DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS 2013-2014
UNIT 3 PLAN FOR CIVICS AND ECONOMICS
Unit Overview:
Instructional Time: 2.5 weeks (13 days) on block schedule, 5 weeks (26 days) on traditional schedule
Quarter
One
Two
Three
Four
Grade Level: 10th grade (2012), 12th grade (2013-)
Unit Theme: A Balance of Power: How the Government Works
Depth of Knowledge: Levels 1-4
Unit Summary: Students will examine the relationship between government, citizenship, and political parties. Students will explore contemporary issues and recognize how the government responds to these issues
within the confines of the relationship that exists between a government and its citizens. By examining this relationship students will be able to trace the development of political parties in the United States and analyze
ideologies of present day political parties as they create laws that reflect their opinions on how to respond to contemporary issues facing citizens. Through this process students will investigate the United States legal
system, the role of political parties, the election process, and the role and obligations of citizens.
North Carolina Informational Technology Essential Standards:
HS.TT.1.1
Use appropriate technology tools and other resources to access information (multi-database search engines, online primary resources, virtual interviews with content experts).
HS.SI.1.2
Evaluate resources for point of view, bias, values, or intent of information.
HS.SI.1
Evaluate resources needed to solve a given problem.
HS.SI.1.3
Evaluate content for relevance to the assigned task.
Common Core State Standards
CE.C&G.2
Analyze government systems within the United States in term of their structure, function and relationships.
CE.C&G.2.7
Analyze contemporary issues and governmental responses at the local, state, and national levels in terms of how they promote the public interest and/or general welfare (e.g., taxes, immigration,
naturalization, civil rights, economic development, annexation, redistricting, zoning, national security, health care, etc.).
CE.C&G.2.8
Analyze America’s two-party system in terms of the political and economic views that led to its emergence and the role that political parties play in American politics (e.g., Democrat, Republican,
promotion of civic responsibility, Federalists, Anti-Federalists, Influence of third parties, precincts, “the political spectrum”, straight ticket, canvass, planks, platform, etc.).
CE.C&G.3
Analyze the legal systems within the Unites Sates in terms of the development, execution and protection of citizenship rights at all levels of government.
CE.C&G.3.6
Explain ways laws have been influenced by political parties, constituents, interest groups, lobbyists, the media and public opinion (e.g., extension of suffrage, labor legislation, civil rights
legislation, military policy, environmental legislation, business regulation and educational policy).
CE.C&G.4
Understand how democracy depends upon the active participation of citizens.
CE.C&G.4.2 Explain how the development of America’s national identity derived from principles in the Declaration of Independence, US Constitution and Bill of Rights (e.g., inalienable rights,
consent of the governed, popular sovereignty, religious and political freedom, separation of powers, etc.)
CE.C&G.4.3 Analyze the roles of citizens of North Carolina and the United States in terms of responsibilities, participation, civic life and criteria for membership or admission (e.g., voting, jury
duty, lobbying, interacting successfully with government agencies, organizing and working in civic groups, volunteering, petitioning, picketing, running for political office, residency, etc.)
CE.C&G.4.4 Analyze the obligations of citizens by determining when their personal desires, interests and involvement are subordinate to the good of the nation or state (e.g., Patriot Act, Homeland
Security, sedition, civil rights, equal rights under the law, jury duty, Selective Services Act, rule of law, eminent domain, etc.)
CE.C&G.5
Analyze how political and legal systems within and outside the United States provide a means to balance competing interests and resolve conflicts.
CE.C&G.5.1
Analyze the election process at the national, state and local levels in terms of the checks and balances provided by qualifications and procedures for voting (e.g., civic participation, public
hearings, forums, at large voting, petition, local initiatives, local referendums, voting amendments, types of elections, etc.).
CE.C&G.5.3
Analyze national, state and local government agencies in terms of how they balance interests and resolve conflicts (e.g., FBI, SBI, DEA, CIA, National Guard Reserves, magistrates, Better
Business Bureau, IRS, Immigration and Naturalization, FEMA, Homeland Security, ATF, etc.).
CE.C&G.5.5
Analyze the develops and implementation of domestic and foreign policy by outlining opposing arguments on major issues and their efforts toward resolutions (, e.g., health care, education,
immigration, regulation of business and industry, foreign aid, intervention abroad, etc.).
Essential Question(s):

How does the government and its agencies work together in a federalist system to develop laws and policies to meet the needs of citizens?

Has the two party system succeeded or failed in communicating the political and economic needs of citizens?

What codified laws and events have influenced American law to reflect the importance of the idea of citizenship?

How do lobbyist, political action committees, interest groups, politicians, constituents, the media, and public opinion influence the law at the national, state, and local levels?

In what ways does the American identity reflect the ideals and principles that are found in the Declaration of Independence, U S Constitution , and its Bill of Rights?

What responsibilities and duties does citizenship require in order to receive the protections that the government provides?

How does a citizen’s personal interest, desires, and decisions impact their community and government when they do not fulfill their responsibilities and duties as a citizen?

How has the election process both demonstrated and overlooked the principles of the constitution in relation to the rights associated with citizenship?

What agencies exist at the state and local government level to help the government meet the needs of citizens?

How does the two party system implement a domestic and foreign policy that address the needs of citizens?
Enduring Understanding(s):

Students should understand how the government and its agencies develop laws and policies to meet the needs of citizens

Students should understand that political parties exist to address the concerns of citizens

Students should know that the American legal system is influenced by previous codified laws and events

Students should know that multiple groups of individuals influence our laws

Students should know that democratic cornerstones such as the Declaration of Independence and the U S Constitution help shape the American identity

Students should understand the duties and responsibilities of citizenship

Students should understand the election process

Students should know how foreign and domestic policy impact them as citizens
I Can Statement(s):

Name government agencies and their purpose

Identify a political party’s stance on an issue impacting my community

Identify characteristic s of Europe’s influence on the American legal system

Explain how are laws and policies are impacted by interest groups and lobbyist

Explain the duties and responsibilities of citizenship

Analyze the two party political system and explain its impact on the national and local levels

Explain how the election process exemplifies the idea of popular sovereignty
Vocabulary:
Political Parties
Political Party
Two-Party System
Democratic Party
Federalist Party
Whig Party
Republican Party
Third party
Plank
Platform
Political Party Organization
National committee
Delegates
Exit Poll
Public Opinion
Voting
Electorate
Caucuses
Precinct
Primary
Nomination
Open Primary
Closed Primary
Ballot
Absentee Ballot
Apathy
Referendum
Initiative
Recall
Electoral College
Propaganda
Political Action Committee
Mass media
Interest Group
Public Opinon Poll
Lobbyist
Interdisciplinary Connections (Standards would be listed):
Students can conduct research through current events to make connections with other disciplines. Within this unit teachers can use assignments which require students to use principles learned in art courses. Mathematics
can be used in instances to calculate electoral votes and the determining of senators and representatives per state.
Evidence of Learning (Formative Assessment):

Current Events Assessment







Daily quizzes
Electoral map Activity
Create a Political Party
Design a campaign
Reading Guides
Study Guides
Class Debate
Summative Assessment:





Multiple Choice Tests
Essay prompts appropriate to this unit (in line with essential questions and ‘I
Can’ statements)
Assign students an agency to research and have them explain their purpose
Assign students a interest group and have them explain how they influence
current legislation.
Project where students follow the 2012 election and identify the platform and
proposed legislation of each political party
Unit Implementation:
Week 1: Title (CE.C&G.3,CE.C&G.2.7,CE.C&G.2.8) The History of Political Parties, The Political Spectrum, and Third Parties
Review with students the constitutional convention and remind them about the split in philosophy that existed between the federalist and anti-federalist. Continue to
trace the evolution of party affiliation, teachers can use the following site for resources about the creation and devolution of political parties:
(http://www.cyberlearning-world.com/lessons/civics/electoral_process.htm) Lesson plans and activities are available at this site and can direct teachers where to go
in the instruction process. The site covers the political spectrum, political party identification, and the history of political parties. After going through the activities
about the history of political parties have students visit each of the two party sights, http://www.democrats.org/ and http://www.gop.com/, and have them look at the
current issues that are important to each political party. Students can look at each party’s platform and look to see what each party’s response is to the issues facing
the United States. Students can use the web sites in order to find current events that relate to issues and the government’s response to these issues. After looking at
the major political parties have students look at the lesser known third parties. Have students research a third party to see what issues are brought up by these parties
and how they differ from the major two parties. http://itvs.org/educators/collections/vote-democracy/lesson-plans/third-party-voices has lesson plans and materials
which go into great detail about third parties. Students can use graphic organizers, make presentations, or have debates that detail the need and importance of third
parties.
Week 2: Title (CE C&G 3.6, CE. C&G 4.3, CE. C&G4.4, and CE C&G.5) Political Participation, The Election Process, Electoral College, and Lobbyist
Review with students the responsibilities and duties of citizenship and drive home the point that participating in elections and voting is the greatest
example of popular sovereignty. This is a good way to review some of the principles of the constitution . Have students look at who can and can not
vote. Using http://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/mock/lessonplans/2010/Lesson%202-%20Voters.pdf students can look at who could and could not vote
historically and how that has changed. Have them brainstorms reason people should vote and resons why people do not vote. Hopefully students
mention the idea of voter apathy. After discussing reasons to vote cover the electoryal college and its impact . Use following activity and lesson plan
at http://civics.sites.unc.edu/files/2012/05/ElectoralCollege.pdf to cover the concept of the electoral college and all that is involved in that process
After covering the electoral college transition into the election and convention process. Use
http://civics.sites.unc.edu/files/2012/05/PoliticalPartiesConventions.pdf to cover to election process and the purpose of conventions to convey to
students what happens on the national level of the election process. While covering the election and convention process hopefully the idea of
campaign contributions came up. Use this time to discuss lobbyist and their influence on the political process. Use
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2006/01/09/pay-to-play/ as a source to discuss the impact and influence of lobbyist on the political process. Close
out the unit by looking at political participation on a local level and have students look at local voter participation during the Amendment One issue
http://www.southernstudies.org/2012/05/what-happened-in-north-carolina-lessons-from-the-amendment-battle.html to analyze what happened in North
Carolina with this recent issue
Review Activities (.5 Week)
Some of the lesson plans and activities may take longer than one class period or day to complete. For the half week that was built into
the unit can be used for review. For Review games or activities use http://www.icivics.org/curriculum/citizenship-participation to have
students to play review games. You can also use the review time to examine specific elections and look at the issued, political parties,
electoral college, or possible controversies of that particular election. Teachers can use http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/ppt-games/ to
create jeopardy of wheel of fortune games for review purposes. You can also use the http://www.solpass.org/8ss/Civics-Economics.php
for additional review games.
Week 4: Title (CCSS X.X.X)
Week 5: Title (CCSS X.X.X)
Week 6: Title (CCSS X.X.X)
Supportive Unit Resources: (Please note that these are resources that can be used to supplement instruction before or during a lesson.)
Scaffolding Option 1:
Intervention
Instructional
Activities:
Create flash cards for vocabulary
Use online games
Design cross word puzzle
Scaffolding Option 2:
Maintenance
Current Events
Have students find current events that
correspond to the content of the unit where they
can relate the content to their communities.
Presidential Candidates
Have students look at presidential candidates
and identify the characteristics of the candidate
to see if the align with the characteristics of their
political party
Scaffolding Option 3:
Extension
Lobbyist Groups
Have students research a lobbyist or interest
group and have the make a presentation to the
class where they want to sponsor new legislation
that represents the ideas of the group they
researched.
Electoral College
Students should complete a d electoral map to
predict the outcome of an elections
Technology Integration: (Please note that these are resources that can be used to supplement instruction before or during a lesson.)
Multimedia
Activities:
Students can use PowerPoint, prezi, and movie
maker to you visual and multimedia programs
to exhibit Political Party beliefs
Students can use various news sources to look
at political participation and election
information.
Students can use the internet to make/design
their own games to test their knowledge.
Several activities are available at
http://sascurriculumpathways.com and they are
organized according to our new essential
standards for easy browsing