Civics – 8th Grade History
Syllabus for 2009 - 10
Mr. Fedock
Room W203
Periods 4, 7, 8
Course overview, student expectations and contact information: Please see Civics Course Outline
Textbook: Civics; Government and Economics in Action, Davis, Fernlund, Woll, Pearson Educ, Inc. 2007 (provided by the school)
September
Unit 1: Foundations of Citizenship; Chapters 1 – 3.
Defining citizenship; demographics of American society; values and culture; purposes of government; levels and branches of American government.
October
Unit 2: Creating a Lasting Government
The history behind the development of American government
Chapter 4: America’s Political Heritage
Types of government
Introduction to primary documents
Writing assignment; Test
Chapter 5: Creating the Constitution
Reading and understanding the Constitution
Federalists and Anti -federalists
Test
Chapter 6: The Bill of Rights
Debate; Writing assignment; Test
November
Elections; Project
Chapter 7: Our Enduring Constitution
Amendments; how is the Constitution “a living document?”
Recent amendments; proposed amendments
Project; Test
Unit 3: The Federal Government
Chapter 8: The Legislative Branch
Powers and workings of Congress
Test
Chapter 9: The Executive Branch
Powers and workings of the president, cabinet, executive departments
Test
December
Chapter 10: The Judicial branch
Powers and workings of the Supreme Court and federal district courts
Federalism; separation of powers; checks and balances
Locke and Montesquieu
Speaker
Test
Unit 4: State and Local Government
Chapter 11: State Government
Organization of Minnesota state government
Speaker
Test
January
Chapter 12: Local Government
Test
U. S. states and capitals
States project
Unit 5: Foundations of Economics
Chapter 13: What is an Economy?
Types of economic systems
Test
Chapter 14: Basics of Our Economic System
Entrepreneur research project; Test
February
Chapter 15: Our Economy and You
Consumer economics; Money and investing
Project; Test
Unit 6: Government and the Economy
Chapter 16: Government’s Role in Our Economy
Taxes, tax rates, federal and state budget statistics
Test
Chapter 17: Money and Banking
Banks, the Federal Reserve, money supply, inflation, recession, business cycles
Test
March
Unit 7: The American Legal System
Chapter 19: Laws and Our Society
Chapter 20: Criminal and Juvenile Justice
Speaker; Debate; Test
April
Chapter 21: Civil Justice
Issues and trends in civil law
Test
Unit 8: People Make a Difference
Chapter 22: Political Parties in Our Democracy
Republican Party and Democratic party
May
Chapter 23: Voting and Elections
Chapter 24: American Foreign Policy
Year review