Unit 1

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the importance of the impact of human rights on their lives and the global community.

_____ Days

Standards Coding Key: 

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

Priority Content Standards 

His.16.US.c. 

Develop arguments about the juxtaposition between the United States’ founding ideals and actions of the Federal government during World War II using evidence from multiple relevant sources (e.g., Japanese-American Internment, Holocaust intervention, Braceros Program, Fair Employment Practices Act, segregated regiments, women in the military). 

MW.Geo.6.a. 

Evaluate the impact of settlement on the environmental and cultural characteristics of the early modern world (e.g., hacienda, encomienda, Jesuit missionaries, East India Company, Ottoman Empire, unification of Japan, Indigenous genocide)

D2.Civ.10.9-12. 

Analyze the impact and the appropriate roles of personal interests and perspectives on the application of civic virtues, democratic principles, constitutional rights, and human rights. 

Supporting Inquiry Standards

INQ 9–12.6 

Gather relevant information from multiple sources representing a wide range of views while using the origin, authority, structure, context, and corroborative value of the sources to guide the selection.

INQ 9–12.9

Refine claims and counterclaims attending to precision, significance, and knowledge conveyed through the claim while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both.

INQ 9–12.10

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

INQ 9–12.11

Construct explanations using sound reasoning, correct sequence (linear or non-linear), examples, and details with significant and pertinent information and data, while acknowledging the strengths and weaknesses of the explanation given its purpose (e.g., cause and effect, chronological, procedural, technical) 

INQ 9–12.12

Present adaptations of arguments and explanations that feature evocative ideas and perspectives on issues and topics to reach a range of audiences and venues outside the classroom using print and oral technologies (e.g., posters, essays, letters, debates, speeches, reports, and maps) and digital technologies (e.g., Internet, social media, and digital documentary).

Aligned to District Vision of a Graduate

An Effective Communicator 

• clearly and concisely conveys information for shared understanding

  • His.16.US.c.

• command of the language; written and verbal

  • His.16.US.c.

Skilled Socially 

• uses effective verbal and non-verbal communication skills

  • His.16.US.c.

A Critical Thinker 

• applies unbiased analysis and evaluation

  • His.16.US.c.

  • MW.Geo.6.a.

  • D2.Civ.10.9-12

• willing to adapt new information and question things

  • His.16.US.c.

  • MW.Geo.6.a.

  • D2.Civ.10.9-12

A Problem Solver

• can persevere and adapt

  • His.16.US.c.

  • MW.Geo.6.a.

  • D2.Civ.10.9-12

• able to determine the root cause of issues

  • His.16.US.c.

  • MW.Geo.6.a.

1. How do power, perspective, and historical context influence the protection or violation of human rights?

2. How has settlement historically impacted cultures and environments?

3. In what ways did systems of settlement promote or violate human rights?

4. How should societies balance individual rights with the common good?

1. Human rights are shaped by historical context, power structures, and individual and collective choices, often revealing tensions between ideals and reality.

2. Nations may promote ideals (freedom, equality, democracy) while simultaneously violating those ideals in practice.

3. Human rights violations are often tied to economic and political motivations.

4. Democratic principles and human rights require balancing competing interests and viewpoints.

His.16.US.c. 

• Founding ideals (freedom, equality, democracy, justice)

• Federal government actions during World War II

• Civil liberties and human rights

• Case studies (Japanese American internment, Holocaust response, Bracero Program, Fair Employment Practices Act, segregated regiments, women in the military)

• Primary and secondary sources

• Historical context (wartime pressures, national security)

MW.Geo.6.a. 

• Settlement systems (hacienda, encomienda)

• Empires and institutions (East India Company, Ottoman Empire, Jesuit missions)

• Cultural exchange and cultural change

• Environmental impact of settlement

• Indigenous populations and genocide

• Economic motives (resources, labor, trade)

D2.Civ.10.9-12.

• Civic virtues (justice, responsibility, equality)

• Democratic principles

• Constitutional rights

• Human rights

• Personal interests and perspectives

• Bias and point of view

• Competing values and interests

His.16.US.c. 

• Develop evidence-based arguments about contradictions between ideals and actions

• Analyze multiple sources representing different perspectives

• Evaluate the extent to which actions aligned with founding principles

• Compare impacts of policies on different groups

• Use historical evidence to support claims about human rights

MW.Geo.6.a. 

• Evaluate the impact of settlement on environments and cultures

• Analyze how economic and political motives shaped settlement systems

• Compare effects of settlement on different groups (Indigenous vs. colonizers)

• Explain connections between settlement and human rights violations

• Use geographic and historical evidence to support conclusions

D2.Civ.10.9-12.

• Analyze how perspectives influence decisions about rights

• Evaluate the role of personal interests in shaping laws and policies

• Apply civic and democratic principles to real-world issues

• Assess how rights are protected or limited in different contexts

• Construct arguments about the balance between individual rights and the common good

Assessments:

Formative Assessments: 

REQUIRED:

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: 

REQUIRED:

• None

Suggested:

Academic Vocabulary

• Virtues

• Human Rights

• Bias

• Settlement

• Ideals

• Liberties

• Founding

• Indigenous

• Colonizers

Resources:

• Teacher Text Resources: 

  • Human Rights Here and Now: Celebrating the Universal

  • Declaration of Human Rights

  • Human Rights Educator’s Network, 1998.

  • Teaching HumanRights, David Shiman, 1999. 

  • Examining Human Rights in a Global Context, Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education, 2001.

• Novel: 

  • To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee.

• Video Resources: 

  • Global Issues for Students: Human Rights(Schlessinger Media)

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

Connecticut Secondary Social Studies Standards: Social Studies Inquiry Arc

Mathematical Practice Standards

Next Generation Science Standards 

    Standards for students that are aligned to priority standards

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

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) 

    Standards for students that are aligned to priority standards

    https://iste.org/standards/students

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

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

Extension Activity: Taking the Human Rights Temperature of Your School

http://160.94.193.60/temperature.htm

• This activity challenges participants to evaluate their school's human rights climate using criteria derived from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The subsequent discussion builds towards identifying areas of particular concern and developing an action plan to begin addressing them. This resource was developed by Kristi Rudelius-Palmer and David Shiman. When Human Rights are Wronged: Designing a "Bill of Human Rights" (Grades 6-12)

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/981202wednesday.html

• In this lesson, students explore the concept of human rights by examining the arresting of prominent Chinese dissidents who are members of the China Democratic Party. Students develop and defend their own "Bill of Human Rights" and write a reflective essay comparing their declarations to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.The Fight for Human Rights: Understanding the Quest to Protect Human Rights (Grades 6-12)

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/990623wednesday.html

• In this lesson, students explore the concept of human rights by developing and defending their own "Bills of Human Rights" and by writing a reflective essay that compares their notions of human rights and the protection of them to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

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.