Content Area / Social Studies Department / Course/Grade Level / Civics / Government – 11
UNIT TITLE / Unit I – Intro. To Government / Essential / X / Important / Compact
Desired Results
PA Standard/Anchor Ref. # / PA Standard Descriptor
C.2.3.2.1
C.2.3.2.3 / Compare theories of government and their role in modern society.
Assess the role of government in providing citizens with essential services.
C.1.2.1.1
C.1.2.1.2
C.1.2.1.3
C.2.1.2.1
C.2.1.2.3 / Compare and assess how various governments are organized and operate and assess citizen access to political participation within the various forms of government.
Analyze how power is transferred in various forms of government and the level of democracy indicated by the transfer of power in a government.
Compare the legal structure of various types of government and analyze the level of citizen participation in the development and enforcement of the laws of each type of government.
Explain the necessity of an educated citizenry in guiding decisions that support the ideals, roles, and functions of society.
Evaluate the balance between individual freedoms and civic good.
Unit Essential Question
How do different forms of government impact the social, political, and economic aspects of the lives of its citizenry?
KUD
Know / Understand / Do
Students will know: / Students will understand: / Students will be able to:
  • The basic purposes of government are to provide laws, protect the people, and provide services.
  • The theories behind the formation of the state / government?
  • The ways political scientists classify governments according to the distribution of power, relationship between legislative and executive branch, and the number of persons who can take part in the governing process.
  • The major principlesof American Democracy.
/ The structure and purposes of governments around the world differ in terms of ideologies, cultures, and values. /
  • Explain the needs government satisfies for the people it serves.
  • Explain the characteristics and theories of the origin of the states.
  • Compare and contrast types of governments based on structure, individuals involved, and distribution of power.
  • Analyze the major principles that help shape American Democracy.

Assessment Evidence
Performance Task (Required for an Essential Unit)
Common Assessment / Additional Assessment Options
Student Learning Map
Content: / Social Studies / Grade: / 11 / Unit Name: / Unit I – Intro. To Gov’t
Key Learning
The theories of the origin of the state and the means by which political scientists classify governments vary, but the main function of every government is to maintain civil society, safeguard rights, and prevent anarchyin the society in which it exists.
Unit Essential Question
How do different forms of government impact the social, political, and economic aspects of the lives of its citizenry?
Concept: / Concept: / Concept: / Concept:
Government and the State / Forms of Government / Foundations of Democracy
Lesson Essential Question(s): / Lesson Essential Question(s): / Lesson Essential Question(s): / Lesson Essential Question(s):
  • What is government and why is it necessary?
  • How have different political philosophies influenced the development of government?
/
  • How do governments throughout the world differ in power distribution, relationship between branches, and participation?
/
  • Why are the foundations of democracy so very important to the American concept of democracy?

Vocabulary:
Government, State, Philosophies, Public Policies, Legislative Power, Judicial Power, Executive Power, Sovereignty / Vocabulary:
Autocracy, Dictatorship, Monarchy, Oligarchy, Unitary Government, Federal Government, Confederate Government, Democracy, Parliamentary Government, Presidential Government / Vocabulary:
Majority Rule, Minority Rights, Compromise, Equality, Free Enterprise System / Vocabulary:

December 2012

Unit Launch
Assessment Prompts
Concept 1 / Government and the State
LEQ 1 / What is government and why is it necessary?
AP1 / What needs does the government satisfy for the people it serves?
AP2 / What are basic powers every government possesses?
AP3 / What are the characteristics of a state?
LEQ 2 / How have different political philosophies influenced the development of government?
AP1 / How have the divine right, social contract, evolutionary, and force theory used to explain the origins of the state?
AP2 / Which of the four theories of the origins of the state, divine right, social contract, evolutionary, force theory, best explains the rise of democratic states?
AP3
Concept 2 / Forms of Government
LEQ 1 / How do governments throughout the world differ in power distribution, relationship between branches, and participation?
AP1 / How are governments classified according to number of people who can participate, distribution of power, and the relationship between the legislative and executive branches?
AP2 / Why is the U.S. more properly called a republic rather than a democracy?
AP3
Concept 3 / Foundations of Democracy
LEQ 1 / Why are the foundations of democracy so very important to the American concept of democracy?
AP1 / What are the basic concepts of democracy?
AP2 / How are the basic concepts of democracy reflected in the United States of America?
AP3

December 2012