M/J Civics, Advanced & Career Planning   (#2106026)

General Notes

The primary content for this half-year course pertains to the principles, functions, and organization of government; the origins of the American political system; the roles, rights, responsibilities of United States citizens; and methods of active participation in our political system.

Honors/Advanced courses offer scaffolded learning opportunities for students to develop the critical skills of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation in a more rigorous and reflective academic setting. Students are empowered to perform at higher levels as they engage in the following: analyzing historical documents and supplementary readings, working in the context of thematically categorized information, becoming proficient in note-taking, participating in Socratic seminars/discussions, emphasizing free-response and document-based writing, contrasting opposing viewpoints, solving problems, etc. Students will develop and demonstrate their skills through participation in a capstone and/or extended research-based paper/project (e.g., history fair, participatory citizenship project, mock congressional hearing, projects for competitive evaluation, investment portfolio contests, or other teacher-directed projects).

Mathematics Benchmark Guidance – Social Studies instruction should include opportunities for students to interpret and create representations of historical events and concepts using mathematical tables, charts, and graphs.

Career and Education Planning - Per section 1003.4156, Florida Statutes, the Career and Education Planning course must result in a completed personalized academic and career plan for the student; must emphasize the importance of entrepreneurship skills; must emphasize technology or the application of technology in career fields; and, beginning in the 2014-2015 academic year, must provide information from the Department of Economic Opportunity's economic security report as described in section 445.07, Florida Statutes. For additional information on the Middle School Career and Education Planning course, go to https://www.fldoe.org/workforce/ced/

1.0 Describe the influences that societal, economic, and technological changes have on employment trends and future training.
2.0 Develop skills to locate, evaluate, and interpret career information.
3.0 Identify and demonstrate processes for making short and long term goals.
4.0 Demonstrate employability skills such as working in a group, problem-solving and organizational skills, and the importance of entrepreneurship.
5.0 Understand the relationship between educational achievement and career choices/postsecondary options.
6.0 Identify a career cluster and related pathways through an interest assessment that match career and education goals.
7.0 Develop a career and education plan that includes short and long-term goals, high school program of study, and postsecondary/career goals.
8.0 Demonstrate knowledge of technology and its application in career fields/clusters.

Special Notes:
Additional content that may be included in the Grade 8 NAEP Civics assessment includes:

• Distinctive characteristics of American society
• Unity/diversity in American society
• Civil society: nongovernmental associations, groups
• Nation-states
• Interaction among nation-states
• Major governmental, nongovernmental international organizations

The NAEP frameworks for Civics may be accessed at http://www.nagb.org/publications/frameworks/civicsframework.pdf

Instructional Practices
Teaching from well-written, grade-level instructional materials enhances students' content area knowledge and also strengthens their ability to comprehend longer, complex reading passages on any topic for any reason. Using the following instructional practices also helps student learning:

1. Reading assignments from longer text passages as well as shorter ones when text is extremely complex.
2. Making close reading and rereading of texts central to lessons.
3. Asking high-level, text-specific questions and requiring high-level, complex tasks and assignments.
4. Requiring students to support answers with evidence from the text.
5. Providing extensive text-based research and writing opportunities (claims and evidence).