Subscribe

9th grade · Social Studies · Unit 2 of 9

Taking Part

Speak up, check facts, decide together

What your child practices

Ways to take part before and after 18, volunteering and civil society, petitions and peaceful protest, deliberating about tensions in our democracy, and checking news for reliability.

Alaska content standards learning standard: SS.9-12.10.3; SS.9-12.7.8 · how engaged citizens make change, and how to register and vote

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. You can take part before 18: volunteering, public hearings, petitions and neighborhood groups.
  2. Civil disobedience is peacefully breaking an unjust law and accepting the consequences.
  3. Read news carefully: an op-ed is an opinion piece, and confirmation bias is favoring what you already think.

Example: What is confirmation bias? We like hearing that we are right. It means favoring information that agrees with what you already think. Answer: favoring information that agrees with what you already think

Taking Part in Alaska

In the Alaska content standards, this is unit 2 of 9 in 9th grade Social Studies, after Foundations of Democracy and before Media & Democracy.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Alaska Department of Education and Early Development

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    What is a primary source for a city council decision?

    • A friend's summary
    • A rumor
    • The official meeting minutes or video
    • A meme

  2. Question 2

    Which action shows responsible use of social media for civic purposes?

    • Posting insults
    • Sharing rumors quickly
    • Sharing information only after checking it
    • Sharing anything with a big headline

  3. Question 3

    Before taking a position on an issue, you should…

    • Research it from several reliable sources
    • Read one headline
    • Guess
    • Ask one friend

  4. Question 4

    Which is a peaceful way to protest a law?

    • Damaging property
    • Ignoring all laws
    • Threatening officials
    • A permitted march or rally

  5. Question 5

    Which is a way to take part in civic life before you can vote?

    • Serving in Congress
    • Voting for governor
    • Signing bills
    • Volunteering for a community project

  6. Question 6

    What is a town hall meeting?

    • A school dance
    • A court trial
    • A private party
    • A meeting where officials answer questions from the public

More 9th grade