Civics Unit 3

Constitutional Convention: Realizing that flaws in the Articles of Confederation could harm the new country and recognizing that the Articles could not easily be revised as originally intended, delegates from the states who met in Philadelphia from May through September 1787 set about drafting a new governing document. The United States that emerged from the Constitutional Convention in September was not a confederation, but it was a republic whose national government had been strengthened greatly. Congress had been transformed into a bicameral legislature with additional powers, and a national judicial system had been created. Most importantly, a federal system had been established with the power to govern the new country. To satisfy the concerns of those who feared an overly strong central government, the framers of the Constitution created a system with separation of powers and checks and balances. Although such measures satisfied many, concerns still lingered that the federal government remained too powerful.

Article I: Legislative Branch- (Congress): The Constitution established a bicameral legislature, with a Senate composed of two members from each state and a House of Representatives composed of members drawn from each state in proportion to its population. Today’s Senate has one hundred members representing fifty states, while membership in the House of Representatives has been capped at 435 since 1929. Apportionment in the House is based on population data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau. The Constitution empowers Congress with enumerated, implied, and inherent powers. Enumerated powers are specifically addressed in the text of the Constitution. Implied powers are not explicitly called out but are inferred as necessary to achieve the objectives of the national government. Inherent powers are assumed to exist by virtue of the fact that the country exists. The power of Congress to regulate interstate and intrastate commerce has generally increased, while its power to control foreign policy has declined over the course of the twentieth century.

Article II: Executive Branch (President): The delegates at the Constitutional Convention proposed creating the office of the president and debated many forms the role might take. The president is elected for a maximum of two four-year terms and can be impeached by Congress for wrongdoing and removed from office. The presidency and presidential power, especially war powers, have expanded greatly over the last two centuries, often with the willing assistance of the legislative branch. Executive privilege and executive orders are two of the presidency’s powerful tools. During the last several decades, historical events and new technologies such as radio, television, and the Internet have further enhanced the stature of the presidency. While the power of the presidency is typically checked by the other two branches of government, presidents have the unencumbered power to pardon those convicted of federal crimes and to issue executive orders, which don’t require congressional approval but lack the permanence of laws passed by Congress. In matters concerning foreign policy, presidents have at their disposal the executive agreement, which is a much-easier way for two countries to come to terms than a treaty that requires Senate ratification but is also much narrower in scope.

Article III: Judicial Branch (Supreme Court): From humble beginnings, the judicial branch has evolved over the years to a significance that would have been difficult for the Constitution’s framers to envision. While they understood and prioritized the value of an independent judiciary in a common law system, they could not have predicted the critical role the courts would play in the interpretation of the Constitution, our understanding of the law, the development of public policy, and the preservation and expansion of individual rights and liberties over time. The U.S. Supreme Court today is an interesting mix of the traditional and the modern. On one hand, it still holds to many of the formal traditions, processes, and procedures it has followed for many decades. Its public proceedings remain largely ceremonial and are never filmed or photographed. At the same time, the Court has taken on new cases involving contemporary matters before a nine-justice panel that is more diverse today than ever before. 

credit: openstax

32 Days  Academic cycles 7, 9 and 11

Standards Coding Key: 

Civ= Civics Geo= Geography Eco= Economics His= History Inq= Inquiry

Content Standards

CG.Civ.2.b. 

Analyze the role and effectiveness of the legislative branch in addressing constituent and societal needs (e.g., Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution, elections, political polling, representation, constituent services).

CG.Civ.3.b. 

Analyze how federal and state court systems are articulated and maintained by constitutions and laws in the United States (e.g., District Courts, Circuit Courts, Appellate Court, Supreme Court).

CG.Civ.4.b. 

Describe how the United States Constitution organizes, enumerates, and divides power to create a limited government (e.g., separation of powers, checks and balances, necessary and proper clause, supremacy clause, 10th Amendment). 

Inquiry Standards

CG.Inq.4.a. 

Construct arguments using precise and knowledgeable claims, with evidence from multiple sources, while acknowledging counterclaims and evidentiary weaknesses.

• CG.Civ.2.b. - Students will be able to explain the various ways in which Congress acts as the voice of the people, and is able to express the wishes of the voters through the legislation they create 

• CG.Civ.3.b. - Students will be able to explain the purpose and organization of the different levels of the Federal court system

• CG.Civ.4.b. - Students will be able to explain the ways in which powers are distributed among the three branches of government, and how each branch is able to limit the power of the other two

• CG.Inq.4.a. - Students will be able to construct arguments using precise and knowledgeable claims, with evidence from multiple sources, while acknowledging counterclaims and evidentiary weaknesses.

Aligned to District Vision of a Graduate

An Effective Communicator 

• clearly and concisely conveys information for shared understanding

  • CG.Civ.4.b.

  • CG.Inq.4.a.

• command of the language; written and verbal

  • CG.Civ.4.b.

  • CG.Inq.4.a.

Skilled Socially 

• uses effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills

  • CG.Civ.4.b.

  • CG.Inq.4.a.

A Critical Thinker 

• applies unbiased analysis and evaluation

  • CG.Civ.2.b.

  • CG.Civ.3.b.

  • CG.Civ.4.b.

  • CG.Inq.4.a.

• evaluates sources of information for reliability

  • CG.Inq.4.a.

• willing to adapt new information and question things

  • CG.Civ.2.b.

  • CG.Civ.3.b.

  • CG.Civ.4.b.

  • CG.Inq.4.a.

A Problem Solver

• can persevere and adapt

  • CG.Civ.2.b.

  • CG.Civ.3.b.

  • CG.Civ.4.b.

  • CG.Inq.4.a.

1. The Constitution distributes governmental power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches through separation of powers and checks and balances to prevent any single branch from becoming too powerful.

2. The legislative branch represents constituents and makes laws, the executive branch implements policies and manages agencies, and the judicial branch interprets laws—and each branch's effectiveness depends on how well it serves its purpose and responds to societal needs.

CG.Civ.2.b.

• Article I: Legislative Branch 

• Section 8: enumerated, implied, and inherent powers of Congress 

• Structure & Organization of Congress

• Representation & District apportionment

• Term limits 

• Legislative Process 

• Checks and balances

CG.Civ.3.b

• Article III: Judicial Branch 

• Power, Division & Structure 

• Judicial review

• Federalism

• Constitutional law 

• Federal Court System Structure 

• U.S. Supreme Court composition 

• State Court System Structure 

• Trial courts

•  Original jurisdiction vs. Appellate 

• Checks and balances  

CG.Civ.4.b.

• United States Constitution

• Limited government

• Separation of powers

• Checks and balances

• Enumerated powers

• Necessary and proper clause

• Supremacy clause

• 10th Amendment

• Federalism (division of powers between federal and state governments) 

CG.Inq.4.a.

• Components of a strong argument: claim, evidence, reasoning, and conclusion

•  Claims vs. opinions 

• Counterarguments & Opposing Viewpoints 

• Evidence: source bias, perspective, and limitations

• Proper Source Citation 

CG.Civ.2.b. 

• Categorizing Congressional powers by the types of constituent/societal needs 

• Examining how Constitutional powers have been used (or not used) to address modern societal challenges

• Demonstrate checks and balances within the Legislative Branch 

• Research and analyze a specific piece of legislation

• Examine the law making process

• Participate in a mock Congress where students propose, debate, and vote on legislation (nationally, state, local, or school level)

CG.Civ.3.b

• Explain the structure and organization of federal and state court system

• Explain the concept of judicial review and its significance

• Compare and contrast federal and state court jurisdiction and authority

• Analyze landmark Supreme Court cases and their impact on constitutional interpretation

• Assess the effectiveness of the judicial branch in protecting individual rights and maintaining the Constitution

• Examine how federalism shapes the relationship between federal and state courts

• Evaluate how the judicial branch serves as a check on the other branches of government

CG.Civ.4.b

• Describe how the Constitution organizes and divides power

• Analyze how separation of powers and checks and balances limit government authority

• Explain the significance of specific clauses and amendments

• Compare federal and state powers under the Constitution

• Use evidence from constitutional text to support explanations

• Evaluate how the Constitution protects against abuses of power

CG.Inq.4.a.

• Complete a structured argument organizer 

• Written Assessments: multi-paragraph argumentative essay with clear thesis, topic sentences as claims, evidence

• Produce a position paper on a historical/ civic issue that includes weaknesses and alternative perspectives

• Participate in a structured debate presenting arguments with evidence & responding to counterarguments

• Create a persuasive presentation with visual evidence, clear claims, and opposing viewpoints

Assessments:

Formative Assessments: 

REQUIRED: CFA Unit 1 (Performance Matters)

Suggested:

• Reading inventories/ engagement surveys 

• Reading goals

• Reader/Writer notebooks; journaling

• Annotations and close reading analysis

• Anecdotal observations of students in groups or partnerships

• Quick writes and on-demand writing samples

• Do Nows/Bell Ringers

• Exit tickets

• 1:1 or small group conferring

Summative Assessments: 

Suggested:

• Reading written response to text/thinking during reading assessment 

• On-demand writing assessment to revise/add to an existing story using style and craft of the author

• Performance task (see below)

• Independent Reading survey/reflection

• Book club/short story discussion observations

Academic Vocabulary: 

Article I: Legislative Branch 

• Bicameral 

• Bill 

• Compromise 

• Congress

• Constituent

• Expressed Powers 

• Filibuster 

• Hopper

• Implied Powers 

• House of Representatives 

• Override 

• Senate

• Speaker of the House 

Article II: Executive Branch 

• Cabinet

• Commander-in-Chief 

• Electoral College 

• Executive Order

• Impeach

• Pardon Power 

• Pocket Veto

• Veto

Article III: Judicial Branch 

• Amendments 

• Appellate Jurisdiction 

• Defendant 

• Dissenting Opinion 

• Judicial Review 

• Majority Opinion 

• Original Jurisdiction 

• Plaintiff 

• Precedent 

• Prosecution 

• Supreme Court

Resources:

iCivics - https://ed.icivics.org/

Technology:

• National Constitution Center 

• Anatomy of the Constitution- icivics

• Amendment mini lesson- icivics 

• Teaching the Constitution- Annenberg Classroom (Origin of the Constitution, Three branches, Separation of powers, Amendments and landmark cases) 

• Civics101 Podcast (Federalists v Anti-federalists, Constitution, Bill of Rights, Checks and Balances, Executive, Legislative, Judicial)   

• C-Span Classroom 

• Teaching six big ideas in the Constitution

• Constitution-101-course  

• Separation of powers and the power grab game 

• The Constitution Explained video series- Icivics 

• We the People- Netflix 

Skill Practice:

Suggested Texts:  

Non-Fiction (excerpts are recommended)::

• "The Constitution: An Introduction" by Joseph M. Schwartz

  • This book offers a straightforward introduction to the key principles of the Constitution, making it accessible for high school students.

• "The Federalist Papers" by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay

  • Essential reading that provides insight into the thoughts of the Founding Fathers regarding the Constitution's principles and structure.

• "The Bill of Rights: Creation and Reconstruction" by Akhil Reed Amar

  • Explores the origins and interpretations of the first ten amendments, with relevance to contemporary issues.

• "Plain, Honest Men: The Making of the American Constitution" by Richard Beeman

  • A detailed narrative of the Constitutional Convention, highlighting the debates and compromises that shaped the document.

• "The U.S. Constitution: A Very Short Introduction" by David Armitage

  • A concise overview that examines the Constitution's development and its significance in American history.

• "The Constitution of the United States: A Graphic Adaptation" by Jonathan Hennessey

  • A graphic novel format that presents the Constitution in an engaging way, appealing to visual learners.

• "The Words We Live By: Your Annotated Guide to the Constitution" by Linda R. Monk

  • This annotated guide provides context and explanations for each part of the Constitution, making it easier for students to understand.

• "A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution" by Betsy Maestro

  • A narrative that outlines the history and significance of the Constitution, suitable for high school readers.

• "The Constitution: An Illustrated History" by the Editors of TIME

  • Combines text and visuals to explore important events and historical contexts related to the Constitution.

• "Constitutional Law: Principles and Policies" by Erwin Chemerinsky

  • A comprehensive textbook that delves into constitutional law, ideal for advanced high school students or those interested in legal studies.

Books:

• All the President's Men by Woodward & Bernstein

• The Best Man by Gore Vidal

• It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis

Cross Cycle Tasks:

Suggestions: 

• Have students begin reading a brief connected text at the end of the academic and finish during trade cycle.

• Use Google Forms for a questionnaire or survey about upcoming topic.

• Brief writing task related to end of cycle lesson or as a discussion piece for upcoming lesson.

• Student question development about upcoming topic. Provide question starters: Classroom Question Stems by Cormier; Hess; DOK; Bloom's Taxonomy.

• Quizlet Study Sets activity.

Last day of the Cycle:

• Students meet in small groups to read and discuss text they will create posts for:

  • Week 1:  post 2 reflections and respond to 2 reflections

  • Week 2:  post 2 questions or wonderings

First day of the New Cycle:

• Students meet in small groups to discuss reflection, response, and question posts (approx. 15 minutes)

Connecticut Core Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science Technical Subjects

    https://learning.ccsso.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/ELA_Standards1.pdf

• Primary source analysis: Read and annotate the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Federalist Papers

• Rhetoric and persuasion: Analyze speeches by founding fathers or modern politicians

• Debate and argumentation: Structure formal debates on constitutional issues

• Historical fiction: Read novels set during the Revolutionary or Constitutional periods

  Analyze poems from Amanda Gorman relating to the Constitution

  Novels:

• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
  Insight: Explores justice, equality, and the rule of law in a racially divided community, highlighting constitutional rights and social challenges.
  Use: Analyze constitutional rights in practice; critical reflection and comparative critique of legal principles vs. societal realities.

• The Giver by Lois Lowry
  Insight: Examines themes of freedom, control, and individual rights, prompting discussion on the balance between government authority and personal liberty.
  Use: Stimulate debate on government power and constitutional protections; persuasive and analytical writing.

Connecticut Secondary Social Studies Standards: Social Studies Inquiry Arc

Mathematical Practice Standards

• Data Collection & Analysis: Gather quantitative and qualitative data on constitutional applications in local government decisions, court cases, or public policies.

• Visualization & Modeling: Create charts, graphs, or interactive models that show relationships between constitutional principles, government actions, and community impact.

• Computational Thinking: Develop decision trees or algorithms that simulate constitutional decision-making processes or analyze scenarios where rights may conflict.

Next Generation Science Standards 

    Standards for students that are aligned to priority standards

    https://www.nextgenscience.org/search-standards

• Environmental policy: Connect to how government regulates pollution and natural resources

• Public health governance: Explore how government institutions manage health crises

• Scientific ethics: Discuss government regulation of research and technology

• Collect qualitative data from historical documents, speeches, and local government policies regarding citizenship and civic participation.

• Use spreadsheets or software to chart trends in citizenship rights over time, such as voting rights expansions or civil rights milestones.

• Construct decision trees or flowcharts simulating citizenship-related processes, such as steps to becoming a citizen or how rights are protected or challenged legally.

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) 

    Standards for students that are aligned to priority standards

    https://iste.org/standards/students

Arts

• Political imagery: Analyze propaganda, political cartoons, and symbols

• Music and protest: Study songs that reflect political movements and civic engagement

• Architecture: Examine the symbolism of government buildings and monuments

• Creative Projects: Encourage students to create multimedia presentations or artistic works expressing their understanding of citizenship rights and responsibilities inspired by these texts.

  Music/Art: 

• Use the "We the People" series from Netflix to create a short song or animation related to the Constitution. https://www.netflix.com/title/81147853 

• Digital Storytelling: Use videos and social medial to explain a topic by using https://civiclifeproject.org/ 

CTE Competency Standards

• Utilizing tasks, projects and assignments that connect to trade technologies:

  • Aerospace Manufacturing

  • Architecture

  • Automotive Technology

  • Automotive Collision Repair and Refinishing

  • Bioscience and Environmental Technology

  • Biotechnology

  • Building and Civil Construction

  • Culinary Arts

  • Criminal Justice and Protective Services

  • Digital Media

  • Diesel and Heavy - Duty Equipment Repair

  • Electrical

  • Graphic Design

  • Heating

  • Ventilation and Air Conditioning

  • Health Technology

  • Hairdressing and Cosmetology

  • Information Technology

  • Landscape Design

  • Installation and Equipment

  • Masonry

  • Mechanical Design and Engineering Technology

  • Precision Machining Technology

  • Plumbing and Heating

  • Plumbing, Heating and Cooling

  • Robotics and Automation

  • Tourism

  • Hospitality and Guest Services Management

  • Veterinary Science

  • Welding and Metal Fabrication

Multi-Interdisciplinary Projects

Legislative Impact Analysis (Civics + Data Science + ELA)

• The Project: Students analyze a real bill's potential effects using data and write evidence-based policy briefs.

• Cross-Disciplinary Integration:

  • Civics: How does a bill move through Congress? What are the legislative branches' roles?

  • Math/Data Science: Analyze statistical data on the bill's predicted impact (cost, affected populations, outcomes)

  • ELA: Write a formal policy brief arguing for or against the bill using data as evidence

  • Bonus History: Compare to similar historical legislation and its actual outcomes

• Deliverable: A 3-5 page policy brief with data visualizations, citations, and arguments grounded in both civics knowledge and quantitative analysis.

Executive Order Investigation (Civics + History + ELA + Media Literacy)

• The Project: Students research an executive order, trace its constitutional authority, analyze its effects, and evaluate media coverage.

• Cross-Disciplinary Integration:

  • Civics: What is executive power? What limits exist? How do checks and balances apply?

  • History: What was the historical context? How did it shape the order?

  • ELA: Analyze the language and rhetoric of the order itself; write analytical essays

  • Media Literacy: Compare how different news outlets framed the same order; identify bias

• Deliverable: Multimedia presentation showing constitutional analysis + historical context + media comparison

Supreme Court Case Deep Dive (Civics + History + ELA + Law)

• The Project: Students become experts on a landmark case and present it as a "case study" connecting law, history, and civics.

• Cross-Disciplinary Integration:

  • Civics: How does judicial review work? What was the constitutional question?

  • History: What was happening in America when this case reached the Court?

  • ELA: Read and annotate the actual court opinion; write a "plain English" summary

  • Law/Ethics: Analyze the majority opinion AND dissent; debate which was more persuasive

• Examples: Marbury v. Madison, Brown v. Board, Miranda v. Arizona, Obergefell v. Hodges

• Deliverable: Written case brief + oral presentation + creative element (podcast episode, documentary clip, etc.)

Budget Debate Simulation (Civics + Math + Economics + ELA)

• The Project: Congress must allocate a limited federal budget; students debate priorities using math and economic reasoning.

• Cross-Disciplinary Integration:

  • Civics: How does Congress allocate funds? What are the legislative processes involved?

  • Math: Calculate percentages, create budget breakdowns, analyze spending trade-offs

  • Economics: Understand opportunity costs, inflation, economic impact of spending decisions

  • ELA: Write position papers defending budget priorities; debate persuasively

• Scenario: "The federal budget is $6 trillion. Allocate it across: defense, healthcare, education, infrastructure, debt reduction, social services. Justify your choices."

• Deliverable: Budget proposal with mathematical analysis + persuasive argument + response to opposition

Components of Social, Emotional, and Intellectual Habits 

• Develop logic and reasoning/Critical and analytic thinking

• Use evidence and critical thinking to support claims, make arguments and critique the reasoning of others; explain own thinking and responds to others’ thinking 

• Develop logic and reasoning/Applying known information to new experiences

• Compare, contrast and evaluate experiences, tasks and events building on prior knowledge 

• Develop logic and reasoning/Reasoning and problem solving

• Analyze attributes to classify, compare and contrast objects, events and experiences (similarities, differences and associations) 

• Develop a positive attitude toward learning/Cooperation during learning experiences

• Listen, discuss, and negotiate ideas in order to discover new learning with peers

Project Based Learning:  Create a children's book about the Constitution. This can be broken into sections. (3 branches, Bill of Rights, Amendments) or include all seven articles and assign to groups. Use the book creator app.

U.S. Constitution PBL unit (2022)

This is what Democracy looks like- PBL unit  

-Use the Sandra Day O'Connor civics challenge. The grand prize winner is awarded $1,000.

https://oconnorinstitute.org/cc/ 

-Digital storytelling: Use https://civiclifeproject.org/ the create short, civic engagement videos.

Use these reflective questions to enhance critical consciousness for diversity and equity for both educators and students.

• Why is it important for me and my students to be critically conscious for diversity and equity?

• How do I define diversity? How do my students define diversity? What do I need to learn? What do my students need to learn?

• How do I define equity? How do my students define equity? What do I need to learn? What do my students need to learn?

• How does my identity and my students’ identities impact my teaching and classroom practices? How does it impact my students’ learning and engagement?

• What do I know about various aspects of identity? What do I need to learn?

• What do my students know about various aspects of identity? What do they need to learn?

In developing our K-8 social studies model curriculum, we place a strong emphasis on cultural relevance to captivate and empower our students. It’s important to create inclusive spaces for meaningful dialogues where students not only engage with previous lessons but also share their unique life narratives, contributing to a collective awareness of diverse perspectives. The aim is to thoughtfully integrate the rich cultural tapestry of students' homes into the social studies classroom, mindful of the multifaceted diversity within our communities. 

Cultivate authentic connections with families through reciprocal conversations that honor their cultures as invaluable assets for promoting both equity and learning. This approach prioritizes experiences that place students at the forefront, ensuring activities not only mirror their lives but also provide windows to a broader understanding of an equitable world. 

One crucial context, language serves as a powerful conduit to students' diverse cultural backgrounds. Embrace a translanguaging approach, recognizing and appreciating the varied linguistic repertoires our students bring to the social studies classroom. This approach acknowledges that individuals draw upon diverse languages and language varieties, such as English and Spanish, to construct a meaningful understanding of equity and diversity in their educational journey. 

For information on how to support English Learners in this unit, refer to the Connecticut English Language Proficiency (CELP) Standards with Correspondences to the K-12 Practices and Connecticut Core Standards. 

Use the EL Strategies Desk Cards (Tip Sheets for ALL Classroom Teachers) for specific questioning techniques and teaching strategies to support students’ learning.