Ms. Davis

Students will learn about United States history and government from colonial times up until the modern era. Emphasis is placed on the Revolutionary period, the founding documents, Westward Expansion, the Civil War, and Reconstruction.  Our year-end trip to Washington, D.C. will reinforce classroom concepts.

Objectives:

• Examine the foundations of the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution.
• Define the powers of three branches of government and the rights and roles of the citizen.
• Explain how changes in transportation and communication technology affected the growth of the nation.
• Connect the past to present issues at various levels of government (local, state, tribal, and federal).
• Identify and elaborate on the geographic, economical, and political development of slavery.
• Compare and contrast the major events of the Civil War.
• Describe the policies and evaluate the consequence of Reconstruction in the South.
• Illustrate the relationship between the topics of emphasis through informative and argumentative writing.
• Orally present conclusions according to speaking and listening protocols.

Study of the U.S. with emphasis on:

• Revolution
• Founding Documents: Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights
• Powers and Roles of Governments
• Rights and Responsibilities of U.S. Citizens
• Westward Expansion
• Slavery: Policies and Consequences
• Civil War
• Reconstruction of the South

• Analysis of Informational Text
• Evaluating events, decisions, and outcomes
• Conducting thorough research to communicate ideas
• Technical and Explanatory Writing
• Engaging in collaborative discussion
• Cooperating in group projects