Unit I: Utopias and Dystopias Summer Reading: The Giver by Lois Lowry and the short story, “Sinister Journey” by Conrad Richter; poetry 1. What are the goals of a utopia? Are these goals designed to promote the well being of individuals AND society? Is it possible to do both without compromising either? 2. What happens when a supposedly utopian society forgets its past? What is the role and importance of collective memory? What is the importance of individual liberties? 3. Why is The Giver a “banned book”? What does banning books imply about society’s and individual’s liberties and freedom? 4. How does a society develop and maintain national symbols? What different forms could these symbolic representations of the nation’s values take? Why are these important to the nation? Unit II: The American Revolution My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier, short stories, poetry, films 1. What are some of the reasons why many colonists in North America decided to separate from their Mother Country? What risks were these people taking in making this decision? Why did some colonists disagree? Were there other options? 2. What were the goals of the American Revolution? Was the American Revolution simply a war or was it a “revolution” in other areas of colonists’ lives? 3. What democratic values and democratic ideals were already being followed by American colonists before they decided to fight for independence? 4. Why is the Declaration of Independence a unique document in world history? What does this document tell us about the beliefs of those who were fighting for independence? Is this a utopian document? 5. What are the unique aspects of historical fiction? What knowledge does a reader use to understand historical fiction? How do the motivations and thoughts of historical fictional characters help readers understand aspects of actual historical events? Unit III: The American Experiment: The United States Constitution 1. What are the relationships among the ideas expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the ideas expressed in the Preamble to the United States Constitution? 2. How does the United States Constitution spell out the workings of our federal system of government? What compromises were made to create this document? 3. Is the United States Constitution a blueprint for a utopian society? Unit IV: The Bill of Rights Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee, poetry, films 1. Why was there a need for a Bill of Rights after the Constitution was written? What compromises led to these first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution? 2. How does the Bill of Rights safeguard individual freedom? 3. In the historically fictional play, Inherit the Wind, what individual liberties are being questioned? What are the similarities and differences between this play and the actual event upon which it is based? 4. What is the difference between “majority’s rule” and “minorities’ rights”? What are the ways in which these conflicts can be resolved? What if the conflicts cannot be resolved? What are the effects on society? 5. How have the Bill of Rights been applied to recent legal cases? Unit V: Testing the Values, Beliefs and Ideals of the American Constitutional System To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, poetry, films What happens when a minority’s rights comes into conflict with a community’s long-held beliefs and values? 1. What is the role of the legal system when minorities are not treated equally? 2. What is the genesis of prejudice? Can prejudice exist in a utopia? 3. What happens if there are different definitions of what would constitute a utopia within a society? Major Skills: Literary analysis, close reading, note taking and outlining, research skills, writing for different audiences, geography, managing long term assignments, writing critical essays, organization, listening skills, critical reading, critical thinking, computer skills, synthesizing information, using statistical data and primary sources, self-evaluation of academic progress Activities: Role plays, current events, integration of technology skills, blogs and wikis, book reports, team building, virtual field trips, trip to U.S. Constitution Center, multi-day trip to Washington DC