Embedded Files
History and Civics are new content areas provided by Breakthrough National as of Spring 2024.
We understand that not all affiliates offer History and/or Civics as a core class so we include ELA Common Core Standards within each unit so that it can be used in either a literature or Writing core subject area.
7th Grade - Know Your Rights Unit
7th Grade - Know Your Rights Unit
Unit Overview
The “Know Your Rights!” unit introduces students to the foundational ways in which liberty has been defined and expanded throughout American history, starting with the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. Students will explore the meaning of these texts and apply their knowledge in order to deepen their understanding of how these rights have been applied and understood throughout history. Additionally, students will build a nuanced understanding of how these rights apply to their own lives, not only learning how they can exercise their own rights but also contribute to the expansion of democracy in their own communities.
Unit Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
Explain the foundational principles of American democracy, as written in the Declaration of Independence, Preamble to the Constitution, and Bill of Rights, in their own words.
Apply their understanding of fundamental American rights to history and current events.
Analyze the degree to which America’s founding democratic principles applied to ALL Americans.
Research the history and current events related to a constitutional issue of their choosing.
Create and share a piece of civic activism in line with their learnings in this unit.
Resources
8th Grade - Our Histories Unit
8th Grade - Our Histories Unit
Unit Overview
Adapted from the Erased Histories Unit, written by Alexandria Smith and Zander Nowell, and Breakthrough’s previous Photo Justice Unit, the Our Histories Unit was created as a way to merge learning about cultures, people, and events while giving students an opportunity to understand the world around them and play a part in advocating on social issues in a creative way. Students will engage with articles about historical events and figures, vocabulary rooted in social justice themes, and photography. Not only will they be able to learn about issues of justice, but students will research and analyze these issues, creating a final product that will address the impacts their selected issue has on their program, community, and world.
Resources:
Photo Justice Unit - PEAR: Partnerships in Education and Resilience
Nowell, Alexander, & Smith, Alexandria. “Excavating Erased Histories as Culturally Sustaining Instruction.” English Journal 112.4: 43-50. Print
Unit Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
Read and analyze articles about historical events and figures including, but not limited to: The Chicano Movement, The Plessy v. Ferguson: Separate, but Equal Doctrine, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Apply their understanding of social justice-themed vocabulary to historical and current events.
Share their “photo voice” - express what they see, feel, and believe - through photography.
Work with a team to grow in their social awareness, and learn how to take critical action on topics that they care about most.
Research social justice issues related to problems they see in their communities and the world.
Create and share a photo justice product in line with their learning in this unit.
Resources
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