Being an American Unit Graphic Organizer
Being an American Unit Graphic Organizer
Guiding Question: What does “Being an American” mean to me?
Keep this chart with you as you go through the lessons in this resource. It will help you think about the guiding question for your final project: What does “Being an American” mean to me?
| Lesson | Guiding Questions | My Answer | Virtue and/or Principle I connected to or want to explore more | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. American Principles and Virtues | What does “Being an American” mean to me? What governing principles and civic virtues unite all Americans? | |||
| 2. American Civic Virtues | What does “Being an American” mean to me? What governing principles and civic virtues unite all Americans? | |||
| 3. The Enlightenment and Social Contract Theory | What were the major ideas of the Enlightenment? How did the Enlightenment influence the United States’ Founding? | |||
| 4. The Declaration of Independence | What were the philosophical bases and practical purposes of the Declaration of Independence? | |||
| 5. The Guiding Star of Equality: The Declaration of Independence in American History | How has the Declaration of Independence inspired Americans throughout history to help the country live up to its Founding principles? | |||
| 6. An “Apple of Gold” in a “Picture of Silver”: The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution | What is the relationship between the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution? How do these Founding documents reflect common republican principles? | |||
| 7. “A Glorious Liberty Document:” The U.S. Constitution and Its Principles | How are republican principles of limited government, separation of powers, and checks and balances reflected in the U.S. Constitution? | |||
| 8. The Creation of the Bill of Rights | How does the Bill of Rights protect individual liberties and limit the power of government? How is this seen in our everyday lives? | |||
| 9. The Supreme Court and the Bill of Rights | How has the Supreme Court decided cases in controversies related to the Bill of Rights? | |||
| 10. American Heroes, Past and Present | How have Americans shown civic virtues throughout history? | |||
| 11. Capstone Project: What Does “Being an American” Mean to Me? | What does “Being an American” mean to me? |