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At the end of this lesson, the students will: Identify key democratic ideals in the Declaration of Independence and constitutional rights and responsibilities. Choose and research, using text and web based information, a historical issue relating to civic rights and responsibilities. Identify at least two opposing viewpoints on the chosen historical issue. Correctly document the sources using APA format.

Step 1: Refer to the list on the board what the class knew about the rights and responsibilities of citizens and brainstorm another list about what rights and responsibilities you think are in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, namely the Bill of Rights. Type this new list in your Social Studies Journals. When you are finished, go to Lesson 2, Step 2.

Journal

Step 2: Open your history book to the appendixes. Locate the Declaration and the Constitution. As teams, locate key democratic ideals of citizen rights and responsibilities and record them individually in their Social Studies Journals. When done, go to Lesson 2, Step 3.

Journal

Step 3: Using your journal, prepare to join the class in making a class list of these ideals. When finished, go to Lesson 2, Step 4

Journal

Step 4: In your team, select from a provided list a historical era to research. Once your team’s research topic is chosen, go to Lesson 2, Step 5.

Historical Research List

Historical Era Research List (Suggestions with Website):

  • Westward Expansion (http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/westward.html http://www.askkids.com/web?q=what+was+the+westward+expansion&o=0)
  • Civil Rights (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g1epc/is_tov/ai_2419100257 http://www.infoplease.com/spot/civilrightstimeline1.html)
  • Colonization (http://www.timepage.org/spl/13colony.html http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/13colonies1.htm)
  • Revolutionary War ( http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/revolutionarywar1.htm http://www.42explore2.com/revolt.htm)
  • Enslavement of African Peoples (http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/northamerica/after1500/people/slavery.htm http://www.africanaonline.com/slavery_colonial_era.htm)

Current Issues (With website suggestions):

  • Classroom rules (http://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/misc/back/rules/elem/)
  • Playground rules ( (External Link) )

Lesson 2, Step 5

Step 5: As a class, discuss the idea of stakeholder viewpoints, focusing on rights and responsibilities and using the issue of slavery found in your history book. Be sure to look for and take notes on differing points of view. Type these points of view in your Journals. When finished, go to step 6.

Journal

Step 6: Open an internet connection and use a search engine to get information on your team’s chosen topic from Step 4. Be sure to take notes, identifying at least two different points of view and using the provided note taking worksheet. Be sure to record your source’s citation information on the provided citation worksheets. When you are finished, go to Step 7.

Stakeholder worksheet example Stakeholder Worksheet citation [link] worksheet

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Source:  OpenStax, You decide. OpenStax CNX. Mar 09, 2009 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col10671/1.1
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