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Description:

Civics Critics will explore themes related to the US Constitution through guided inquiry and evidence-based analysis. These topics are posed as a series of thought-provoking questions that students will research, debate, discuss, and form opinions about. First semester will examine themes such as the Articles of Confederation, branches of government, checks and balances, divided powers, the federal budget, and unalienable rights in a relevant, approachable, and interactive context. The class will apply this knowledge to analyze three big DBQ inquiries: The Ideals of the Declaration: Which is the Most Important? How Did the Constitution Guard Against Tyranny? and Should Schools Be Allowed to Limit Students' Online Speech?

Civics Critics is an interactive, multi-disciplinary examination of some of the key issues in American Government using sources from The DBQ Project. DBQs, or document based questions, are derived from AP History exams and help develop high school level critical thinking skills. Students will review an array of primary sources such as letters, journal entries, inventories, ship's manifestos, newspaper articles, period maps, and court documents along with selected secondary sources like excerpts, charts, and graphs. Students will be guided through analyzing the documents, interpreting the data, drawing inferences, and forming conclusions. In some historical scenarios, the class will consider conflicting perspectives and be able to defend and debate multiple sides of a key issue. To demonstrate comprehension and a deeper understanding of the class themes, students will use factual findings to develop structured, evidence-based essays. Students will also complete additional short and interactive assignments throughout the semester.

Note: This section will be held entirely ONLINE in a virtual classroom, providing synchronous online instruction via videoconferencing for the full year. Recordings will be made for students with schedule conflicts.

Topics in this Series: Constitution Connection (Semester 1) and Bill of Rights Battles (Semester 2). Students continuing from first semester receive priority pre-registration for second semester.

Prerequisites: Students should be able to read and write at grade level.

Workload: Students should expect to spend 1-2 hours per week on homework, investigation, or reading for this class.

Assignments: All assignments will be posted on password-protected Canvas classroom management site. There, students access assignments, upload homework, take automated quizzes and tests, track grades, and message instructor and classmates.

Assessments: The instructor may offer parent conferences to provide feedback on the student's work and participation.

Lab/Supply Fee: The fee for a class notebook is included in the class tuition.

What to Bring: Class notebook, paper, and pen or pencil.