ALEX Resources

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] CIV (7) 3 :

3 ) Compare the government of the United States with other governmental systems, including monarchy, limited monarchy, oligarchy, dictatorship, theocracy, and pure democracy.

[SS2010] CIV (7) 6 :

6 ) Explain the importance of juvenile, adult, civil, and criminal laws within the judicial system of the United States.

•  Explaining rights of citizens as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights under the Constitution of the United States

•  Explaining what is meant by the term rule of law

•  Justifying consequences of committing a civil or criminal offense

•  Contrasting juvenile and adult laws at local, state, and federal levels (Alabama)

[SS2010] CIV (7) 10 :

10 ) Describe individual and civic responsibilities of citizens of the United States.

Examples: individual—respect for rights of others, self-discipline, negotiation, compromise, fiscal responsibility

civic—respect for law, patriotism, participation in political process, fiscal responsibility

•  Differentiating rights, privileges, duties, and responsibilities between citizens and noncitizens

•  Explaining how United States' citizenship is acquired by immigrants

•  Explaining character traits that are beneficial to individuals and society

Examples: honesty, courage, compassion, civility, loyalty

[SS2010] CIV (7) 12 :

12 ) Describe how the United States can be improved by individual and group participation in civic and community activities.

•  Identifying options for civic and community action

Examples: investigating the feasibility of a specific solution to a traffic problem, developing a plan for construction of a subdivision, using maps to make and justify decisions about best locations for public facilities

•  Determining ways to participate in the political process

Examples: voting, running for office, serving on a jury, writing letters, being involved in political parties and political campaigns

[SS2010] USG (12) 1 :

1 ) Explain historical and philosophical origins that shaped the government of the United States, including the Magna Carta, the Petition of Rights, the English Bill of Rights, the Mayflower Compact, the Virginia Declaration of Rights, and the influence of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Charles de Montesquieu, Jean-Jaques Rousseau, and the Great Awakening.

•  Comparing characteristics of limited and unlimited governments throughout the world, including constitutional, authoritarian, and totalitarian governments

Examples: constitutional—United States

authoritarian—Iran

totalitarian—North Korea

In this lesson from iCivics, students learn what keeps the government from having too much power. The lesson outlines five basic limits on government. Students analyze the true story of former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori, in which many of those limits disappeared, and they evaluate fictional cases of governments with limits missing. The concepts in this lesson prepare students to understand why the U.S. Constitution is structured the way it is.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] CIV (7) 2 :

2 ) Explain essential characteristics of the political system of the United States, including the organization and function of political parties and the process of selecting political leaders.

•  Describing the influence of John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Paine, Niccolò Machiavelli, Charles de Montesquieu, and François-Marie Arouet (Voltaire) on the political system of the United States

[SS2010] CIV (7) 5 :

5 ) Compare duties and functions of members of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Alabama's local and state governments and of the national government. (Alabama)

•  Locating political and geographic districts of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Alabama's local and state governments and of the national government (Alabama)

•  Describing the organization and jurisdiction of courts at the local, state, and national levels within the judicial system of the United States (Alabama)

•  Explaining concepts of separation of powers and checks and balances among the three branches of state and national governments (Alabama)

[SS2010] CIV (7) 6 :

6 ) Explain the importance of juvenile, adult, civil, and criminal laws within the judicial system of the United States.

•  Explaining rights of citizens as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights under the Constitution of the United States

•  Explaining what is meant by the term rule of law

•  Justifying consequences of committing a civil or criminal offense

•  Contrasting juvenile and adult laws at local, state, and federal levels (Alabama)

[SS2010] CIV (7) 10 :

10 ) Describe individual and civic responsibilities of citizens of the United States.

Examples: individual—respect for rights of others, self-discipline, negotiation, compromise, fiscal responsibility

civic—respect for law, patriotism, participation in political process, fiscal responsibility

•  Differentiating rights, privileges, duties, and responsibilities between citizens and noncitizens

•  Explaining how United States' citizenship is acquired by immigrants

•  Explaining character traits that are beneficial to individuals and society

Examples: honesty, courage, compassion, civility, loyalty

In this lesson from iCivics, Students learn about the rule of law and how it protects individual rights and freedoms. By performing short, scripted skits that illustrate what life might be like without the rule of law, students identify six factors that make up the rule of law and analyze how each factor affects daily life. Students then make connections between the rule of law and America’s founding documents and think about the relationship between the rule of law factors.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] CIV (7) 10 :

10 ) Describe individual and civic responsibilities of citizens of the United States.

Examples: individual—respect for rights of others, self-discipline, negotiation, compromise, fiscal responsibility

civic—respect for law, patriotism, participation in political process, fiscal responsibility

•  Differentiating rights, privileges, duties, and responsibilities between citizens and noncitizens

•  Explaining how United States' citizenship is acquired by immigrants

•  Explaining character traits that are beneficial to individuals and society

Examples: honesty, courage, compassion, civility, loyalty

This is a free interactive game from iCivics.  In this game, students help guide newcomers to America along their path to becoming citizens.  This game can be used during a lesson on immigration and citizenship or after as an assessment. 

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   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

[SS2010] CIV (7) 6 :

6 ) Explain the importance of juvenile, adult, civil, and criminal laws within the judicial system of the United States.

•  Explaining rights of citizens as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights under the Constitution of the United States

•  Explaining what is meant by the term rule of law

•  Justifying consequences of committing a civil or criminal offense

•  Contrasting juvenile and adult laws at local, state, and federal levels (Alabama)

[SS2010] CIV (7) 10 :

10 ) Describe individual and civic responsibilities of citizens of the United States.

Examples: individual—respect for rights of others, self-discipline, negotiation, compromise, fiscal responsibility

civic—respect for law, patriotism, participation in political process, fiscal responsibility

•  Differentiating rights, privileges, duties, and responsibilities between citizens and noncitizens

•  Explaining how United States' citizenship is acquired by immigrants

•  Explaining character traits that are beneficial to individuals and society

Examples: honesty, courage, compassion, civility, loyalty

[SS2010] CIV (7) 12 :

12 ) Describe how the United States can be improved by individual and group participation in civic and community activities.

•  Identifying options for civic and community action

Examples: investigating the feasibility of a specific solution to a traffic problem, developing a plan for construction of a subdivision, using maps to make and justify decisions about best locations for public facilities

•  Determining ways to participate in the political process

Examples: voting, running for office, serving on a jury, writing letters, being involved in political parties and political campaigns

This interactive game from iCivics will allow students to become experts in U.S. citizenship. Students will recognize and recall rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens, identify active ways in which citizens can participate in government and contribute to the common good, and relate like terms and concepts by deducing shared relationships. This game can be played during a lesson on citizenship for reinforcement or after a lesson as an assessment. It can be played in a whole group or individually. 

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] CIV (7) 10 :

10 ) Describe individual and civic responsibilities of citizens of the United States.

Examples: individual—respect for rights of others, self-discipline, negotiation, compromise, fiscal responsibility

civic—respect for law, patriotism, participation in political process, fiscal responsibility

•  Differentiating rights, privileges, duties, and responsibilities between citizens and noncitizens

•  Explaining how United States' citizenship is acquired by immigrants

•  Explaining character traits that are beneficial to individuals and society

Examples: honesty, courage, compassion, civility, loyalty

[SS2010] US10 (10) 4 :

4 ) Describe the political system of the United States based on the Constitution of the United States. [A.1.a., A.1.b., A.1.d., A.1.g., A.1.i.]

•  Interpreting the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States; separation of powers; federal system; elastic clause; the Bill of Rights; and the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Nineteenth Amendments as key elements of the Constitution of the United States

•  Describing inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation

•  Distinguishing personalities, issues, ideologies, and compromises related to the Constitutional Convention and the ratification of the Constitution of the United States, including the role of the Federalist papers

•  Identifying factors leading to the development and establishment of political parties, including Alexander Hamilton's economic policies, conflicting views of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, George Washington's Farewell Address, and the election of 1800

[SS2010] USG (12) 3 :

3 ) Analyze major features of the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights for purposes, organization, functions, and principles, including rule of law, federalism, limited government, popular sovereignty, judicial review, separation of powers, and checks and balances.

•  Explaining main ideas of the debate over ratification that included the Federalist papers

•  Analyzing the Bill of Rights for its application to historical and current issues

•  Outlining the formal process of amending the Constitution of the United States

In this interactive game from iCivics, students run their own firm of lawyers specializing in constitutional law. They decide if potential clients have a right, match them with the best lawyer, and win their case. The more clients you serve and the more cases you win, and the faster your law firm grows! This game can be played during a lesson on the constitution for reinforcement or after a lesson as an assessment. It can be played in a whole group or individually.  

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   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] CIV (7) 10 :

10 ) Describe individual and civic responsibilities of citizens of the United States.

Examples: individual—respect for rights of others, self-discipline, negotiation, compromise, fiscal responsibility

civic—respect for law, patriotism, participation in political process, fiscal responsibility

•  Differentiating rights, privileges, duties, and responsibilities between citizens and noncitizens

•  Explaining how United States' citizenship is acquired by immigrants

•  Explaining character traits that are beneficial to individuals and society

Examples: honesty, courage, compassion, civility, loyalty

In this interactive game from iCivics, students will decide a tough case while learning about what jurors discuss in the deliberation room. Students will choose from different civil cases, analyze evidence, weigh testimony, and use the right arguments to reach a fair and impartial verdict. This game can be played during a lesson on the responsibilities of citizens for reinforcement or after as an assessment. The game can be played in a whole group or individually.

You will need to create a free account in order to access some of the content on this site.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] CIV (7) 10 :

10 ) Describe individual and civic responsibilities of citizens of the United States.

Examples: individual—respect for rights of others, self-discipline, negotiation, compromise, fiscal responsibility

civic—respect for law, patriotism, participation in political process, fiscal responsibility

•  Differentiating rights, privileges, duties, and responsibilities between citizens and noncitizens

•  Explaining how United States' citizenship is acquired by immigrants

•  Explaining character traits that are beneficial to individuals and society

Examples: honesty, courage, compassion, civility, loyalty

[SS2010] CIV (7) 12 :

12 ) Describe how the United States can be improved by individual and group participation in civic and community activities.

•  Identifying options for civic and community action

Examples: investigating the feasibility of a specific solution to a traffic problem, developing a plan for construction of a subdivision, using maps to make and justify decisions about best locations for public facilities

•  Determining ways to participate in the political process

Examples: voting, running for office, serving on a jury, writing letters, being involved in political parties and political campaigns

[SS2010] USG (12) 11 :

11 ) Evaluate constitutional provisions of the legislative branch of the government of the United States, including checks by the legislative branch on other branches of government.

•  Comparing rules of operations and hierarchies of Congress, including roles of the Speaker of the House, the Senate President Pro Tempore, majority and minority leaders, and party whips

•  Identifying the significance of Congressional committee structure and types of committees

•  Tracing the legislative process, including types of votes and committee action, from a bill's presentation to presidential action

[SS2010] USG (12) 14 :

14 ) Describe the role of citizens in American democracy, including the meaning, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship; due process and other rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States; and participation in the election process.

•  Explaining how the balance between individual versus majority rule and state versus national authority is essential to the functioning of the American democratic society (Alabama)

Examples: majority rule and minority rights, liberty and equality, state and national authority in a federal system, civil disobedience and rule of law, freedom of the press, right to a fair trial, relationship of religion and government (Alabama)

[SS2010] CWI (9-12) 3 :

3 ) Compare civic responsibilities, individual rights, opportunities, and privileges of citizens of the United States to those of citizens of other nations.

In this interactive game from iCivics, students can help remind citizens that their civic duties aren't just responsibilities, they help get things done! Students describe ways an individual can contribute to a school or community, identify ways that responsible community members exercise their rights, responsibilities, and roles, distinguish civic virtue, common courtesy, respect for person/property, civic and personal responsibility, and honesty as important characteristics for citizens to effectively participate in public life, and evaluate how civic and social duties address community needs and serve the public good. This game can be played when teaching a lesson on civic duties and responsibilities for reinforcement or after as an assessment.

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