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Grade 7 Social Studies Unit 5

Unit Title

Unit description: The United States Constitution serves as the foundation of the United States government and outlines the rights of citizens.The Constitution is considered a living document that can respond to political and social changes. The New York State Constitution also has been changed over time. In this unit, students will study how the Constitution outlined a federalist system of government and also established three branches of government as well as a system of checks and balances. Students will also explore how the New York State Constitution changed over time and the foreign and domestic disputes tested the strength of the Constitution.

Standards

Standards: 1, 5; Themes: TCC, GOV, CIV

Essential Questions and Big Ideas

  • Big idea of the unit: The United States Constitution serves as the foundation of the United States government and outlines the rights of citizens.
  • How does the Constitution outline distribution of governmental power?
    • The Constitution outlined a federalist system of government that shares powers between the federal, state, and local governments.
  • What check and balances system was developed in the Constitution?
    • The Constitution established three branches of government as well as a system of checks and balances that guides the relationship between the branches.
  • How are the individual rights of citizens protected by the Bill of Rights?
    • Individual rights of citizens are addressed in the Bill of Rights.
  • How did New York State’s Constitution change during the 19th century and what is the process for those changes?
    • The New York State Constitution changed over time, with changes in the early 19th century that made it more democratic.
  • What events in the early nation tested the strength of the Constitution?
    • Foreign and domestic disputes tested the strength of the Constitution, particularly the separation of powers, the system of checks and balances, and the issue of States rights.
    • The United States sought to implement isolationism while protecting the Western Hemisphere from European interference.

Download the complete Grade 7 Social Studies Unit 5 framework to customize for your own planning.