West Deptford Middle School 8th Grade Social Studies Curriculum

Unit – The United States Constitution

West Deptford Middle School

675 Grove Rd, Paulsboro, NJ 08066

wdeptford.k12.nj.us

(856) 848-1200

* All Essential Questions, Enduring Understandings for each standards are suggested samples and can be modified or removed at the discretion of the

teacher(s).

**Assessments and Resources could be altered or added at the discretion of the teacher(s). All assessments and resources used will cover the standards.

***CRP stands for Career Ready Practices.

West Deptford Township Schools

Course of Study/Curriculum Guide

Curricular Area: Social Studies

Course Title: The United States Constitution

Grade Level: 8

Written by: Monica Quinlan-Dulude Reviewed by: Laura Sandy Approved by: Shawnequa Carvalho Board of Education Approval: September 2017

* All Essential Questions, Enduring Understandings for each standards are suggested samples and can be modified or removed at the discretion of the

teacher(s).

**Assessments and Resources could be altered or added at the discretion of the teacher(s). All assessments and resources used will cover the standards.

***CRP stands for Career Ready Practices.

Unit – The United States Constitution Timeline- 8 weeks

Content Standards

CRP

Common Misunderstandings

Critical Knowledge and Skills

6.1.8.A.3.d - Compare and

contrast the Articles of

Confederation and the United

States Constitution in terms of

the decision-making powers of

national government.

CRP1

CRP2

Students may judge the Articles of Confederation to be a complete failure because it was replaced. But the Articles of Confederation successfully held the nation together through the Revolutionary War and also created a workable plan to settle western lands.

Essential Question(s):

❏ How well did the Articles of Confederation address the needs of the new nation?

Enduring Understanding(s):

❏ The Articles of Confederation did not sustain the needs of the new nation because the central government was weak and the states had too much power, individually, and the separate states had difficulty agreeing on major issues.

* All Essential Questions, Enduring Understandings for each standards are suggested samples and can be modified or removed at the discretion of the

teacher(s).

**Assessments and Resources could be altered or added at the discretion of the teacher(s). All assessments and resources used will cover the standards.

***CRP stands for Career Ready Practices.

Unit – The United States Constitution Timeline-8 weeks

Content Standards

CRP

Common Misunderstandings

Critical Knowledge and Skills

6.1.8.A.3.c - Determine the role that compromise played in the creation and adoption of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

CRP2

CRP11

Creating the Constitution was an easy process.

The founding fathers easily agreed on the formation of the Constitution.

Essential Question(s):

❏ What is compromise?

❏ What were the compromises of the United States Constitution?

Enduring Understanding(s):

❏ The Constitution is a document that contains various compromises, such as the Great Compromise and Three-Fifths Compromise, that made geographical reasons happy, in order for the Constitution to be ratified.

* All Essential Questions, Enduring Understandings for each standards are suggested samples and can be modified or removed at the discretion of the

teacher(s).

**Assessments and Resources could be altered or added at the discretion of the teacher(s). All assessments and resources used will cover the standards.

***CRP stands for Career Ready Practices.

Unit – The United States Constitution Timeline- 8 weeks

Content Standards

CRP

Common Misunderstandings

Critical Knowledge and Skills

6.1.8.B.3.b - Determine the extent to which the geography of the United States influenced the debate on representation in Congress and federalism by examining the New Jersey and Virginia plans.

CRP2

CRP6

Creating the Constitution was an easy process.

All 13 states participated at the Constitutional Convention.

Essential Question(s):

❏ What is compromise?

❏ What were the compromises to the United States Constitution?

Enduring Understanding(s):

❏ compromise played an important role in the formation of the legislative branch, especially in regards to representation in government, to make both large and small states happy

* All Essential Questions, Enduring Understandings for each standards are suggested samples and can be modified or removed at the discretion of the

teacher(s).

**Assessments and Resources could be altered or added at the discretion of the teacher(s). All assessments and resources used will cover the standards.

***CRP stands for Career Ready Practices.

Unit – The United States Constitution Timeline- 8 weeks

Content Standards

CRP

Common Misunderstandings

Critical Knowledge and Skills

6.1.8.A.3.b - Evaluate the

effectiveness of the

fundamental principles of

the Constitution (i.e.,

consent of the governed,

rule of law, federalism,

limited government,

separation of powers,

checks and balances, and

individual rights) in

establishing a federal

government that allows for

growth and change over

time.

CRP1

CRP2

Students may not be able to explain the basic purpose of a written constitution, which is to outline a set of rules and laws regarding how a nation’s system of government will operate.

Students may not realize that the judicial branch of government was often viewed as the weakest branch of government until its power of review was established in 1803.

Students may not realize that the new government of the United States was an experiment in governing that had not been tried anywhere else in the world, although some nations used a similar system.

Essential Question(s):

❏ How does the Constitution reflect major principles of American democracy?

Enduring Understanding(s):

❏ the Constitution reflects American democratic principles, including separation of powers, checks and balances, judicial review, individual rights, limited government, and consent of the governed

* All Essential Questions, Enduring Understandings for each standards are suggested samples and can be modified or removed at the discretion of the

teacher(s).

**Assessments and Resources could be altered or added at the discretion of the teacher(s). All assessments and resources used will cover the standards.

***CRP stands for Career Ready Practices.

Unit – The United States Constitution Timeline-8 weeks

Content Standards

CRP

Common Misunderstandings

Critical Knowledge and Skills

6.1.8.A.3.g - Evaluate the impact of the Constitution and Bill of Rights on current day issues.

CRP1

CRP4

CRP8

Students may think there was agreement among the Founders about the need for a Bill of Rights. Many founders believed the Constitution had been written in a way that would protect the citizenry from any abuses of federal power.

Students may believe that everyone understands all rights in the Bill of Rights the same way. In fact, liberties such as freedom of speech are often constrained, such as in time of war. The meaning of the Second Amendment, guaranteeing the right to bear arms, is also a source of contention and debate, as is the Fourth Amendment guaranteeing protection from illegal search and seizure.

Students may think the First Amendment guarantees a “separation of church and state,”

Essential Question(s):

❏ How does the Bill of Rights help government balance rights and order in the U.S. political system?

Enduring Understanding(s):

❏ the Constitution & Bill of Rights affects every American citizen.

* All Essential Questions, Enduring Understandings for each standards are suggested samples and can be modified or removed at the discretion of the

teacher(s).

**Assessments and Resources could be altered or added at the discretion of the teacher(s). All assessments and resources used will cover the standards.

***CRP stands for Career Ready Practices.

but those words do not appear in the Bill of Rights or the Constitution.

Unit – The United States Constitution Timeline- 8 weeks

Content Standards

CRP

Common Misunderstandings

Critical Knowledge and Skills

6.3.8.D.1 - Engage in

simulated democratic

processes (e.g., legislative

hearings, judicial

proceedings, elections) to

understand how

conflicting points of view

are addressed in a

democratic society.

CRP1

CRP2

CRP8

People from different regions of the nation have different priorities in terms of government interferences/assistance.

Essential Question(s):

❏ What is the role of government?

Enduring Understanding(s):

❏ each branch of government is checked by at least one of the other branches of government, so that not one branch has too much power over the other.

* All Essential Questions, Enduring Understandings for each standards are suggested samples and can be modified or removed at the discretion of the

teacher(s).

**Assessments and Resources could be altered or added at the discretion of the teacher(s). All assessments and resources used will cover the standards.

***CRP stands for Career Ready Practices.

Unit – The United States Constitution Timeline- 8 weeks

District / School Formative Assessment Plan District/School Summative Assessment Plan

- self-assessment of “We the People” collage - exit tickets for the three branches of government - graphic organizer for iCivics legislative branch simulation - think-pair-share for legislative duties, executive branch

responsibilities, judicial duties - graphic organizer for iCivics executive branch simulation - debate for various amendments - - comprehension questions for “Shhh! We are Writing the

Constitution” - propose an amendment - simulation of proposed amendment, ratification process

- create a “We the People collage” - recitation of the Preamble - Constitution Signer project - Amendments vocabulary test - Amendments project - Amendments quiz,application of information acquired for project -Supreme Court Justices Research, as well as current docket of cases to be heard -Citizenship test - Constitution Unit test

District / School Primary and Supplementary Resources

* All Essential Questions, Enduring Understandings for each standards are suggested samples and can be modified or removed at the discretion of the

teacher(s).

**Assessments and Resources could be altered or added at the discretion of the teacher(s). All assessments and resources used will cover the standards.

***CRP stands for Career Ready Practices.

Primary Resources Supplementary Resources Discovery Education - Tech book Creating America - Chapter 8, Constitutional Handbook

Additional outside Resources: ● Cicero ● Kahoot

● Quizlet

● iCivics

● teacher-created documents

● School House Rocks, selected video portions

Technology Aspect

● Google Products o Google Classroom - Used for daily interactions with the students covering a vast majority of different educational resources (Daily Notes, Exit

Tickets, Classroom Polls, Quick Checks, Additional Resources/ Support, Homework, etc.) o GAFE (Google Apps For Education) - Using various programs connected with Google to collaborate within the district, co-teachers, grade level

partner teacher, and with students to stay connected with the content that is covered within the topic. Used to collect data in real time and see results upon completion of the assignments to allow for 21st century learning.

● Techbook o Establishing a New Government: 4.1 through 4.4

● One to One Student's laptop o All students within the West Deptford School District are given a computer, allowing for 21st century learning to occur within every lesson/topic.

● Additional Support Videoes

* All Essential Questions, Enduring Understandings for each standards are suggested samples and can be modified or removed at the discretion of the

teacher(s).

**Assessments and Resources could be altered or added at the discretion of the teacher(s). All assessments and resources used will cover the standards.

***CRP stands for Career Ready Practices.

The videos below are just examples of videos that can be used to support each of the Lessons within this Topic. ★ Techbook video - The Constitutional Convention ★ Techbook video - Shhhh! We are Writing the Constitution ★ Techbook video - Amending the Constitution ★ School House Rocks video segments: The Preamble, The Three-Ring Circus, I’m Just a Bill

Differentiated Instruction

Gifted Students (N.J.A.C.6A:8-3.1) ❏ English-Reading Level A of techbook “engage” sections ❏ Increased level of expectations in written responses, which will include well-developed topic sentences, multiple supporting sentences, Constitution unit-

specific vocabulary, and well-written closing sentences ❏ Research two current Supreme Court cases to be heard by the court in the current calendar year

English Language Learners (N.J.A.C.6A:15)

❏ The techbook will be converted to Spanish for Spanish speaking students. ❏ ELL students may work with English-proficient partners for help recognizing and using the inflection differences between major concept vocabulary

* All Essential Questions, Enduring Understandings for each standards are suggested samples and can be modified or removed at the discretion of the

teacher(s).

**Assessments and Resources could be altered or added at the discretion of the teacher(s). All assessments and resources used will cover the standards.

***CRP stands for Career Ready Practices.

words, as well as skills. ❏ Work with ELL Teacher to allow for all assignments to be completed with extra time.

Risk Students (N.J.A.C.6A:8-4.3c) ❏ Audio version of techbook, along with written version ❏ graphic organizers to prepare for research and writing ❏ guided assistance for citing sources for signer research project ❏ research one current court case to be heard by the Supreme Court ❏ Recommendation, if needed, to I&RS

Special Education Students (N.J.A.C.6A:8-3.1)

❏ Audio version of techbook, along with English Reading Level B, written version ❏ Write the Preamble, instead of reciting it to teacher ❏ Reduction of amendment vocabulary words ❏ Reduction of requirements for the Constitutional Signer Project & will have option to create a powerpoint, instead of presenting information verbally to the

class ❏ Determine RAFT for Constitutional signer project ❏ Research one current court case to be heard by the Supreme Court ❏ Guided assistance for citing sources for research project ❏ Modified tests and quizzes

Interdisciplinary Connections****

Math Science ELA

calculating number of congresspeople needed to override a presidential veto

- copyright/trade process -preservation of the Constitution

research one of the 39 signers following provided rubric correctly cite sources utilizing MLA format

* All Essential Questions, Enduring Understandings for each standards are suggested samples and can be modified or removed at the discretion of the

teacher(s).

**Assessments and Resources could be altered or added at the discretion of the teacher(s). All assessments and resources used will cover the standards.

***CRP stands for Career Ready Practices.

calculation of ratification of proposed amendments, as well as ratification of amendments standards of weights and measures

read the actual United States Constitution read opposing viewpoints “Was the Bill of Rights Necessary?” compose proposal of an amendment to the United States Constitution

Fine Arts/ Performing Arts World Language Technology

illustration of amendments presentation of Constitution signer to class proper debate etiquette

Latin words incorporated into the Constitution, for example: veto, habeas corpus As well as root words (examples): preamble, jurisdiction, convnee

iCivics simulations for legislative branch and executive branch

Careers Global Awareness Other

-lawyers -law enforcement officers -public office -public servants

influence of the United States Constitution on other countries’ Constitutions and/or framework of government