• Social Studies Academy Content Themes

Prologue: The Rise of Democratic Ideas   

Theme: Building Community

Individuals are a key ingredient in a democracy, this unit's focus is to help students understand the role they play in a democracy. Students will explore the origins of democracy. Our SSA class will specifically focus on helping students see themselves a part of democracy, part of a community. 

• Letter home explaining class.
• Meeting (parents/students/teachers)
• mentoring program meeting.
• Once a quarter, each teacher would teach a lesson.
• "Hope" survey first day.
• Perspective Posters
• I Am Poem
• Socrates-Giving Back to your community.
• Religion & Community.
• The role of the individual & the community.
• Who's in and who's out? Exclusions.
• Democracy=People Power
• Student survey on rise of democracy.

 The Enlightenment (approx. 3 weeks)           

Theme: Education to Empower

The Enlightenment of the 1700 -1800's paved the way to various world revolutions. Students will explore the writings and ideas of various Enlightenment thinkers. The focus of this unit for our SSA class is to highlight the importance of an "enlightened" life, the pursuit of higher education (AP courses). Students paving the way to a university degree, Education to Empower.

• Poetry Invasion: Lymeric Poem Gallileo
• John Locke's "natural rights"
• Mary Wollstonecraft (places where women are continuing to fight for justice).
• Voltaire & Freedom of Speech.
• Montesquie's Seperation of Powers
• Salon simulation (project)
•  Rousseau & the community.

Guest Speaker:  Four Year Plan

French Revolution & Napoleon, Congress of Vienna  (approx. 4 weeks)       

Theme: Creating a Just Society

Thanks to various revolutionary movements such as the Enlightenment, the citizens of France of the late 1700's are ready to overthrow their cruel and oppressive way of life, The Old Regime. The oppressed citizens of France unite, the revolution begins.  The focus of this unit for our SSA class is understanding what motivates change and analyze how a nation fights to create a just society.

• Art Pieces: A recreation of the Fall of the Bastille
• Declaration of the Rights of Man
• Justice Denied: Women & the Revolution (who's in, who's out).
• Writing Skills-persuasive writing (letter to the Principal or Superintendent).
• Academic vocabulary

 Nationalism (2 weeks)           

Theme: People Power !

The end of the French Revolution and the fall of Napoleon set off various revolutions around the world. The focus of this unit for our SSA class is "People Power", analyzing how the various independence movements around the world are led by people uniting to fight for "Natural Rights".

• Latin American Independence: "La Pola", Revolutionary Mestiza
• Mexican Independence: El Grito de Hidalgo, a mural analyzed
• Revolution in the Arts, Romanticism, Realism, and Impressionism

Industrial Revolution  (2 weeks)        

Theme: Overcoming Exploitation

The industrial revolution transformed nation's economic systems, society is transformed by how goods are manufactured and produced, new classes emerge and divisions and tension create gaps between the social-economic classes. The focus of this unit for our SSA class will be to understand how the working class of the industrial revolution fought to improve their living/working conditions. Overcoming Exploitation.  

• Trade unionism
• Adams & Free Enterprise
• Marx 
• "the story of our stuff"
• Research working conditions of your favorite garments.

 Imperialism (2 weeks)        

Theme: Standing up against oppression (moral courage)

As western imperialist nations industrialize, the need for raw materials drives nations to search for colonies abroad. The focus of this unit for our SSA class is to analyze India's struggle for home rule through Gandhi's leadership. Gandhi as role model of moral courage. How to use moral courage to stand up against oppression. 

• The Struggle for Africa
• "Blood Diamonds" by Kanye West
• Gandhi
• Choices unit on Imperialism
• Movie: Gandhi w/ tea party

 WWI (3 weeks)

Theme: The struggle for diplomacy, peace, self determination

The quest among European nations for greater power played a role in causing World War I. Tangled alliances, militarism, nationalism, and imperialism pushed the world to war. The focus of this unit for our SSA students will be to analyze a diplomatic solutions to world problems, solutions to aquire peace and self-determination among developing nations.

• Causes, course of war (pieces of war)
• Movie: All Quiet on the Western Front, focused activity.
• Choices unit on WWI

 Russian Revolution, Stalin (Totalitarianism)  (3 weeks)

Theme: The hope of revolution and the failure of leadership.

Long-term social unrest in Russia leads to revolution and ultimately opens the door to the first Communist nation. The failures of Czarist Russia causes the masses to unite and organize a revolution for a better future. With the fall of the Czar comes the leadership of Lenin and eventually Stalin, the conditions of the masses of Russia do not change. The focus of this unit for our SSA class will be to focus on the causes of the revolution (a hope of revolution) and to recognize the dangers of loosing a democracy (a failure of leadership).

• Czar Nicholas II vs Vladimir Lenin
• Stalin
• "1984" by George Orwell, a book cover
• Film: Animal Farm
• USSR and Arts/education

The World Between the Wars  (3 weeks)

Theme: Disillusionment

In response to political turmoil and economic crisis in the 1930's some European nations turn to totalitarian forms of government . The focus of this unit for our SSA class will be to analyze how the disillusionment in democracy (people power) in some parts of Europe opened up the door to Fascism. Dangers of disillusionment. 

• Leadership
• The arts
• Choices unit on Weimar Republic
• What makes a good leader?
• Movie: Swing Kids

 World War II  (4 weeks)        

Theme: Resistance-standing up for good in difficult times.

As the world is engaged in war, various resistance groups stand up for good during difficult times. The focus of this unit for our SSA group will be to cover the main points of the WWII and to highlight stories of survival for those who lived through the Holocaust. People power in times of need. 

• Chapman's Holocaust Art contest 
• Schindler's List 
• Holocaust-resistance
• Atomic bomb
• Field Trip of the Museum of Tolerance
• Holocaust remembrance day

 Restructuring the Post War World    

Theme: Peace out of Chaos

At the end of WWII, two superpowers compete for global influence. The focus of this unit for our SSA group will be to study how the United States and the Soviet Unit played key roles in reshaping the modern world after WWII and to help students understand how organizations like the United Nations was created to help perserve world peace and ultimately people power. 

• Cooperation and world peace.
• Human Rights-UN Declaration of Human Rights
• The Cold War-China
• Create their own "student" declaration of rights.
• Human rights today
• Movie: Hotel Rwanda

Nation Building in the Contemporary World Technology Presentation-Social Justice project