Civics

Milestone 1: Entry Event

Key Student Questions:

What are rights? Why are they important?

Milestone Description

In this entry event, students encounter a scenario that raises questions about rights, explore what rights are, and why they are important and complicated.

• Lesson 1: Rights Scenario

• Lesson 2: What are Rights?

Milestone Formative Assessment Guidance: At the end of lesson 2, students will engage in a written response to the following question: Why is it important to think about rights? Is it important for there to be rights that we agree to protect for everybody? Why do you think there are dilemmas involved in protecting rights? Click on the formative assessment guide tab above for a more detailed description of this assessment, and ‘look fors’ to determine students’ developing understandings.

Milestone 2: Breaking Up with Great Britain

Key Student Questions:

What events and ideas helped lead to the Declaration of Independence?

Milestone Description

In this milestone, students explore the events leading up to the Declaration of Independence and explore reasons why the Colonists wanted to declare independence, specifically that Great Britain was not protecting the Colonists’ rights.

• Lesson 3: Breaking Up with Great Britain: The Declaration of Independence

• Lesson 4: In The Course of Human Events

• Lesson 5: Break Up Letter

Milestone Formative Assessment Guidance: In lesson 5, students will create a “breakup letter” to Great Britain, that prompts them to name the most significant reason for the Colonists to declare independence, the most egregious rights violation by King George, and how the government’s primary responsibility is the protection of its peoples’ rights, and it violates its role in the relationship when it fails to do so. Click on the formative assessment guide tab above for a more detailed description of this assessment, and ‘look fors’ to determine students’ developing understandings.