SS.912.CG.4.1

This Vietnam War lesson starts with a background reading and questions on tensions with the French and the Domino Theory. Students will make predictions about arguments for and against entering the war and the impact of public opinion. Next, they will map a divided Vietnam and surrounding areas to evaluate Domino Theory. Students will be given primary sources to categorize if the source supports or challenges the war and ultimately write a thesis statement if they think the war was justified. This is lesson 3 of 3 in a mini-unit integrating civics and history.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will create an interactive Scratch project to show their knowledge about economic systems and the consequences on our economic freedom. They will also reflect on the efficacy of employing Scratch to present their academic learning. This is the final lesson in a three-part integrated computer science and civics mini-unit.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will create a flowchart that represents the differences between economic systems and use it to explain how a flowchart sequence may be used to create blocks for an algorithm in Scratch. This is part two of a three-part Computer Science (Coding) and Civics integrated series.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will build upon prior knowledge of containment by analysis of primary sources that support and critique how to respond to the spread of communism. They will categorize these sources as ‘for’ or ‘against’ containment and the Truman Doctrine to represent there was disagreements on the best way to handle the USSR. Students will answer reflection questions connecting the view of communism seen in the sources to the Truman Doctrine. Then, students will create two of their own political cartoons, one in support and one against containment. The teacher can choose to extend the activity by doing a gallery walk of the cartoons.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will learn about early events of the Cold War and containment through analysis of primary sources of the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan. They will annotate the sources and answer critical thinking questions about why containment was imperative and how certain political ideologies conflict with democracy. This is lesson 2 in a mini unit integrating civics and social studies.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will learn how to conduct research using online books of the Library of Congress (www.loc.gov) to create a comparative chart showing the differences between economic systems. This is part one of a three-part Computer Science (Coding) and Civics integrated series.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will review key terms and people during the Cold War era.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will analyze why communism was proposed as an alternative to capitalism during the Industrial Revolution. They will analyze political cartoons and major primary source texts by Adam Smith and Karl Marx. The final task is a Venn Diagram comparing the theories.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will describe and differentiate between the various systems of government that exist throughout the world and how they are tied to liberty, economic opportunity, and prosperity.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will examine the four main economic systems: laissez-faire capitalism, socialism, communism, and mixed-market economy. Students will analyze primary sources to support their learning. Students will create a graphic organizer using both primary sources and direct instruction.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will review different forms of government and engage in a discussion and reflection of the advantages offered by the United States' constitutional republic. A slideshow, graphic organizer, pretest, and class activity allow students to apply their knowledge.

Type: Lesson Plan

This Grades 9-12 Civics Family Guide provides some ideas and activities to support civics education when at home, out and about, and in the community. The activities provided align to the civics learning benchmarks within Standard 4 at these grade levels.

Type: Teaching Idea

Ardian Zika grew up in communist Yugoslavia (now Kosovo). He immigrated to the United States, became a U.S. citizen, and was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2018.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Former U.S Senator and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Mel Martínez shares his journey to freedom in the United States. Mr. Martínez was part of Operation Pedro Pan in which unaccompanied Cuban children were sent to the United States to escape the newly formed communist regime of Fidel Castro. Before leaving Cuba, he spent time with his father who shared life lessons with his son. Mr. Martínez distinctly remembers the pilot announcing that they were in America. After moving around the state of Florida in settlement camps, Mr. Martínez was placed in foster care. After four years he and his family were reunited. Mr. Martínez helped his father become a veterinarian in the U.S and as a family they were highly active in the community. His family’s spirit of activism was the foundation of Mr. Martínez’s career as a public servant. He graduated from Florida State University Law School in 1973 and began his political career. He was appointed the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in 2001 and became a United States Senator in 2005.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Alejandro Brice and his family immigrated from Cuba at the beginning of the Cuban Revolution. His father was jailed as a counter-revolutionary sympathizer and upon release, the family fled the country. Dr. Brice shares his memories of his “freedom wings”, the culture shock of growing up in Ohio as immigrants, learning English in elementary school, watching his family start over, and becoming a U.S. Citizen. Dr. Brice is a college professor specializing in the education of immigrant children and English language learners.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Ivonne Blank immigrated to the United States in 1961 as part of Operation Pedro Pan, the largest exodus on unaccompanied minors in the Western Hemisphere. Ms. Blank talks about how difficult it was waiting for her parents and living in an orphanage in Denver, CO. Her parents later left the island by boat, were rescued by the Coast Guard, and resettled in the United States. After the family was reunited, they were able to rebuild their lives with support from their community. Ms. Blank went on to become a lifelong educator and U.S. citizen.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation