albemarle county public schools

© Albemarle County Public Schools, June 2007

Albemarle County Public Schools

History and Social Science Curriculum Framework

2007

This curriculum represents the collective thinking of numerous individuals who have dedicated themselves to

research and conversation on and about history and the social sciences over the past four academic years.


Social Studies Vertical Team 2003 – 2007

John Baran ………………………………………………….. Monticello High School Kathryn Birckhead ……………………………………. Henley Middle School Julia Dyer ……………………………………………………. Albemarle High School

Sara Haas ……………………………………………………. V.L. Murray Elementary School Micah Hart ………………………………………………….. Monticello High School

Melisa Larson …………………………………………….. Western Albemarle High School Courtney Marshall …………………………………….. V.L. Murray Elementary School Laurel McClurken ………………………………………. Woodbrook Elementary School

Margie Shepherd ………………………………………..Henley Middle School Kathy Shupe ……………………………………………….. Baker-Butler Elementary School

Tricia Spradlin ……………………………………………. Yancey Elementary School Julie Strong ………………………………………………… Albemarle High School Jennifer Sublette-Williamson …………………. Western Albemarle High School

Leslie Sullivan ……………………………………………. V.L. Murray Elementary School Richard Waters ………………………………………….. Burley Middle School

Lance Weisend …………………………………………… Albemarle High School Jill Williams ………………………………………………… Western Albemarle High School Megan Wood ………………………………………………. Jack Jouett Middle School

Patricia Hughes………………………………………….. Office of Instruction

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In addition to Social Studies Vertical Team members, grade level and subject area teams have been formed to develop curriculum frameworks for particular grades and subjects.

Grade Four Curriculum Writing Team Grade Five Curriculum Writing Team

Jill Cline Melinda Burke

Andy Faith Louise Hyde Terry Gallagher Courtney Marshall Sarah Magerfield Richards Maxwell

Tina Stephens Tammy Parent Sherry Thompson Mikky Tomac

Grade Six Curriculum Writing Team Grade Seven Curriculum Writing Team

Chris Bunin Kathryn Burkehead Cali Hendrix Pamela Davis

Patricia Patterson Joanne Kowalski Christopher Shedd Evelyn Wilson

Grade Eight Curriculum Writing Team Grade Nine Curriculum Writing Team

Jeff Criscione Rich DeStefano Judy Cutright Micah Hart Tracey Saxon Elizabeth Mulcahy

Margie Shepherd Sara Smith Richard Waters

Megan Wood

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Grade Ten Curriculum Writing Team Grade Eleven Curriculum Writing Team

Kevin Hessberg John Baran Robinson Hubbard David Grubs

Rick Ramey Eliza Lathrop Sandra McLaughlin Liza Scallet

Lance Weisend

Grade Twelve Curriculum Writing Team Jim Huneycutt

Melisa Larsen Julie Strong

Celia Sweeney

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Table of Contents

Section One

Executive Summary ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………vi

Philosophy Statement………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ..1

Framework for Quality Learning (FQL) ……………………………..…………………………………………………………………………………...…3

Lifelong-Learner Standards………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...5 Habits of Mind……………………………………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....6

The Great Themes: Background Knowledge………………………………………………………………………………………………………….... 7

Social Studies Processes and Skills…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. . 9

Social Studies Benchmarks: Reading and Communicating Understanding…………………………………………………………….. 9

Section Two

Grade Level Curriculum

Grades Kindergarten through Three: Introduction to Social Studies…………………………………………………………. 14

Grade Four Social Studies: Making Global Connections……………………………………………………………………………… 22

Grade Five Social Studies: Virginia Studies…………………………………………………………………………………………………. 29

United States History to 1877: The American Landscape (Grade Six).……………………………………………………… 38

United States History 1877 to the Present: The American Identity (Grade Seven).…………………………………. 47

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Civics and Economics: The Twenty-First Century Citizen (Grade Eight) …………………………………………………… 57

World History to 1500 A.D.: Roots of Human Interaction (Grade Nine) …………………….……………………………..66

World History 1500 A.D. to the Present: Connections Across Time and Place (Grade Ten) .…………..……… 76 Virginia and United States History: The American Narrative (Grade Eleven) …….……………………………………. 87

Virginia and United States Government: E Pluribus Unum (Grade Twelve) ……………………………………………… 96

Section Three

Appendices

Instruction………………

Writing in History…………..

Historical Inquiry (Investigation)…………… Geographical Inquiry………………

Best Practices in Social Studies Instruction…………….

Bibliography……………

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Executive Summary

The study of history and the social sciences is vital to sustaining a strong, vital democratic society. Preparing

students for informed and responsible citizenship is central to the mission of public education. Therefore, all Albemarle County students are expected to (1) build a significant knowledge base of social studies content, (2) develop a deep understanding of important social studies concepts and themes, (3) master skills and process that

enable students to understand social studies relationships and patterns, and (4) approach their studies with purpose and discipline. Standards-based and concept-centered, The History and Social Science K-12 Curriculum Framework

is organized according to the county’s Framework for Quality Learning. Curriculum is rooted in Albemarle County’s Lifelong-Learner Standards, Virginia Standards of Learning, and the work of professional history and social science

scholars and organizations. This curriculum is designed to:

develop the knowledge and skills of history, geography, civics, and economics that enable students to place the people,

ideas and events that have shaped our state and our nation in perspective;

instill in students a thoughtful pride in the history of America through an understanding that what “We the People”

launched more than two centuries ago was not a perfect union, but a continual effort to build a “more perfect” union,

one which has become the world’s most successful experiment in constitutional self-government;

enable students to understand the basic values, principles and operation of American constitutional democracy, and

prepare students for informed and responsible citizenship in a global world and global community.

History is the integrative core of the curriculum, in which both the humanities (such as art, literature and philosophy) and the social sciences (political science, economics, and geography) come to life. History enables students to see how people in other times and places have grappled with fundamental questions of truth, justice,

and personal responsibility, to understand that ideas have real consequences, and to realize that events are shaped both by ideology and the actions of individuals.

The goal of geography instruction is to provide an understanding of the human and physical characteristics of the earth’s places and regions, explain how people of different cultural backgrounds interact with their environment,

and explore how the United States and the student’s home community are affected by conditions and events in distant places.

The goal of civics instruction is to develop in all students the requisite knowledge and skills for informed, responsible participation in public life. Students develop an understanding of politics and government and practice the skills of

good citizenship.

The United States is recognized as a leader among the nations of the world in large part because of its economic

© Albemarle County Public Schools, June 2007 vii

strength. To maintain that strength, American citizens understand the basic economic principles that underlie the market economy; understand how our own economic system works as well as how other systems work. Students

learn to make wise economic decisions about their own lives and become intelligent consumers, employers and workers. A solid grounding in economics will help students prepare for the global marketplace and the complex

world of tomorrow.

How This Curriculum Document Is Organized

The History and Social Science K-12 Curriculum Framework provides a conceptual framework to guide the development, implementation and evaluation of grade level curricula. It supports school division learning goals, with particular focus on: preparing all students to succeed as members of a global community and in a global economy,

eliminating achievement gaps, and achieving recognition as a world-class educational system.

Section One provides a narrative overview of the K-12 history and social science program. Section Two includes grade level frameworks that guide the development of school based curricula. Section Three, the Appendices, describes complex and higher order social studies processes and skills. A bibliography of referenced material and

resources is included.

Curriculum framework documents are intended to be dynamic, allowing for change as new research becomes available. Curriculum is always a “work in progress,” with on-going review of key components. The Social Studies Vertical Team has developed reading and communication benchmarks to guide the teaching and learning of reading

and writing in social studies classrooms, and with non-fiction content.

This work represents four years of research and conversation among history and social science teachers, professors at the University of Virginia and other experts in the field, including the work of professional organizations. Particular thanks is given to H. Lynn Erickson, a leader in the field of concept-based curriculum design, and teachers

who gave their time to serve on curriculum writing committees.


Philosophy

Albemarle County Schools Organizational Core Values and Beliefs

We believe in the following shared principles and beliefs:

Excellence. We believe in meaningful learning that stretches people to the frontiers and boundaries of their abilities.

Young People deserve the best we have to offer. Each individual child is capable and has the right to safety, mutual

respect, and learning.

Community. We believe in our collective responsibility to work together in a cooperative effort to achieve common goals

by building communities of practice, establishing a high quality learning community and listening to the community.

Respect. We treat all individuals with honor and dignity.

The above values and beliefs are reflected in the development, implementation and evaluation of history and social science curricula. All students have access to a rich and challenging curriculum that supports their intellectual,

social, and emotional development, and honors the richness of our diverse Albemarle community.

Habits of Mind At the core of this K-12 curriculum are habits of mind that adults apply throughout their lives. As John Dewey

wrote, the most important role of school is learning, and learning is a consequence of thinking. Today’s society demands trained and agile thinkers, and today’s students must learn to construct meaning and to solve problems

for which they do not have answers (Costa, 1997.) In addition to habits of mind that transfer across subject areas (ex. persistence, precision, open-mindedness, intentionality), each subject area has “discipline-specific” habits of mind that enable students to process knowledge across a range of vantage points and worldviews. Ex. History has a

structure of knowledge and a way of thinking and “doing history” that enables historians to understand the forces that shape our human experience. The teacher’s goal is to help students become disciplined thinkers as they move

from grade level to grade level, and throughout their lives.

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Engaging All Students in the Past, Present and Future

The History and Social Science K – 12 Curriculum is the foundation on which teachers build experiences that facilitate student learning. Teachers understand that unless students actively engage with the past, study and

question the present, and project the future, learning will not advance beyond the superficial to deep understanding. History becomes alive and relevant when students make meaningful connections with the people and ideas of the past. Students become historians when they apply disciplined inquiry to understand significant

themes in history, and use evidence to interpret patterns and relationships. In the social sciences, students engage in problem solving around important societal issues. The ability to think and write critically and creatively, to read

critically and with imagination, prepares students for the new realities of the twenty-first century. The Civic Mission of Public Schools

It has long been the mission of public education to prepare students to understand, appreciate and engage actively

in civic and political life. Competent and responsible citizens: (1) are informed and thoughtful and have a grasp and appreciation of history and the fundamental processes of American democracy; (2) have an understanding and awareness of public and community issues and the ability to obtain information, think critically, and enter into

dialogue among others of different perspectives; (3) participate in their communities through membership in or contributions to organizations working to address any array of cultural, social, political or religious interests and

beliefs; (4) act politically by having the skills, knowledge, and commitment needed to accomplish public purposes, such as problem solving, petitioning, and voting; (5) have moral and civic virtues such as concern for the rights and welfare of others, and a belief in the capacity to make a difference (Carnegie Corporation of New York, 2003.)

Central to the mission of public education in America is the preparation of young people for the demands and challenges of responsible citizenship. As part of civics and government instruction, students actively participate in public life. Service Learning is an instructional strategy that enables students to learn “first hand” the rights and

responsibilities of citizenship. Students in grades eight and twelve are required to complete a service learning project.

In addition, students should be involved in authentic tasks that reflect the adult world. Examples include: Mock Congress, Model U.N. (United Nations), Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI).


Service Learning

Service learning is a teaching and learning approach that integrates community service with academic study to enrich learning. Service learning involves problem-solving; it teaches civic responsibility and character education,

and enhances other learning objectives such as workplace readiness and life skills. In addition, service learning requires students to be self-reflective as well as community minded. Thinking about service encourages students to form commitments with people and groups within our local community, and the larger global community. Students

explore issues of public policy and governance, as well as research and propose possible solutions to on-going community needs. Students learn to communicate their ideas to public officials and elected representatives.

Students in grades eight and twelve are expected to participate in service learning activities.

The Framework for Quality Learning

The Albemarle County Public Schools’ core purpose is to establish a community of learners and learning, through

rigor, relevance, and relationships one student at a time.

The Framework for Quality Learning (FQL) guides and supports teachers’ development and implementation of a high-quality curriculum, assessments, and instructional activities that serve to fulfill the above mission. FQL places a premium on teacher professionalism: (1) deep knowledge of content, concept and skills, (2) lifelong learning and

on-going scholarship and (3) the development of teacher-student relationships that invite students to work with teachers in pursuit of knowledge.

Curriculum design addresses the following questions:

What should all students know, understand, and be able to do? What knowledge is truly essential and enduring?

What’s worth understanding (within the discipline and across subject areas)? How can the curriculum we bring to our students engage them in meaningful questioning about the world? What is the role of curriculum in eliminating achievement gaps?


Concept-Centered Teaching and Learning

The use of concepts to organize learning helps ensure that all students have access to a guaranteed and viable curriculum in history and social science. Working with concepts – applying a conceptual lens to the study of social

studies topics – allows teachers to ask probing questions and move beyond facts to identify and explain trends and developments, continuity and change, cause and effect. Concepts help teachers connect learning to student needs and interests, and provide opportunities to learn across disciplines. Questions drive learning and help teachers spiral

social studies content with increasing complexity from kindergarten through grade twelve as questions become more sophisticated, open-ended, and higher level. Students learn to take ownership of their own learning when they

(1) pose important questions (2) plan, monitor and evaluate their understanding of key ideas and content knowledge (3) compare multiple and diverse perspectives and (4) answer important questions.

Assessment

A balanced assessment system provides accurate and timely information about student achievement and learning. The assessment component of The Framework for Quality Learning is divided into five main parts:

assessment of learning and assessment for learning;

clear targets and use of Bloom’s Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain;

assessment methods and development;

rubric analysis and feedback, and

student involvement in the assessment process.

Four key questions inform the construction of quality assessments.

1. How can assessment support learning?

2. How can assessment tasks and performances engage students in thinking and working beyond the SOL?

3. What assessment strategies are best suited to certain content and skills?

4. How can feedback improve future performance?

Students can expect a variety of assessment methods be used to elicit different types of student learning such as selected response items (ex. multiple choice test); constructed written response items (ex. essay); performance assessment (ex. problem-solving) and personal communication (ex. teacher-student joint assessment).


Lifelong-Learner Standards

The division has identified twelve Lifelong-Learner Standards (LLLS) that set expectations for how students develop

a wide variety of knowledge, understandings, and skills needed for success in adult life. LLLS guide teachers as they develop units, lessons, learning activities and assessments. LLLS are overarching process-based standards that can

be addressed in a single lesson or over an entire year. LLLS spiral in complexity through grade twelve. Lifelong learning places emphasis on results (learning and doing.) To develop the skills and habits associated with lifelong learning students must:

learn beyond simple recall of facts;

understand the connections to and implications of what they learn; retain what they learn, and apply what they learn in new contexts.

ACPS Lifelong-Learner Standards

1. Plan and conduct research.

7. Acquire and use precise language to clearly

communicate ideas, knowledge and processes.

2. Gather, organize, and analyze data, evaluate

processes and products; draw conclusions.

8. Explore and express ideas and opinions using

multiple media, the arts and technology.

3. Think analytically, critically, and creatively to pursue

new ideas, acquire new knowledge, make decisions.

9. Demonstrate ethical behavior and respect for

diversity through daily actions and decision making.

4. Understand and apply principles of logic and

reasoning, develop, evaluate and defend arguments.

10. Participate fully in civic life, and act on democratic

ideals within the context of community and global

interdependence.

5. Seek, recognize and understand systems, patterns,

themes, and interactions.

11. Understand and follow a physically active lifestyle

that promotes good health and wellness.

6. Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies

to solve new and increasingly complex problems.

12. Apply habits of mind and meta-cognitive strategies

to plan, monitor, and evaluate one’s own work.


History and Social Science Habits of Mind

The study of history and the social sciences “offers students the opportunity to explore and appreciate the richness and complexity of human societies, to grapple with new ideas and divergent interpretations, and to create their own

understanding of the human experience. Students are challenged to become independent learners – to possess the knowledge, skills and habits of mind necessary to make rational and informed judgments about the past and the present.” (The AP Vertical Teams Guide for Social Studies, The College Board, 2001) The following Habits of Mind identify

the thinking processes and attitudes that adults working in our discipline consistently apply in their lives. ● Understand the significance of the past to one’s own life, both private and public, and to society.

● Distinguish between the important and the inconsequential to develop the “discriminating memory” that is needed to

making wise judgments.

● Develop historical empathy and perceive past events and issues as experienced by individuals and diverse groups living

at the time.

● Acquire and act upon an understanding of diverse cultures, and of a shared humanity.

● Seek and recognize patterns and complex relationships including change over time, cause and effect, similarities and

differences.

● Recognize the importance of individuals who have made a difference in history and the significance of personal character

for both good and ill.

● Apply an understanding of the relationship between geography and history, as a matrix of time and place, and as

context for events and choices.

● Appreciate the irrational and the accident in history and human affairs.

● Read critically and widely in order to recognize the difference between fact and conjecture, between evidence and

assertion in order to frame useful questions.

(National Council for History Education)


The Great Themes: Background Knowledge for Unit Development

Learning in history and the social sciences can be organized around a number of conceptual themes. These themes provide a schema for thinking about what is most important to learn and understand in our discipline, and provide a

focus for prioritizing concepts and content knowledge. The following universal themes help students comprehend the forces that shape human life – past, present, and future, and are used to identify unit level topics of study. As teacher teams continue to work on grade level curricula, new enduring understandings will be added. Conceptual

themes are taken from the work of the National Council for History Education and the National Council of the Social Studies.

Conceptual Framework: History

and Social Science Themes

Descriptors Enduring Understandings

1. Individual Development & Identity

2. Civilization, Cultural Diffusion &

Innovation

3. Human Interaction with the

Environment

4. Values, Beliefs and Political Ideas

● personal identity as shaped by one’s culture,

by groups and by institutional influences

● social processes and the ethical principals

underlying individual action

● evolution of human skills

● cultural flowering of major civilizations in the

arts, literature and thought

● understanding of interdependence and societal

development

● the relationship between geography and

technology, and the effect of each on

economic, social and political development

● basic principles of influential

religions, philosophies and ideologies

● interplay among ideas, moral values and

leadership

● effect of political institutions on individuals

and society

● Cultural values and norms shape identity and behavior.

● Civilizations are marked by social, technological and

political complexity.

● Cultural diffusion and interdependence influence world

events and societal interactions.

● Geography influences wealth and human development.

● Ideology inspires action.

● All people are endowed with the unalienable rights to

life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Conceptual Framework: History Descriptors Enduring Understandings


and Social Science

5. Conflict and Cooperation

6. Comparative History of Major

Developments

7. Patterns of Social, Economic and

Political Interaction

● causes of war and approaches to peace

● relations between domestic affairs and foreign

policy

● choices made between international conflict

and cooperation, isolation and interdependence

● influence of individual leaders and groups in

shaping world events

● forces for revolution, reaction and reform

across time

● comparative study of major historical events

● comparative study of major themes in history

(i.e. justice/liberty, social/economic, military

expansion)

● change and continuity of class, ethnic, racial,

and gender structures and relationships

● relationship between belief systems and values

and political/economic and social systems

● understanding of/use of power

● comparison of political/economic structures

and systems and effect on individuals and

societies

● Societies choose conflict or cooperation, isolationism or

interdependence.

● Economic and social change create both challenge and

opportunity.

● Patterns of change and continuity, cause and effect,

manifest themselves across time and place.

● Each generation re-defines and re-writes history.

● Power defines and shapes political, social and economic

systems, structures and interactions.

● Patterns of change and continuity, complexity and

ingenuity shape the growth and development of societies.

Social Studies Processes and Skills


History and Social Science Processes Reading and Writing Processes Cross-Curricular Processes

Historical Inquiry/Investigation Geographical Inquiry Perspectives Taking Chronological Thinking Consequential Thinking Compare/Contrast

Relationships Change Over Time Generating and Defending

Hypotheses

Critical Reading

Analytical Writing

Creative Writing Listening Debate/Oratory Storytelling Vocabulary Development Outlining & Note-taking

Meta-cognition & Study Skills

Creative Thinking

Research

Synthesis

Evaluation

Problem Solving

Decision-making

Recognizing & Understanding

Patterns and Themes

Concept Development

SOCIAL STUDIES BENCHMARKS: READING AND COMMUNICATING FOR A PURPOSE

INTRODUCTION

Benchmarks identify the key components of central skills in a discipline or content area. Members of the Social Studies

Vertical Team, including elementary, middle and high school teachers, created the following benchmarks for reading and communicating in social studies. In social studies, reading for an identified purpose is critical for students’ ability to independently understand, synthesize, and evaluate sources within a historical context. Furthermore, students must

be able to effectively communicate their understanding in a variety of forms. Reading and writing are at the core of social studies instruction.

Communication is both a receptive and expressive process through which students develop and share their understandings using written, visual, and oral products. The benchmarks below attempt to break down the complex

process of communicating information into discrete tasks. While these tasks are rarely seen in isolation, the benchmarks should be used to identify skills students need for success in rigorous work and to assist teachers in

planning curriculum, lessons and assessments. Students will master these skills as they move through the K – 12 History and Social Science curriculum.


BENCHMARKS

1. Organize information to develop a conceptual understanding.

Performance Indicators/Descriptors:

Create a graphic organizer from text Use a given tool for organization such as outlining, research note-cards, category sorting

Sequence information chronologically, thematically Make predictions, revise ideas and generate questions from text

Present information in a logical manner to show social studies relationships such as cause-effect, change over time, compare and contrast and connect specific terms to major eras and themes

Relate and connect prior knowledge to the content

2. Identify key information for a defined task.


Recognize and analyze text structure/presentation to aid comprehension Differentiate important from irrelevant “facts” or nonessential information

Deconstruct text using assigned instructional strategy (Cornell notes, Power notes, interacting note taking, etc.)

Identify main idea of reading passage

Locate information to answer questions Distinguish fact and opinion

Distinguish between different reading genres such as biography, personal essay, persuasive essay, historical fiction, nonfiction, etc.

3. Summarize text in order to demonstrate comprehension.


Paraphrase information through writing, visual rendition, oral presentation

Create a synopsis


Express key ideas in various ways such as pictures, drama, graphic organizer, and writing

4. Think critically using a variety of text sources.


Identify the author’s purpose

Evaluate reliability, accuracy and relevance Differentiate between primary and secondary sources

Identify point of view, bias, or agenda. Compare and contrast information or positions Identify cause and effect

Synthesize ideas from multiple sources to draw conclusions, and determine patterns or relationships Identify historical context of written pieces

Analyze information from texts to support a position Organize information into meaningful categories

5. Interpret and use visual sources such as graphs, photos, maps, and artwork.


Draw inferences from the content Recognize the significance of visual information

Differentiate the relevant from the irrelevant information for a specific purpose Find patterns and commonalities in different pieces of visual information Interpret information from visual sources to defend a position

Recognize historical context of visual materials Interpret abstract symbols, scale

Compare and contrast information from variety of visual sources Identify, translate and interpret a visual source into an alternate form


Section Two

Grade Level Curriculum Frameworks

K – 12 Grade Level Curriculum


The K – 12 Social Studies curriculum is organized around three major strands: (1) civics/government and

economics, (2) Virginia and United States history, (3) world history and geography. In addition, high school electives and middle school exploratories may cover any of the following subject areas: anthropology, archeology,

psychology, sociology, regional studies (ex. Middle Eastern Studies), ethnic and cultural studies (ex. African American Studies), and courses focused on specific time periods, historical themes and questions. These courses are usually developed by teachers at the school building level to address the interests and needs of students, and

reflect a teacher’s own lifelong learning and scholarship.

For purposes of spiraling content and skills development, the following chart shows which strand is emphasized at a particular grade level. In general, each grade level course includes work in history, geography, government and

economics.

Strand Focus Grade Level

Civics – Government – Economics

Kindergarten, Grade One, Grade Eight, Grade Twelve

Virginia and United States History

Grade Five, Grade Six, Grade Seven, Grade Eleven

World History and Geography

Grade Two, Grade Three, Grade Four, Grade Nine, Grade Ten

Elementary Social Studies


Kindergarten – Grade Three

Elementary social studies focuses on student understanding of broad social studies concepts, and prepares students

for civic involvement and competence. Children begin to think historically. Children in grades kindergarten through third grade learn about community, why rules are important, and what it means to be a “good” citizen. They understand needs and wants. Increasingly, young children need exposure to today’s larger and culturally diverse

world. They need to explore similarities and differences among people and societies. To make this happen, teachers foster children’s natural curiosity and imagination, provide students with opportunities to reach out in time and

space, and personalize the study of history. How is history about me, my family, my community, my world? The study of government begins in the classroom where students learn how to treat one another with respect, how to

cooperate and how to contribute to a positive learning environment. To bring history alive, instruction is centered on people and families, and told through stories, myths, legends, and

biographies that capture children’s imagination. Students are also introduced to artifacts, illustrations and records that give them first-hand glimpses into the lives of others. They are taught to formulate questions to guide learning,

gather information, create sound hypotheses, locate events in place and time, compare and contrast, explain the importance of key events, identify different perspectives, read for understanding, and create historical narratives of their own. Technology is introduced and used to help students visualize new worlds, research facts, and apply

creative thinking to problem solve, evaluate and make decisions. A powerful K-3 instructional program does the following:

Students engage directly and actively in the learning process.

Learning relates to age, maturity and concerns of children.

Learning connects social studies content to children’s lives.

Learning is based on the developmental and psychological needs of students.

Learning offers opportunities for students to interact with members of other racial, ethnic, and cultural groups.

Instruction develops proficiency in methods of inquiry and analysis, organization and the use of data.

Instruction uses a variety of primary and secondary sources to accommodate a wide range of reading abilities and

interests.

Instruction uses the expertise and experiences of a variety of community members.

Instruction fosters lifelong learning.

A climate that supports students’ self respect and respect for others is developed.


K – 3 Social Studies Concepts

The following four concepts guide development of school-based curriculum for kindergarten through grade three: (1) citizenship (2) change and continuity (3) community and (4) past and present. In addition, since social studies

is concept-rich, teachers will introduce additional concepts at the unit level to bring greater depth to learning and to meet the following criteria:

1. Concepts are necessary for students to understand complex Virginia Standards of Learning at each grade level.

2. Concepts represent what is most important to understand in history, geography, civics and economics.

3. Concepts can be used to transfer knowledge across disciplines.

4. Concepts motivate students to learn.

5. Concepts are spiraled K – 3 to allow for increasing complexity and sophistication of thought.

Other Important Concepts in the K-3 Social Studies Curriculum Kindergarten Grade One Grade Two Grade Three

Choice

Democracy

Family

Heroes

Independence

Interdependence

Kindness

Leader

Needs and Wants

Patterns

Respect

Responsibility

Safety

Work

Artifact

Celebration

Climate

Conflict & Cooperation

Consequence

Contribution

Diversity

Fairness

Honesty

Imagination

Patriotism

Remembrance

Savings

Tradition & Customs

Transportation

Unity

Adaptation

Architecture

Barter

Civilization

Colonization

Culture

Cycle

Language

Legend

Interaction

Invention

Occupation

Population

Resource (natural, human,

capital)

Scarcity

System

Adaptation

Architecture

Commerce

Cultural Diffusion

Direct Democracy

Economic System

Empire

Environment

Exploration

Freedom

Government

Mental Map

Power

Representative Democracy

Trade

Specialization

Symbol

Wealth

Virginia Standards of Learning for Kindergarten Through Third Grade


Kindergarten: An Introduction to Social Studies K.1 a, b The student will recognize that history describes events and people of other times and places by

identifying examples of past events in legends, stories, and historical accounts of Pocahontas, George Washington, Betsy Ross, and Abraham Lincoln; by identifying the people and events honored in the

holidays of Thanksgiving Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, and Independence Day (fourth of July.)

K.2 The student will describe everyday life in the present and in the past and begin to recognize that things change over time.

K.3 The student will describe the relative location of people, places, and things by using positional words,

with emphasis on near/far, above/below, left/right, and behind/in front.

K.4 a – c The student will use simple maps and globes to development an awareness that a map is a drawing of

a place to show where things are located and that a globe is a round model of the Earth; to describe places referenced in stories and real-life situations; to locate land and water features.

K.4 a – c The student will develop an awareness that maps and globes show a view from above, show things smaller in size, and show the position of objects.

K.6 The student will match simple descriptions of work that people do with the names of those jobs.

K.7 a, b The student will identify the difference between basic needs (food, clothing, and shelter) and wants (things people would like to have); recognize that people use money to purchase goods.

K.8 a – e The student will demonstrate that being a good citizen involves: taking turns and sharing, taking

responsibility for certain classroom chores, taking care of personal belongings and respecting what belongs to others, following rules and understanding the consequences of breaking rules, and practicing honesty, self-control, and kindness to others.


K.9 The student will recognize the American flag, the Pledge of Allegiance, and that the President is the leader of the United States.

Grade One: An Introduction to Social Studies 1.1 The student will interpret information presented in picture time lines to show sequence of events and

will distinguish between past and present.

1.2 The student will describe the stories of American leaders and their contributions to our country, with

emphasis on George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington Carver.

1.3 The student will study the lives of people associated with Presidents” Day, Columbus Day, and the events of Independence Day (Fourth of July.)

1.4 a – d The student will develop map skills by recognizing basic map symbols, including references to land, water, cities and roads; by using cardinal directions on a map; by identifying the physical shape of the

United States and Virginia on maps and globes; by locating Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, and Richmond, the capital of Virginia, on a United States map.

1.5 The student will construct a simple map of a familiar area, using basic map symbols in the map legend.

1.6 The student will describe how location, climate, and physical surroundings affect the way people live, including their food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and recreation.

1.7 The student will explain the difference between goods and services and will describe how people are both buyers and sellers of goods and services.

1.8 The student will explain that people make choices because they cannot have everything they want.

1.9 The student will recognize that people save money for the future to purchase goods and services.

1.10 a – e The student will apply the traits of a good citizen by: focusing on fair play, exhibiting good sportsmanship, helping others, and treating others with respect; recognizing the importance of rules and practicing self-control; working hard in school; taking responsibility for one’s own actions; valuing


honesty and truthfulness in oneself and others.

1.11 a, b The student will recognize the symbols and traditional practices that honor and foster patriotism in the United States by identifying the American flag, bald eagle, Washington Monument, and Statue of

Liberty; demonstrating respect for the American flag by learning the Pledge of Allegiance.

1.12 The student will recognize that communities in Virginia include people who have diverse ethnic origins,

customs and traditions, who make contributions to their communities, and who are united as Americans by common principles.

Grade Two: An Introduction to Social Studies 2.1 The student will explain how the contributions of ancient China and Egypt have influenced the present

world in terms of architecture, inventions, the calendar, and written language.

2.2 The student will compare the lives of American Indians (First Americans) with emphasis on the

Powhatan of the Eastern Woodlands, the Sioux of the Plains, and the Pueblo people of the Southwest.

2.3 The student will identify and compare changes in community life over time in terms of buildings, jobs,

transportation, and population.

2.4 a – d The student will develop map skills by: locating China and Egypt on world maps; locating the regions of the Powhatan, Sioux, and Pueblo Indians on United States maps; comparing the climate, land, and plant life of these regions; describing how people in these regions adapt to their environment.

2.5 a, b The student will develop map skills by locating the equator, the seven continents, and the four oceans

on maps and globes; located selected rivers (James River, Mississippi River, Rio Grande), mountain ranges (Appalachian Mountains and Rocky Mountains), and lakes (Great Lakes) in the United States.

2.6 The student will demonstrate map skills by constructing simple maps, using title, map legend, and

compass rose.


2.7 The student will describe the differences between natural resources (water, soil, wood and coal), human resources (people at work), and capital resources (machines, tools and buildings).

2.8 The student will distinguish between the use of barter and money in exchange for goods and services.

2.9 The student will explain that scarcity (limited resources) requires people to make choices about

producing and consuming goods and services.

2.10 a – e The student will explain the responsibilities of a good citizen, with emphasis on: respecting and

protecting the rights and property of others; taking part in the voting process when making classroom decisions; describing actions that can improve the school and community; demonstrating self-discipline and self-reliance; practicing honesty and trustworthiness.

2.11 The student will identify George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, Helen Keller, Jackie

Robinson, and Martin Luther King, Jr. as Americans who contributions improved the lives of other Americans.

2.12 The student will understand that the United States is a land of people who have diverse ethnic origins, customs and traditions, who make contributions to their communities, and who are united as

Americans by common principles.

Grade Three: An Introduction to Social Studies

3.1 The student will explain how the contributions of ancient Greece and Rome have influenced the present

in terms of architecture, government (direct and representative democracy) and sports.

3.2 The student will study the early West African empire of Mali by describing its oral tradition (storytelling), government (kings), and economic development (trade.)

3.3 a, b The student will study the exploration of the Americas by describing the accomplishments of

Christopher Columbus, Juan Ponce de Leon, Jacques Cartier, and Christopher Newport; identifying

reasons for exploring, the information gained, and the results from the travels.


3.4 a – c The student will develop map skills by locating Greece, Rome and West Africa; describing the physical and human characteristics of Greece, Rome and West Africa; explaining how the people of Greece,

Rome and West Africa adapted to and/or changed their environment to meet their needs.

3.5 a – e The student will develop map skills by: positioning and labeling the seven continents and four oceans to create a world map; using the equator and prime meridian to identify the four hemispheres; locating the countries of Spain, England, and France; locating the regions in the Americas explored by

Christopher Columbus (San Salvador in the Bahamas), Juan Ponce de Leon (near St. Augustine, Florida), Jacques Cartier (near Quebec, Canada), and Christopher Newport (Jamestown, Virginia);

locating specific places on a simple letter-number grid system.

3.6 The student will interpret geographic information from maps, tables, graphs and charts.

3.7 The student will explain how producers use natural resources (water, soil, wood and coal), human

resources (people at work), and capital resources (machines, tools, and buildings) to produce goods and services for consumers.

3.8 The student will recognize the concepts of specialization (being an expert in one job, product or service) and interdependence (depending on others) in the production of goods and services (in

ancient Greece, Rome the West African empire of Mali, and in the present.)

3.9 The student will identify examples of making an economic choice and will explain the idea of an

opportunity cost (what is given up when making a choice.)

3.10 a – c The student will recognize why government is necessary in the classroom, school and community by explaining the purpose of rules and laws; explaining the basic purposes of government are to make laws, carry out laws, and decide if laws have been broken; explaining that government protects the

rights and property of individuals.


3.11 a – c The student will explain the importance of the basic principles that form the foundation of a republican form of government by describing the individual rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and

equality under the law; identifying the contributions of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Rosa Parks, Thurgood Marshall, and Martin Luther King, Jr.; recognizing that

Veterans Day and Memorial Day honor people who have served to protect the country’s freedoms.

3.12 The student will recognize that Americans are a people of diverse ethnic origins, customs, and

traditions, who are united by the basic principles of a republican form of government and respect for individual rights and freedoms.


Making Global Connections Curriculum Framework: Grade Four Social Studies

Introduction

Students use the skills of geographical and economic analysis to explore today’s world, focusing on the inter-relationships among geography, economics and culture. The Virginia Standards of Learning for Virginia Studies and the National Geography Standards provide guidelines for curriculum development and evaluation. At the upper

elementary school level, students learn to identify and interpret artifacts, primary and secondary source documents, determine cause and effect relationships, compare and contrast, draw conclusions and make generalizations, make

connections between the past and present, sequence events, and evaluate and discuss issues orally and in writing. Fourth grade students are responsible for mastering the geography and economics SOL included in the Virginia Standards of Learning for Virginia Studies. This mastery of geography and economic concepts, content and skills

will give rising fifth graders a deeper understanding of today’s Virginia, and help make their study of Virginia’s history and government more relevant to their own lives.

Making Global Connections

Making Global Connections is about students connecting to people and places around the world, connecting to

present-day issues and realities. Making Global Connections is a journey. In preparation for this journey, students are introduced to The Five Themes of Geography (place, location, region, movement and human interaction with the environment) through their study of Albemarle County and Virginia. As they engage in simulations, problem-solving,

and creative project-based learning, they will compare and contrast what they learn about other world regions with what they experience here at home. Student “travel kits” include: skills, attitudes, and understandings needed to

appreciate the journey: geography skills and thinking, an understanding of economic concepts and habits of mind that support analytical thinking, and attitudes that support understanding among diverse people.

Making Global Connections is inquiry-based and builds upon students’ prior knowledge of ancient civilizations taught in grades two and three. Now students explore the modern world, and engage in multi-faceted, authentic

tasks that mimic the adult world. What does it mean to be a citizen of Albemarle County, of Virginia, of the world? How does geography influence the way we live and work?


Making Global

Connections

Citizenship

Citizens care about the physical and

cultural world.

Community

Connections among people, places and ideas lead to community or

conflict.

Diversity

Diversity and interdependence

characterize our world.

Interactions

Global interactions result in the

exchange of ideas and innovations.

Grade Four Social Studies Concept Map


Making Global Connections Conceptual Framework

Organizing Concepts

Essential Understandings

● Citizenship ● Community

● Diversity

● Interactions

■ Citizens care about the physical and cultural world. ■ Connections among people, places and ideas lead to community or

conflict. ■ Diversity and interdependence characterize our world.

■ Global interactions result in the exchange of ideas and innovations.

Geography and Economic Processes Social Studies Processes and Skills

● Geographical Inquiry

● GIS/GPA Analysis

● Visual Representation: Mapmaking, Graphs & Charts

● Critical Reading

● Analytical Writing

● Cause & Effect Patterns/Relationships

● Change (& Continuity) Over Time

● Compare & Contrast Patterns/Relationships

● Multiple Perspectives Thinking

Unit Organization

It is our goal to prepare all students to succeed in a global community and a global economy. Our world is increasingly complex and interdependent. Citizens of the 21st Century need to understand the global systems that

will influence or even determine their futures. Fourth grade students are introduced to the modern world, and explore the ways in which Virginians connect to people and places in other regions of the world.

To meet student needs and build on student interests, schools may use a different focus for unit development, but all schools work with the same core concepts (citizenship, community, diversity and interactions), the same


emphasis on the Five Themes of Geography, and the same core instructional strategy, inquiry learning. The idea of a “journey” provides a metaphor for our intellectual journey, adventure, exploration and engagement.

Units can be organized around the following five questions:

Questions Focus

Who are we? A study of Albemarle County & Virginia in terms of people, culture & cultural landscapes, economy.

Where are we in place and time?

Five Themes of Geography (location, place, region, movement, human interaction with the environment).

How do we connect to people and places around the world?

A series of inquiries organized around grade four concepts and county Lifelong-Learner Standards all showing connections, comparisons & contrasts between

students and peoples of other countries/regions.

How do we interact with our

environment?

Focus on our rights and responsibilities as global citizens; environmental issues,

futurist thinking.

How will we become lifelong

learners?

A series of inquiries organized around grade four concepts and county Lifelong-

Learner Standards; students learn to take ownership of their learning.

Virginia Standards of Learning for Virginia Studies

VS.2a The student will demonstrate knowledge of the geography and early inhabitants of Virginia by locating Virginia and its bordering states on maps of the United States. VS.2b The student will demonstrate knowledge of the geography and early inhabitants of Virginia by locating and describing Virginia’s Coastal Plain (Tidewater), Piedmont, Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau. VS.2c The student will demonstrate knowledge of the geography and early inhabitants of Virginia by locating and identifying water features important to the early history of Virginia (Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake Bay, James River, York River, Potomac River and Rappahannock River.) VS.10b The student will demonstrate knowledge of government, geography and economics by describing the major products and industries of Virginia’s five geographic regions. VS.10c The student will demonstrate knowledge of government, geography and economics by explaining how advances in transportation, communications, and technology have contributed to Virginia’s prosperity and role in the global economy.


National Geography Standards Students will: The World in Spatial Terms: 1. understand the characteristics and uses of maps, globes, and other geographic tools and technologies; 2. know the location of places, geographic features, and patterns of the environment; 3. understand the characteristics and uses of spatial organization of Earth’s surfaces; Places and Regions: 4. understand the physical and human characteristics of place; 5. understand the concept of regions; 6. understand that culture and experience influence people’s perceptions of place and region; Physical Systems: 7. know the physical processes that shape patterns on Earth’s surface; 8. understand the characteristics of ecosystems on Earth’s surface; Human Systems: 9. understand the name, distribution, and migration of human populations on Earth’s surface; 10. understand the nature and complexity of Earth’s cultural mosaics; 11. understand the patterns and networks of economic interdependence on Earth’s surface;

12. understand the patterns of human settlement and their causes; 13. understand the forces of cooperation and conflict that shape the divisions of Earth’s surface;

Environment & Society: 14. understand how human actions modify the physical environment; 15. understand how physical systems affect human systems; 16. understand the changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution, and importance of resources; Uses of Geography: 17. understand how geography is used to interpret the past, and 18. understand global development and environmental issues.


Assessment (Follows FQL Model)

Assessment is both formative and summative, allowing teachers and students to assess conceptual understandings, content knowledge and skills development. Summative assessments are directly linked to demonstrated growth in

the county Lifelong-Learner Standards and history/social sciences habits of mind. Students are encouraged to take ownership of their own learning, and monitor strengths and weaknesses from

planning to learn to the evaluative stage. Assessments, both formative and summative, are differentiated and vary in format to include performance assessments and writing within and across disciplines.

The following chart provides a model for linking Lifelong-Learner Standards with skills and processes taught in Grade Four.

ACPS Lifelong-Learner Standards Social Studies Processes & Skills

1. Plan and conduct research. ■ Engage in inquiry-based learning.

2. Gather, organize, and analyze data, evaluate processes and products; draw conclusions.

■ Answer data-based and document-based questions.

3. Think analytically, critically, and creatively to pursue new ideas, acquire new knowledge, make decisions.

■ Identify bias.

4. Understand and apply principles of logic and reasoning, develop, evaluate and defend arguments.

Generate, develop and defend a thesis.

5. Seek, recognize and understand systems, patterns, themes, and interactions.

Sequence information chronologically, thematically

6. Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve new and increasingly complex problems.

Make predictions, revise ideas and generate questions from text

7. Acquire and use precise language to clearly communicate ideas, knowledge and processes.


8. Explore and express ideas and opinions using multiple media, the arts and technology.

Express key ideas in various ways such as pictures, drama, graphic organizer, and in writing

9. Demonstrate ethical behavior and respect for diversity through daily actions and decision making.

Identify and respect differing points of view.


10. Participate fully in civic life, and act on democratic ideals within the context of community and global

interdependence.

Engage in civic participation, with particular emphasis on global community.



Compare & contrast health and environmental issues

(Virginia and other places in the world.)



Practice the skills and behaviors of an independent

learner.

Model Assessments for Grade Four √ Language and Culture: Making Connections

Students will become familiar with the concepts of identity, language and culture by engaging in a series of real-

life tasks focused on the skill of problem-solving. Students will choose from a variety of tasks and working in small groups will a) develop a process and schedule for accomplishing their task, b) use language from their

designated country as part of their task, and c) evaluate their product for quality. Task choices are: Moving to a New Country (setting up a new household, identifying community landmarks), creating a web-based Travel Show for Kids, Opening a travel agency, ethnic restaurant, or world market. Student may integrate their

understanding of economic principles. Students should be part of the produce evaluation process.


A Virginia Narrative: We the People Curriculum Framework for Grade Five Social Studies

Introduction Students in grade five develop a greater understanding of Virginia’s rich history, from the early settlement of American Indian language groups and the founding of Jamestown to the present. Students will analyze, interpret

and demonstrate knowledge of important events and ideas in our history, and understand the contributions made by people of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Ideas that form the foundation for political institutions in Virginia and the United States also are included as part of the story of Virginia. Student development of thinking,

reading and writing skills is at the heart of this curriculum as students understand how the past influences the present and their future.

. A Virginia Narrative: We the People

History is a narrative -- a story about important people, ideas, events, and movements. History is about setting,

character, and plot. The study of Virginia is also the study of home and the pride taken in relationships past and present that define who we are as Virginians in the 21st Century. We are the people, past and present who contribute to life in Virginia, and provide for the common good of future Virginians.

Content knowledge identified in the Virginia Standards of Learning provides the factual base to explore key concepts, and instruction

is inquiry-driven with emphasis placed on students’ ability to raise and answer important historical questions. Students continue to

work toward county Lifelong-Learner Standards, standards that address the attitudes, behaviors, and processes students need to be

successful in the 21st Century. Students connect to present-day realities and an increasingly global society as they apply their

knowledge to authentic problems and situations.


A Virginia Narrative: We the People Concept Map

Model Unit Organization:

1. Introducing Concepts & Habits of Mind: Thinking Like a Historian 6. Civil War: Conflict and Cooperation 2. Virginia Indians: Perspective 7. Reconstruction and Growth: Change and Continuity 3. Jamestown: Conflict and Cooperation 8. Civil Rights & the 20

th C: Rights and Responsibilities

4. Colonial Virginia: Change and Continuity 9. Virginia Government: Rights and Responsibilities 5. American Revolution & A New Nation: Perspective 10. Synthesis and Review

A Virginia Narrative:

We the People

Conflict and Cooperation

Change and Continuity

Perspective

Rights & Responsibilities


A Virginia Narrative: We the People Grade Five Social Studies

The story of Virginia reflects how the people of yesterday impact our lives today.

Organizing Concepts


Change and Continuity

Conflict and Cooperation

Perspective

Rights and Responsibilities

Change causes conflict or cooperation.

Perspective develops out of growth and an understanding of history.

With rights come responsibilities.

History and Social Science Processes

Language Arts Processes

Historical Inquiry

Multiple and Historical Perspectives Thinking

Self-Reflection and Self Assessment

Cause & Effect Patterns/Relationships

Sequencing and Chronology

Compare – Contrast Patterns/Relationships

Evaluation and Decision Making

Critical Reading

Analytical Writing

Visual Representations

Research

Debate/Discussion

Listening

Essential Questions

Why are multiple perspectives important?

Why is cooperation necessary?

When is conflict positive?

When is change necessary?

How have rights and responsibilities changed over time?

How does history impact me?


Virginia Standards of Learning for Virginia Studies (Emphasis on History and Government) VS.1 The student will develop skills for historical and geographical analysis including the ability to a) identify and interpret artifacts and primary and secondary source documents to understand events in history;

b) determine cause and effect relationships; c) compare and contrast historical events; d) draw conclusions and make generalizations; e) make connections between past and present; f) sequence events in Virginia history; g) interpret ideas and events from different historical perspectives; h) evaluate and discuss issues orally and in writing; i) analyze and interpret maps to explain relationships among landforms, water features, climatic characteristics, and

historical events. VS.2 d, e The student will demonstrate knowledge of the geography and early inhabitants of Virginia by locating three American Indian (First Americans) language groups (the Algonquian, the Siouan, and the Iroquoian) on a map of Virginia; describing how American Indians (First Americans) adapted to the climate and their environment to secure food, clothing and shelter. VS.3 a-g The student will demonstrate knowledge of the first permanent English settlement in America by explaining reasons for colonization; describing how geography influenced the decision to settle at Jamestown; identifying the importance of the charters of the Virginia Company of London; identifying the importance of the Virginia Assembly (1619) as the first representative legislative body in English America; identifying the importance of the arrival of Africans and women to the Jamestown settlement; describing the hardships faced by settlers at Jamestown and the changes that took place to ensure survival; describing the interactions between the English settlers and the Powhatan people. VS.4 a-d The student will demonstrate knowledge of life in the Virginia colony by explaining the importance of agriculture and its influence on the institution of slavery; describing how European immigrants, Africans and American Indians influenced the cultural landscape and changed the relationship between the Virginia colony and England; explaining how geography influenced the relocation of Virginia’s capital from Jamestown to Williamsburg to Richmond; describing how money, barter and credit were used. VS.5 a-c The student will demonstrate knowledge of the role of Virginia in the American Revolution by identifying the reasons why the colonies went to war with England as expressed in the Declaration of Independence; identifying the various


roles played by Virginians in the Revolutionary War era; identifying the importance of the American victory at Yorktown. VS.6 a-c The student will demonstrate knowledge of the role of Virginia in the establishment of the new American nation by explaining why George Washington is called, “Father of Our Country” and James Madison is called, “Father of the Constitution; identifying the ideas of George Mason and Thomas Jefferson as expressed in the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom; explaining the influence of geography on the migration of Virginians into western territories. VS.7 a, b The student will demonstrate knowledge of the issues that divided our nation and led to the Civil War by identifying the events and differences between northern and southern states that divided Virginians and led to secession, war, and the creation of West Virginia; describing Virginia’s role in the war, including identifying major battles that took place in Virginia. VS.8 a-c The student will demonstrate knowledge of the reconstruction of Virginia following the Civil War by identifying the effects of Reconstruction on life in Virginia; identifying the effects of segregation and “Jim Crow” on life in Virginia; describing the importance of railroads, new industries, and the growth of cities to Virginia’s economic development. VS.9 a-c The student will demonstrate knowledge of 20th Century Virginia by describing the economic and social transition from a rural, agricultural society to a more urban, industrialized society, including the reasons people came to Virginia from other states and countries; identifying the social and political events in Virginia linked to desegregation and Massive Resistance and their relationship to national history; identifying the political, social, and/or economic contributions made by Maggie L. Walker, Harry F. Byrd, Sr., Arthur R. Ashe, Jr., and L. Douglas Wilder. VS.10 a The student will demonstrate knowledge of government, geography and economics by identifying the three branches of government and the function of each.

Assessment (Follows the FQL Model) Assessment is both formative and summative, allowing teachers and students to assess conceptual understandings,

content knowledge and skills development. Summative assessments are directly linked to demonstrate growth in county Lifelong-Learner Standards and history habits of mind. Students are encouraged to take ownership of their

own learning, and monitor strengths and weaknesses from planning to learn, to the evaluative stage. Students should experience multiple forms of assessing growth and be given some choice in the assessment process.

Have students internalized a commitment to life-long learning? Will students be able to apply Lifelong-Learner Standards to their classroom work?


Do student products exemplify “quality” work?

The following chart provides a model for linking Lifelong-Learner Standards with skills and processes taught in grade five.


1. Plan and conduct research. ■ Engage in historical investigations, inquiry-based learning utilizing various academic resources.


■ Answer data-based and document-based questions; use visual and non-visual methods to synthesize information.


■ Evaluate validity of resources; identify bias.


■ Generate, develop and defend a thesis (through evidence.)


■ Observe and show evidence of historical patterns; sequence information chronologically and thematically.


■ Make predictions, revise ideas and generate questions from evidence in text and other historical resources.


■ Present information through writing, visual rendition, and oral presentation.


■ Apply historical thinking to media, arts and technology.


■ Identify and respect differing points of view (multiple perspectives); approach study with historical empathy.


ideals within the context of community and global interdependence.

■ Relate current events to the study of history.

11. Understand and follow a physically active lifestyle that promotes good health and wellness.

■ Develop an awareness of public health in history.

12. Apply habits of mind and meta-cognitive strategies to plan, monitor, and evaluate one’s own work.

■ Practice the skills and behaviors of an independent learner; apply the skills of a historian to learning.


Model Assessments

√ Students will create an historical atlas that follows the story of Virginia’s people, from the First Virginians

(American Indians) to the diversity of 21st Century Virginia. The atlas will engage students in historical and

geographical inquiry. The atlas will be designed and developed throughout the course around county Lifelong-Learner Standards. Students will to apply history and geography skills to demonstrate their understanding of social studies relationships such as cause and effect, sequencing, change over time, compare and contrast. Students

should be able to correctly interpret primary and secondary source documents, and demonstrate growing proficiency in the use of appropriate technology

Sample Essential Questions to Guide Concept Attainment Writing Prompt Suggestions

Change and Continuity Conflict and Cooperation

Is change always good?

How would your life be different if the South won the Civil War?

What if the Patriots lost the American Revolution?

What if Lincoln or Martin Luther King, Jr. had not been assassinated?

Why has Virginia had three capitals?

How has the treatment of African Americans and women changed?

Why/how did Virginia change from an agricultural society to an industrial society?

How do immigrants change the cultural landscape?

How do amendments change the Constitution?

How do schools change?

What’s been the biggest change in your life so far?

What change would you like to make in society? How did African Americans contribute to and change our country?

In your judgment, what were the major conflicts in Virginia’s history?

Which method of resistance is more effective, violent or non-violent?

Is violence ever justified?

Why do people go to war?

What is power?

How do you handle conflict in your own life?

Which side would you have joined: Loyalists or Patriots, North or South?

Should West Virginia seceded from Virginia during the Civil War?

Does cooperation always work?

In history, what person best exemplifies, “cooperation?”


Perspective Rights and Responsibilities

Were the actions of John Brown or Nat Turner right or wrong? Why?

Why do we study civil rights?

Are we truly an integrated society?

Even if you disagree, do you value other people’s opinions?

Do we still segregate?

Should we have same gender schools?

How can two different perspectives both be right?

How does history change one’s perspective?

How has our perspective of Great Britain changed? Why?

Can you tell a story from two different perspectives? Ex. from an abolitionist and plantation owner? patriot or loyalist? woman or man?

Do varying perspectives lead to conflict, cooperation or change?

How did Virginia Indians (First Virginians) view land and water?

Does culture affect one’s perspective?

What are your rights and responsibilities as a fifth grader?

What are your rights and responsibilities today as compared to a ten year old living during the __________?

Why is government necessary?

How has government changed over time?

What are the three branches of Virginia’s government today?

What are civil rights?

How has the Bill of Rights affected you?

Are we all equal?

Why should we help others?

What is liberty?

How would you prioritize the Bill of Rights?

What does it mean to be a citizen?


Grade Five Social Studies: A Virginia Narrative Model Pacing Guide

August September

(4 wks)

October (3 wks)

End of 1st

Quarter (1 wk)

November (4 wks)

December (2 wks)

January (1 wk)

End of 2nd

Quarter (2 wk)

February (4 wk)

March (3 wk)

End of 3rd

Quarter (1 wk)

April (3 wk)

May (1 wk)

June

Unit Theme Introduction to Concepts & Habits of Mind: Thinking Like a Historian

Virginia Indians (2 wks) Jamestown (2 wks)

Jamestown (3 wks) End of 1

st Q

Colonial VA (1 wk)

Colonial Virginia (1 wk) American Rev. & New Nation (3 wks)

American Revolution & New Nation (2 wk)

Civil War (3 wks)

Reconstruction & Growth (2 wk) Civil Rts & 20

th

c (2 wk)

Civil Rts & 20th

c (1 wk) Government (2 wk)

Synthesis & Review Geography and economics (4

th grade

curriculum)

Review

Conceptual Lens

(All) Perspective Conflict & Cooperation

Conflict & Cooperation Change

Change Perspectives

Perspectives

Conflict & Cooperation

Change Rights & Responsibilities

Rights & Responsibilities

(All)

SOL VS.1a-I VS.2d,e; VS 3.a-g

3 a-g; 4a-d VS.4a-d; 5a-c VS.5a-c; VS.6a-c

VS.7a,b VS.8a-c VS 8 a-c; 9 a-c; VS 10a

(includes 4th

grade SOLs: 2 a,b,c; 10b,c

Writing & Ficton (Examples of Reading material)

Pochahontas & the Strangers; The Double Life of Pochahontas; Columbus book???; Sign of the Beaver;

A Lion to Guard Us; Dear America…;

Dear America: The Winter of Red Snow; My Brother Sam is Dead; Johnny Tremain; George Washington’sSocks; Buttons for General Washington;

Charlie Skeddadle; The House of Dies Drear; Dear America…; Freedom Train; Bigger;

Shades of Gray; Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry; Sounder; Freedom Summer; Bud Not Buddy; The Watsons Go to Birmingham; Grfandpa’s Mountain;


United States History to 1877: The American Landscape

Curriculum Framework: Grade Six

Introduction

Students use skills of historical and geographical analysis to explore the early history of the United States and

understand ideas and events that strengthened the Union. The standards for this course relate to the history of the United States from pre-Columbian times until 1877. Students continue to learn fundamental concepts in civics, economics and geography as they study U.S. history in chronological sequence and learn about change and

continuity in our history. They study documents and speeches that laid the foundation of American ideals and institutions, and examine the everyday life of people at different times in the country’s history through the use of

primary and secondary source documents. The study of history emphasizes the intellectual skills required for responsible citizenship.

The American Landscape

The American Landscape describes the interrelationship of our physical world with human development. Connections between geography and history help students understand how patterns emerge across time and place. The

landscape changes over time. The American Landscape speaks to our fascination with what is unknown about the past and our aspirations for America’s future. Students will learn that patterns emerge to explain how the past influences the present, and that the American story is both complex and unfinished. Units are organized around key

concepts that provide a lens for understanding historical relationships: change and continuity, choice and consequence, the five themes of geography, and power. Students will understand how democratic principles provide

the ideological foundation for our nation’s growth. Students will understand how change and continuity shape the American experience. Students will be able to read comparative studies of American history and write their own history narrative.

In sixth grade, the setting for our nation’s story is established as students explore the physical, ideological and

human landscapes that have encouraged the development of democratic principles and the growth of our political, economic and social institutions.


THE AMERICAN LANDSCAPE

Physical and human

landscapes provide the setting for a nation’s story.

Five Themes of Geography

Geography influences

human development

Choice &

Consequence The interplay among

ideas, values and

leadership shape the

human experience.

.

Power Power impacts

structures, systems and worldviews.

The American Landscape

Sample Concept Map

Region Place

Location Movement Human Interaction with the environment

Beliefs and Values Leadership

Cultural Diffusion

Political power Economic power

Social Contract

Conflict &

Cooperation

Societies choose conflict

or cooperation.

Change Interactions

War and Peace


The American Landscape: Course Outline United States History to 1877

Organizing Concepts Essential Understandings Units

● Change and Continuity

● Choice and Consequence ● Five Themes of Geography ● Power

● Today reflects yesterday ● Civilizations are marked by social, technological and political complexity ● Geography is directly related to human development ● The interplay among ideas, values and leadership shape the human condition - past, present, future

● Nations and societies choose cooperation, conflict, peace or war ● Patterns of change and continuity, cause and effect manifest themselves across time and place ● Power influences national and international structures, systems and worldviews

1. U.S. Geography 2. The First Americans 3. Exploration 4. The Thirteen English Colonies 5. Road to War 6. Revolutionary War 7. A New Nation 8. The Early Republic 9. Road to Civil War 10. Civil War and Reconstruction

Essential Questions

● Why study history?

● What major events have influenced the political and cultural landscape of America? ● How has the use of power shaped America’s past? ● How has geography affected the cultural and physical landscape of America? and present? ● How have places and geographical contexts changed over time? ● How do differing and multiple perspectives affect history?

● What is power? ● What are the benefits of power? The consequences? ● What events and people have influenced decisions about war and peace? ● How have the rights guaranteed in the Constitution changed over time? ● How has the definition and idea of “liberty” changed over time?


Five Themes of Geography Choice & Consequence Conflict & Cooperation Power

USI.2a-c

USI.3a,b

USI.4a, c

USI.5a,b

USI.8a,b

USI.9c,e

USI. 6b,c

USI.7d

USI.8c

USI.9d

USI.4b

USI.6d

USI.7c

USI.9a,b,f

USI.5 c,d

USI.6a

USI.7a,b

USI.8d

USI.10a,b

Virginia Standards of Learning USI.1 The student will develop skills for historical and geographical analysis, including the ability to

a) identify and interpret primary and secondary source documents to increase understanding of events and life in United States history to 1877;

b) make connections between the past and the present; c) sequence events in United States history from pre-Columbian times to 1877; d) interpret ideas and events from different historical perspectives;

e) evaluate and discuss issues orally and in writing; f) analyze and interpret maps to explain relationships among landforms, water features, climatic

characteristics, and historical events; g) distinguish between parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude;

h) interpret patriotic slogans and excerpts from notable speeches and documents. USI.2 The student will use maps, globes, photographs, pictures, and tables

a) locate the seven continents; b) locate and describe the location of the geographic regions of North America: Coastal Plain,

Appalachian Mountains, Canadian Shield, Interior Lowlands, Great Plains, Rocky Mountains, Basin and Range, and Coastal Range.

SOL Alignment with United States History I Concepts


c) locate and identify the water features important to the early history of the United States: Great Lakes, Mississippi River, Missouri River, Ohio River, Columbia River, Colorado River, Rio Grande,

Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Gulf of Mexico.

USI.3 Students will demonstrate knowledge of how early cultures developed in North America by

a) locating where the American Indians (First Americans) settled, with emphasis on Arctic (Inuit), Northwest (Kwakiutl), Plains (Sioux), Southwest (Pueblo), and Eastern Woodland (Iroquois); b) describing how the American Indians (First Americans) used their environment to obtain food,

clothing, and shelter.

USI.4 Students will demonstrate knowledge of European exploration in North America and West Africa by a) describing the motivation, obstacles, and accomplishments of the Spanish, French, Portuguese, and English explorations;

b) describing cultural interactions between Europeans and American Indians (First Americans) that led to cooperation and conflict;

c) identifying the location and describing the characteristics of West African societies (Ghana, Mali, and Songhai) and their interactions with traders.

USI.5 Students will demonstrate knowledge of the factors that shaped colonial America by a) describing the religious and economic events and conditions that led to the colonization of

America; b) comparing and contrasting life in the New England, Mid-Atlantic, and Southern colonies, with emphasis on how people interacted with their environment;

c) describing colonial life in America from the perspectives of large landowners, farmers, artisans, women, indentured servants, and slaves;

d) identifying the political and economic relationships between the colonies and England. USI.6 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the causes and results of the American Revolution by

a) identifying the issues of dissatisfaction that led to the American Revolution; b) identifying how political ideas shaped the revolutionary movement in America and led to the

Declaration of Independence, with emphasis on the ideas of John Locke; c) describing key events and the roles of key individuals in the American Revolution, with emphasis on George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and Thomas Paine;


d) explaining reasons why the colonies were able to defeat Britain.

USI.7 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the challenges faced by the new nation by a) identifying the weaknesses of the government established by the Articles of Confederation;

b) identifying the basic principles of the new government established by the Constitution of the United States of America and the Bill of Rights;

c) identifying the conflicts that resulted in the emergence of two political parties;

d) describing the major accomplishments of the first five presidents of the United States.

USI.8 The student will demonstrate knowledge of westward expansion and reform in America from 1801 to 1861 by a) describing territorial expansion and how it affected the political map of the United States, with

emphasis on the Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis and Clark expedition, and the acquisition of Florida, Texas, Oregon, and California;

b) identifying the geographic and economic factors that influenced the westward movement of settlers; c) describing the impact of inventions, including the cotton gin, the reaper, the steamboat, and the

steam locomotive, on life in America; d) identifying the main ideas of the abolitionist and suffrage movements.

USI.9 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the causes, major events, and effects of the Civil War by a) describing the cultural, economic, and constitutional issues that divided the nation;

b) explaining how the issues of states’ rights and slavery increased sectional tensions; c) identifying on a map the states that seceded from the Union and those that remained in the Union;

d) describing the roles of Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, and Frederick Douglass in events leading to and during the war; e) using maps to explain critical developments in the war, including major battles;

f) describing the effects of war from the perspectives of Union and Confederate soldiers (including black soldiers), women and slaves.

USI.10 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the effects of Reconstruction on American life by

a) identifying the provisions of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution of the United

States of America and their impact on the expansion of freedom in America; b) describing the impact of Reconstruction policies on the South.


Assessment (Follows the FQL Model)

Assessment is both formative and summative, allowing teachers and students to assess conceptual understandings, content knowledge and skills development. Summative assessments are directly linked to demonstrate growth in

county Lifelong-Learner Standards and history habits of mind. Students are encouraged to take ownership of their own learning, and monitor strengths and weaknesses from planning to learn, to the evaluative stage. Students should experience multiple forms of assessing growth and be given some choice in the assessment process.

Have students internalized a commitment to life-long learning?

Will students be able to apply Lifelong-Learner Standards to their classroom work? Do student products exemplify “quality” work?

The following chart provides a model for linking Lifelong-Learner Standards with skills and processes taught in grade six.





















interdependence.







■ Practice the skills and behaviors of an independent

learner; apply the skills of a historian to learning.

Model Assessments for US I

√ Students will create an historical atlas that traces America’s history from its beginnings to Reconstruction. The

atlas will engage students in historical and geographical inquiry. Entries in the atlas will follow guidelines included in the Appendix. The atlas will be designed and developed throughout the course and demonstrate student growth

with regards to selected Lifelong-Learner Standards. Students will also demonstrate development of history and geography skills and their understanding of relationships such as cause and effect, sequencing, change over-time,

compare and contrast. Students should be able to correctly interpret primary and secondary source documents, and demonstrate growing proficiency in the use of appropriate technology. √ Students will write a history narrative based on their choice of historical event, period or person. Narratives will

follow the guidelines included in the Appendix. Narratives should be comparative in nature and include multiple perspectives, demonstrate students’ understanding of primary source documents, and show evidence to defend

students’ thesis statements and arguments. In developing their thesis statement, students will choose one of the essential understandings for the year, and re-write it as the main idea upon which their narrative is constructed, written and defended.


Sample Essential Questions to Guide Concept Attainment Writing Prompt Suggestions

Five Themes of Geography Choice & Consequence How has geography affected the cultural and physical landscape

of the United States? How have places and geographic contexts changed over time?

How have differing perceptions of place, people and resources

affected events and conditions of the past?

Who is the “ideal” leader and what impact have

past leaders had on American life?

How does what you believe affect the choices you

make?

How is choice and consequence linked in history?

In your life?

Change & Continuity Conflict & Cooperation What major events have influenced the political and cultural

landscape over time? Why study history? How has the definition of liberty changed over time? How have constitutional rights changed over time? Which is the most effective form of change: reform or

revolution?

How are decisions about war and peace made? By

whom? How do you define “conflict”, “cooperation”?

Which would you use to describe early American

history – conflict or cooperation – and why?

Power

What is power? Who has power? What are the consequences of power? How has power shaped America’s past and present? Who was the most powerful person in American history to 1877 and why?


The American Identity Curriculum Framework for United States History 1877 to the Present

Introduction

The study of our nation’s history should integrate historical facts and sequences with the causes and outcomes of key historical events. Students in grade seven will be provided with opportunities to research key events and make connections between the events themselves and their long-term impact on United States and world

history. Students continue to develop skills needed to analyze and understand complex historical issues, and they are expected to go beyond the facts to examine the historical record for themselves – to consult

documents, journals, diaries, artifacts, data and other evidence to understand how the past affects the present. History is the story of human aspirations. History is social, political, economic, cultural, and scientific/technological. United States History 1877 to the Present will engage students in the story of

individuals, families, communities, nations and the world, from Reconstruction into the 21st Century. The study of history emphasizes the intellectual skills required for responsible citizenship.

The American Identity

The American Identity tells the story of America’s people. Who are we? How is America about me? Connections between geography and history help students understand how patterns emerge across time and place. Who we are,

our identity, changes over time. The American Identity addresses the relationships between beliefs, values, and leadership. Students question how the use of power defines relationships within our nation, and on a global scale. Students are taught to recognize and understand patterns, themes and interactions at the heart of America’s story

and that this story is complex and unfinished. It is also, their story to write, their history to make. Units are organized around other key concepts such as: freedom, growth and development, and global interaction. By the end

of grade seven, students will be able to read comparative studies of American history and be able to answer analytical, document-based questions that address the major themes, events and ideas studied in United States history.


The American Identity Concept Map

The American Identity

Cultural and national identities change over time and are

redefined by each generation.

Global Interaction

Power influences global

interactions and

policies.

Freedom

Each generation defines

and defends freedom.

Growth & Development

Patterns of change and

continuity, ingenuity and

complexity shape the growth and development of nations.

How is history about me?


United States History 1877 to the Present: The American identity Model Course Outline


● Identity

● Freedom

● Global Interaction

● Growth and Development

●Cultural and national identities

change over time and are redefined

by each generation. ● Each generation defines and defends

freedom. ● Patterns of change and continuity,

ingenuity and complexity shape the

growth and development of nations. ● Power influences global interactions

and policies.

1. U.S. Geography & Westward

Expansion

2. Industrialization

3. The Progressive Era

4. The Spanish American War and

Overseas Expansion

5. World at War: World War I

6. The Twenties

7. World at War: World War II

8. The Fifties

9. Expanding Liberty: Civil Rights in

America

10. World at War: The Cold War: Korea

& Viet Nam

11. Transforming Our World

Essential Questions

● How is history about me?

● How has America defined and refined freedom?

● What problems evolve when essential human needs and

want are not met?

● How do people adapt to and modify their environment

● Why does America participate in world events?


● How does freedom affect identity?

● How do cultural identities shape change?


● How do political, economic and social systems affect our

decisions?


Global Interaction Freedom Growth & Development

USII. 4a,b USII. 6a,b

USII. 7a,c

USII. 3c USII. 7d

USII. 8a

USII. 2a,b,c USII. 3a,b,d,e

USII. 5a,b,c,d USII. 6c

USII. 7b USII. 8b

Virginia Standards of Learning

USII.1 The student will demonstrate skills for historical and geographical analysis, including the ability to

a) analyze and interpret primary and secondary source documents to increase understanding of events and life in United States history from 1877 to the present;

b) make connections between past and present; c) sequence events in United States history from 1877 to the present; d) interpret ideas and events from different historical perspectives;

e) evaluate and debate issues orally and in writing; f) analyze and interpret maps that include major physical features;

g) use parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude to describe hemispheric location; h) interpret patriotic slogans and excerpts from notable speeches and documents.

USII.2 The student will use maps, globes, photographs, pictures, and tables for a) explaining how physical features and climate influenced the movement of people westward;

b) explaining relationships among natural resources, transportation, and industrial development after 1877;

Sol Alignment with U.S. History II Concepts


c) locating the 50 states and the cities most significant to the historical development of the United States;

USII.3 The student will demonstrate knowledge of how life changed after the Civil War by

a) identifying the reasons for westward expansion; b) explaining the reasons for the increase in immigration, growth of cities, new inventions, and challenges arising from this expansion;

c) describing racial segregation, the rise of “Jim Crow,” and other constraints faced by African Americans in the post-Reconstruction South;

d) explaining the rise of big business, the growth of industry, and life on American farms; e) describing the impact of the Progressive Movement on child labor, working conditions, the rise of

organized labor, women’s suffrage, and the temperance movement. USII.4 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the changing role of the United States from the late

nineteenth century through World War I by a) explaining the reasons for and results of the Spanish American War;

b) explaining the reasons for the United States’ involvement in World War I and its leadership role at the conclusion of the war.

USII.5 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the social, economic, and technological changes of the early twentieth century by

a) explaining how developments in transportation (including the use of the automobile), communication, and electrification changed American life; b) describing the social changes that took place, including Prohibition, and the Great Migration north;

c) examining art, literature, and music from the 1920s and 1930s, emphasizing Langston Hughes, Duke Ellington, and Georgia O’Keefe and including the Harlem Renaissance;

d) identifying the causes of the Great Depression, its impact on Americans, and the major features of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal.

USII.6 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the major causes and effects of American involvement in World War II by

a) identifying the causes and events that led to American involvement in the war, including the attack on Pear Harbor; b) describing the major events and turning points of the war in Europe and the Pacific;


c) describing the impact of World War II on the homefront.

USII.7 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the economic, social, and political transformation of the United States and the world between the end of World War II and the present by

a) describing the rebuilding of Europe and Japan after World War II, the emergence of the United States as a superpower, and the establishment of the United Nations; b) describing the conversion from a wartime to a peacetime economy;

c) identifying the role of America’s military and veterans in defending freedom during the Cold War, including the wars in Korea and Vietnam, the Cuban missile crisis, the collapse of communism in

Europe, and the rise of new challenges; d) describing the changing patterns of society, including expanded educational and economic opportunities for military veterans, women, and minorities.

USII.8 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the key domestic issues during the second half of the

twentieth century by a) examining the Civil Rights Movement and the changing role of women: b) describing the development of new technologies and their impact on American life.

Assessment (Follows the FQL Model)

Assessment is both formative and summative, allowing teachers and students to assess conceptual understandings, content knowledge and skills development. Summative assessments are directly linked to demonstrate growth in county Lifelong-Learner Standards and history habits of mind. Students are encouraged to take ownership of their

own learning, and monitor strengths and weaknesses from planning to learn, to the evaluative stage. Students should experience multiple forms of assessing growth and be given some choice in the assessment process.

Have students internalized a commitment to life-long learning? Will students be able to apply Lifelong-Learner Standards to their classroom work?

Do student products exemplify “quality” work?

The following chart provides a model for linking Lifelong-Learner Standards with skills and processes taught in grade seven.





















■ Identify and respect differing points of view (multiple

perspectives); approach study with historical empathy.







■ Practice the skills and behaviors of an independent learner; apply the skills of a historian to learning.

Model Assessments

√ Students will answer a series of document-based questions and thematic essays to demonstrate their ability to

interpret and analyze primary and secondary source documents, read and make meaning from conflicting history

narratives, and apply history and social studies skills. Essays will follow guidelines included in the Appendix. Document-Based Questions (DBQ) and thematic essays should be analytical in nature, include a strong thesis


statement and evidence to support that thesis. Students may choose one of the organizing concepts upon which to base their work.

√ Students will develop an original product that addresses the issue of change over time, 1870 to 2000 A.D. The

task: If you had an opportunity to meet one of your relatives who lived during the 1800s and tell them about the

United States today, how would you describe those changes and explain the transformation of society from the late 1800s to today. Students must address this question in terms of geography, economic change/growth, advances in technology, political, social and cultural changes. Student must use the language of history and the social sciences.

Sample Essential Questions to Guide Concept Attainment

Writing Prompt Suggestions

Identity How is history about me?

How does identity shape history?

How do regions differ culturally? How are they the same?

What is the relationship between cultural identity and change?

How have individuals influenced historical events?

What is the relationship between identity and leadership?

Why is personal character important in history?

How does identity, both group and national, affect decisions about conflict and cooperation?

How does identity influence one’s idea of freedom?

How would you describe the “American character”?

How has the American identity changed over time?

What does it mean to be an “American”?

How does religious identity influence political and social choices?

Does the United States have a class system?

What is the relationship between identity and power?

How do Americans “tell their story” to the rest of the world?

How do people from other countries or regions of the world perceive America?


Freedom Why is freedom important to me?

How has the idea of freedom changed over time for individual Americans?

What events and individuals have influenced American freedom?

How has America continued to define and refine freedom for individuals? For groups?

What was the impact of the Civil Rights Movement on personal and political liberty?

Is everyone “free?”

What do we mean by unalienable rights?

Why is defending freedom important to us?

How do political and economic policies affect freedom?

What is the relationship between freedom and status?

How am I free?

What is the relationship between freedom and equality?

How does society balance competing claims to freedom?

How do national and world events effect the definition of freedom?

What is the effect of war on individual freedom?

Who has the power to curtail one’s freedom? Under what circumstances?

What do our important historical documents say about freedom?

What is the significance of the Bill of Rights?

Is the story of America the story of expanding liberty? How would you tell that story?

How is freedom a part of America’s continuing story?

Global Interaction What are the causes and effects of American participation in world events?

How does economics drive global interactions?

How do political beliefs and systems drive global interactions?

How do conflict and cooperation effect global interactions?

What environmental challenges affect or drive global interactions?

What institutions exist to encourage and support international cooperation?

How does the United States react to new challenges, such as terrorism and nuclear capabilities?

What draws immigrants to the United States? What impact does immigration have on domestic policies?

How does the Untied States support global human rights? Children’s rights?

What is the relationship between political and cultural beliefs and the way one understands the world?

What are our obligations to the world community?

How do I connect to the world?

To what extent is the United States autonomous today? In the future?


What problems emerge when cultures clash?

What sacrifices will we make to ensure a peaceful world?

What sacrifices will we make to defend American principles? What principles are most important to defend?

Growth and Development How do people modify and adapt to their environment?

How do technological advances connect resources, products and markets?

What factors motivate individuals to make life changes?

How do I grow?

How does economic development affect public policy?

How did the Industrial Revolution change America?

What is the relationship between technology and conflict? Cooperation?

How are invention and imagination linked?

What does it mean to say that change is complex?

What problems emerge when basic human needs and wants are not met?

What is the role of government in economic growth and development?

How have individual Americans contributed to America’s growth and development over time?

Why is social and economic mobility important to Americans?

What role does government play in people’s welfare?

How are we (U.S.) changing?

How should we (U.S.) change?

How does the type of political or economic system affect a society’s growth and development?


Citizenship in the 21st Century Curriculum Framework for Civics and Economics

Introduction

The study of civics and economics integrates knowledge of how the United States government and economic systems work within the contexts of both the individual and the community. Students are provided with opportunities to research and analyze the ideas and opinions of the founding fathers and examine their role in the

development of the U.S. government. Emphasis is placed on the importance of the Virginia and United States constitutions. Students investigate the process by which decisions are made in the American market economy.

Furthermore, students will be able to participate in a variety of experiences designed to connect our nation’s past to the students’ present lives. Civics is the story of citizenship and the role of the individual in public life. Civics is the study of how social, political, economic, and scientific forces impact our society. The study of civics and economics

emphasizes the necessary intellectual skills required to be a citizen in the 21st Century.

Citizenship in the 21st Century

Citizenship in the 21st Century relates to the students’ role in an ever-changing global society. What does it mean to be a citizen in the 21st Century? Units are organized around other key concepts such as choice, identity/beliefs,

and power. an awareness of their role in the on-going story of American constitutional government, their responsibilities as citizens, and the potential impact they can have on the future - through the choices they make,

their personal beliefs and identity, and the way that they choose to use their power to influence others.

Students are introduced to economic concepts and systems, learning to compare and contrast organization and structure, advantages and disadvantages, and issues of economic freedom. A hands-on and experiential approach is taken to ensure that students understand economic and political issues existing in the real world. They envision the

future and their place in a changing, complex, and global world.


Power

Power enables choice.

Does everyone have power?

Identity & Beliefs

Identity and beliefs are

interrelated.

How is identity developed?

Choice

Choices have costs.

What is the cost of choice?

Citizenship is being responsible.

What does it mean to be a citizen in the 21st century?


Citizenship in the 21st Century: Course Outline


Power

Choice

Identity & Beliefs

Citizenship

The understanding and use of power

shapes both national and international

structures, systems, and worldviews.

Ethical, cultural and institutional

forces shape individual identity, and

behavior.

The interplay among ideas, values and

leadership shape the human condition,

past, present, and future.

Civilizations are marked by social,

technological, economic, and political

complexity.

1. Rights, Duties, Responsibilities of

Citizens

2. Foundations of American Government

& Constitutional Government

3. The Political Process

4. Public Policy

5. Judicial System

6. Economics & the Role of Government

Essential Questions What does it mean to be a citizen in the 21

st Century?

How does power impact the global society?

How is identity developed?

What forces have influenced your personal identity?

What is the cost of choice?

How is society shaped by individuals?


Cross-Curricular Processes Civics and Economics Processes Mega-cognition and Self-Evaluation

Strategic Reading

Writing

Critical/Creative Thinking & Evaluation (ex. Media/Bias)

Cause and Effect

Problem Solving

Developing/Interpreting Charts and Graph

Analytical Essay


Choice Citizenship Identify & Beliefs Power

CE. 3e

CE. 4a,b,c,d,e CE. 8c CE. 9a

CE. 10a,b,c CE. 11b

CE. 12

CE. 3a,c,d

CE. 5e

CE. 2a

CE. 5b,c CE. 7c,d CE. 9b.c

CE. 2b.c

CE. 3b CE. 5a,d,f CE. 6a,b,c,d,e

CE. 7a,b CE. 8a,b

CE. 8d CE. 10d CE. 11a,c,d,e


CE. 1 The student will develop the social studies skills citizenship requires, including the ability to

a) examine and interpret primary and secondary source documents; b) create and explain maps, diagrams, tables, charts, graphs, and spreadsheets:

c) analyze political cartoons, political advertisements, pictures, and other graphic media; d) distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information; e) review information for accuracy, separating fact from opinion;

f) identify a problem and recommend solutions; g) select and defend positions in writing, discussion, and debate.

CE. 2 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the foundations of American constitutional government by

a) explaining the fundamental principles of consent of the governed, limited government, rule of law, democracy, and representative government; b) explaining the significance of the charters of the Virginia Company of London, the Virginia

Declaration of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, and the Constitution of the United States of America, including the

Bill of Rights;

SOL Alignment with Civics and Economics Concepts


c) identifying the purposes for the Constitution of the United States of America as they are stated in its Preamble;

CE. 3 The student will demonstrate knowledge of citizenship and the rights, duties, and responsibilities of

citizens by a) describing the processes by which an individual becomes a citizen of the United States; b) describing the First Amendment freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition, and

the rights guaranteed by due process and equal protection; c) describing the duties of citizenship, including obeying laws, paying taxes, defending the nation, and

serving in court; d) examining the responsibilities of citizenship, including registering and voting, communicating with

government officials, participating in political campaigns, keeping informed about current issues, and respecting differing opinions in a diverse society; e) evaluating how civic and social duties address community needs and serve the public good.

CE. 4 The student will demonstrate knowledge of personal character traits that facilitate thoughtful and

effective participation in civic life by a) practicing trustworthiness and honesty; b) practicing courtesy and respect for the rights of others;

c) practicing responsibility, accountability, and self-reliance; d) practicing respect for the law:

e) practicing patriotism. CE. 5 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the political process at the local, state and national levels of

government by a) describing the functions of political parties;

b) comparing the similarities and differences of political parties; c) analyzing campaigns for elective office, with emphasis on the role of the media; d) examining the role of campaign contributions and costs;

e) describing voter registration and participation. f) describing the role of the electoral college in the election of the President and Vice President.


CE. 6 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the American constitutional government by a) explaining the relationship of state governments to the national government in the federal system;

b) describing the structure and powers of local, state, and national governments; c) explaining the principle of separation of powers and the operation of checks and balances;

d) identifying the procedures for amending the Constitution of the United States of America. CE. 7 The student will demonstrate knowledge of how public policy is made at the local, state, and national

levels of government by a) explaining the lawmaking process;

b) describing the roles and powers of the executive branch; c) examining the impact of the media on public opinion and public policy; d) describing how individuals and interest groups influence public policy.

CE. 8 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the judicial system established by the Constitution of

Virginia and the Constitution of the United States of America by a) describing the organization and jurisdiction of federal and state courts; b) describing the exercise of judicial review;

c) explaining court proceedings in civil and criminal cases; d) explaining how due process protections seek to ensure justice.

CE. 9 The student will demonstrate knowledge of how economic decisions are made in the marketplace by a) applying concepts of scarcity, resources, choice, opportunity cost, price, incentives, supply and

demand, production and consumption; b) comparing the differences among free market, command, and mixed economies;

c) describing the characteristics of the United States economy, including free markets, private property, profit, and competition.

CE. 10 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the structure and operation of the United States economy by

a) describing the types of business organizations and the role of entrepreneurship; b) explaining the circular flow that shows how consumers (households), businesses (producers) and markets interact;


c) explaining how financial institutions encourage saving and investing; d) examining the relationship of Virginia and the United States to the global economy, with emphasis

on the impact of technological innovations.

CE. 11 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the role of government in the United States economy by a) examining competition in the marketplace; b) explaining the creation of public goods and services;

c) describing the impact of taxation, including an understanding of the reasons for the 16th Amendment, spending and borrowing;

d) explaining how the Federal Reserve System regulates the money supply; e) describing the protection of consumer rights and property rights.

CE. 12 The student will demonstrate knowledge of career opportunities by a) identifying talents, interests, and aspirations that influence career choices;

b) identifying attitudes and behaviors that strength the individual work ethic and promote career success; c) identifying skills and education that careers require:

d0 examining the impact of technological change on career opportunities.

Assessment (follows FQL model) Assessment is both formative and summative, allowing teachers and students to assess conceptual understandings, content knowledge and skills development. Assessments should evaluate student growth in all twelve Lifelong-

Learner Standards (LLLS) and social studies Habits of Mind. Students should be involved in assessing their own progress and growth, and have a clear understanding of how these standards can help them succeed as adults.

1) Have students internalized a commitment to life-long learning? 2) Will students be able to apply lifelong-learner standards to post-secondary learning and work experiences?

3) Do students apply lifelong-learner standards to the decision-making process?

The following chart provides a model for linking Lifelong-Learner Standards with skills and processes taught in grade

eight.








■ Identify bias.









Make predictions, revise ideas and generate questions

from text







10. Participate fully in civic life, and act on democratic ideals within the context of community and global interdependence.

Engage in civic participation.


Evaluate and advocate public health and environmental issues.


Practice the skills and behaviors of an independent learner.

Model Assessments (Follows the FQL Model)

√ Students will answer a series of document-based questions (DBQs) and data-based questions to demonstrate

their ability to interpret and analyze primary and secondary source documents, read and make meaning from data

bases, graphs, charts, tables, political cartoons, and other visual materials, and apply problem solving skills. Students will communicate their understanding and analysis in a well-thought out and well written essay that

includes a thesis statement and supporting evidence.


√ Students will develop an original product using information learned from the entire curriculum, “To Create A

Society.” They will need to justify choices they make in setting up a government and economic system, and will

author a constitution as a basis for law. Students will need to actively apply their understanding of the concepts of power, choice, identity/beliefs as they strive to define the rights and responsibilities of citizens in their new society.


Introduction Virginia Standards of Learning for World History and Geography to 1500 A.D. enable students to explore the historical development of people, places, and patterns of life from ancient times until 1500 A.D. in terms of the

impact on Western civilization. The study of history rests on knowledge of dates, names, places, events, and ideas. Historical understanding, however, requires students to engage in historical thinking: to raise questions and marshal

evidence in support of their answers. Students engaged in historical thinking draw upon chronological thinking, historical comprehension, historical analysis and interpretation, historical research, and decision making.

The Roots of Human Interaction

The study of history prepares students to make informed decisions about the present and the future. World History to 1500 A.D. focuses disciplined inquiry around the roots of human interaction, the development of civilization, and

the importance of geography in influencing the development of political, economic and social systems and institutions. Students explore relationships existing between (1) adaptation and interaction, (2) order and control, (3) innovation and progress, and (4) perspective and identity. Students will work at higher levels of Bloom’s

Taxonomy of Cognitive Development, learning to synthesize and evaluate, in addition to furthering development of analysis and comprehension skills. Since history is a narrative, students are expected to engage in analytical writing

to articulate and communicate their understanding of important content. Students engage in geographical inquiry to acquire a deep understanding of how geography influences history.

Geography concepts, content, and development of geography skills is emphasized in this curriculum, and students are expected to demonstrate their ability to apply knowledge of geography to all ninth grade organizing concepts.

The Roots of Human Interaction Curriculum Framework for: World History and Geography to 1500 A.D.


The Roots of Human

Interaction

Innovation &

Progress Innovation leads to the progress and growth of civilizations

Adaptation Human survival depends on the

ability to adapt.

Order & Control Societies employ

various methods to

establish and maintain order and authority.

Perspective &

Identity Perspective shapes the

development of societal as well as individual

identity.

Interaction Human interactions with

the environment influence the past,

present, and future.

World History and Geography to 1500 A.D.

Concept Map


The Roots of Human Interaction: World History to 1500 A.D.

Conceptual Framework

Organizing Concepts Understandings Essential Questions

♦ Innovation and Progress

♦ Interaction and Adaptation

♦ Order and Control

♦ Perspective and identity

♦ Innovation leads to the progress

and growth of civilizations. ♦ Human interactions with the

environment, and with each, influence the past, present, and future.

♦ Human survival depends on the

ability to adapt.

♦ Societies employ various methods

to establish and maintain order and authority.

♦ Perspective shapes the development

of societal as well as individual

identities.

1. Is progress always good?

2. How is innovation a catalyst for progress?

3. How does one’s environment define our

lives?

4. How does geography influence human

development and interactions?

5. Are human beings better off organizing

themselves into civilizations?

6. Is hierarchy necessary?

7. What is the most effective method for

maintaining societal order?

8. Where does authority come from?

9. How do people define themselves?

10. Is maintaining identify (both personal

and collective) important?

11. How does one’s beliefs and values shape

perspective?


Innovation & Progress Interaction & Adaptation Order & Authority Perspective & Identity

Written Language

Technology

Art/Architecture

Geography/Environment

Conflict

Cooperation

Trade

Hierarchy

Governments

Values/Beliefs

Religion

Traditions

WHI.2c, d

WHI.3e

WHI.4e

WHI.5f

WHI.6j

WHI.8d

WHI.10b

WHI.11b

WHI.13a, d

WHI.2a, b

WHI.3a

WHI.4b, e

WHI.5a, d, g

WHI.6a, d, c, g

WHI.7a, c

WHI.8a, b, c

WHI.9d

WHI.10a, b, c, d

WHI.11a

WHI.12b, c

WHI.3b

WHI.4a, b

WHI.5c, e

WHI.6c, f, i, k

WHI.7b

WHI.8c

WHI.9a, b, c

WHI.12a

WHI.13b

WHI.3c, d

WHI.4c, d, f

WHI.5b, c

WHI.6b, h

WHI.7c, d

WHI.8a

WHI.10c, d

WHI.11b

WHI.12d

WHI.13c


WHI.1 The student will improve skills in historical research and geographical analysis by

a) identifying, analyzing, and interpreting primary and secondary sources to make generalizations about events and life in world history to 1500 A.D.; b) using maps, globes, artifacts, and pictures to analyze the physical and cultural landscapes of the

world and interpret the past to 1500 A.D.;

c) identifying major geographic features important to the study of world history to 1500 A.D.; d) identifying and comparing political boundaries with the location of civilizations, empires, and kingdoms from 4000 B.C. to 1500 A.D.;

SOL Alignment with World History to 1500 A.D. Concepts


e) analyzing trends in human migration and cultural interaction from prehistory to 1500 A.D.

WHI.2 The student will demonstrate knowledge of early development of humankind from the Paleolithic Era to the agricultural revolution by

a) explaining the impact of geographic environment on hunter-gatherer societies; b) listing characteristics of hunter-gatherer societies, including their use of tools and fire; c) describing the technological and social advancements that gave rise to stable communities;

d) explaining how archaeological discoveries are changing present-day knowledge of early peoples.

WHI.3 The student will demonstrate knowledge of ancient river civilizations, including Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Indus River Valley, and China, and the civilizations of the Hebrews, Phoenicians, and Kush, by

a) locating these civilizations in time and place;

b) describing the development of social, political, and economic patterns, including slavery; c) explaining the development of religious traditions;

d) describing the origins, beliefs, traditions, customs, and spread of Judaism; e) explaining the development of language and writing.

WHI.4 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the civilizations of Persia, India, and China in terms of chronology, geography, social structures, government, economy, religion, and contributions to later

civilizations by a) describing Persia, with emphasis on the development of the imperial bureaucracy; b) describing India, with emphasis on the Aryan migrations and the caste system;

c) describing the origins, beliefs, traditions, customs and spread of Hinduism; d) describing the origins, beliefs, traditions, customs and spread of Buddhism;

e) describing China, with emphasis on the development of an empire and the construction of the Great Wall;

f) describing the impact of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.

WHI.5 The student will demonstrate knowledge of ancient Greece in terms of its impact on Western civilization by

a) assessing the influence of geography on Greek economic, social and political development,

including the impact of Greek commerce and colonies; b) describing Greek mythology and religion;


c) identifying the social structure and role of slavery, explaining the significance of citizenship and the development of democracy, and comparing the city-states of Athens and Sparta;

d) evaluating the significance of the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars; e) characterizing life in Athens during the Golden Age of Pericles;

f) citing contributions in drama, poetry, history, sculpture, architecture, science, mathematics, and philosophy, with emphasis on Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle;

g) explaining the conquest of Greece by Macedonia and the spread of Hellenistic culture by Alexander

the Great.

WHI.6 The student will demonstrate knowledge of ancient Rome from about 700 A.D. in terms of its impact on Western civilization by

a) assessing the influence of geography on Roman economic, social and political development;

b) describing Roman mythology and religion; c) explaining the social structure and role of slavery, significance of citizenship, and the development

of democratic features in the government of the Roman Republic; d) sequencing events leading to Roman military domination of the Mediterranean basin and Western

Europe and the spread of Roman culture in these areas;

e) assessing the impact of military conquests on the army, economy, and social structure of Rome; f) assessing the roles of Julius and Augustus Caesar in the collapse of the Roman Republic and the

rise of imperial monarchs; g) explaining the economic, social and political impact of the Pax Romana; h) describing the origin, beliefs, traditions, customs and spread of Christianity;

i) explaining the development and significance of the Church in the late Roman Empire; j) listing contributions in art and architecture, technology and science, literature and history,

language, religious institutions, and law; k) citing the reasons for the decline and fall of the Western Roman Empire.

WHI.7 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the Byzantine Empire and Russia from about 300 to 1000 A.D. by

a) explaining the establishment of Constantinople as the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire;

b) identifying Justinian and his contributions, including the codification of Roman law, and describing the expansion of the Byzantine Empire and economy;


c) characterizing Byzantine art and architecture, and the preservation of Greek and Roman traditions; d) explaining disputes that led to the split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Greek

Orthodox Church; e) assessing the impact of Byzantine influence and trade on Russia and Eastern Europe.

WHI.8 The student will demonstrate knowledge of Islamic civilization from about 600 to 1000 A.D. by

a) describing the origin, beliefs, traditions, customs and spread of Islam;

b) assessing the influence of geography on Islamic economic, social and political development, including the impact of conquest and trade;

c) identifying historical turning points that affected the spread and influence of Islamic civilization, with emphasis on the Sunni-Shi’a division, and the Battle of Tours;

d) citing cultural and scientific contributions and achievements of Islamic civilization.

WHI.9 The student will demonstrate knowledge of Western Europe during the Middle Ages from about 500 to

1000 A.D. in terms of its impact on Western civilization by a) sequencing events related to the spread and influence of Christianity and the Catholic Church

throughout Europe;

b) explaining the structure of feudal society and its economic, social, and political effects; c) explaining the rise of Frankish kings, the Age of Charlemagne, and the revival of the idea of the

Roman Empire; d) sequencing events related to the invasions, settlements, and influence of migratory groups

including the Angles, Saxons, Magyars, and Vikings.

WHI.10 The student will demonstrate knowledge of civilizations and empires of the Eastern Hemisphere and

their interactions through regional trade patterns by a) locating major trade routes; b) identifying technological advances and transfers, networks of economic interdependence, and

cultural interactions; c) describing Japan, with emphasis on the impact of Shinto and Buddhist traditions and the influence

of Chinese culture; d) describing east African kingdoms of Axum and Zimbabwe and west African civilizations of Ghana,

Mali, and Songhai in terms of geography, society, economy, and religion.


WHI.11 The student will demonstrate knowledge of major civilizations of the Western Hemisphere, including the Mayan, Aztec and Incan by

a) describing geographic relationships, with emphasis on patterns of development in terms of climate and physical features;

b) describing cultural patterns and political and economic structures. WHI.12 The student will demonstrate knowledge of social, economic, and political changes and cultural

achievements in the late medieval period by a) describing the emergence of nation-states (England, France, Spain, and Russia) and distinctive

political developments in each: b) describing conflicts among Eurasian powers, including the Crusades, the Mongol conquests, and

the fall of Constantinople;

c) identifying patterns of crisis and recovery related to the Black Death; d) explaining the preservation and transfer to Western Europe of Greek, Roman, and Arabic

philosophy, medicine, and science. WHI.13 The student will demonstrate knowledge of developments leading to the Renaissance in Europe in

terms of its impact on Western civilization by a) identifying the economic foundations of the Renaissance;

b) sequencing events related to the rise of Italian city-states and their political development, including Machiavelli’s theory of governing as described in The Prince;

c) citing artistic, literary, and philosophical creativity, as contrasted with the medieval period,

including Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Petrarch; d) comparing the Italian and the Northern Renaissance, and citing the contributions of writers.

Assessment (follows FQL Model) Assessment is both formative and summative, allowing teachers and students to assess conceptual understandings, content knowledge and skills development. Assessments should evaluate student growth in all twelve Lifelong-Learner Standards (LLLS) and social studies Habits of Mind. Students should be involved in assessing their own

progress and growth, and have a clear understanding of how these standards can help them succeed as adults.

4) Have students internalized a commitment to life-long learning?


5) Will students be able to apply lifelong-learner standards to post-secondary learning and work experiences? 6) Do students apply lifelong-learner standards to the decision-making process?


nine.




















interdependence.







■ Practice the skills and behaviors of an independent

learner; apply the skills of a historian to learning.


Model Assessments for Grade Nine √ Socratic Seminar: Socratic questioning recognizes that questions, not answers, are the driving force in thinking.

Students will explore important ideas, values, and issues drawn from readings, primary sources, art work, and other scholarly material chosen for richness of thought, cultural (and other) perspective, and interest to the student.

The seminar will provide students with an opportunity to test their critical thinking, develop a thesis or generalization, collect and synthesize evidence and present an argument. As both readers and listeners, students will use oral and written language for communicating their ideas.

√ National History Day: Students will conduct extensive research around the National History Day topic for the

Year (ex. 2007-08, Conflict and Compromise.) Students choose from a variety of presentation forms to present

a thesis, argument, evidence, and sources. Those choices are: individual or group presentation, research paper, individual or group documentary, individual or group exhibit. Students will follow the rules and regulations set forth by National History Day, and may compete at the regional, state and national contest levels.


Introduction Virginia Standards of Learning for World History and Geography, 1500 A.D. to the Present enable students to study the influence of geography on history, the evolution of nations and political boundaries with a focus on Western

Europe, and the ways in which scientific and technological revolutions created economic, social and political change. Noteworthy people and events of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries will be emphasized for their strong

connections to contemporary issues. Students engage in historical thinking and draw upon: chronological thinking, historical comprehension, historical analysis and interpretation, historical research, and decision-making.

World History and Geography II: Connections across Time and Place

The study of history prepares students to make informed decisions about the present and the future. World History and Geography 1500 A.D. to the Present focuses disciplined inquiry around patterns and connections that occur

across time and place, emphasizes the importance of the individual in history, and draws parallels between past events and contemporary issues. In particular, students will explore relationships between (1) the individual and society, (2) conflict and cooperation, (3) freedom and structure, (4) innovation and change, and (5) faith and

reason. A contemporary lens is added – globalization – to help students connect the challenges of the past to today’s world. Students will work at higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Development, learning to

synthesize and evaluate, in addition to furthering development of historical analysis and comprehension skills. Since history is a narrative, students are expected to engage in analytical writing to articulate and communicate their understanding of important content.

Students engage in geographical inquiry to acquire a deep understanding of how geography influences history.

Geography concepts, content and development of geography skills is emphasized in this curriculum, and students are expected to demonstrate their ability to apply knowledge of geography to all tenth grade organizing concepts.

Connections across Time and Place

Curriculum Framework for: World History and Geography 1500 A.D. to the Present


Individual & Society

The interplay between the individual and society

shape political, economic and social dynamics across

time.

Innovation &

Change Innovation creates

change and all change has consequences.

Faith & Reason The tension between

faith and reason sparks

a continual dialogue

about how people perceive the world.

Globalization Globalization elevates

the importance of individual decisions.

Freedom & Structure

Political and social

structures determine the

degree of freedom

within a society.

Conflict &

Cooperation The human desire to

control leads to conflict

or cooperation.

Connections Across Time and Place

World History and Geography 1500 A.D. to the Present Concept Map


Connections across Time and Place: World History 1500 A.D. to the Present


Organizing Concepts Understandings Essential Questions Individual and Society

The interplay between the individual

and society shape political, economic,

and social dynamics across time.

How have individuals been able to influence,

even transform societies, in both positive and

negative ways?

How do social constructs mold the behavior of

society’s members?

Conflict and Cooperation The human desire to control leads to

conflict or cooperation

Why do societies have conflict, either

externally or internally?

What causes societies to work together in

pursuit of a common goal?

Freedom and Structure Political and social structures determine

the degree of freedom within a society.

How do societies balance the need for

structure against the desire for rights?

How does an individual’s view of human

nature shape one’s belief on the nature of

government?

Innovation and Change Innovation creates change and all

change has consequences.

How does new knowledge and innovation in

technology spark societal change?

How are societal changes reflected in the arts,

literature, philosophy, etc.

Faith and Reason The tension between faith and reason

sparks a continual dialogue about how

people perceive the world.

How does faith shape one’s worldview?

How does one’s worldview impact society?

Are faith and reason used to control or

empower citizens in society?

Globalization Globalization elevates the importance of

individual decisions.

Is geography the root of interpersonal conflict?

Is the interconnectedness of politics,

economics, and culture a mark of progress?

How does the individual play a role in a

globally connected world?


1. Individual & Society

2. Conflict & Cooperation

3. Freedom & Structure

4. Innovation & Change

5. Faith & Reason 6. Globalization

WHII.2b – Locating States and Empires

WHII.2d – Global Trade Patterns (1500)

WHII.2a – Renaissance Individuals and Ideals

WHII.2e – Eastern Hemisphere Technology

WHII.2c – World Religions

WHII.3

WHII.3a – Reformation Individuals

WHII.3 WHII.3 WHII.3c – societal changes

WHII.3b – Reformation Impacts on Society

WHII.3

WHII.4 WHII.4a – Age of Exploration

WHII.4c – Cultural Diffusion and Settlement Patterns

WHII.4 WHII.4 WHII.4b – Influence of Religion

WHII.4d – Columbian Exchange

WHII.4e – Triangular Trade

WHII.4f – exports

WHII.5 WHII.5 WHII.5a – Ottoman Empire

WHII.5b – Mughal Empire

WHII.4c – East Asia

WHII.5e – Commercial Revolution

WHII.5 WHII.5d – Africa and Global Trade

WHII.6 WHII.6 WHII.6b – Absolutism WHII.6c – English

Revolution

WHII.6e – American & French Revolution

WHII.6f – Impact of Revolutions on Latin America

WHII.6g – Arts and Technology

WHII.6a – Scientific Revolution

WHII.6d - Enlightenment

WHII.6

WHII.7a – Napoleon and the Congress of Vienna

WHII.7 WHII.7b – Political Rights

WHII.7c – Unification of Italy

WHII.7d – Unification of Germany

WHII.7 WHII.7 WHII.7

WHII.8 WHII.8 WHII.8 WHII.8a – Industrial Revolution

WHII.8b – Capitalism WHII.8c – Impacts of

Industrial Rev WHII.8d – Rise of

Imperialism & Nationalism

WHII.8 WHII.8e – competition of resources

WHII.9 WHII.9a – WWI WHII.9b – Treaty of

Versailles

WHII.9c – Russian Revolution


WHII.10 WHII.10a – League of

Nations

WHII.10c –

Totalitarianism

WHII.10 WHII.10 WHII.10b – Great

Depression

SOL Alignment with World History and Geography II Concepts



WHII.1 The student will improve skills in historical research and geographical analysis by a) identifying, analyzing, and interpreting primary and secondary sources to make generalizations

about events and life in world history since 1500 A.D.; b) using maps, globes, artifacts, and pictures to analyze the physical and cultural landscapes of the

world and to interpret the past since 1500 A.D.;

c) identifying geographic features important to the study of world history since 1500 A.D.; d) identifying and comparing political boundaries with the location of civilizations, empires, and

kingdoms from 1500 A.D. to the present; e) analyzing trends in human migration and cultural interaction from 1500 A.D. to the present.

WHII.2 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the political, cultural, and economic conditions in the world about 1500 A.D. by

a) locating major states and empires; b) describing artistic, literary and intellectual ideas of the Renaissance;

c) describing the distribution of major religions; d) analyzing major trade patterns;

WHII.11 WHII.11a – WWII WHII.11c –

reconstruction

WHII.11 WHII.11 WHII.11 WHII.11b – Genocide

WHII.12 WHII.12a – Cold War WHII.12b –

Deterrence

WHII.12c – Containment


WHII.13a – Independence Movements

WHII.13b – Independence Movements Africa

WHII.13 WHII.13c – End of Mandate System


WHII.14 WHII.14 WHII.14 WHII.14 WHII.14a - Religions WHII.14b – geographic distribution of religion

WHII.15 WHII.15 WHII.15 WHII.15 WHII.15 WHII.15a – contemporary political issues

WHII.15b – economic impacts

WHII. 15c – economic interdependence


e) citing major technological and scientific exchanges in the Eastern Hemisphere.

WHII.3 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the Reformation in terms of its impact on Western civilization by

a) explaining the effects of the theological, political and economic differences that emerged including the views and actions of Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Henry VIII;

b) describing the impact of religious conflicts, including the Inquisition, on society and government

actions; c) describing changing cultural values, traditions, and philosophies, and assessing the role of the

printing press. WHII.4 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the impact of the European Age of Discovery and expansion

into the Americas, Africa and Asia by a) explaining the roles of explorers and conquistadors;

b) describing the influence of religion; c) explaining migration, settlement patterns, cultural diffusion, and social classes in the colonized

areas;

d) defining the Columbian Exchange; e) explaining the triangular trade;

f) describing the impact of precious metal exports from the Americas. WHII.5 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the status and impact of global trade on regional

civilizations of the world after 1500 A.D. by a) describing the location and development of the Ottoman Empire:

b) describing India, including the Mughal Empire and coastal trade; c) describing East Asia, including China and the Japanese shogunate; d) describing Africa and its increasing involvement in global trade;

e) describing the growth of European nations, including the Commercial Revolution and mercantilism.

WHII.6 The student will demonstrate knowledge of scientific, political, economic, and religious changes during the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries by

a) describing the Scientific Revolution and its effects;

b) describing the Age of Absolutism, including the monarchies of Louis XIV, Frederick the Great and Peter the Great;


c) assessing the impacts of the English Civil War and the Glorious Revolution on democracy; d) explaining the political, religious, and social ideas of the Enlightenment and the ways in which they

influenced the founders of the United States; e) describing the French Revolution;

f) identifying the impact of the American and French Revolutions on Latin America; g) describing the expansion of the arts, philosophy, literature, and new technology.

WHII.7 The student will demonstrate knowledge of political and philosophical developments in Europe during the nineteenth century by

a) assessing the impact of Napoleon and the Congress of Vienna, including changes in political boundaries in Europe after 1815;

b) describing the influence of revolutions on the expansion of political rights in Europe;

c) explaining events related to the unification of Italy and the role of Italian nationalists; d) explaining events related to the unification of Germany and the role of Bismarck.

WHII.8 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the effects of the Industrial Revolution during the nineteenth century by

a) citing scientific, technological, and industrial developments and explaining how they brought about urbanization and social and environmental changes;

b) explaining the emergence of capitalism as a dominant economic pattern, and subsequent development of socialism and communism;

c) describing the evolution of the nature of work and the labor force, including its effects on families,

the status of women and children, the slave trade, and the labor union movement; d) explaining the rise of industrial economies and their link to imperialism and nationalism;

e) assessing the impact of European economic and military power on Asia and Africa, with emphasis on the competition for resources and the responses of colored peoples.

WHII.9 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the worldwide impact of World War I by a) explaining the economic and political causes, major events, and identifying major leaders of the

war, with emphasis on Woodrow Wilson and Kaiser Wilhem II; b) explaining the outcomes and global effect of the war and the Treaty of Versailles; c) citing causes and consequences of the Russian Revolution.


WHII.10 The student will demonstrate knowledge of political, economic, social, and cultural developments during the Interwar Period by

a) describing the League of Nations and the mandate system; b) citing causes and assessing the impact of worldwide depression in the 1930s;

c) examining events related to the rise, aggression and human costs of dictatorial regimes in the Soviet Union, Germany, Japan, and Italy, and identifying their major leaders, i.e. Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Hirohito, Hideki Tojo, and Benito Mussolini.

WHII.11 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the worldwide impact of World War II by a) explaining economic and political causes, major events, and identifying leaders of the war, with

emphasis on Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight E. Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, George

Marshall, Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Hideki Tojo, and Hirohito; b) examining the Holocaust and other examples of genocide in the twentieth century;

c) explaining the terms of the peace, the war crimes trials, the division of Europe, plans to rebuild Germany and Japan, and the creation of international cooperative organizations.

WHII.12 The student will demonstrate knowledge of major events and outcomes of the Cold War by a) explaining key events of the Cold War, including the competition between American and Soviet

economic and political systems and the causes of the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe;

b) assessing the impact of nuclear weaponry on patterns of conflict and cooperation since 1945;

c) describing the conflicts and revolutionary movements in eastern Asia, including those in China and Vietnam, and their major leaders, i.e., Mao Tse-tung (Zedong), Chiang Kai-shek, and Ho Chi Minh.

WHII.13 The student will demonstrate knowledge of political, economic, social and cultural aspects of independence movements and development efforts by

a) describing the struggles for self-rule, including Gandhi’s leadership in India; b) describing Africa’s achievement of independence, including Kenyatta’s leadership of Kenya;

c) describing the end of the mandate system and the creation of states in the Middle East. WHII.14 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the influence of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism,

and Hinduism in the contemporary world by a) describing their beliefs, sacred writings, traditions, and customs;


b) locating the geographic distribution of religions in the contemporary world.

WHII.15 The student will demonstrate knowledge of cultural, economic and social conditions in developed and developing nations of the contemporary world by

a) identifying contemporary political issues, with emphasis on migrations of refugees and others, ethnic/religious conflicts, and the impact of technology, including chemical and biological technologies;

c) assessing the impact of economic development and global population growth on the environment and society, including an understanding of the links between economic and political freedom;

d) describing economic interdependence, including the rise of multinational corporations, international organizations, and trade agreements.

Assessment (follows FQL model)

Assessment is both formative and summative, allowing teachers and students to assess conceptual understandings,

content knowledge, and skills development. Assessments should evaluate student growth in all twelve Lifelong-Learner Standards (LLLS) and social studies Habits of Mind. Students should be involved in assessing their own progress and

growth, and have a clear understanding of how these standards can help them succeed as adults.




ten.


1. Plan and conduct research. 1. Engage in historical inquiry-based learning utilizing various sources.

2. Gather, organize, and analyze data, evaluate 2. Answer data-based and document-based questions.


processes and products; draw conclusions. Organize, analyze and evaluate historical visual and non-visual information.


3. Evaluate validity of resources. Identify bias.


4. Generate, develop and defend a thesis through evidence.


5. Observe and show evidence of historical patterns. Sequence information chronologically and thematically.


6. Make predictions, revise ideas and generate questions from evidence in text and other historical resources.


7. Present information through writing, visual rendition, and oral presentation.


8. Applying historical thinking to media, arts and technology.


9. Identify and respect differing points of view including historical empathy and multiple perspectives.


interdependence.

10.Relating current events to the study of historical communities.



11.Developing an awareness of public health in history.



12.Practice the skills and behaviors of an independent

learner. Apply the skills of a historian to learning.

Model Assessments for WHII

Common Unit Assessments: (Lifelong Learning Standards 2, 6, 7, & 12)

o Multiple Choice Questions o Vocabulary Acquisition

o Short Answer

o Map Skills


Contemporary Issues Unit: (Lifelong Learning Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, & 12) o Students could engage in independent research projects about five 20th century genocides.

Students would plan, research and present as experts on one of the genocides. Students

would be assessed on their knowledge of history by presenting information on the location of the incident, the perpetrator, the victims, the reasons, the time period, and its connection to

modern international events. In addition to teaching to their peers, students would be asked to compare and contrast two (or more) genocides in a critical thinking essay.

MUN/Globalization Performance Assessment Lifelong Learning Standards (all)

o Students could prepare for and engage in a historical meeting of the United Nations to discuss a mock or real historical issue. Students would be assigned a specific country involved in the

crisis. Students would then research the point of views of that country, working to develop arguments to present to the other nations. Students would then need to work together to

resolve the international crisis.

Suggested Resources and Learning Experiences

Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond, W.W. Norton & Company, New York, © 1997

Daily Newspaper

National Geographic Xpeditions (maps), http://www.nationalgeographic.com/expeditions/

Historical Newspapers, http://www.proquestk12.com/

PBS, http://www.pbs.org/teachers/ & http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/

Mark Strauss, Speaker, Holocaust survivor and artist

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/expeditions/

http://www.proquestk12.com/

http://www.pbs.org/teachers/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/


American Studies: The American Narrative Curriculum Framework for Grade Eleven U.S. History

Introduction

American Studies is an integrated course designed to help students develop a comprehensive view of American literature, history and culture. American literature and history do not exist in isolation. They reflect each other and

are influenced by cultural trends and philosophical movements that chronicle the complexity and diversity of American society through the ages. Within this framework, students become informed observers, consumers, and creators of American culture. American Studies emphasizes the intellectual skills required for responsible

citizenship. Students use skills of historical, geographical and literary analysis to examine the development of American ideas and institutions from the Age of Exploration to the present, and evaluate major issues, movements,

events, and people in United States and Virginia history, that foster a national identity and prominent position in today’s world.


The American Narrative

History is told as story; the story of America is complex and fascinating, with both ideals and contradictions at the heart of this narrative. Students use their analytical and evaluative skills to re-tell the story of America, a story that

is unfinished. Units are organized around key concepts that provide a particular focus for raising and answering important historical questions: identity, freedom, aesthetics, power, and system. Students grapple with these questions: Who am I, as an American? What is my story and how does it reflect the American experience? As an

American citizen, how do the decisions I (we) make, effect our society and the global community? Why does my understanding of and appreciation for, the American experience and heritage, play an important role in being a

responsible citizen?

History is taught within the context of the whole story of America. Students explore historical themes in relationship to American literature, art, music and the philosophies and ideas that have contributed to our identity and aspirations.

The American Narrative Concept Map

The American

Narrative

Narratives organize

experience.

How do narratives shape, rather than simply reflect,

the human condition?

SYSTEM

Systems place individuals

within the whole.

How are systems both limiting

and liberating?

IDENTITY Identity is constructed.

How does an individual

construct his/her identity?


The American Narrative: Course Outline

Organizing Concepts

● Identity ● Freedom

● Aesthetics

● Power

● System


● Identity is constructed. ● Freedom requires choice and demands responsibility.

● Style and content give form to each other.

● Power enables and limits choice.

● Systems place individuals within the whole.

Essential Questions

● How does an individual construct his/her identity?

● Why do Americans seek freedom?

● How do aesthetics reflect human values? American values?

● Who is the “American hero”?

● Can an individual make a difference? Influence movement?

● Is the story of America the story of expanding liberty?

FREEDOM Freedom demands choice and

requires responsibility.

Why do Americans seek

freedom?

AESTHETICS Style and content give form

to each other.

How do aesthetics reflect

human values?

POWER Power enables and limits

choice.



● Does everyone have power?

● How are systems both limiting and liberating?

● How does change occur in history?

● What universal themes, characters and motifs emerge to

tell our story?

● Why is “where” important?

● How does the rest of the world perceive (read) the

American story?

● How does culture enrich a society?

Language Arts Processes History and Geography Processes

● Critical reading: subjective & objective reading of text

● Writing for a variety of purposes and audiences

● Literary analysis

● Oratory/debate

● Research

● Meta-cognition and Self-evaluation

● Historical Investigation

● History Narrative

● Document Based Questions ● Analytical Essay

Aesthetics Identity Freedom Power System

VUS. 14b,c

VUS. 2

VUS. 6c VUS. 10c VUS. 10e

VUS. 12b

VUS. 4a

VUS. 5d VUS. 7b VUS. 8c

VUS. 11c VUS. 13a,b

VUS. 4b,c

VUS. 5a,b VUS. 6a VUS. 7a

VUS. 8a,d VUS. 9b

VUS. 10a,b,d VUS. 11a.b VUS. 12a,c

VUS. 12d VUS. 14a

VUS. 3

VUS. 5c VUS. 6b VUS. 7c

VUS. 8b VUS. 9a,c

VUS. 11d


Model SOL Alignment with Virginia and United States History

Concepts


VUS. 1 The student will demonstrate skills for historical and geographical analysis, including the ability to a) identify, analyze, and interpret primary and secondary source documents, records and data,

including artifacts, diaries, letters, photographs, journals, newspapers, historical accounts, and art to increase understanding of events and life in the United States;

b) evaluate the authenticity, authority, and credibility of sources; c) formulate historical questions and defend findings based on inquiry and interpretation; d) develop perspectives of time and place, including the construction of maps and various time lines

of events, periods, and personalities in American history; e) communicate findings orally and in analytical essays and/or comprehensive papers;

f) develop skills in discussion, debate, and persuasive writing with respect to enduring issues and determine how divergent viewpoints have been addressed and reconciled; g) apply geographic skills and reference sources to understand how relationships between humans

and their environment have changed over time; h) interpret the significance of excerpts from famous speeches and other documents.

VUS. 2 The student will describe how early European exploration and colonization resulted in cultural interactions among Europeans, Africans, and American Indians (First Americans.)

VUS. 3 The student will describe how the values and institutions of European economic life took root in the

colonies and how slavery reshaped European and African life in the Americas. VUS. 4 The student will demonstrate knowledge of events and issues of the Revolutionary Period by

a) analyzing how the political ideas of John Locke and those expressed in Common Sense helped shape the Declaration of Independence;

b) describing the political differences among the colonists concerning separation from Britain; c) analyzing reasons for colonial victory in the Revolutionary War;

VUS. 5 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the issues involved in the creation and ratification of the Constitution of the United States of America and how the principles of limited government, consent of

the governed, and the social contract are embodied in it by a) explaining the origins of the Constitution, including the Articles of Confederation; b) identifying the major compromises necessary to produce the Constitution, and the roles of James

Madison and George Washington;


c) describing the conflict over ratification, including the Bill of Rights and the arguments of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists;

d) examining the significance of the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom in the framing of the Bill of Rights.

VUS. 6 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the major events during the first half of the nineteenth century by

a) identifying the economic, political, and geographic factors that led to territorial expansion and its impact on the American Indians (First Americans);

b) describing the key features of the Jacksonian Era, with emphasis on federal banking policies; c) describing the cultural, economic, and political issues that divided the nation, including slavery, the abolitionist and women’s suffrage movements, and the role of the states in the Union;

VUS. 7 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the Civil War and Reconstruction Era and its importance as

a major turning point in American history by a) identifying the major events and the roles of key leaders of the Civil War Era, with emphasis on Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, and Frederick Douglass;

b) analyzing the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation and the principles outlined in Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address;

c) examining the political, economic, and social impact of the war and Reconstruction, including the adoption of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America.

VUS. 8 The student will demonstrate knowledge of how the nation grew and changed from the end of

Reconstruction through the early twentieth century by a) explaining the relationship among territorial expansion, westward movement of the population, new immigration, growth of cities, and the admission of new states to the Union;

b) describing the transformation of the American economy from a primarily agrarian to a modern industrial economy and identifying major inventions that improved life in the United States;

c) analyzing prejudice and discrimination during this time period, with emphasis on “Jim Crow” and the responses of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois; d) identifying the impact of the Progressive Movement, including the child labor and antitrust laws,

the use of labor unions, and the success of the women’s suffrage movement.


VUS. 9 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the emerging role of the United States in world affairs and key domestic events after 1890 by

a) explaining the changing policies of the United States toward Latin America and Asia and the growing influence of the United States in foreign markets;

b) evaluating United States involvement in World War I, including Wilson’s Fourteen Points, the Treaty of Versailles, and the national debate over treaty ratification and the League of Nations; c) explaining the causes of the Great Depression, its impact on the American people, and the ways

the New Deal addressed it.

VUS.10 The student will demonstrate knowledge of World War II by a) identifying the causes and events that led to American involvement in the war, including military assistance to Britain and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor;

b) describing the major battles and turning points of the war in North Africa, Europe, and the Pacific, including Midway, Stalingrad, the Normandy landing (D-Day), and Truman’s decision to use the

atomic bomb to force the surrender of Japan; c) describing the role of all-minority military units, including the Tuskegee Airmen and Nisei regiments;

d) describing the Geneva Convention and the treatment of prisoners of war during World War II; e) analyzing the Holocaust (Hitler’s “final solution”), its impact on Jews and other groups, and

postwar trials of war criminals. VUS.11 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the effects of World War II on the home front by

a) explaining how the United States mobilized its economic, human, and military resources; b) describing the contributions of women and minorities to the war effort;

c) explaining the interment of Japanese Americans during the war; d) describing the role of media and communications in the war effort.

VUS.12 The student will demonstrate knowledge of United States foreign policy since World War II by a) describing outcomes of World War II, including political boundary changes, the formation of the

United Nations, and the Marshall Plan; b) explaining the origins of the Cold War, and describing the Truman Doctrine and the policy of containment of communism, the American role in wars in Korea and Vietnam, and the role of the

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Europe;


c) explaining the role of America’s military and veterans in defending freedom during the Cold War; d) explaining the collapse of communism and the end of the Cold War, including the role of Ronald

Regan.

VUS.13 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s by a) identifying the importance of the Brown v. Board of Education decision, the roles of Thurgood Marshall and Oliver Hill, and how Virginia responded;

b) describing the importance of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the 1963 March on Washington, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of

1965. VUS.14 The student will demonstrate knowledge of economic, social, and political developments in the

contemporary United States by a) analyzing the effects of increase participation of women in the labor force;

b) analyzing how changing patterns of immigration affect the diversity of the United States population, the reasons new immigrants choose to come to this country, and their contributions to contemporary America;

c) explaining the media influence on contemporary American culture and how scientific and technological advances affect the workplace, health care, and education.

Assessment (follows FQL model) Assessment is both formative and summative, allowing teachers and students to assess conceptual understandings, content knowledge, and skills development. Assessments should evaluate student growth in all twelve Lifelong-Learner Standards (LLLS) and social studies Habits of Mind. Students should be involved in assessing their own progress and

growth, and have a clear understanding of how these standards can help them succeed as adults.

10) Have students internalized a commitment to life-long learning? 11) Will students be able to apply lifelong-learner standards to post-secondary learning and work experiences? 12) Do students apply lifelong-learner standards to the decision-making process?


eleven.



1. Plan and conduct research. 13.Engage in historical inquiry-based learning utilizing various sources.


14.Answer data-based and document-based questions. Organize, analyze and evaluate historical visual and non-

visual information.



15.Evaluate validity of resources. Identify bias.



16.Generate, develop and defend a thesis through evidence.



17.Observe and show evidence of historical patterns.

Sequence information chronologically and thematically.



18.Make predictions, revise ideas and generate questions

from evidence in text and other historical resources.

7. Acquire and use precise language to clearly

communicate ideas, knowledge and processes.

19.Present information through writing, visual rendition, and

oral presentation.



20.Applying historical thinking to media, arts and

technology.



21.Identify and respect differing points of view including

historical empathy and multiple perspectives.



22.Relating current events to the study of historical

communities.


23.Developing an awareness of public health in history.


24.Practice the skills and behaviors of an independent learner. Apply the skills of a historian to learning.

Model Assessments Civil War Era: In a well-written, concise persuasive essay, students will respond to the following generalization:

“Compromise is more effective than rebellion for achieving an end.” Students will use specific examples from


studied text and class discussions to support or negate the statement. Students will also present their arguments orally through debate.

Introduction Standards for Virginia and United States Government define the knowledge that enables citizens to participate effectively in public life. Students examine fundamental constitutional principles, the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, the political culture, the policy-making process at each level of government, and the operation of the

United States market economy. The standards identify the personal character traits that facilitate thoughtful and effective participation in the civic life of an increasingly diverse democratic society.

E Pluribus Unum; Out of Many, One

Students come to their study of American government and economic systems with knowledge of Virginia’s and

E Pluribus Unum: Out of Many, One Curriculum Framework for Virginia and United States Government


America’s history and an appreciation for our “story.” In grade twelve, students apply the following lenses to deepen their understanding of the American mosaic: government and power, economics and choice, promise and

potential. Major themes are explored; majority rule and respect for minority rights, compromise and consensus, the role of the individual in democratic processes, and the need for citizen participation, the relationship between

power and responsibility, and the power of one. “Out of many, one” – what does that mean to each American citizen, and to the future of our democratic society?

E Pluribus Unum: Out of Many, One is standards-based and concept-centered. Units and lessons are organized around important ideas and conceptual themes, enabling students to better understand complex political and

economic principles, processes, and practices. Students apply their skills and knowledge to address current issues and multiple perspectives on world events. Instruction is inquiry-driven with emphasis placed on students’ abilities

to raise and answer important societal questions. Students build on prior learning of government and economics in grade eight, and work toward application of all twelve Lifelong-Learner Standards, as outlined in the Framework for Quality Learning. By the end of the year, students should be able to articulate and communicate their personal

understanding of this theme, and mastery of major concepts important to a study of government, citizenship and economic systems.

Virginia and United States Government Concept Map


E Pluribus Unum: Out of Many, One


Organizing Concepts Essential Understandings Essential Questions

E Pluribus Unum

Out of Many, One

Human Rights Human rights

evolve from the belief that all

individuals possess dignity and worth.

Identity Culture and life experiences shape

individual identity. Power &

Responsibility Power must be

linked with responsibility to ensure liberty.

Choice Effective citizenship

requires informed choices.

Compromise &

Consensus Through compromise and

consensus, a republic meets the needs of its citizens.

Promise & Potential The social contract is the

promise between Government and its people

to provide opportunities

to mazimize their potential.


♦ Choice

♦ Compromise and Consensus

♦ Human Rights

♦ Identity

♦ Power & Responsibility

♦ Promise & Potential

♦ Effective citizenship requires informed

Choices. ♦ Through compromise and consensus, a

republic meets the needs of its citizens.

♦ Human rights evolve from the belief that

all individuals possess dignity and worth.

♦ Culture and life experiences shape individual

identity. ♦ Power must be linked with responsibility to

ensure liberty. ♦ The social contract is the promise between

government and its people to provide opportunities for citizens to maximize their potential.

1. What is democracy and what does it demand from its

citizens?

2. What roles do families, schools and media play in

the change or perpetuation of political belief?

3. What are the formal constitutional limits, as well as

informal checks, on government power?

4. What is the tightrope that “free societies” must traverse

in balancing the rights of the individual with the needs

of a society?

5. How do informed citizens effect or change the political

process?

6. How can government adequately serve the interests

and needs of American citizens?

7. How do Americans, as individuals and as a society,

answer the three basic economic questions (what to

produce, how to produce it, and who will receive the

goods and services produced?)

8. How do economic systems relate to the concepts of:

choice, compromise/consensus, human rights,

identity, power/responsibility, and

promise/potential?

Power &

Responsibility

Promise &

Potential Human Rights Identity Choice

Compromise &

Consensus



o national supremacy

o limited government

o judicial review

o authority

o legitimacy

o direct democracy

o indirect democracy

o republic

o consent of the

governed

o separation of powers

o federalism

o checks & balances

o globalization

o entrepreneurship

o interdependence

o fundamental rights

o rule of law

o due process

o natural rights

o social contract

o equality

o justice

o freedom

o civil liberties

o discrimination

o public opinion

o political ideology

o self-reliance

o patriotism

o change

o political parties

o free elections

o political efficacy

o economic systems

o interaction

o majority rule

o minority rights

o public policy

o dissent

o GOVT.4d

o GOVT. 5a, b, c, d

o GOVT. 6c, e

o GOVT. 8a, b, c

o GOVT. 9c, d

o GOVT. 10a, b, c

o GOVT. 12a

o GOVT. 13a, b, c

o GOVT. 18a-f

o GOVT.2a, c

o GOVT. 4b, c

o GOVT. 7a, b

o GOVT. 12b, c, d

o GOVT. 15a, b, c

o GOVT. 15f

o GOVT. 16b

o GOVT.2b, d, e

o GOVT. 3a, b, e

o GOVT. 11a-e

o GOVT. 16c

o GOVT. 6d

o GOVT. 9a

o GOVT. 17a-e

o GOVT. 4e

o GOVT. 6a, b, f, g

o GOVT. 14a-e

o GOVT. 15d, e

o GOVT. 3c, d,

o GOVT. 4a

o GOVT. 9b

o GOVT. 10d

o GOVT.16a

SOL Alignment with 12th Grade Concepts


GOVT.1 The student will demonstrate mastery of the social study skills citizenship requires, including the ability to

a) analyze primary and secondary source documents; b) create and interpret maps, diagrams, tables, charts, graphs, and spreadsheets;

c) analyze political cartoons, political advertisements, pictures, and other graphic media; d) distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information; e) evaluate information for accuracy, separating fact from opinion;

f) identify a problem and prioritize solutions; g) select and defend positions in writing, discussion, and debate.

GOVT.2 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the political philosophies that shaped the development of Virginia and United States constitutional government by

a) describing the development of Athenian democracy and the Roman republic; b) explaining the influence of the Magna Carta, the English Petition of Rights, and the English Bill of

Rights; c) examining the writings of Hobbes, Locke, and Montesquieu; d) explaining the guarantee of the rights of Englishmen set forth in the charters of the Virginia

Company of London; e) analyzing the natural philosophies expressed in the Declaration of Independence.

GOVT.3 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the concepts of democracy by

a) recognizing the fundamental worth and dignity of the individual;

b) recognizing the equality of all citizens under the law; c) recognizing majority rule and minority rights;

d) recognizing the necessity of compromise; e) recognizing the freedom of the individual.

GOVT.4 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the Constitution of the United States by a) examining the ratification debates and the Federalist;

b) analyzing the purposes for government stated in the Preamble; c) examining the fundamental principles upon the Constitution of the United States is based,

including the rule of law, consent of the governed, limited government, separation of powers, and

federalism; d) illustrating the structure of the national government outlined in Article I, Article II, and Article III;


e) describing the amendment process.

GOVT.5 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the federal system described in the Constitution of the United States by

a) explaining the relationship of the state governments to the national government; b) describing the extent to which power is shared; c) identifying the powers denied state and national governments;

d) examining the ongoing debate that focuses on the balance of power between state and national governments.

GOVT.6 The student will demonstrate knowledge of local, state, and national elections by

a) describing the organization, role and constituencies of political parties;

b) describing the nomination and election process; c) examining campaign funding and spending;

d) analyzing the influence of media coverage, campaign advertising, and public opinion polls; e) examining the impact of reapportionment and redistricting; f) identifying how amendments extend the right to vote;

g) analyzing voter turnout.

GOVT.7 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the organization and powers of the national government by a) examining the legislative, executive, and judicial branches; b) analyzing the relationship between the three branches in a system of checks and balances.

GOVT.8 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the organization and powers of the state and local

governments described in the Constitution of Virginia by a) examining the legislative, executive, and judicial branches; b) examining the structure and powers of local governments: county, city, and town;

c) analyzing the relationship among state and local governments.

GOVT.9 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the process by which public policy is made by

a) examining the different perspectives on the role of government;

b) explaining how local, state, and national governments formulate public policy; c) describing the process by which policy is implemented by the bureaucracy at each level;


d) analyzing how individuals, interest groups, and the media influence public policy.

GOVT.10 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the operation of the federal judiciary by a) explaining the jurisdiction of the federal courts;

c) examining how John Marshall established the Supreme Court as an independent, co-equal branch of government through his opinions in Marbury v. Madison;

d) describing how the Supreme Court decides cases;

e) comparing the philosophies of judicial activism and judicial restraint.

GOVT.11 The student will demonstrate knowledge of civil liberties and civil rights by a) examining the Bill of Rights, with emphasis on First Amendment freedoms; b) analyzing due process of law expressed in the 5th and 14th Amendments;

c) explaining selective incorporation of the Bill of Rights; d) exploring the balance between individual liberties and the public interest;

e) explaining every citizen’s right to be treated equally under the law. GOVT.12 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the role of the United States in a changing world by

a) describing the responsibilities of the national government for foreign policy and national security; b) assessing the role played by national interest in shaping foreign policy and promoting world peace;

c) examining the relationship of Virginia and the United States to the global economy; d) examining recent foreign policy and international trade initiatives since 1980.

GOVT.13 The student will demonstrate knowledge of how governments in Mexico, Great Britain, and the People’s Republic of China compare with government in the United States by

a) describing the distribution of governmental power; b) explaining the relationship between the legislative and executive branches; c) comparing the extent of participation in the political process.

GOVT.14 The student will demonstrate knowledge of economic systems by

a) identifying the basic economic questions encountered by all economic systems; b) comparing the characteristics of free market, command and mixed economies, as described by

Adam Smith and Karl Marx;

c) evaluating the impact of the government’s role in the economy on individual economic freedoms; d) explaining the relationship between economic freedom and political freedom;


e) examining productivity and the standard of living as measured by economic indicators.

GOVT.15 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the United States market economy by a) assessing the importance of entrepreneurship, the profit motive, and economic independence to

the promotion of economic growth; b) comparing types of business organization; c) describing the factors of production;

d) explaining the interaction of supply and demand; e) illustrating the circular flow of economic activity;

f) analyzing global economic trends, with emphasis on the impact of technological innovations. GOVT.16 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the role of government in Virginia and United States

economies by a) analyzing the impact of fiscal and monetary policies on the economy;

b) describing the creation of public goods and services; c) examining environmental issues, property rights, contracts, consumer rights, labor-management

relations, and competition in the marketplace.

GOVT.17 The student will demonstrate knowledge of personal character traits that facilitate thoughtful and

effective participation in civic life by a) practicing trustworthiness and honesty; b) practicing courtesy and respect for the rights of others;

c) practicing responsibility, accountability, and self-reliance; d) practicing respect for the law;

e) practicing patriotism.

GOVT.18 The student will understand that thoughtful and effective participation in civic life is characterized by

a) obeying the law and paying taxes; b) serving as a juror;

c) participating in the political process; d) performing public service; e) keeping informed about current issues;

f) respecting differing opinions in a diverse society.


Assessment (follows FQL model)

Assessment is both formative and summative, allowing teachers and students to assess conceptual understandings,

content knowledge and skills development. Assessments should evaluate student growth in all twelve Lifelong-Learner Standards (LLLS) and social studies Habits of Mind. Students should be involved in assessing their own

progress and growth, and have a clear understanding of how these standards can help them succeed as adults.



The following chart provides a model for linking Lifelong-Learner Standards with skills and processes taught in Grade 12.



2. Gather, organize, and analyze data, evaluate

processes and products; draw conclusions.



■ Identify bias.






Make predictions, revise ideas and generate questions from text









interdependence.

Engage in civic participation.



Evaluate and advocate public health and environmental

issues.



Practice the skills and behaviors of an independent

learner.

Model Assessments for Grade Twelve Citizen Action Program (CAP): The CAP uses an issues-based approach to frame the high school American Government course. Each course term, students identify, research, and analyze local issues of concern to them and

the community. Eventually, the students propose solutions to a problem area and take action. The problem solving process is threaded throughout the entire length of the course. The CAP is not an “add-on” or extracurricular

program, but a curricular design that involves students actively in exploring governmental policy at all levels. With each new topic of study, the CAP issues are deliberately used by the teacher to focus students’ understanding of policy-making in a democratic society. Students begin with what is most directly related to them, and explore

outwards. Importantly, the CAP defines the concept of “service” as primarily a research activity. Volunteerism to accomplish the action plan may be encouraged, but it is not primarily necessary to the CAP curriculum. (Satisfies

the Grade Twelve Service Learning Requirement.) Model Congress Bill Project: The Model Congress involves each student acting as a member of the House or Senate

and attempting to pass a self-written bill through the class legislature. Each student is required to write a bill for the model congress. Individual members of the student legislature must be able to convince congressional committee

members and possibly one chamber of Congress that her/his bill has merit and worthy enough to be passed. Therefore, the bill must be well written, and modeled after an authentic congressional bill. At the end of the

simulation, students receive a grade for their participation in the Model Congress and a written grade assessing the quality of their bill projects.

MOCK ELECTION/CAMPAIGN PROJECT

For the Mock Election project, students act as members of a professional team representing one of the candidates in the campaign. They complete extensive research on the candidate’s background, political ideology, and position on

key issues so they can create a campaign strategy in an effort to help this candidate win the mock election. Teams


produce written literature (pamphlets, brochures, and posters) and a 30 second commercial as part of their campaign. On the day of the election, the student body circulates through the stands created for each candidate

while the campaign teams work to influence the voters through advertisements, informational brochures, and 1-on-1 campaigning. Journalism students conduct an exit poll and attempt to predict the outcome prior to official

election results being published.

TEACHER RESOURCES

Youth Leadership Initiative - http://www.youthleadershipinitiative.com/index.jsp Includes online voting

for federal and state elections, an e-Congress, and teacher lesson plans on most topics in 12th grade U.S. government designed by teachers for teachers

House of Representatives - http://www.house.gov/ Official site of the House of Representatives, see

examples of current bills, track legislation, etc.

. U.S. Senate - http://www.senate.gov/ Official website of the Senate, see examples of current bills, track

legislation, etc. How a Bill Becomes Law - http://www.vote-smart.org/resource_govt101_02.php A full description of the

law making process

Thomas: Congress’s Gateway - http://thomas.loc.gov/ Created to be the central repository of information about Congress. This site contains the Congressional Record, and all bill introduced in Congress. Also available is the voting record of each member of Congress, and other information. All databases are

searchable using key words or bill numbers.

Project VoteSmart’s Congressional Information Center - http://www.vote-smart.org/resource_govt101_03.php Keep track of members of Congress, bills, etc. and other useful

information on Congress.

Library of Congress - http://www.loc.gov/ View current exhibits and retrieve current news and events.

Contains the American Memory which contains historical collections from the “National Digital Library.”

http://www.youthleadershipinitiative.com/index.jsp

http://www.senate.gov/

http://www.vote-smart.org/resource_govt101_02.php

http://thomas.loc.gov/



http://www.loc.gov/


Justice Learning – http://www.justicelearning.org/ Great resource for civil liberties issues

Oyez - http://www.oyez.org/oyez/frontpage Database for Supreme Court cases

Supreme Court of the United States - http://www.supremecourtus.gov/ - Official website of the U.S.

Supreme Court

POTUS - http://www.ipl.org/div/potus/ - Background information, administration positions, election results

for each President of the United States

White House - http://www.whitehouse.gov/ Official website of the President of the United States

Living Room Candidate - http://livingroomcandidate.movingimage.us/ Presidential campaign ads since

1952.

Federal Executive Branch - http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/Federal/Executive.shtml Official information

about federal agencies and departments

http://www.justicelearning.org/

http://www.oyez.org/oyez/frontpage

http://www.supremecourtus.gov/

http://www.ipl.org/div/potus/

http://www.whitehouse.gov/

http://livingroomcandidate.movingimage.us/

http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/Federal/Executive.shtml


Section Three

Appendices


Instruction

Teachers and teachers working collaboratively within and across subject areas, choose instructional strategies that

are consistent with The Framework for Quality Learning and meet the following criteria: Meet the needs of individual students

Empower students to own their own learning Utilize inquiry learning and other constructivist models - such as service learning Foster a deep understanding of democratic principles

Incorporate reading and writing Scaffold students to meet high expectations and attain learning goals

Focus on higher order thinking Encourage collaboration and teamwork Use a variety of reading and resource materials to develop understanding - including primary and secondary

source documents, maps, globes, charts, literature, art, music Provide students with choice as appropriate

Integrate content knowledge and skills across disciplines when meaningful Consistently spiral understanding to greater complexity and sophistication of thought.

A model outline for designing units and lessons can be found in The Framework for Quality Learning document.

Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Domain

Bloom’s Taxonomy outlines six levels of cognitive processes and serves as a guide to development of units, lessons

and assessments. Students need to move back and forth along a continuum of thought: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

Marzano and Kendall (2001, 2007) have developed The New Taxonomy of Educational Objectives based on current research about thinking and learning. For information about this “re-thinking of Bloom,” refer to:

Marzano, R.J. & Kendall, J.S. (2007). The New Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.


Writing in History: The History Narrative

Historical explanations frequently occur in a narrative form. A historical account is a story about the past. It has a beginning, a middle, an end, as well as, a setting, characters, problem(s) and resolution. Historical interpretations

involve interpretation and the transformation of facts into evidence, and evidence into argument. History narratives always involve interpretation – someone chooses which events are important enough to be

included in the story and how they related to one another. Therefore, history narratives vary from author to author and not all interpretations are valid. Ambiguity is regarded as inevitable, productive and desirable as part of the

search for historical knowledge, and students must understand how important evidence is in developing their own sound, intelligent interpretation (narrative) and argument. (Levstik & Barton, 2001)

Writing a history narrative requires an understanding of the conventions of the discipline. William K. Storey, in Writing History, suggests that students should:

A. Be sure there is a purpose to their story and argue as they narrate. Details included should support their

argument and irrelevant facts should be omitted. B. Never ignore evidence that runs counter to their argument. C. Be sure to provide the reader with an historical context as well as the “what, who, when, where and why” of

the story. D. Respect the integrity of the culture and time period that is being discussed.

E. Carefully consider organizational strategies that fit the purpose of the paper. For example, historical narratives should follow a chronological order structure; when comparing two historical figures or events, students’ points should follow a compare/contrast pattern.

F. Use the past tense. G. Avoid using “I” to reflect one’s own personal response. The paper is about evidence supporting an argument

or position. H. Watch for personal biases.

Students need to be able to understand and compare competing history narratives. They also should be able to construct their own narrative. Narratives may take different forms: essays, debates, and editorials, for example.

Students may draw from both primary and secondary sources. Real historical understanding requires that student


be challenged to enter knowledgeably into the historical record, and to bring sound historical perspectives to their

analysis of a problem.

Writing in History: The Document-Based Question

The primary purpose of the document-based question (DBQ) is to evaluate students’ ability to formulate and support an answer from documentary evidence. The DBQ is an exercise in both analysis and synthesis. Students

need to have the broader historical context to draw upon and an understanding of history/social science relationships such as compare/contrast, change over time, cause and effect. A typical DBQ involves student

analysis of more than one document – each document presenting a particular perspective as well as information about the topic being explored. To some extent, the DBQ mirrors the work of a historian.

To answer a DBQ, students first read and analyze the documents individually and then plan and construct an

appropriate response to the essay question based on their interpretation of the documentary evidence as a whole. (The AP Vertical Teams Guide for Social Studies)

Tips for students

1. Reference to the documents must be closely tied to the essay question. 2. Strong essays will use all of the documents. 3. Evidence from the documents should be used to construct and illustrate a response.

4. Students should cite documents by naming the author and/or by naming the document number. 5 Students need to be aware of the documents’ sources and authors’ points of view, and identify bias and frame of

reference. 6. Students should pay attention to: the content and tone of each document in relationship to the other documents, identification of author’s purpose and the audience, and the date of the document.

7. Students may be asked to address information or points of view that are missing from the set of documents; therefore, prior knowledge of history is important.

8. Comparative topics on the major themes of history provide one of the major focuses of the DBQ.


Pre-AP Strategies for High School and Middle School Students

The APPARTS Strategy: This strategy provides prompts to help students systematically analyze primary source documents, and can be used to scaffold students’ development of critical thinking skills. (The AP Vertical

Teams Guide for Social Studies, The College Board) AUTHOR Who created the source? What do you know about the author? What is the author’s point of view?

PLACE AND TIME Where and when was the source produced? How might this affect the meaning of the source?

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE Beyond information about the author and the context of its creation, what do you know that would help you further understand the primary source? For example, do you recognize any symbols and recall what

they represent? AUDIENCE For whom was the source created and how might this affect the reliability of the source?

REASON Why was this source produced at the time it was produced?

THE MAIN IDEA What point is the source trying to convey?

SIGNIFICANCE Why is this source important? What inferences can you draw from this document? Ask

yourself, “So what?” in relation to the question asked.


Historical Thinking and Problem Solving

Students engage in historical thinking when they draw upon the following five interconnected skills: Chronological

thinking, historical comprehension, historical analysis and interpretation, historical research, and historical issues-analysis/ decision-making. When students engage in historical thinking, they are placed at the center of historical dilemmas and problems and a deep, personal involvement in the past is fostered. (National Standards for History)

Chronological Thinking

1. Distinguish between past, present and future time. 2. Identify in historical narratives the temporal structure of a historical story.

3. Establish temporal order in constructing historical narratives. 4. Measure and calculate calendar time. 5. Interpret data presented in time lines.

6. Reconstruct patterns of historical succession and duration. 7. Compare alternative models for periodization.

Historical Comprehension

1. Reconstruct the literal meaning of a historical passage.

2. Identify the central question(s) the history narrative addresses. 3. Read historical narratives imaginatively.

4. Evidence historical perspectives. 5. Draw upon data in historical maps. 6. Utilize visual aids and mathematical data presented in charts, tables, pie and bar graphs, flow charts, Venn

diagrams, and other graphic organizers. 7. Draw upon visual, literary, and musical sources.


Problem Solving Process

Students in Kindergarten through grade twelve will be involved in addressing community and societal issues and

problems, as a part of service learning projects and assessments, or as in integral part of the development of critical and creative thinking processes. There are many problem solving and decision-making processes readily

available. One source for information about Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is the Illinois Math and Science Academy PBL Network. Information and model lesson plans may be accessed at: http://www2.imsa.edu/programs/pbln.

Model Problem Solving Process

1. Understand the Problem Identify the underlying problem. Define terms and identify assumptions/previous knowledge.

Distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information. Identify stakeholders – Which individuals and groups are affected by the issue and what positions do

they hold on the issue? Why? Gather further information if necessary.

2. Devise a Plan Sketch a plan or diagram of possible steps to take.

Determine your goal and objectives. Determine operations or specify steps you wish to take.

3. Carry Out the Plan Perform steps and record data. Is this plan effective in realizing goals?

Make adjustments to the plan if necessary or if new information arises. Ask others to critique plan and outcome.

4. Evaluate Is the problem solved?

Was this plan effective in solving the problem? Has the solution created new problems?

http://www2.imsa.edu/programs/pbln


Historical Analysis and Interpretation

1. Identify the author or source of the historical document or narrative. 2. Compare and contrast differing sets of ideas, values, personalities, behaviors, and institutions.

3. Differentiate between historical facts and historical interpretations. 4. Consider multiple-perspectives. 5. Analyze: cause-and-effect relationships and multiple causation, the importance of the individual, the

influence of ideas, and the role of chance. 6. Challenge arguments of historical inevitability.

7. Compare competing historical narratives. 8. Hold interpretations of history as tentative. 9. Evaluate major debates among historians.

10. Hypothesize the influence of the past.

Historical Research

1. Formulate historical questions. 2. Obtain historical data.

3. Interrogate historical data. 4. Identify the gaps in the available records, marshal contextual knowledge and perspectives of the time and

place, and construct a sound historical interpretation.

Historical Issues-Analysis and Decision-making

1. Identify issues and problems in the past. 2. Marshal evidence of antecedent circumstances and contemporary factors contributing to problems and

alternative courses of action. 3. Identify relevant historical antecedents. 4. Evaluate alternative courses of action.

5. Formulate a position or course of action on an issue. 6. Evaluate the implementation of a decision.


Historical Inquiry (Investigation) Historical understanding, while based on knowledge of facts, dates, names, places, events and ideas, requires

students to raise questions and collect solid evidence in support of their answers – to go beyond the facts presented and examine, for themselves, the historical record. Students must analyze documents, journals, diaries, artifacts, historic sites, works of art, quantitative data, and other evidence and “do so imaginatively” – considering the

historical context in which these records were created and comparing multiple perspectives and points of view of those living at the time. (National Council of History Education)

Inquiry Process

1. Formulate historical questions based on reading historical documents, eyewitness accounts, letters, diaries, artifacts, photos, historical sites, art, architecture and other records from the past.

2. Obtain historical data from a variety of sources including library and museum collections, historic sites,

photos, journals, documentary film, newspapers, tax records, oral histories or testimony from living witnesses, censuses, city directories, statistic compilations and economic indicators.

3. Interrogate data by analyzing the political, social and economic context in which it was created, testing the data source for credibility, authority, authenticity, internal consistency, and completeness. Identify and

evaluate bias, distortion, and propaganda.

4. Identify gaps in the available record and draw upon contextual knowledge and perspectives of the time (and

place) in order to explain and elaborate on (imaginatively) the evidence, fill in the gaps deductively, and construct a sound historical interpretation and/or hypothesis.

5. Us a quantitative analysis in order to explore such topics as demographics, wealth and resource distribution,

migration patterns, economic changes, etc.

6. Support interpretations/hypothesis with historical evidence in order to construct a well-reasoned argument.


Geographic Inquiry

Geographic inquiry is used to help explain the human story. Our knowledge of facts, dates, names, places, events and ideas must be connected to spatial, environmental, and chronological contexts. Engaging in geographic inquiry

allows students to observe patterns and associations that lead to a deeper understanding of the importance of geography in history as well as in our own lives.

Students engage in geographic inquiry when they utilize the following five skill sets:

● Ask geographic questions. ● Acquire geographic information.

● Organize geographic information. ● Analyze geographic information. ● Answer geographic questions.

1. Ask geographic questions.

■ Where is it?

■ Why there?

■ Why is where important?

2. Acquire geographic information.

■ Locate and collect relevant data.

■ Read and interpret maps and other graphic representations.

■ Gather information via primary sources (interviews, journals, photographs, recordings, government

documents, maps, letters, videos, etc.) ■ Gather information via secondary sources (textbooks, maps, statistics, photographs, computer

databases, reliable/appropriate internet sources, newspapers, etc.)


3. Organize geographic information ■ Classify and organize geographic data. Examples include, but are not limited to: maps, map symbols,

tables, spreadsheets and timelines. ■ Question validity of the source and sort data in terms of importance.

4. Analyze geographic information ■ Notice similarities and differences between geographic areas.

■ Recognize spatial patterns.

■ Make connections between maps, graphs, diagrams, tables and other sources.

■ Manipulate data to explain geographic systems and patterns.

■ Compare patterns and relationships.

5. Answer geographic questions ■ Make geographical generalizations and draw conclusions.

■ Provide evidence to support generalizations.

■ Synthesize generalizations, inferences and conclusions into graphic, written and oral form. Examples

include, but are not limited to: picture maps, atlases, graphs, narratives, poems, collages, plays,

journals, essays.

Information was adapted from Geography for Life: National Geography Standards. 1994. National Geographic Research and Exploration.


Best Practices in Social Studies Instruction

Research into best practices provides teachers with a “tool box” of strategies to organize teaching and learning, implement differentiated and engaging instruction, and assess student understanding from the planning stage through summary evaluation. What does “best practice” look like in a history or social science classroom? The

following practices have been complied from the work of educational researchers Michael Fullen, Jay Mctighe, Carol Rolheiser, and the Educational Research Service.

Classroom Climate: Teachers who establish classrooms characterized by an open, democratic climate

promote the development of critical and creative thinking abilities.

Creative Problem Solving: Teachers who teach creative problem-solving strategies provide students with

general purpose problem-solving tools appropriate for a variety of situations; encourage thoughtful classroom climates that promote higher order thinking.

Direct Teaching of Thinking: Teachers who teach thinking skills and processes directly (and within the context of content knowledge) help students to better understand and more effectively apply the types of

thinking required by the curriculum.

Cooperative Learning: Teachers who employ cooperative learning methods engage students in an

interactive approach to processing information, resulting in greater retention of subject matter, improved attitudes toward learning and enhanced interpersonal relations among group members.

Concept Development: Teachers who teach concepts inductively through the use of examples and non-

examples promote learning because this strategy actively involves students in constructing a personal

understanding of a new concept.

Graphic Organizers: Knowledge that is organized into holistic conceptual frameworks is more easily remembered and understood than with unstructured bits of information.

Multiple Intelligences: By attending to students’ strengths and helping develop other areas, teachers accommodate more learners and give students a greater repertoire of problem solving tools.


Metacognition: Teachers who help students develop and internalize metacognitive strategies through direct

instruction, modeling, and practice, promote learning because the effective use of such strategies is one of the primary differences between more and less able learners.

Relevance: Teachers who make learning relevant to students lives, who acknowledge students’ cultural

backgrounds and prior experiences, and who link classroom learning to students’ future goals, increase

student motivation to learn.

Questioning and Case Studies: Two strategies that help students develop a schema for organizing knowledge are: Questioning used to drive instruction and learning through case studies to apply learning.


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albemarle county public schools

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