Social Studies
Unit 1 - Early American Exploration and Colonial America-Social Studies
What are we learning?
Examining the push-pull factors of early American exploration and the factors that lead to Colonial America.
Understanding how the geography affected the various choices made by European countries.
Comparing and Contrasting the role of women v. men during this time.
Explaining how this colonization affected Native Americans and how it impacted slavery in American too.
What to expect in this unit?
Analyzing sources; DBQ, working with documents
Creating claims and counterclaims for debates as well as creating a using the 'bridge' in discourse, which is called a warrant
Applying that knowledge to sources online and in print
Researching using credible-reliable information, which is organized in their inquiry charts; these inquiry charts have (3) parts to them. Part I is the essay portion which will be answered at the end of the unit
Why does this unit matter?
When writing DBQs in social studies in middle school and high school, students need to be able to research for multiple perspectives, which will help them strengthen their own point-of-view. Students need practice analyzing documents to better understand what the document is telling them and what questions they should be asking that the document may or may not provide. In the end, this will eventually result in students writing a multi-paragraph essay.
Unit 0 -
What are we learning?
Reviewing primary and secondary sources and adding in the tertiary source
Examining the strengths and weaknesses of the (3) resources and when/why we access these
Understanding the continuum of where sources fall: (L), (C), (R)
What does (Left), (Center), and (Right) means and how knowing this affects our research
What to expect in this unit?
Analyzing sources; noting what the sources contain
Noting the strengths and weaknesses of each source
Applying that knowledge to sources online and in print
Why does this unit matter?
Students need to be able access all types of sources when writing DBQs in social studies in middle school and high school, and they need to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each source to help strengthen their argumentative writing.
Unit 0- continued
What are we learning?
Reviewing primary and secondary sources and adding in the tertiary source
Examining the strengths and weaknesses of the (3) resources and when/why we access these
Understanding the continuum of where sources fall: (L), (C), (R)
What does (Left), (Center), and (Right) means and how knowing this affects our research
What to expect in this unit?
Analyzing sources; noting what the sources contain
Noting the strengths and weaknesses of each source
Applying that knowledge to sources online and in print
Why does this unit matter?
Students need to be able access all types of sources when writing DBQs in social studies in middle school and high school, and they need to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each source to help strengthen their argumentative writing.
Unit 2: American Revolution
What are we learning, and what to expect in this unit?
Analyzing sources; DBQ, working with documents
Identifying freedoms citizens desire.
Explaining what an unjust government looks like.
Analyzing the point-of-view of colonists and loyalists of Britain using evidence to support their side.
Explaining the freedoms the colonists felt were being taken from them by the Mother Country.
Evaluating the impact the call for freedom had on these groups: British, Patriots, Women, Native Americans, and People of Color.
Why does this unit matter?
When writing DBQs in social studies in middle school and high school, students need to be able to research for multiple perspectives, which will help them strengthen their own point-of-view. Students need practice analyzing documents to better understand what the document is telling them and what questions they should be asking that the document may or may not provide. In the end, this will eventually result in students writing a multi-paragraph essay.
Students will end this unit with a 'Call for Action' project, which will be on a topic they want to see a change. The final project will include a speech and a visual aide to go with their speech.
Unit 3: Constitution Unit
➤ I can explain why the US Constitution was created.
➤ I can explain the powers of the federal government.
➤ I can explain the powers of the state governments.
➤ I can explain the powers of the local governments.
➤ I can evaluate the effectiveness of checks and balances, federalism, big-state/small-state representation, and separation of powers to help eliminate tyranny from the (3) levels of government.
➤ I can analyze the ‘Bill of Rights’ and explain how these changes can still be seen in our society (communities) today.
➤ I can write an argumentative essay on 'How does the Constitution Guard Against Tyranny?'.