Unit 1—Working Together: Building a Good Foundation in Class.
Students think about the characteristics of a good classroom, develop and
evaluate rules to create that classroom, and establish consequences for not
following the rules. The activities prepare students for reflection on the
goals of the United States set forth in the Preamble to the Constitution and on
how our government was designed to achieve these goals.
Unit 2—Working It Out Together: Mediating Our Conflicts.
Students use a five-step process to learn the skill of conflict mediation and
practice using examples from the classroom, school, and community. The unit is
designed to help students resolve conflict without violence or the need for
more formal court proceedings.
Unit 3—Working Together to Build a Government: Balancing Rights and Safety.
Students further explore formal (institutional) structures such as class rules
and the U.S. Constitution, and informal (personal) skills such as mediation for
maintaining rights and creating order in society.
Unit 4—Working Together to Make Laws: The Legislative Branch.
Students look at lawmaking at both the national and local levels. Using weapon
control as an example, they examine how law-making bodies function; the effects
of citizen involvement in promoting the general welfare; and ways to analyze a
public policy issue. Students also engage in poll-taking, mediating, and a
legislative simulation.
Unit 5—Making the Laws Work: The Executive Branch.
Students learn about the Executive branch of government through examples from
local government (police and mayors) and national government (the Attorney
General and the President). Students examine the role of the police, explore
their relationships with police officers, and interact directly with local law
enforcement officials either at a law enforcement facility or in class.
Unit 6—Interpreting the Laws: The Judicial Branch.
Students study the courts as agencies that resolve disputes and apply and
interpret the law. Beginning with conflict mediation, students progress from
Pro Se (small claims) Court activities, to a criminal mock trial, to a modified
moot court simulation.
Unit 7—Taking Action Together: Serving and Learning.
Students are introduced to service learning projects as another way to address
problems and resolve conflicts. Students develop, conduct, and evaluate a
public safety service project for their school community.
Last updated: January 2, 2002
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