Download 12th Grade U.S. Government - 1st Half

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
United States Government
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The grade 9-12 United States Government course consists of the following content area strands: Civics and Government and Geography. This course provides students the
opportunity to acquire an understanding of American Government and political behavior. The content includes an analysis of those documents which shape our political traditions, a
comparison of the roles of the three branches of government at the local, state, and national levels, and the importance of civic participation in the democratic political process.
Honors/Advanced courses offer scaffolded learning opportunities for students to develop the critical skills of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation in a more rigorous and reflective
academic setting. Students are empowered to perform at higher levels as they engage in the following: analyzing historical documents and supplementary readings, working in the
context of thematically categorized information, becoming proficient in note-taking, participating in Socratic seminars/discussions, emphasizing free-response and document-based
writing, contrasting opposing viewpoints, solving problems, etc. Students will develop and demonstrate their skills through participation in a capstone and/or extended researchbased paper/project (e.g., history fair, participatory citizenship project, mock congressional hearing, projects for competitive evaluation, investment portfolio contests, or other
teacher-directed projects).
Please note the following important general information regarding the Pacing Guides:
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The Pacing Guides outline the required curriculum for social studies, grades K-12, in Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
Social Studies Pacing Guides have been developed for all elementary grade levels (K-5) and for each of the required social studies courses at the middle and senior high school
levels.
The Social Studies Pacing Guides are to be utilized by all teachers, grades K-12, when planning for social studies instruction.
The Pacing Guides outline the required sequence in which the grade level or course objectives are to be taught.
The Pacing Guides outline the pacing in which instruction should occur. Specifically, the Pacing Guides are divided into 9 week segments and provide an estimate of the
number of traditional or block days needed to complete instruction on a given topic. Teachers should make every effort to stay on pace and to complete the topics in a given
nine weeks. Slight variations in pacing may occur due to professional decisions made by the teacher or because of changes in school schedules.
Benchmarks that are highlighted in yellow denote essential benchmarks.
Each Social Studies Pacing Guide is divided into the following headings/categories to assist teachers in developing lesson plans:
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Grade Level or Course Title – 12 grade, United States Government.
Course Code – 2106310
Topic - The general topic for instruction is listed; e.g., Westward Expansion.
Pacing - An estimated number of traditional or block instructional days needed to complete instruction on the topic is provided.
Strands and Standards – Strands and Standards from the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS) are provided for each topic.
Nine Week Grading Period - Grading periods (1-4) are identified.
Essential Content – This critically important column provides a detailed list of content/topics and sub topics to be addressed during instruction.
NGSSS-SS Benchmarks – This critically important column lists the required instructional Benchmarks that are related to the particular topic. The Benchmarks are divided into
Content Benchmarks and Skill Benchmarks. These benchmarks should be identified in the teacher’s lesson plans.
Instructional Tools - This column provides suggested resources and activities to assist the teacher in developing engaging lessons and pedagogically sound instructional
practices. The Instructional Tools column is divided into the following subparts: Core Text Book, Key Vocabulary, Technology (Internet resources related to a particular topic),
Suggested Activities, Assessment, English Language Learner (ELL) Instructional Strategies, Related Programs (National, State, and/or District programs as they relate to a
particular topic), and SPED (A link to the NGSSS-SS Access Points for Students with Cognitive Disabilities).
Department of Social Sciences
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
United States Government
Florida Literacy and Writing Standards for History/Social Studies 6-12:
When planning lessons for instruction, teachers should address these state standards during their teaching of social studies content to ensure a systematic and proven approach to
literacy and writing development. The Florida Standards are research and evidenced-based, aligned with college and work expectations, rigorous, and internationally
benchmarked. For a complete listing of all Florida Standards, please visit: http://www.cpalms.org/Standards/lafs.aspx.
Course themes identified under “Essential Content” are course themes that span multiple topics. For United States Government, the following themes are identified:
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Citizenship – The rights, privileges and responsibilities of a member, by birth or naturalization, of a nation.
Civic Participation – Engagement of citizens in voting other forms of political participation to address issues of concern, e.g. racism, inequality, election fraud.
Civil Liberties and Civil Rights – Civil liberties are the rights of the safety of persons, opinions and property from the arbitrary acts of government, e.g. freedom
of speech, freedom of religion. Civil rights are the positive acts of government that seek to make constitutional guarantees a reality for all people; e.g. the right to
legal, social and economic equality.
Democracy – A form of government in which the supreme authority rests with the people and is exercised through elected representatives.
Federalism – The Constitutional protection of the division of power between central and state governments.
Limited Government – A basic principle of American government based on the belief that government is restricted in what it may do.
Ideology & Politics – The influence of political beliefs and behavior on the American political system and public policy.
Majority Rule/Minority Rights – The belief in the will of the majority, but not at the expense of the rights of minorities.
Popular Sovereignty – The belief that people are the source of any and all government power and government exists only with the consent of the governed.
Public Policy – The goals and plans that a government pursues in domestic, economic, military and foreign affairs.
Department of Social Sciences
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
United States Government
Topic 1: Principles and Foundation of Government
Pacing
Traditional
Block
Pacing
Date(s)
15 days
7.5 days
8-22-16 to 9-13-16
8-22-16 to 9-13-16
or
Traditional
Block
Date(s)
14 days
7 days
1-24-17 to 2-10-17
1-24-17 to 2-10-17
Essential Question(s):
What are the basic principles and foundations of the American government system?
Why is civic participation and engagement essential for democracy?
STRAND(S) and STANDARD(S):
Civics and Government (Standard 1: Demonstrate an understanding of the origins and purposes of government, law, and the American political system; Standard 2: Evaluate the
roles, rights and responsibilities of United States citizens and determine methods of active participation in society, government and the political system; Standard 3: Demonstrate an
understanding of the principles, functions, and organization of government.)
First Nine Weeks
NGSSS-SS Benchmarks/Florida Standards
Instructional Tools
Essential Content
Course Themes Addressed:
Florida Standard{s} Focus:
Florida Standards Focus Activity:
Citizenship
LAFS.1112.RH.2.6: Evaluate authors’ differing points of
Have students work in small groups to research the constitutional basis of
Civic Participation
view on the same historical event or issue by assessing the
federalism. Have students use their text, notes, articles, and information from
Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
authors’ claims, reasoning, and evidence.
class discussions, as well as Madison’s Federalist #51. Have students produce
Democracy
a clear and coherent PowerPoint presentation explaining the structure and
Federalism
LAFS.1112.WSHT.2.4: Produce clear and coherent writing
constitutional basis of federalism (why a federal system was developed and how
Limited Government
in which the development, organization, and style are
it has evolved,) how well federalism is working today, the controversy it creates,
Majority Rule/Minority Rights
appropriate to task, purpose and audience.
and how it may need to change in the future. Students should evaluate and
Popular Sovereignty
assess differing points of view, reasoning and evidence.
Content Benchmarks:
Vocabulary/Identification:
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Principles and Purpose
SS.912.C.3.1: Examine the constitutional principles of
Government, public policy, legislative power, executive power, constitution,
of Government
representative government, limited government, consent of
dictatorship, democracy, state, sovereign, preamble, ratify, federalism,
o Basic Powers of
the governed, rule of law, and individual rights.
compromise, impeach, elastic clause, judicial review, exclusive power, checks
Government
and balances, judicial branch, separation of power, amendments, limited
o Forms of Government
SS.912.C.3.2: Define federalism, and identify examples of
government, popular sovereignty, supremacy clause, reserve powers,
the powers granted and denied to states and the national
autography, oligarchy, federal government, presidential government,
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Basic Concepts of
government in the American federal system of government
parliamentary government, Magna Carta, English Bill of Rights, petition of
Democracy
rights, bicameral, unicameral, repeal, delegate, articles of confederation, new
o Equality
SS.912.C.1.2: Explain how the Declaration of Independence jersey plan, Virginia plan, three-fifths compromise, Connecticut compromise,
o Majority Rule
reflected the political principles of popular sovereignty,
constitutionalism, veto, Bill of Rights, electoral college, treaty.
o Minority Rights
social contract, natural rights, and individual rights.
o Compromise
Technology:
The Avalon Project is a digital library of documents relating to law, history and
SS.912.C.1.3: Evaluate the ideals and principles of the
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Origins of American
founding documents (Declaration of
diplomacy.
Government:
Independence, Articles of Confederation, Federalist Papers)
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/subject_menus/medmenu.asp
o Magna Carta
that shaped American democracy.
o The English Bill of
University of Chicago site containing Founders’ documents.
Rights
Department of Social Sciences
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
Essential Content
o State Constitutions
o First and Second
Continental
Congresses
o The Declaration of
Independence
o The Articles of
Confederation
o The Philadelphia
Convention (2) (3) (4)
(5)
o The Virginia Plan, The
New Jersey Plan and
the Compromises
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Basic Principles of the
Constitution
o Limited Government
o Separation of Powers
o Checks and Balances
o Federalism
o Amending the
Constitution
o Raftification (2)
o Federalists v. AntiFederalists
o
Bill of Rights (2) (3)
United States Government
First Nine Weeks
NGSSS-SS Benchmarks/Florida Standards
Instructional Tools
SS.912.C.1.1: Evaluate, take, and defend positions on the
http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/
founding ideals and principles in American Constitutional
government.
Excellent site containing graphic organizers:
http://www.graphic.org/goindex.html
SS.912.C.1.5 :Evaluate how the Constitution and its
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy is an encyclopedia of philosophy
amendments reflect the political principles of rule of law,
checks and balances, separation of powers, republicanism,
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/federalism/
democracy, and federalism.
"To Secure the Blessings of Liberty": Liberty and American Federal Democracy,
SS.912.C.3.15: Examine how power and responsibility are
Daniel J Elazar
distributed, shared, and limited by the Constitution.
http://www.jcpa.org/dje/articles2/blesslib.htm
SS.912.C.2.6: Evaluate, take, and defend positions about
rights protected by the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
SS.912.C.1.4: Analyze and categorize the diverse
viewpoints presented by the Federalists and the AntiFederalists concerning ratification of the Constitution and
inclusion of a bill of rights.
SS.912.C.2.4: Evaluate, take, and defend positions on
issues that cause the government to balance the interests of
individuals with the public good.
SS.912.C.3.11: Contrast how the Constitution safeguards
and limits individual rights.
Federalism
o Division of Power
o Responsibility of the
Federal Government to
the States
o Interstate Relations
Suggested Activities:
Have students answer the following essential questions:
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What elements of the Constitution of the United States of America are
derived from English political customs and documents?
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What fundamental principles of American government and law are
derived from leading European political thinkers?
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Which principles of democracy are expressed in the United States
constitutional system?
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What is the purpose of government?
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How many types of government exist?
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What are the basic concepts of federalism?
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What are the strength and weaknesses of the federal system?
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What are the powers granted and denied to the national and state
governments?
SS.912.C.3.12 Simulate the judicial decision-making proc
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What were the Federalist’s and Anti-Federalist’s positions on the
adoption of the constitution?
Have students think about the definitions of a democracy and a republic. Explain
whether the government in the U.S. is better characterized as a democracy or as
a republic.
http://www.thisnation.com/question/011.html
Have students think about the types of governments they have learned. Then
have them write an essay to persuade that one form of government is superior or
more desirable than others.
http://depts.alverno.edu/dgp/GEC/Types%20of%20Government.html
Have students create a cluster diagram, in order to illustrate how the United
States Constitution encompasses the ideas of the Magna Carta, the English
Petition of Rights, and the English Bill of Rights
http://www.montauk.com/history/1689_bill_intro.htm
Have students think about the process of amending the U.S. Constitution. Have
Department of Social Sciences
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
United States Government
Essential Content
First Nine Weeks
NGSSS-SS Benchmarks/Florida Standards
Instructional Tools
students write about why they think the framers of the Constitution made the
amendment process so difficult or cumbersome.
http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/constitution/
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/articlev.htm
Have students create a graphic organizer comparing and contrasting the Virginia
Plan to the New Jersey Plan.
Have students create a chart identifying and explaining the powers delegated to
and denied to the national and state governments.
Working from the concept that the doctrine of the separation of power was
designed to prevent any group from gaining control of the national governmental
apparatus, have students explain how Federalist 47, 48, and 51 illustrate this
concept.
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/subject_menus/fed.asp
Using Article I, II, and III of the Constitution, have students analyze and explain
the concept of separation of powers. Have students write an essay on this topic
accordingly.
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/separationofpowers.htm
Have students use Articles I, II, and III of the Constitution to find examples of
checks and balances within the federal government. Have students write an
essay on this topic accordingly.
Have students research Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath in New Orleans and
the Gulf States. Have students list the responsibilities of the local, state and
federal government in dealing with natural disasters. Evaluate the effectiveness
of each of the levels of government in preparing for and handling the destruction
of Hurricane Katrina.
Assessment:
Develop rubrics and share with students for each of the above mentioned
projects in order to increase opportunities for mastery of content and historical
thinking skills. Each project or assignment should be assessed for content
accuracy and skill development in terms of writing and reading comprehension.
ELL:
Department of Social Sciences
Tapping into Prior knowledge
Graphic organizers
KWL Charts
Webbing
Mapping
Compare and contrast
Mind Maps
Clustering
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
United States Government
Essential Content
First Nine Weeks
NGSSS-SS Benchmarks/Florida Standards
Instructional Tools
Related Programs:
Student Government Association (SGA)
We The People… the Citizen and the Constitution – Senior high
Project Citizen
Close Up
SPED:
Go the Department of Social Sciences’ website,
http://socialsciences.dadeschools.net/, and look under “Curricular Documents,”
Next Generation Sunshine State Standards” in order to download the PDF of
Access Points for Students with Cognitive Disabilities related to this particular
grade level/subject area.
State and District Instructional Requirements:
Teachers should be aware that State and District policy requires that all teachers
K-12 provide instruction to students in the following content areas: AfricanAmerican History, Character Education, Hispanic contributions to the United
States, Holocaust Education, and Women’s Contributions to the U.S. Detailed
lesson plans can be downloaded from the Department of Social Sciences
website, http://socialsciences.dadeschools.net/, under the headings “Character
Education” and “Multicultural Support Documents.” Please note that instruction
regarding the aforementioned requirements should take place throughout the
entire scope of a given social studies course, not only during the particular
month or day when a particular cultural group is celebrated or recognized.
Department of Social Sciences
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
United States Government
First Nine Weeks
NGSSS-SS Benchmarks/Florida Standards
Essential Content
Instructional Tools
Topic 2: Political Behavior
Pacing
Pacing
Traditional
Block
Date(s)
10 days
5 days
9-14-16 to 9-27-16
9-14-16 to 9-27-16
or
Traditional
Block
Date(s)
9 days
4.5 days
2-13-17 to 2-24-17
2-13-17 to 2-24-17
Essential Question(s):
What are the roles of political parties, interest groups and the media on voters, public opinion and elections and campaigns in the United States?
STRAND(S) and STANDARD(S):
Civics and Government (Standard 2: Evaluate the roles, rights, and responsibilities of United States citizens and determine methods of active participation in society, government,
and the political system; Standard 3: Demonstrate an understanding of the principles, functions, and organization of government.)
First Nine Weeks
NGSSS-SS Benchmarks/Florida Standards
Instructional Tools
Essential Content
Department of Social Sciences
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
Essential Content
Course Themes Addressed:
Citizenship
Civic Participation
Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
Democracy
Federalism
Ideology & Politics
Majority Rule/Minority Rights
Popular Sovereignty
Public Policy
United States Government
First Nine Weeks
NGSSS-SS Benchmarks/Florida Standards
Florida Standard{s} Focus:
LAFS.1112.RH.3.9: Integrate information from diverse
sources, both primary and secondary, into a coherent
understanding of an idea or event, noting discrepancies
among sources.
LAFS.1112.WSHT.1.2: Write informative/explanatory texts,
including the narration of historical events, scientific
procedures/experiments, or technical processes.
Content Benchmarks:
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Political Parties
o History and tradition
o Two-party system
o Organization at the
national, state, and
local levels.
o Roles:
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select candidates
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raise funds
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conduct
campaigns
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identify important
issues
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mobilization of
voter,
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organize the
decision making
process
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monitor the party
in power
o Coalitions
o Thrid Parties
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focus on single
issues,
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forum for minority
views.
Interest Groups
o Nature of interest
groups: definition and
comparison with
parties
o Types of interest
groups
o Techniques and
SS.912.C.2.1: Evaluate the constitutional provisions
establishing citizenship, and assess the criteria among
citizens by birth, naturalized citizens, and non-citizens.
SS.912.C.2.2: Evaluate the importance of political
participation and civic participation.
SS.912.C.2.3: Experience the responsibilities of citizens at
the local, state, or federal levels.
SS.912.C.2.4: Evaluate, take, and defend positions on
issues that cause the government to balance the interests of
individuals with the public good.
SS.912.C.2.5: Conduct a service project to further the
public good.
SS.912.C.2.6: Evaluate, take, and defend positions about
rights protected by the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
SS.912.C.2.8: Analyze the impact of citizen participation as
a means of achieving political and social change.
SS.912.C.2.11: Analyze public policy solutions or courses
of action to resolve a local, state, or federal issue.
SS.912.C.2.12: Explain the changing roles of television,
radio, press, and Internet in political communication.
SS.912.C.2.13: Analyze various forms of political
communication and evaluate for bias, factual accuracy,
omission, and emotional appeal.
SS.912.C.2.14: Evaluate the processes and results of an
Department of Social Sciences
Instructional Tools
Florida Standards Focus Activity:
Have students research the Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission
case and its effects on campaigns and elections, political parties, interest groups
and the media. Students should use both primary sources,
http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/09pdf/08-205.pdf and diverse secondary
sources, e.g. http://www.oyez.org/cases/2000-2009/2008/2008_08_205, to
develop a coherent understanding of the case and its constitutional and financial
impact. Students should write an informative newspaper article explaining the
case and its consequences, taking care to note discrepancies among sources.
Vocabulary/Identification: Political party, major parties, party in power,
partisanship, plurality, bipartisan, consensus, multiparty, coalition, singlemember district, Incumbent, electorate, factions, ward, precinct, split-ticket
voting, Nomination, general election, caucus, direct primary, closed primary,
open primary, absentee voting, ballot, polling place, coattail effect, Political
Action Committees (PAC), subsidy, soft money, hard money, suffrage,
franchise, gerrymandering, , injunction, preclearance, off-year elections, political
socialization, gender gap, party identification, straight-ticket voting, split-ticket
voting, independents, public affairs, public opinion, mass media, peer group,
opinion leaders, mandate, interest groups, sample, public opinion poll, medium,
public agenda, propaganda, lobbying, grass roots.
Technology:
To create political cartoons
http://quickcomic.com/
Listing of political sources on the Internet listed by country
http://www.politicalresources.net/
Information about the political parties
http://www.presidentsusa.net/parties.html
FairVote research on democracy issues
http://www.fairvote.org/research
Interactive learning modules about Congress
http://centeroncongress.org/classroom-resources
A list of links to political parties around the world
http://www.gksoft.com/govt/en/parties.html
Website devoted to tracking the influence of money in American government and
politics
http://www.opensecrets.org/index.php
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
Essential Content
strategies of interest
groups
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Voters and voter behavior
o Historical expansion of
the electorate
o
Voter qualifications
o Factors associated
with voters and voter
turnout, e.g.,
psychological and
sociological
o Nonvoters and reasons
for nonvoting
United States Government
First Nine Weeks
NGSSS-SS Benchmarks/Florida Standards
election at the state or federal level.
SS.912.C.2.15: Evaluate the origins and roles of political
parties, interest groups, media, and individuals in
determining and shaping public policy.
Instructional Tools
Information about voter registration and the election process from USA.gov
http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Voting.shtml
Article on internet s’ roles in the 2008 political Campaign
http://people-press.org/report/384/internets-broader-role-in-campaign-2008
SS.912.C.2.16: Analyze trends in voter turnout.
SS.912.C.3.13: Illustrate examples of how government
affects the daily lives of citizens at the local, state, and
national levels.
Electoral process:
o The nominating
process : delegates,
caucuses, primaries
and conventions
o Elections: precincts,
ballots, polling place,
absentee ballot,
election reform
o Campaign funding and
spending
o Campaign Finance
Reform (2)
Public opinion
o Political socialization
and the formation of
public opinion
o Measuring public
opinion: public opinion
polls
o Use of public opinion
polls in American
politics
Mass Media
o Types of mass media
o Scope and structure of
the media
o Influence of the media
Department of Social Sciences
Free link to the Book “ Comparing Media Systems: Three models of media and
politics”
http://books.google.com/books?id=954NJChZAGoC&pg=PA183&lpg=PA183&dq
=article++about+Comparing+media+systems:+three+models+of+media+and+po
litics&source=bl&ots=iwsp2uXGTi&sig=7WBS6ystVtGihQtz4bHwVwhxvA&hl=en&ei=yYEjTMazPMK88gbzLTQBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CC4Q6AEwCA#v=
onepage&q&f=false
Suggested Activities:
Have students answer the following essential questions:

What are the major functions of the political parties?

Why does the United States have a two-party system?

What are the origins of the political parties in the United States?
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How are parties organized at the state and local level?
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What are the constitutional restrictions on the states’ power to set
voting qualifications?
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What are the universal voting requirements of the United States?
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Why don’t people vote?

What is the difference between an open and a closed primary?

What are the federal laws that regulate campaign finances?

How does family and education shape public opinion?

What are the five steps in the polling process?

What is the role of the mass media in providing the public with
political information?

What is the role of interest groups in influencing public policy?

What are the various types of interest groups?

How do political parties organize themselves to win elections?
Have students create a chart listing the major functions of political parties in the
United States.
Have students create a timeline explaining the major events of the four eras of
political parties.
After a Socratic seminar on voting behavior, have students write an essay
explaining why they should always participate in the electoral process, even
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
United States Government
Essential Content
on public opinion
First Nine Weeks
NGSSS-SS Benchmarks/Florida Standards
Instructional Tools
when the candidates or parties do not inspire them to do so.
Have students use a graphic organizer to compare and contrast the four types of
minor parties (ideological, single issue, economic protest, and splinter.)
http://www.dcpoliticalreport.com/PartyLink.htm
Have students interview a family member or friend about their political beliefs
and behavior, e.g., voting, participation in campaigns, etc.
Have students create a political cartoon showing how a particular interest group
uses propaganda to persuade people to their point of view.
Have students imagine and explain how the Electoral College might be changed
if there was no limit on campaign spending. (Supreme court case : Randall Vs.
Sorrell)
http://www.oyez.org/cases/2000-2009/2005/2005_04_1528
Have students develop and present a PowerPoint presentation to evaluate the
importance of political and civic participation.
Have students create a diagram showing the factors that shape public opinion.
Have students create a chart explaining the changing roles of television, radio,
print media, and the Internet in political communication.
Assessment:
Develop rubrics and share with students for each of the above mentioned
projects in order to increase opportunities for mastery of content and historical
thinking skills. Each project or assignment should be assessed for content
accuracy and skill development in terms of writing and reading comprehension.
ELL:
Tapping into Prior knowledge
Graphic organizers
KWL Charts
Webbing
Mapping
Compare and contrast
Mind Maps
Clustering
Related Programs:
Student Government Association (SGA)
We The People – Senior High
Project Citizen
Department of Social Sciences
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
United States Government
Essential Content
First Nine Weeks
NGSSS-SS Benchmarks/Florida Standards
Instructional Tools
Celebrate Freedom Week
Mayor’s Youth Council
Student Voter Registration Program
SPED:
Go the Department of Social Sciences’ website,
http://socialsciences.dadeschools.net, and look under “Curricular Documents,”
Next Generation Sunshine State Standards” in order to download the PDF of
Access Points for Students with Cognitive Disabilities related to this particular
grade level.
State and District Instructional Requirements:
Teachers should be aware that State and District policy requires that all teachers
K-12 provide instruction to students in the following content areas: AfricanAmerican History, Character Education, Hispanic contributions to the United
States, Holocaust Education, and Women’s Contributions to the U.S. Detailed
lesson plans can be downloaded from the Department of Social Sciences
website, http://socialsciences.dadeschools.net/, under the headings “Character
Education” and “Multicultural Support Documents.” Please note that instruction
regarding the aforementioned requirements should take place throughout the
entire scope of a given social studies course, not only during the particular
month or day when a particular cultural group is celebrated or recognized.
Department of Social Sciences
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
United States Government
Topic 3: The Legislative Branch
Pacing
Pacing
Traditional
Block
Date(s)
10 days
5 days
9-28-16 to 10-13-16
9-28-16 to 10-13-16
OR
Traditional
Block
Date(s)
9 days
4.5 days
2-27-17 to 3-8-17
2-27-17 to 3-8-17
Essential Question(s):
What are the powers and responsibilities of members of Congress and what influences the legislative process?
STRAND(S) and STANDARD(S):
Civics and Government (Standard 2: Evaluate the roles, rights and responsibilities of United States citizens and determine methods of active participation in society, government
and the political system; Standard 3: Demonstrate an understanding of the principles, functions, and organization of government.
Essential Content
Course Themes Addressed:
Citizenship
Civic Participation
Democracy
Federalism
Limited Government
Ideology & Politics
Majority Rule/Minority Rights
Public Policy




Structure of Congress,
Article I, Constitution
o Bicameral Legislature
o Qualifications for
Members of Congress
o Congressional
Elections
Powers of Congress:
o Expressed, Implied,
and Inherent Powers
o Necessary and Proper
Clause
Congressional
Leadership:
o Speaker of the House
o President Pro Tempore
o Senate Majority Leader
o Majority and Minority
Whips
Congress in Action:
First Nine Weeks
NGSSS-SS Benchmarks/Florida Standards
Instructional Tools
Florida Standard{s} Focus:
Florida Standards Focus Activity:
LAFS.1112.RH.3.7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources
Have students participate in a mock Congress by doing the following:
of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g.,
 Have students think of a law they would like to see in the United States.
visually, quantitatively, as well as in words.
 Have students research the pros and cons of their proposed law, by
evaluating multiple sources of information and statistics presented in
LAFS.1112.RH.3.8: Evaluate an author’s premises, claims,
diverse formats and media.
and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with
 Have students evaluate the premises, claims and evidence presented.
other information.
 Using the correct format and language, have students plan, write,
revise, edit and rewrite a bill based on their research.
LAFS.1112.WSHT.2.5: Develop and strengthen writing as
 Have students work in small groups to simulate Congressional
needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a
committees. Have students discuss proposed bills and vote to pass,
new approach, focusing on addressing what is most
pass with changes, or kill each bill.
significant for a specific purpose and audience.
 Have students, in a whole group activity, conduct a mock floor debate
and vote on each of the bills that were passed in committee.
Content Benchmarks:
SS.912.C.2.2: Evaluate the importance of political
participation and civic participation.
SS.912.C.2.3: Experience the responsibilities of citizens at
the local, state, or federal levels.
SS.912.C.2.4: Evaluate, take, and defend positions on
issues that cause the government to balance the interests of
individuals with the public good.
SS.912.C.2.8: Analyze the impact of citizen participation as
a means of achieving political and social change.
SS.912.C.2.11: Analyze public policy solutions or course of
action to resolve a local, state, or federal issue.
SS.912.C.2.15: Evaluate the origins and roles of political
Department of Social Sciences
Vocabulary/Identification:
Expressed power, delegated power, implied power, inherent power, strict
constructionist, consensus, tax, direct and indirect tax, deficit financing, term,
session, public debt, commerce powers, legal tender, bankrupts, eminent
domain, patent and copyright, naturalization, single-member district,
gerrymander, constituency, partisan, speaker of the house, president of the
senate, whip, floor leader, perjury, bill, joint resolution, concurrent resolution,
resolution, filibuster, veto
Technology:
List of committees with links to official committee websites
http://www.house.gov/committees
Explains how bills and resolutions are introduced
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwhbsb.html>
United States Senate
http://www.senate.gov/
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:

United States Government
Essential Content
o Congressional
Committees
o Standing Committee
o Joint Committee
o Conference
Committee
First Nine Weeks
NGSSS-SS Benchmarks/Florida Standards
Instructional Tools
parties, interest groups, media, and individuals in
determining and shaping public policy.
United States House of Representatives:
http://www.house.gov
SS.912.C.3.2: Define federalism, and identify examples of
the powers granted and denied to states and the national
United States Senate: Educational site for high school students
government in the American federal system of government.
http://kids.clerk.house.gov/high-school/
Legislative Process
o “How a Bill Becomes a
Law”
SS.912.C.3.3: Analyze the structures, functions, and
processes of the legislative branch as described in Article I
of the Constitution
SS.912.C.3.13: Illustrate examples of how government
affects the daily lives of citizens at the local, state, and
national levels.
SS.912.C.3.14: Examine constitutional powers (expressed,
implied, concurrent, and reserved).
SS.912.C.3.15: Examine how power and responsibility are
distributed, shared, and limited by the Constitution.
Suggested Activities:
Have students answer the following essential questions:

How is Congress organized?

What are the express and implied powers of Congress?

How are committees organized and what are their purposes?

What is the relationship between federalism and the legislative branch?

Why does the constitution provide for a bicameral Congress?
Have students develop a list of duties performed by those who serve in
Congress.
http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Committees.htm
Have students create a graphic organizer comparing and contrasting the terms,
qualifications, structure and expressed powers of each house of Congress.
Have students work in small groups to read each of the expressed powers found
in Article I. Have students restate the power, using their own words, and provide
an example of how each has been used.
Have students identify, explain and give examples of each of the three types of
Congressional powers.
Have students create a chart that identifies the organization of the House of
Representative and Senate, and its’ various committees.
Divide students into teams and have them develop a flow chart of the process
followed by the United States Senate and House of Representatives when
making a law. http://thomas.loc.gov/home/lawsmade.toc.html
Have students collect articles from the newspaper or internet describing current
issues that Congress is working on and create a class bulletin board showing the
articles and pictures.
Have students use www.house.gov and/or www.senate.gov to read and write
about proposed legislation.
Have students write a letter or send an e-mail to his or her Congressional
representative expressing their views on how the Senator or Representative
Department of Social Sciences
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
United States Government
Essential Content
First Nine Weeks
NGSSS-SS Benchmarks/Florida Standards
Instructional Tools
should vote on upcoming legislation.
Assessment:
Develop rubrics and share with students for each of the above mentioned
projects in order to increase opportunities for mastery of content and historical
thinking skills. Each project or assignment should be assessed for content
accuracy and skill development in terms of writing and reading comprehension.
ELL:
Tapping into Prior knowledge
Graphic organizers
KWL Charts
Webbing
Mapping
Compare and contrast
Mind Maps
Clustering
Related Programs:
Student Government Association (SGA)
We The People – Senior High
Project Citizen
Close Up
SPED:
Go the Department of Social Sciences’ website,
http://socialsciences.dadeschools.net, and look under “Curricular Documents,”
Next Generation Sunshine State Standards” in order to download the PDF of
Access Points for Students with Cognitive Disabilities related to this particular
grade level.
State and District Instructional Requirements:
Teachers should be aware that State and District policy requires that all teachers
K-12 provide instruction to students in the following content areas: AfricanAmerican History, Character Education, Hispanic contributions to the United
States, Holocaust Education, and Women’s Contributions to the U.S. Detailed
lesson plans can be downloaded from the Department of Social Sciences
website, http://socialsciences.dadeschools.net/, under the headings “Character
Education” and “Multicultural Support Documents.” Please note that instruction
regarding the aforementioned requirements should take place throughout the
entire scope of a given social studies course, not only during the particular
month or day when a particular cultural group is celebrated or recognized.
Department of Social Sciences
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
United States Government
Topic 4:The Executive Branch
Pacing
Traditional
Block
Pacing
Date(s)
10 days
5 days
10-14-16 to 10-27-16
10-14-16 to 10-27-16
or
Traditional
Block
Date(s)
11 days
5.5 days
3-9-17 to 3-23-17
3-9-17 to 3-23-17
Essential Question(s):
What are the powers and responsibilities of the President and the Executive Branch and their role in public policy creation and implementation?
STRAND(S) and STANDARD(S):
Civics and Government (Standard 2: Evaluate the roles, rights, and responsibilities of United States citizens and determine methods of active participation in society, government,
and the political system; Standard 3: Demonstrate an understanding of the principles, functions, and organization of government; Standard 4: Demonstrate an understanding of
contemporary issues in world affairs, and evaluate the role and impact of the United State Government.)
Geography (Standard 4: Understand the characteristics, distribution, and migration or human populations; Standard 5: Understand how human actions can impact the environment.
Essential Content
Department of Social Sciences
First Nine Weeks
NGSSS-SS Benchmarks/Florida Standards
Instructional Tools
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
United States Government
First Nine Weeks
NGSSS-SS Benchmarks/Florida Standards
Essential Content
Course Themes Addressed:
Citizenship
Civic Participation
Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
Democracy
Federalism
Limited Government
Ideology & Politics
Majority Rule/Minority Rights
Popular Sovereignty
Public Policy




Qualifications and Roles
of the President:
o Commander in Chief
o
Chief of State,
o
Chief Diplomat
o
Chief Legislator
o Chief Executive
o Chief Administrator
o Chief of Party
o
Chief Citizen
Florida Standard{s} Focus:
LAFS.1112.RH.2.5: Analyze in detail how a complex
primary source is structured, including how key sentences,
paragraphs, and larger portions of the text contribute to the
whole.
LAFS.1112.WSHT.1.1: Write arguments focused on
discipline-specific content (government.)
Content Benchmarks:
SS.912.C.3.4: Analyze the structures, functions, and
processes of the executive branch as described in Article II
of the Constitution.
SS.912.C.3.5: Identify the impact of independent regulatory
agencies in the federal bureaucracy.
SS.912.C.3.15: Examine how power and responsibility are
distributed, shared, and limited by the Constitution.
SS.912.C.2.2: Evaluate the importance of political
participation and civic participation.
Presidential Succession
and the Vice Presidency
SS.912.C.2.14: Evaluate the processes and results of an
election at the state or federal level.
Presidential Nomination
Process:
o Primaries
o Caucuses
o National Convention
o Elections
o Electoral College
SS.912.C.2.15: Evaluate the origins and roles of political
parties, interest groups, media, and individuals in
determining and shaping public policy.
The Executive Powers:
o Article II, Constitution
o The Growth of
Presidential Powers:

Executive Orders

The Appointment
Power

Executive
Agreements

Military Powers
SS.912.C.2.16: Analyze trends in voter turnout.
Instructional Tools
Florida Standards Focus Activity:
Have students work in small groups to survey how the U.S. Constitution is
structured including key sentences, paragraphs, Articles and amendments.
Have students read and analyze each of the expressed powers found in Article
II. Have students restate the power, using their own words, and provide an
example of how each has been used by a President.
Vocabulary/Identification:
Presidential succession, balance the ticket, presidential electors, electoral votes,
electoral college, district plan, proportional plan, direct popular elections,
electorate, executive article, mass media, imperial presidency, progressive tax,
tax return, payroll tax, regressive tax, estate tax, Interest, deficit, surplus, public
debt, entitlement, controllable spending, uncontrollable spending, domestic
affairs, foreign affairs, isolationist, foreign policy, ambassador, espionage,
terrorism, draft, cold war, containment, détente, foreign aid, regional security, UN
security council.
Technology:
To create political cartoons
http://quickcomic.com/
Website to learn about the US executive branch
http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/president-obama/
Introduction to the Vice Presidency
http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Vice_President.htm
Hall of presidents from the Smithsonian institute
http://www.npg.si.edu/exh/travpres/index6.htm
Articles about the the presidency
http://www.teacher.scholastic.com/researchtools/articlearchives/uspres/
SS.912.C.4.2: Evaluate the influence of American foreign
policy on other nations and the influences of other nations
on American policies and society.
The US President: powers and limitations
http://www.presidentsusa.net/presidential_powers.html
SS.912.C.4.3: Assess human rights policies of the United
States and other countries.
Information about US Civil Service
http://careers.state.gov/civil-service/index.html
SS.912.G.5.5: Use geographic terms and tools to analyze
case studies of policies and programs for resource use and
management.
Suggested Activities:
Have students answer the following essential questions:

What are the main roles of the president?

What are the expressed and implied powers for the executive branch?

What is the relationship between the federal bureaucracy and the
presidency?
Department of Social Sciences
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
United States Government
Essential Content



The Federal Bureaucracy:
o The Executive Office of
the President and its
Departments
o Independent Agencies
and Civil Service
Role of the Executive
Branch in Foreign Affairs
and National Security
o Historical development
of U.S. Foreign Policy
o Role of the State
Department, Defense
Department CIA and
Homeland Security on
Foreign Policy
o Foreign Aid and
Defense Alliances (e.g.
The United Nations,
NATO)
The Federal Budget and
Economic Policy
First Nine Weeks
NGSSS-SS Benchmarks/Florida Standards
Instructional Tools






What are the shared responsibilities between Congress and the
Presidency, in terms of foreign policy?
What is a bureaucracy?
What are the major elements of the Federal Bureaucracy?
How are the members of cabinet chosen?
Why did Congress create independent agencies?
What is the purpose of the Civil Service?
Have students create a chart identifying and explaining the roles and
responsibilities of the President and Vice President of the United States.
Have students create a political cartoon illustrating the president’s handling of a
public policy issue.
Have students analyze the reasons for the electoral college and the pros and
cons of continuing to use it. Have students debate their views in a whole group
discussion.
Have students choose four American Presidents from the list below. Have
students explain how each of the presidents they selected expanded the power
of the presidency, including specific examples for each.
Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt,
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Lynden Johnson, Ronald
Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush.
Have students list and explain the reasons for the growth of presidential power
during the 20th century.
Have students watch and discuss one of the following documentaries on the
presidential campaign process: The War Room, Journey’s With George, By the
People: The Election of Barack Obama and summarize the steps of the
campaign and election process, as well as the role of the media in it.
Have students work in small groups to create a mock presidential campaign.
Students should select a presidential candidate and running mate, political party
affiliation and platform, write campaign speeches, and plan fundraising activities.
After class presentations, have students vote for their choice of president.
Have students watch and critique a recent State of the Union Address and
prepare a written rebuttal to the President’s speech.
Have students conduct a Think-Pair-Share activity to brainstorm the various
federal, state and local bureaucratic agencies, departments, regulatory
commissions, etc. they that can think of and create a class list on a white board
Department of Social Sciences
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
United States Government
Essential Content
First Nine Weeks
NGSSS-SS Benchmarks/Florida Standards
Instructional Tools
or bulletin board. Have students look for articles and pictures demonstrating the
activities of the different agencies, departments and regulatory commissions and
post on the board.
Through a Socratic seminar on the meaning of the Federal Bureaucracy, have
students identify and explain the role of each independent agency and its
relationship with executive power.
Assessment:
Develop rubrics and share with students for each of the above mentioned
projects in order to increase opportunities for mastery of content and historical
thinking skills. Each project or assignment should be assessed for content
accuracy and skill development in terms of writing and reading comprehension.
ELL:
Tapping into Prior knowledge
Graphic organizers
KWL Charts
Webbing
Mapping
Compare and contrast
Mind Maps
Clustering
Related Programs:
Student Government Association (SGA)
We The People – Senior High
Project Citizen
Close Up
Student Community Service
SPED:
Go the Department of Social Sciences’ website,
http://socialsciences.dadeschools.net, and look under “Curricular Documents,”
Next Generation Sunshine State Standards” in order to download the PDF of
Access Points for Students with Cognitive Disabilities related to this particular
grade level.
State and District Instructional Requirements:
Teachers should be aware that State and District policy requires that all teachers
K-12 provide instruction to students in the following content areas: AfricanAmerican History, Character Education, Hispanic contributions to the United
States, Holocaust Education, and Women’s Contributions to the U.S. Detailed
lesson plans can be downloaded from the Department of Social Sciences
website, http://socialsciences.dadeschools.net/, under the headings “Character
Education” and “Multicultural Support Documents.” Please note that instruction
regarding the aforementioned requirements should take place throughout the
entire scope of a given social studies course, not only during the particular
month or day when a particular cultural group is celebrated or recognized.
Department of Social Sciences
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
United States Government
Department of Social Sciences
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
United States Government
DISCOVERY EDUCATION RESOURCES
TOPIC 1: PRINCIPLES AND FOUNDATIONS OF GOVERNMENT
Videos:
Social Contract Theory
John Rawls & the Veil of Ignorance
The Origins of American Government
Two Treatises of Government: Natural Rights
Characteristics of the American Democracy
Debating the Declaration
The Articles of Confederation
Composing the Constitution
The Basic Principles of the Constitution
The Great Compromise
Federalists and Anti-federalists
Establishing the Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights
The Amendment Process
The United States Constitution and the Three Branches of Government
Introduction and the Roots of Federalism
Shared Powers in the United States Constitution
Creation of Federalism in America
Images:
United States Constitution The Preamble
Audio:
U.S. Government: The First 200 Years: A Proposal Debated & Finalized
U.S. Government: The First 200 Years: The Need for a Bill of Rights
Stuff You Should Know Podcast: How Do I Start My Own Country?
Articles:
United States of America: Government
Skill Builder:
Separation of Powers
Distribution of Power in the Federal Government
TOPIC 2: POLITICAL BEHAVIOR
Videos:
The American Political Spectrum
Lobbying & Political Participation
Department of Social Sciences
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
United States Government
Special Interest Groups
Glossary of Terms
The Advantages of the Incumbent President
Attack Ads and the Unraveling of a Candidate
"Image Management": The Importance of the Appearance
Presidential Distrust of the Press
Should There Be Limits on Campaign Spending?
the.News: Dollars and Votes: 2012 Election
Factors Influencing the Outcome of an Election
The Electoral College & Qualifications for President
The Presidential Election Process and Third Party Politics
Political Involvement among Minorities, Women, & the Poor
Public Opinion Polls
The Importance of Political Conventions
The Electoral College
Bush v. Gore
2008 Presidential Campaign: Long Road to the White House
Elections at State and Local Levels
Running for a Congressional Office
Exercising the Right to Vote
Images:
The "Contract With America"
The "butterfly ballot" and "hanging chads."
Audio:
Stuff You Missed in History Class Podcast: The History of Presidential Debates
Activities:
Election 2012: Week 06: Debates and Speeches
TOPIC 3: THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
Videos:
Roles of Officials in Congress
The Story of Congress
How Congress Operates
The History of the Legislative Branch
Congress: House of Representatives and Senate
Roles of Congress
The Authority of Congress
Congressional Powers
Differences between the Senate & House of Representatives
House and Senate Committee Structures
Department of Social Sciences
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Department of Social Sciences
GRADE LEVEL OR COURSE TITLE:
United States Government
Congress: How a Bill Becomes Law
How Laws Are Made
Checks and Balances Between the Legislative and Executive Branches
Articles:
Congress of the United States
Skill Builder:
How a Bill Becomes a Law
TOPIC 4: THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Videos:
The Executive Branch
The President and Administration
The Role and Power of the Presidency
Main Powers of the President: The Appointment Power
The Power of Commander in Chief
The Pardoning Power
Foreign Policy and the Presidential Veto
Veto Power of the President
Law Enforcement Duties
Emergency Powers of the President
Impeachment and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947
The Executive Office of the President and the Vice Presidency
EOP Agencies
The Presidential Cabinet: An Overview
The Executive Order
FBI and CIA: The PATRIOT Act and the Criminal and Intelligence Communities
Images:
Barack Obama, Forty-Fourth President of the United States
Former Presidents of the United States Standing Together
Activities:
Election 2012: Week 11: Leadership
Election 2012: Week 12: The Role of the Presidency
Skill Builder:
The Executive Branch
Department of Social Sciences