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