9th grade Social Studies
10 units matched to the California Content Standards.
Focus areas
- Civics: principles of American democracy
- Rights and responsibilities of citizens
- Elections and federal, state and local government
Units
Unit 1
Foundations of Democracy
Greek, Roman, English and Enlightenment roots of American government, Tocqueville's view of American democracy, republican and liberal ideas, the Federalist Papers and the Bill of Rights as a limit on government.
Learning standard: 12.1.1; 12.1.2; 12.1.3; 12.1.4; 12.1.5; 12.1.6 · the influence of earlier thinkers, Tocqueville on American democracy, the Constitution's balance of ideas, separated powers and the Bill of Rights as limits on government
Unit 2
Three Branches
How Articles I, II and III set up Congress, the presidency and the courts, terms and numbers, amending the Constitution, and choosing and confirming justices.
Learning standard: 12.4.1; 12.4.2; 12.4.4; 12.4.5; 12.4.6 · Articles I, II and III, amending the Constitution, and selecting and confirming Supreme Court justices
Unit 3
Rights & Responsibilities
The rights in the Bill of Rights and later amendments, civil rights laws, citizens' duties such as jury service and paying taxes, and how rights are balanced with the common good.
Learning standard: 12.2.1; 12.2.3; 12.2.5; 12.5.4 · the rights in the Bill of Rights, citizens' legal obligations, the link between rights and obligations, and changing interpretations of civil rights
Unit 4
Landmark Supreme Court Cases
Landmark decisions from Marbury v. Madison to recent cases, judicial activism and restraint, precedent, and how readings of the Bill of Rights and civil rights have changed, presented factually and from more than one side.
Learning standard: 12.5.1; 12.5.2; 12.5.3; 12.5.4 · landmark Supreme Court interpretations of the Constitution, judicial activism and restraint, and changing readings of rights
Unit 5
Elections & Voting
How Californians register and vote, the top-two primary, parties and nominations, the Electoral College, polls and campaign money, and redistricting.
Learning standard: 12.6.1; 12.6.2; 12.6.3; 12.6.4; 12.6.6 · political parties, presidential nominations, polls, ads and campaign funding, ways citizens take part, turnout and redistricting
Unit 6
How Laws Are Made
How a bill becomes law in Congress and in Sacramento, committees, vetoes and overrides, regulations, and how citizens and interest groups influence lawmaking.
Learning standard: 12.7.5; 12.7.6 · how public policy is formed and carried out, and lawmaking at the federal, state and local levels
Unit 7
Taking Part
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.
Learning standard: 12.2.4; 12.3.1; 12.3.2; 12.10 · civic-mindedness, how civil society lets people associate and influence government, and tensions within our constitutional democracy
Unit 8
Forms of Government
Democracies, monarchies, oligarchies and authoritarian states, federal, confederal and unitary systems, and the roots of American ideas about limited government.
Learning standard: 12.9.1; 12.9.2; 12.9.3 · different political systems, how power is shared and limited, and federal, confederal and unitary systems
Unit 9
Governing California
California's initiative, referendum and recall, its legislature, governor and courts, state and local revenue, reserved and concurrent powers, the Ninth and Tenth Amendments, tribal governments, and how conflicts between levels of government are resolved.
Learning standard: 12.6.5; 12.7.1; 12.7.2; 12.7.3; 12.7.4; 12.7.7; 12.7.8 · direct democracy, conflicts between levels of government, state and local revenue, reserved and concurrent powers, the courts and presidential power
Unit 10
Media & Democracy
Why a free and responsible press matters, broadcast, print and online media, how officials use media to shape opinion, and how to spot misinformation, bias and spin.
Learning standard: 12.8.1; 12.8.2; 12.8.3 · a free and responsible press, the roles of broadcast, print and electronic media, and how officials use media to shape public opinion
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