Standards
SSCG6 The student will demonstrate knowledge of civil liberties and civil rights.
a. Examine the Bill of Rights with emphasis on First Amendment freedoms.
b. Analyze due process law expressed in the 5th and 14th Amendments.
c. Explain selective incorporation of the Bill of Rights.
d. Explain how government seeks to maintain the balance between individual liberties
and the public interest.
e. Explain every citizen’s right to be treated equally under the law.
SSCG8 The student will demonstrate knowledge of local, state, and national elections.
a. Describe the organization, role, and constituencies of political parties.
b. Describe the nomination and election process.
c. Examine campaign funding and spending.
d. Analyze the influence of media coverage, campaign advertising, and public opinion
polls.
e. Identify how amendments extend the right to vote.
SSCG6 The student will demonstrate knowledge of civil liberties and civil rights.
a. Examine the Bill of Rights with emphasis on First Amendment freedoms.
7) JOURNAL ENTRY, “Bill of Rights”
Essential Question –What are the Bill of Rights? What are my First Amendment Rights?
a. Examine the Bill of Rights with emphasis on First Amendment freedoms.
7) JOURNAL ENTRY, “Bill of Rights”
Essential Question –What are the Bill of Rights? What are my First Amendment Rights?
- On the Right Side – First, Define what the Bill of Rights is as a document. Then, Write / Summarize and the Bill of Rights using either the Textbook or the link provided. You must cover all the details of Amendment 1. You can summarize the others.
- On the Left Side – Preview this link:
- o http://billofrightsinstitute.org/resources/student-resources/play-games/life-without-the-bill-of-rights/
- o Then Complete the Graphic Organizer titled, “Life without the Bill of Rights". Copies will be given to you.
- Here is the Link to Current Events to help you fill out your graphic organizer.

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d. Explain how government seeks to maintain the balance between individual liberties
and the public interest.
8) JOURNAL ENTRY, “Civil Liberties vs. Public Interest”
Essential Question –What are Civil Liberties and when have they been suspended for the Public Interest?
and the public interest.
8) JOURNAL ENTRY, “Civil Liberties vs. Public Interest”
Essential Question –What are Civil Liberties and when have they been suspended for the Public Interest?
- On the Right Side – Define Civil Liberties and Public Interest. Use the Internet to do your research.
- On the Left Side – Choose and summarize an event in history where Civil Liberties were suspended for the Public Interest.
- http://journalism.unl.edu/cojmc/alumni/jnews/0304_winter/mayeux.shtml
- http://www.etymonline.com/cw/habeas.htm
- http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/rightsandfreedoms/a/habeuscorpus.htm
- http://www.thecivilwaromnibus.com/articles/94/the-suspension-of-habeas-corpus-during-the-civil-war/
- http://www.pbs.org/thewar/at_home_civil_rights_japanese_american.htm
- http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/timeline.html
a. Describe the organization, role, and constituencies of political parties.
9) JOURNAL ENTRY, “Political Parties”
Essential Question –What are Political Parties and how do they affect the Federal Government?
9) JOURNAL ENTRY, “Political Parties”
Essential Question –What are Political Parties and how do they affect the Federal Government?
- • On the Right Side – First, Define Political Parties using information from the Internet or your Civics Book. Then, explain the difference between Nonpartisan systems and Single Dominant Party systems using the information provided in the link:
- https://www.boundless.com/political-science/interest-groups/political-parties/political-parties-1/
- • On the Left Side – Define what a two-party system is as it pertains to the United States. Then make a T-Chart that best describes the differences between the Republicans and the Democrats. Use the Party Platforms document for your comparison.You need to summarize their stance on each major issue. Underneath this, in a short paragraph, write about the formation of the third party (Why don’t they win? Do their ideas matter?). Use the links below for your sources.

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- http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/611292/two-party-system
- http://www.sparknotes.com/us-government-and-politics/american-government/political- parties/section2.rhtml
- http://www.shmoop.com/political-parties/third-parties.html
- http://blogs.kqed.org/lowdown/2012/11/06/the-10-biggest-differences-between-republicans-and-democrats/
b. Describe the nomination and election process.
10) JOURNAL ENTRY, “Nomination and Election Process”
Essential Question –How do we nominate and elect a candidate for President?
10) JOURNAL ENTRY, “Nomination and Election Process”
Essential Question –How do we nominate and elect a candidate for President?
- On the Right Side – First, describe the difference between Caucuses, Primaries and Conventions– using this link:
- Then using the link. Write the seven-step process – with a brief explanation of each (list them).
- On the Left Side – Write two responses: First, detail How the Electoral College Works. Then, write about Why not a popular vote? These two responses should be titled as such.
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c. Examine campaign funding and spending.
d. Analyze the influence of media coverage, campaign advertising, and public opinion polls.
11) JOURNAL ENTRY, “Influence of Media Coverage on Public Opinion”
Essential Question –What influence does media coverage have on public opinion?
d. Analyze the influence of media coverage, campaign advertising, and public opinion polls.
11) JOURNAL ENTRY, “Influence of Media Coverage on Public Opinion”
Essential Question –What influence does media coverage have on public opinion?
- On the Right Side – Using the various links, answer the series of questions about the influence of media and public opinion polls on elections.
- What is the effect of Media Bias?
- http://voices.yahoo.com/the-influence-media-politics-campaigns-and-651361.html?cat=9
- Then compare it to this article.
- Impact of Fox News and voting Republican.
- How do candidates measure public opinion? List 4 specific ways.
- http://wps.prenhall.com/hss_volkomer_amgovern_11/46/11893/3044851.cw/index.html
- On the Left Side – We will examine campaign funding and spending. First, define lobbyists, SuperPAC, and interest groups as it pertains to this journal. Then, answer the series of questions about the various links. Write the questions and a simple response for each.
- Using the link, detail what changes have been made to campaign finance reform since President Clinton.
- A Century Of U.S. Campaign Finance Law
- What top three states did Romney outspend Obama the most? Did he win those states in the election (You independently research this)
- Where Is Romney Spending 110 Times More Than Obama?
- Who were the Top Three SuperPac Donors for each Candidate?
- The 2012 Money Race: Compare the Candidates
- Who are the Three All-Time Top Donors for the Republicans and the Democrats since 1989?
- Top All-Time Donors, 1989-2012
e. Identify how amendments extend the right to vote.
12) JOURNAL ENTRY, “Equal Protection under the Law and Voting Rights”
Essential Question –What Supreme Court cases impacted segregation and what events expanded the right to vote?
12) JOURNAL ENTRY, “Equal Protection under the Law and Voting Rights”
Essential Question –What Supreme Court cases impacted segregation and what events expanded the right to vote?
- On the Right Side – First define Segregation. Then, examine two court cases; Plessy vs. Ferguson and Brown vs. Board of Education. Using the links, create two responses summarizing the events of each case and how the case impacted segregation.
- On the Left Side – Write a single response using the links about how the 15th amendment and the 19th amendment expanded voting privileges.
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