Students will:

• Examine the concept of identity.
• Develop class norms and goals  for themselves and the class.

Students will consider:

• How do our identities impact the way we understand the world around us and the experiences of others?
• In what way have  environmental factors (systems, structures, institutions etc.) shaped our identities and beliefs?
• How can I, as a student, use an understanding of identity to inform my work in this class?

Students will demonstrate skills for historical thinking, geographical analysis, economic decision making, and responsible citizenship by:

• Planning inquiries by synthesizing information from diverse primary and secondary sources.
• Analyzing how political and economic trends influence public policy, using demographic information and other data sources.
• Comparing and contrasting historical, cultural, economic, and political perspectives.
• Evaluating critically the quality, accuracy, and validity of information to determine misconceptions, fact and opinion, and bias.
• Constructing informed, analytic arguments, using evidence from multiple sources to introduce and support substantive and significant claims.
• Explaining how cause-and-effect relationships impact political and economic events.
• Taking knowledgeable, constructive action, individually and collaboratively, to address school, community, local, state, national, and global issues.
• Using a decision-making model to analyze the costs and benefits of a specific choice, considering incentives and possible consequences.
• Applying civic virtues and democratic principles to make collaborative decisions.
• Communicating conclusions orally and in writing to a wide range of audiences, using evidence from multiple sources and citing specific sources.

Students will consider:

• Whose voices are emphasized, marginalized, and silenced in social studies courses?
• Which perspectives (political, economic, social, cultural, environmental, global, military) are emphasized, marginalized, and silenced in social studies courses?
• How does shifting between scales of study (macro to micro) impact your thinking and learning and make the past usable?
• What are the benefits of using inquiry, comparison, and connections to construct my knowledge of the world?
• How does learning about government impact your understanding of yourself, your lived experiences, a concept, a UN Sustainable Development Goal, or a contemporary world issue/event?

Students will apply social science skills to:

• Understand the Constitution of the United States by:
  • Examining the ratification debates and The Federalist.
  • Evaluating the purposes for government stated in the Preamble.
  • Examining the fundamental principles upon which the Constitution of the United States is based, including the rule of law, consent of the governed, limited government, separation of powers, and federalism.
  • Defining the structure of the national government outlined in Article I, Article II, and Article III.
  • Analyzing and explaining the amendment process.
• Understand the federal system of government described in the Constitution of the United States by:
  • Evaluating the relationship between the state government and the national government.
  • Examining the extent to which power is shared.
  • Identifying the powers denied state and national governments.
  • Analyzing the ongoing debate that focuses on the balance of power between state and national governments.

Students will consider:

• What is the best balance between power through individual agency and power from societal systems?
• How are governments created, structured, maintained, and changed?
• How does learning about The Origins and Foundations of the US Government impact your understanding of yourself, your lived experiences, a concept, a UN Sustainable Development Goal, or a contemporary world issue/event?

Students will apply social science skills to:

• Understand local, state, and national elections by:
  • Describing the nomination and election process, including the organization and evolving role of political parties.
  • Examining campaign funding and spending, including the impact of Supreme Court decisions, the nationalization of campaign financing, and the role of issue groups.
  • Analyzing the influence of media coverage, campaign advertising, public opinion polls, social media, and digital communications on elections.
  • Investigating and explaining the impact of reapportionment and redistricting on elections and governance.
  • Describing how amendments have extended the right to vote.
  • Analyzing voter turnout in local, state, and national elections.
• Understand the process by which public policy is made by:
  • Defining public policy and determining how to differentiate public and private action.
  • Examining different perspectives on the role of government.
  • Describing how the national government influences the public agenda and shapes public policy by examining examples such as the Equal Rights Amendment, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Section 9524 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965.
  • Describing how the state and local governments influence the public agenda and shape public policy.
  • Investigating and evaluating the process by which policy is implemented by the bureaucracy at each level.
  • Analyzing how the incentives of individuals, interest groups, and the media influence public policy.
  • Devising a course of action to address local and/or state issues.

Students will consider:

• How do political parties impact individual and group identity?
• How do interest groups influence society and life and who benefits from their platforms?
• How does learning about Political Parties and Policy impact your understanding of yourself, your lived experiences, a concept, a UN Sustainable Development Goal, or a contemporary world issue/event?

Students will apply social science skills to understand local, state, and national elections by:

• Describing the nomination and election process, including the organization and evolving role of political parties.
• Examining campaign funding and spending, including the impact of Supreme Court decisions, the nationalization of campaign financing, and the role of issue groups.
• Analyzing the influence of media coverage, campaign advertising, public opinion polls, social media, and digital communications on elections.
• Investigating and explaining the impact of reapportionment and redistricting on elections and governance.
• Describing how amendments have extended the right to vote.
• Analyzing voter turnout in local, state, and national elections.

Students will consider:

• To what extent does wealth impact who runs for office?
• What inspires you to be informed about candidates and vote?
• To what extent is the electoral college a fair method of electing a president?
• How does learning about Campaigns and Elections impact your understanding of yourself, your lived experiences, a concept, a UN Sustainable Development Goal, or a contemporary world issue/event?

Students will apply social science skills to:

• Understand the federal system of government described in the Constitution of the United States by:
  • Evaluating the relationship between the state government and the national government.
  • Examining the extent to which power is shared.
  • Identifying the powers denied state and national governments.
  • Analyzing the ongoing debate that focuses on the balance of power between states.
• Understand the organization and powers of the national government by:
  • Examining the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
  • Analyzing the relationships among the three branches in a system of checks and balances and separation of powers.
  • Investigating and explaining the ways individuals and groups exert influence on the national government.

Students will consider:

• What makes Congress “good” or successful?
• What groups are represented in Congress  and who benefits from this representation?
• How does learning about The Legislative Branch impact your understanding of yourself, your lived experiences, a concept, a UN Sustainable Development Goal, or a contemporary world issue/event?

Students will apply social science skills to:

• Understand the federal system of government described in the Constitution of the United States by:
  • Evaluating the relationship between the state government and the national government.
  • Examining the extent to which power is shared.
  • Identifying the powers denied state and national governments.
  • Analyzing the ongoing debate that focuses on the balance of power between states.
• Understand the organization and powers of the national government by:
  • Examining the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
  • Analyzing the relationships among the three branches in a system of checks and balances and separation of powers.
  • Investigating and explaining the ways individuals and groups exert influence on the national government.

Students will consider:

• What makes a “good” or successful president?
• How should power be used by the president and who benefits from its use?
• How does learning about The Executive Branch impact your understanding of yourself, your lived experiences, a concept, a UN Sustainable Development Goal, or a contemporary world issue/event?

Students will apply social science skills to:

• Understand the organization and powers of the national government by:
  • Examining the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
  • Analyzing the relationships among the three branches in a system of checks and balances and separation of powers.
  • Investigating and explaining the ways individuals and groups exert influence on the national government.
• Understand the federal judiciary by:
  • Describing the organization, jurisdiction, and proceedings of federal courts.
  • Evaluating how the Marshall Court established the Supreme Court as an independent branch of government through its opinion in Marbury v. Madison.
  • Describing how the Supreme Court decides cases.
  • Comparing the philosophies of judicial activism and judicial restraint.
  • Investigating and evaluating how the judiciary influences public policy by delineating the power of government and safeguarding the rights of the individual.

Students will consider:

• Does the justice system in the US work well?
• Why do we have rules & laws; and what would happen if we didn’t?
• How do past court cases impact us today?
• How does learning about The Judicial Branch impact your understanding of yourself, your lived experiences, a concept, a UN Sustainable Development Goal, or a contemporary world issue/event?

Students will apply social science skills to:

• Understand the process by which public policy is made by:
  • Defining public policy and determining how to differentiate public and private action.
  • Examining different perspectives on the role of government.
  • Describing how the national government influences the public agenda and shapes public policy by examining examples such as the Equal Rights Amendment, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Section 9524 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965.
  • Describing how the state and local governments influence the public agenda and shape public policy.
  • Investigating and evaluating the process by which policy is implemented by the bureaucracy at each level.
  • Analyzing how the incentives of individuals, interest groups, and the media influence public policy.
  • Revising a course of action to address local and/or state issues. 
• Understand civil liberties and civil rights by:
  • Examining the Bill of Rights, with emphasis on First Amendment freedoms.
  • Analyzing due process of law expressed in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.
  • Explaining how the Supreme Court has applied most of the protections of the Bill of Rights to the states through a process of selective incorporation.
  • Investigating and evaluating the balance between individual liberties and the public interest.
  • Examining how civil liberties and civil rights are protected under the law.
• Understand the role of government in the Virginia and United States economies by:
  • Describing the provision of government goods and services that are not readily produced by the market.
  • Describing government’s establishment and maintenance of the rules and institutions in which markets operate, including the establishment and enforcement of property rights, contracts, consumer rights, labor-management relations, environmental protection, and competition in the marketplace.
  • Investigating and describing the types and purposes of taxation that are used by local, state, and federal governments to pay for services provided by the government.
  • Analyzing how Congress can use fiscal policy to stabilize the economy.
  • Describing the effects of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy on price stability, employment, and the economy.
  • Evaluating the trade-offs in government decisions.

Students will consider:

• How should governments balance the rights of individuals with the common good?
• Why do we sometimes oppress each other when we gain power?
• Why do rights and freedoms in the U.S. change over time?
• How does learning about Rights and Liberties impact your understanding of yourself, your lived experiences, a concept, a UN Sustainable Development Goal, or a contemporary world issue/event?

Students will apply social science skills to:

• Understand the role of the United States in a changing world by:
  • Describing the responsibilities of the national government for foreign policy and national security.
  • Assessing the role of national interest in shaping foreign policy and promoting world peace.
  • Examining the relationship of Virginia and the United States to the global economy, including trends in international trade.
• Understand how world governments and economies compare and contrast with the government and the economy in the United States by:
  • Describing the distribution of governmental power.
  • Explaining the relationship between the legislative and executive branches.
  • Comparing and contrasting the extent of participation in the political process.
  • Comparing and contrasting economic systems.

Students will consider:

• How does the national interest shape foreign policy decisions? 
• To what extent does foreign policy affect the economy of the United States?
• To what extent are foreign policy issues determined by forces outside the United States?
• How does learning about Foreign Policy and Comparative Government  impact your understanding of yourself, your lived experiences, a concept, a UN Sustainable Development Goal, or a contemporary world issue/event?

Students will apply social science skills to:

• Understand the role of the United States in a changing world by:
  • Describing the responsibilities of the national government for foreign policy and national security.
  • Assessing the role of national interest in shaping foreign policy and promoting world peace.
  • Examining the relationship of Virginia and the United States to the global economy, including trends in international trade.
• Understand the role of government in the Virginia and United States economies by:
  • Describing the provision of government goods and services that are not readily produced by the market.
  • Rescribing government’s establishment and maintenance of the rules and institutions in which markets operate, including the establishment and enforcement of property rights, contracts, consumer rights, labor-management relations, environmental protection, and competition in the marketplace.
  • Investigating and describing the types and purposes of taxation that are used by local, state, and federal governments to pay for services provided by the government.
  • Analyzing how Congress can use fiscal policy to stabilize the economy.
  • Describing the effects of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy on price stability, employment, and the economy.
  • Evaluating the trade-offs in government decisions.

Students will consider:

• What is the most important thing local governments do?
• How can you participate in local government?
• How does learning about Local Government impact your understanding of yourself, your lived experiences, a concept, a UN Sustainable Development Goal, or a contemporary world issue/event?

Students will apply social science skills to:

• Understand economic systems by:
  • Identifying the basic economic questions encountered by all economic systems.
  • Comparing the characteristics of traditional, free market, command, and mixed economies, as described by Adam Smith and Karl Marx.
  • Evaluating the impact of the government’s role in the economy on individual economic freedoms.
• Understand the role of government in the Virginia and United States economies by:
  • Describing the provision of government goods and services that are not readily produced by the market.
  • Describing government’s establishment and maintenance of the rules and institutions in which markets operate, including the establishment and enforcement of property rights, contracts, consumer rights, labor-management relations, environmental protection, and competition in the marketplace.
  • Investigating and describing the types and purposes of taxation that are used by local, state, and federal governments to pay for services provided by the government.
  • Analyzing how Congress can use fiscal policy to stabilize the economy.
  • Describing the effects of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy on price stability, employment, and the economy.
  • Evaluating the trade-offs in government decisions.

Students will consider:

• How big a role should the federal government play in the US Economy and  what are the pros and cons of government intervention?
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of capitalism and other economic systems?
• How does learning about Economics impact your understanding of yourself, your lived experiences, a concept, a UN Sustainable Development Goal, or a contemporary world issue/event?

Objectives and descriptive statements can be found on the 12th grade Family Life Education (FLE) page.