New York State Toolkit Inquiries--Ready Made for Use
The inquiries below were developed as part of the New York State Social Studies Toolkit, a project funded by the New York State Education Department to aid teachers in aligning instruction to C3 Framework and Inquiry Arc inspired state standards.
These inquiries have been aligned to the corresponding grade level and content standard for the 2016 revision of the California History/Social Science Framework and corresponding content standards. New York state standards are not aligned perfectly to those of the State of California; teachers can modify these Inquiries to meet appropriate grade-level expectations and instructional approaches.
These inquiries have been aligned to the corresponding grade level and content standard for the 2016 revision of the California History/Social Science Framework and corresponding content standards. New York state standards are not aligned perfectly to those of the State of California; teachers can modify these Inquiries to meet appropriate grade-level expectations and instructional approaches.
Grade 12-United States Government: Principles of American Democracy
California Framework Unit of Study and Related "Essential Questions" |
Inquiry Title Description |
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Fundamental Principles of American Democracy
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The Constitution: Just Government? (Also USH) By investigating the justness of the Constitution, students examine how the Constitution structures the government, the Constitution’s relationship to slavery, and the extent to which the amendment process makes the government more democratic. |
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Federalism: Who Has the Power? By investigating the compelling question “Who has the power?” students will consider the role of state government in initiating the best legislation for its citizens, even in cases where state law conflicts with federal law. In investigating evidence from historic and contemporary sources, students develop an interpretation of federalism and begin to evaluate both the historic and contemporary arguments and issues that are, in the words of Chief Justice John Marshall, “perpetually arising, and will probably continue to arise, as long as our system shall exist.” |
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Are Students Protected by the First Amendment? This inquiry leads students through an investigation of students’ rights and the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. By investigating the compelling question, students consider the ways in which their rights provide a unique perspective on learning about the First Amendment and the extent to which schools are “special areas,” in which various courts have made rulings that may be seen as limiting students’ First Amendment rights. |
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Voting: Am I Going to Vote, and Does it Matter? This inquiry leads students through an investigation of youth voting practices. By investigating the compelling question of whether or not they will vote, students consider the ways in which the voting habits of youth (citizens who are 18–29 years old) provide a unique opportunity to reflect on their own voting preferences. In investigating the issues behind youth voting, students evaluate their interests to determine whether or not they will vote in the next election. |
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The Executive Branch and its Role in Economy (Also for USH) This focuses on the motivations, actions, and impacts of two particular US presidents: Lyndon Johnson and Ronald Reagan. Their economic programs stand in for the larger argument that persists today between liberal and conservative approaches to federal economic policy. Thus, the compelling question “How should the president foster economic opportunity?” is intentionally timeless to emphasize its relevance today. |
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Do Any Political Parties Represent Me? By exploring the compelling question about how well political parties represent individuals, students consider their own political ideology as a lens for learning about the extent to which political parties address international and domestic issues. In investigating political issues and political party platforms, students begin to develop an idea of how well the parties represent them and, more importantly, begin to develop their own political ideologies.. |
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Campaign Finance: This inquiry leads students through an investigation of campaign finance by examining election costs, expenditures, and the complex relationships between candidates and political-action committees. By investigating the compelling question “Does money matter in political campaigns?” students dissect contemporary political campaigns in order to assess whether or not campaign-finance reform should take place. In investigating contemporary evidence on campaigns and campaign finance, students develop an understanding of who is funding political campaigns and evaluate the extent to which campaign funding is problematic. |
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Congress at Work: The Legislative Process--How are Laws Made? This lesson uses congressional documents to explain the legislative process. Each document illustrates a specific step as a bill moves forward through Congress. By analyzing these historic records students will be able to understand and explain what happens as a bill becomes a law |
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