District 11 Diamond Units/Lessons Overview - includes information about the purpose, goals and structure of these sample instructional units:
 

Enduring Understandings - important ideas that students should carry with them years beyond the instruction received this year.

• Political theories and documents provided the foundation for the US Constitution.
• The purposes and design of the US government impact individuals and society.
• Citizens must be able to analyze Constitutional conflicts.
•  The structure and function of local, state and national governments impact policy making.
• Political ideologies influence governmental policies and decisions.
• Foreign policy influences political relationships among nations.
• Citizen of the United States are either native born or naturalized.
• Civic participation involves roles, rights, and responsibilities.
• Citizen participation influences the making of public policy.

Essential Questions - most important “big picture” questions students should be able to answer after completing learning activities.

• What documents and theories form the basis of the United States government? How did they influence the development of US government?
• What is a constitution? How does a constitutional government work? What is a constitutional government?
• What was the purpose of the Declaration of Independence?
• How did the Articles of Confederation influence the development of the US Constitution?
• What are the purposes of government? How does government impact life today? What is the role of government in a citizen’s life?
• Why are the six basic principles of US Constitutional government important? How is the Constitution organized?
• How and why must a citizen be able to analyze Constitutional issues?
• What is the role and what are the powers of the legislative branch? How does the legislative branch interact with other branches of government? How does a bill become a law?
• What are the powers of the Executive branch? What are the powers of the president? How does the executive branch interact with other branches of government?

• What is the role of the judicial branch? How does the legislative branch interact with other branches of government? How has the Supreme Court influenced public policy?

• Where do different political ideologies belong on the political spectrum?

• What are the beliefs associated with each? How do the two major political parties differ?

• What is foreign policy?  Why does the United States have foreign policy?

• Which foreign policy goal has the greatest impact on how the United States interacts politically with other nations?

• Which diplomatic strategy used by the United States to develop and implement foreign policy has been most effective? Why?

• Which governmental official has the greatest responsibility for foreign policy?

• What is citizenship? How does one become a citizen? What are the duties and responsibilities of a citizen?

• Which strategies can citizens use most effectively to influence public policy?

Standards and Benchmarks

Civics 1: Students understand the purpose of government, and the basic constitutional principles of the United States republican form of government.

Benchmark 1A: Students understand the principles of the United States constitutional government.

Benchmark 1B: Students know the essential characteristics of limited and unlimited government.

Benchmark 1C: Students know and understand what government is and what purpose it serves.

Benchmark 1D: Students know the distinctive characteristics of political culture of the United States.

Benchmark 1E: Students know the fundamental democratic principles inherent in the US concept of a constitutional democratic republic.
Civics  2: Students know the structure and function of local, state and national government and how citizen involvement shapes public policy.
Benchmark 2A:  Students know the organization and functions of local, state and national governments.
Benchmark 2B:  Students know how power, authority, and responsibility are distributed, shared, and limited through federalism as established by the US Constitution.
Benchmark 2C:  Students know and understand the place of law in the Colorado and US Constitutional systems.
Benchmark 2D:  Students know how public policy is developed at the local, state, and national levels.
Civics 3:  Students know the political relationship of the US and its citizens to other nations and to world affairs.
Benchmark 3A:  Students know how and why governments and nongovernmental agencies around the world interact politically. 
Benchmark 3B:  Students understand how the US government develops foreign policy.
Benchmark 3C:  Students understand the domestic and foreign policy influence the US has on other nations and how the actions of other influence politics and society of the US.
Civics 4:  Students understand how citizens exercise the roles, rights, and responsibilities of participation in civic life at all levels.
Benchmark 4A:  Students know what citizenship is.
Benchmark 4B:  Students know how citizens can fulfill their responsibilities for preserving the constitutional republic.
Benchmark 4C:  Students know how citizens can exercise their rights.
Benchmark  4D: Students know how citizens can participate in civic life.

D-11 Social Studies Indicators for Civics

1. Explain the purposes of government and their impact on individuals and society in the late 20th and beginning 21st century.
2. Analyze the six basic principles of US constitutional government.
3. Describe political theories and documents that influenced the development of the US Constitution.
4. Develop, evaluate, and defend positions based on conflicts involving Constitutional principles or the Bill of Rights.
5. Compare and contrast the structures and functions of local, state and national governments.
6. Describe the political spectrum and the role of political parties in the functioning of local, state and national governments.
7. Identify diplomatic strategies and give examples used by the United States government when interacting with other nations.
8. Identify strategies for influencing public policy

Government Conceptual Vocabulary

District 11 Diamond Units/Lessons Overview - includes information about the purpose, goals and structure of these sample instructional units:

Unit 1:  Origins of United Stated Government
The Political Spectrum Video - describes the full range of political viewpoints regarding the role of government
The Power of Political Parties - describes the role of both major parties
Unit 2:  The Constitution
Unit 3:  The Structure and Functions of Government
Unit 4:  Foreign Policy
Unit 5:  Citizenship Participation  Personal and Civic Responsibility

Parent Resources

To help make this course more relevant for your son or daughter, consider sharing your political views and beliefs about what it means to be a responsible and informed participant in civic life. Describe your greatest political concerns and share how changes in law and the role of government have changed during your lifetime.