Social Studies
Colonial America
In this unit, students will explore how European nations established colonies in the New World. The major focuses are on the purposes for founding each of the 13 Original British Colonies, the interaction with Native Americans, the colonial governments, and what it was like to live in the Colonies.
Revolutionary War
Students will explore the American cultural climate and how advances in education, and differing views on religion, government and foreign policies escalated to a war for independence from Britain. We will focus on the various acts and taxes that led to Colonial dissatisfaction and how a group of "rag tag" colonists were able to defeat the largest miliary in the world. Students will use a RAFT writing technique to respond to the various events in the fight for independence. RAFT stands for Role, Audience, Format, and Topic. In this style of writing, students will take on the role of a historical person and write to a specific audience about a historical event. For example, students might be asked to use their knowledge about the Battle of Saratoga to take on the persona of John Burgoyne (role) and write a formal letter (format) to members of Parliament (audience) giving his advice on the steps the British must take to defeat the Americans (topic).
Framing the Constitution
As the students learn about the birth of our nation, they will discover the foundational views of the founding fathers as they wrote the Articles of Confederation and then the Constitution. The students will learn how the Constitution has shaped the way our government operates. They will learn about the relationship between the three branches of government and how a system of checks and balances prevents the abuse of power and protects our Democratic Ideals. One of the activities the students will participate in is Constitutional Issues speech. Students will research an issue relating to a constitutional right and present a persuasive speech using supporting evidence.
Westward Expansion
Students will learn how the United States expanded from the 13 Original Colonies to a continental nation that extended from "sea to shining sea." We will examine the value of the land that was acquired, and moments of conflict and cooperation with European nations and Native Americans. Students will also learn about the various groups of people migrating west and the technology that improved transportation and industrialization across the country.
Civil War
The Civil War was fought in more than 10,000 places and claimed approximately 618,000 lives. The United States made war on itself from 1986-1865, and while devastating, this war changed our nation's destiny. We reemerged transformed. In this unit, students will take on the role of a Northerner "Billy Yank"or Southerner "Johnny Reb" to actively learn about how people were touched by this war-either on the home front or the battle field. Through an interactive and competitive simulation, students will examine the forces and condition leading to the outbreak of the Civil War, the major battles, and the period of Reconstruction in our country.
Rise of Industry
The advancements in technology and large system organizations during the Civil War paved the way for an industrial America. Students will examine how industry and cities developed in the United States. A major focus will be analyzing whether the rise of industry was a benefit or detriment to the United States.