Government/Civics - 12th Grade
Full Curriculum Bundle
American Government / Civics curriculum is a living bundle that includes Google Drive access for the full semester of American Government! Intended for 11th and/or 12th grade. I detail all days for the entire year, and include FULL descriptions of all content and concepts with new teachers in mind. You won’t have to lift a finger!
OVERVIEW (see INDIVIDUAL UNITS section for more detail)
- Works independent of a textbook!
- Access to all curriculum updates for life!
- Access to the Classroom Economy Game!
- Pacing for regular and block schedule classes
- 10 Classroom Gallery Walk Activities
- 10 Group Jigsaw Activities (introducing key terms)
- 35 Crash Course Economics Question Sheets
- 5 ESCAPE ROOM Classroom Activities
- 3 SCAVENGER HUNT Activities
- 3 RIDDLE RACE Games
- A Gerrymandering Activity
- A Presidential Primary Campaign Activity
- A Supreme Court Mock Trial
- A NEW NATION SURVIVAL Game
- 7 Research Projects featuring Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram
- 3 Classroom Debates with Instructions and Rubrics
- 10 Primary Source Analysis Sheets
- 21 personally-crafted PowerPoint Presentations + Lecture Notes
- Innovative in-class currency system to engage and motivate students!
- Explanations of ALL lecture information and activities for each Mini-Unit!
- Detailed video tutorials on how to use the bundle and its contents
- Student short answer and long essay models
- Fun classroom review games to engage students and reinforce learning
Assessments
- 8 editable multiple-choice quizzes + keys
- 2 multiple-choice tests + keys (includes Midterm and Final)
- 8 short answer questions + keys
- 6+ essays to choose from + keys
- Simplified essay and project rubrics
Review
- Personalized Review Games
- Profile information for Quizlet
- PDF on how I teach writing, content, grade, structure the class, and review
Content Covered in Unit 1
- Do we need states? states vs. non-state societies
- Early state systems in the Ancient and Classical Eras
- State systems in the Middle Ages and Early-Modern Era
- The advent of centralized government
- The role of religion in government from the Classical Era through the Enlightenment
- The concepts of the Divine Right of Kings and absolute monarchy
- Parliamentary development in England from 1200-1689
- the contributions of the Magna Carte, English Civil War, Glorious Revolution, and English Bill of Rights
- The emergence of constitutionalism and limited monarchy
- The role of religious persecution in driving dissidents to the Americas
- The fostering of self-governance in the English colonies
- The emergence and impact of Enlightenment ideals on the English colonies and eventual U.S. government
- Specific ideas and contributions by Hobbes, Locke, Voltaire, and Montesquieu
Materials in Unit 1
- 4 Crash Course History Question Sheets
- 2 Group Jig-saw Research and Trivia Games
- Gallery Walk: Early State Systems
- Instagram Group Project: Early State Systems
- Scavenger Hunt: State Systems: Paleolithic to Early Modern
- Classroom Matching Game: Paleolithic to Early Modern
- Primary Source Analysis: Feudal States
- Gallery Walk: The European Enlightenment
- Colonial Survival Game
- Primary Source Analysis: Separation of Powers
- Escape Room 1: Enlightenment Ideals
- Twitter Group Project: Enlightenment Ideals on Government
- 4 PowerPoint Presentations
- 2 Instruction Guides with Lecture Notes for all topics
- 1 Topic Overview PDF
- 2 quizzes + keys
- 2 short-answer questions + keys
Content Covered in Unit 2
- The Declaration of Independence
- The Second Continental Congress
- The Articles of Confederation
- The reasons for the Articles government failure
- The Federalists and Anti-federalists
- The Constitutional Convention
- The U.S. Constitution and amendment system
- The Electoral College
- The Ratification Debates
- The Federalist Papers, with special focus on #10, 51, and 78
- The Bill of Rights and its amendments applied to US history
- Article I of the U.S. Constitution
- The expressed, implied, and concurrent powers of the U.S. Congress
- The qualifications and terms of Senate and House members
- Unique roles of the Senate and House
- Party leaders and whips
- The process of passing a bill into law
- The veto and override process
- Filibustering and impeachment
- Reapportionment, redistricting, and gerrymandering
Materials in Unit 2
- 15 Crash Course History Question Sheets
- 3 Group Jig-saw Research and Trivia Games
- Gallery Walk: Foundation U.S. Documents
- TikTok Group Project: Articles of Confederation, Federalist Papers, and U.S. Constitution
- Riddle Race Game: Foundation U.S. Documents
- Primary Source Analysis: Declaration of Independence
- Gallery Walk: Ratification and Bill of Rights
- New Nation Survival Game
- Primary Source Analysis: Federalist Paper #51
- Scavenger Hunt: The Bill of Rights
- Classroom Debate: The Efficacy of Historical State Systems
- Gallery Walk: The Legislative Branch
- Instagram Group Project: Roles of the Legislature
- Primary Source Analysis: Federalist Paper #68
- Escape Room 2: The Legislative Branch
- Civics Group Activity: Gerrymandering North Carolina
- 6 PowerPoint Presentations
- 3 Instruction Guides with Lecture Notes for all topics
- 1 Topic Overview PDF
- 2 quizzes + keys
- 2 short-answer questions + keys
- 3 essay questions + keys
- 1 midterm MCQ test + key
Content Covered in Unit 3
- Article II of the Constitution
- Term limits and qualifications for the POTUS and VP
- 22nd, 23rd, and 25th Amendments
- Roles and powers of the POTUS
- Historical examples regarding roles and powers of the POTUS
- Presidential Cabinet
- The Electoral College and process
- executive orders
- executive privilege
- War Powers Resolution
- appellate jurisdiction
- original jurisdiction
- criminal cases
- civil cases
- the SCOTUS
- federal court system
- state court system
- judicial review
- judicial restraint
- judicial activism
- Judiciary Act of 1789
- Obergefell vs. Hodges
- Loving vs. Virginia
- United States vs. Virginia
- Marbury vs. Madison
- McCulloch vs. Maryland
- United States vs. Nixon
- Plessey vs. Ferguson
- Brown vs. Board of Educ.
- Miranda vs. Arizona
- Roe vs. Wade
- University of CA vs. Bakke
- Adarand Constructors vs. Peña
- Federalist Paper #10
- political parties
- party caucus
- national convention
- partisan politics
- bipartisan politics
- third party politics
- The First Party System
- The Second Party System
- The Third Party System
- The Fourth Party System
- The Fifth Party System
- The Sixth Party System
Materials in Unit 3
- 11 Crash Course History Question Sheets
- 3 Group Jig-saw Research and Trivia Games
- Gallery Walk: The Executive Branch
- Twitter Group Project: Roles of the Executive
- Civics Group Activity: Student Presidential Primary Election
- Escape Room 3: The Executive Branch
- Primary Source Analysis: George Washington Farwell Address
- Gallery Walk: The Judicial Branch
- Primary Source Analysis: Marbury vs. Madison Decision
- Riddle Race Game: The Judicial Branch
- Escape Room 3: The Judicial Branch
- Civics Group Activity: SCOTUS Mock Trial
- TikTok Group Project: The Court System
- Gallery Walk: American Party Systems
- Scavenger Hunt: Political Parties
- Classroom Debate: The Three Branches of Government
- Primary Source Analysis: George Washington Speech on Immigration
- 7 PowerPoint Presentations
- 3 Instruction Guides with Lecture Notes for all topics
- 1 Topic Overview PDF
- 3 quizzes + keys
- 9 short-answer questions + keys
Content Covered in Unit 4
- state constitutions
- state legislatures
- governors
- counties
- referendums
- propositions
- recall elections
- municipal government
- mayors
- city councils
- school boards
- naturalization
- qualifications for citizenship
- visas
- green cards
- immigration
- undocumented immigrants
- refugees
- asylum
- basic civic duties (voting, jury duty, taxes, military draft, etc.)
- comparative world governments (monarchies, dictatorships, parliaments, democracies, etc.)
Materials in Unit 4
- 5 Crash Course History Question Sheets
- 2 Group Jig-saw Research and Trivia Games
- Gallery Walk: Citizenship and Local Government
- Instagram Group Project: State and Municipal Government
- Riddle Race Game: Citizenship and Local Government
- Primary Source Analysis: Cole Memorandum (state vs. federal power)
- Gallery Walk: Comparative World Governments
- Primary Source Analysis: Parliamentary Systems
- Escape Room 4: Comparative World Governments
- Classroom Debate: Governmental Systems
- 4 PowerPoint Presentations
- 2 Instruction Guides with Lecture Notes for all topics
- 1 Topic Overview PDF
- 3 quizzes + keys
- 3 short-answer questions + keys
- 5 essay questions + keys
- 1 MCQ Government Final Test + key
