II. Time, Continuity, and Change--- Draft Learning Expectations

For citizens to be functional contributing members of a democracy, they must have a clear concept of how events of the past influence their lives. Synthesizing from a cross-section of the social studies disciplines, students need to learn the foundations of the modern world and understand the linking of the past with the present. This understanding must begin with schooling at the earliest stages where children are initially introduced to the concepts of being part of a larger community and culture. Learners need to understand from multiple perspectives that the past influences their decisions, whether in their neighborhood, community, nation, or the world. From an early age, students need to understand the connection between decisions and consequences—whether it is conflict on the playground or between two nations. Societies that ignore their heritage, risk losing their ethical and moral underpinnings.

Key questions:

• What happened in the past?
• Why did it happen?
• How did it influence events?
• What was the sequence of events?
• What are the consequences?
• What are the different perspectives?
• How do people perceive the past?
• How do we decide the important from the unimportant?

Knowledge:

• Learners will understand sequence of events and how events influence change
• Different cultures and different perspectives sway understanding
• Historical understanding leads interpretation of events to affect decision-making
• Understand the process of historical thinking
• Identify constant themes of history, (i.e,, religious, political)

Processes:

• Examine documents and testimony
• Reading and observing data for analysis
• Discuss their findings
• Weigh different per perspectives to reach conclusions
• Examine artifacts of different eras
• Compare/contrast stories of the past
• Evaluate their knowledge to understand why they believe as they do

Forms/Products:

• Learners will write and discuss their observations
• Participate in role-playing and reconstruction of events
• Ask germane questions of the past and formulate responses
• Construct reasoned arguments
• Build a project online or physical that reflects knowledge

• Film a movie

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