Core Curriculum
United States Government and Citizenship
Core Document
The goal of this course is to foster informed, responsible participation in public life. Knowing how to be a good citizen is essential to the preservation and improvement of United States democracy. Upon completion of this course the student will understand the major ideas, protections, privileges, structures, and economic systems that affect the life of a citizen in the United States political system. This course is recommended for seniors due to their proximity to voting age.
1. National Standards
National Standards from National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)
2. Material and Resources
The following are materials and resources that can be used to support the core curriculum.
Lesson Ideas
UEN Core Resources - Lesson plans and web resources that are aligned to the core standards.
A Bill of Rights and the News
A Personal Experience with Discrimination
Foreign and Defense Policy
Survival
A Time for Justice
Understanding the Work of the Legislature
Using Service Learning in the Social Studies Classroom
What is Economics? An Economic Board Game
Writing a Classroom Constitution
Books
Notable Trade Books for Young People - The books that appear in these annotated book lists were evaluated and selected by a Book Review Committee appointed by National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and assembled in cooperation with the Children's Book Council (CBC).
Teacher Resources
Our Courts - A project conceived and chaired by retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. It is managed by the Georgetown School of Law. It has a section for students to play games, lesson plans for teachers, a Newsroom that has current events having to do with civics, and other resources.
The Learning Page - Designed to help educators use the American Memory Collections to teach history and culture. It offers tips and tricks, definitions and rationale for using primary sources, activities, discussions, lesson plans and suggestions for using the collections in classroom curriculum.
Utah State Office of Education Recommended Instructional Materials System (RIMS) - Find instructional materials that have been adopted by the Utah State Office of Education
National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) - Founded in 1921, National Council for the Social Studies has grown to be the largest association in the country devoted solely to social studies education. NCSS engages and supports educators in strengthening and advocating social studies. With members in all the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 69 foreign countries, NCSS serves as an umbrella organization for elementary, secondary, and college teachers of history, geography, economics, political science, sociology, psychology, anthropology, and law-related education.
Internet Resources
Center for Civic Education - Specializes in civic and citizenship education, law-related education, and international exchange programs in education in developing democracies. Programs focus upon the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, constitutions and constitutionalism, participation, rights and responsibilities of citizens.
The National Endowment for Democracy - The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is a private, nonprofit organization created in 1983 to strengthen democratic institutions around the world through nongovernmental efforts.
FedWorld - A good place to begin your review of government.
Library of Congress - Library of Congress the nation's oldest federal cultural institution. The Library preserves a collection of nearly 121 million items, more than two-thirds of which are in media other than books.
The National Endowment for Democracy - The Endowment is guided by the belief that freedom is a universal human aspiration that can be realized through the development of democratic institutions, procedures, and values. Governed by an independent, nonpartisan board of directors, the NED makes hundreds of grants each year to support prodemocracy groups in Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
President - President IDEA Network.
Thomas - Legislative Information on the Internet. Current US Federal legislative Information. Bills, Laws, Congressional Record, reports, and links to further information.
The White House
Pioneer - Utah's Online Library - Access hundreds of full-text publications, the Wilson Biographies, World Book Encyclopedia, and Utah Newspaper archives.
Utah Education Network - Provides education tools, activities, lesson plans, curriculum guides and professional development for teachers and educators in the state of Utah. You can also find other UEN resources like KULC channel 9, EDNET, and distance learning resources here.