7th Grade Texas History Unit 13 Suggested Dates Title Texas Government 3 weeks Big Idea/Enduring Understanding Guiding Questions The structure of Texas government is based on the same ideas as the structure of the United States Government. How does the Texas Constitution resembles the U.S. Constitution? What is the function of local government and how it is funded? Why is it important for citizens to be active in their state and local governments? The resources included here provide teaching examples and/or meaningful learning experiences to address the District Curriculum. In order to address the TEKS to the proper depth and complexity, teachers are encouraged to use resources to the degree that they are congruent with the TEKS and researchbased best practices. Teaching using only the suggested resources does not guarantee student mastery of all standards. Teachers must use professional judgment to select among these and/or other resources to teach the district curriculum. Some resources are protected by copyright. A username and password is required to view the copyrighted material. Knowledge and Skills with Student Expectations (14) Government. The student understands the basic principles reflected in the Texas Constitution. The student is expected to: (A) identify how the Texas Constitution reflects the principles of limited government, republicanism, checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers, popular sovereignty, and individual rights; and Principles of the Constitution include: Limited Government The idea that governments are created by the consent of the governed and that the power of government is limited by rule of law . Republicanism The idea that government is controlled by the people who hold power and elect representatives , giving those representatives power to make and enforce laws. Checks and Balances The idea that abuse of power is controlled by the three branches of government watching each other and having the power to approve or disapprove certain actions of the other branches. Federalism The idea that power is divided by the Constitution between the federal (central or national) government and the state governments . The Constitution, treaties, and federal laws are the "supreme law of the land". Some powers are delegated to the federal government, others are reserved for state governments, and other powers are concurrent (shared) by both state and national government. Separation of powers The idea that the power of government is separated into three branches of government: Legislative Branch elected representatives who make or enact laws; Congress at the federal level. CISD 2015 Suggested Resources District Specificity/Examples Resources listed and categorized to indicate suggested uses. Any additional resources must be aligned with the TEKS. Executive Branch elected and appointed individuals who enforce laws; at the federal level the President heads this branch. Judicial Branch justices (judges) who interpret the law (through the courts); at the federal level the U.S. Supreme Court is the highest court of this branch. Popular sovereignty The idea that the power of government rests with the people who express their ideas through voting ; popular sovereignty was used before the Civil War to allow voters in a new territory to decide whether to allow slavery (14) Government. The student understands the basic principles reflected in the Texas Constitution. The student is expected to: (B) compare the principles and concepts of the Texas Constitution to the U.S. Constitution, including the Texas and U.S. Bill of Rights. CISD 2015 Individual rights The rights guaranteed to individual citizens by the Bill of Rights and other amendments to the Constitution. Freedom of speech and the press are two of these important rights. The current Texas Constitution was a written plan of government adopted in 1876 just after the Reconstruction era. During Reconstruction, Texas was ruled by a governor chosen by the Radical Republicans. Many powerful Texans hated this government and when given the opportunity to write a new constitution in 1876, they wanted to limit the power of the governor and state government in general. The Texas Constitution is therefore, very specific (and thus, very long); has been amended hundreds of times; gives a lot of power to the State Legislature, although they meet only every other year; provides for many elected officials in all branches, and does not provide for high salaries for any officials. Attempts to write and get voter approval for a new constitution in Texas have failed. Information to review: The reason for government to protect the rights of the people and establish and maintain order among a group of people. United States Constitution was adopted in 1787 as a written plan of government for the United States of America. It contained a Preamble, which outlined the purpose of the document (form a more perfect union, ensure liberty, establish justice, provide for the common defense, and so on) and Articles which described the function and powers of the government (levels, branches, and duties). It also included the Bill of Rights (first ten Amendments to the Constitution). Review the concepts of: Texas LRE lessons Texas and US Declarations of Independence Cite main ideas of the U. S. Constitution: (1787) ● Title of leader: President ● Term of Office: 4 years ● Reelection: 2 terms (not more than 10 years) ● Who elects: registered voters through the Electoral College ● Who writes laws?: Congress ● Who elects Congress?: registered voters in a direct popular election ● Term of office: Senate 6 years; House 2 years and no limit on number of terms. ● Number of members: Senate 100 Senators, two from each state; House 435 Representation based on population. ● Who approves/vetoes laws: President ● Who judges people and laws?: Courts (Judicial Branch) with justices appointed by the President with the approval of Congress. ● Who is protected by the Constitution: all people under due process ● Where are individual rights stated: the Bill of Rights ● Where are individual responsibilities stated: they are not stated; they are implied ● Amendments: 33 Cite main ideas of the Texas Constitution: ● Title of leader: Governor ● Term of Office: 4 years (was 2 years for 100 years after adoption) ● Reelection: unlimited ● Who elects: registered voters direct election ● Who writes laws? : State legislature ● Who elects Legislature?: registered voters in a direct popular election levels and branches of government and checks and balances at the Federal Level Delegated powers (of the federal government) declare war, coin money, copyright, make treaties, regulate postal service, determine weights and measures, and so on. Reserved powers (those not given to federal are "reserved" by the state governments) public education, police and fire protection, parks, creation of county and city government structures, state highways, and so on. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Term of office: Senate 4 years; House 2 years and no limit on number of terms. Biannual meetings in odd numbered years. Number of members: Senate 31 Senators, representation based on population; House 150 Representation based on population. Who approves/vetoes laws: Governor Who judges people and laws? : Courts (Judicial Branch) with judges elected by the people of Texas. Who is protected by the Constitution: all people under due process Where are individual rights stated: the Bill of Rights Where are individual responsibilities stated: they are not stated; they are implied Amendments: hundreds (300+) Compare and contrast the main ideas of these two documents Write an essay comparing and contrasting the Texas and U. S. Constitutions. (See Appendix for a graphic organizer to assist in this assessment.) Give students a matching exercise in which the choices are: 1) U. S. Constitution; 2) Texas Constitution; and 3) Both. Have students pick the appropriate choice for a series of statements about the Constitutions.\ (15) Government. The student understands the structure and functions of government created by the Texas Constitution. The student is expected to: (A) describe the structure and functions of government at municipal, county, and state levels; CISD 2015 Distinguish between levels of government : ● Local Government city and county ● State Government Texas (based in Austin) ● Federal Government United States (based in Washington, D.C.) Assign groups of students the task of drawing a poster illustrating one (or more) of the basic principles of government and how that principle is reflected in the U. S. Constitution and/or the Texas Constitution. Discuss each poster and highlight the similarities and differences between the two documents. Display student posters in the classroom. Describe the functions of government at local, state, and national levels, including the Texas public education system. Have students create a chart or graphic organizer to compare the structure and function of government among levels and branches. Federal The Legislative Branch (Congress Senate and House of Representatives) makes federal law, which is signed or vetoed by the Executive Branch (President) and enforced by various federal government agencies. The Judicial Branch (Supreme Court and Federal District courts) used the appeal process and judicial review to interpret laws and uphold them or declare those laws unconstitutional. Federal law takes precedence over state and local laws. State The State Legislature (Legislative Branch Senate and House) makes state laws which are then signed or vetoed by the Governor (Executive Branch) and enforced by various State elected and appointed officials and offices. Using Judicial Review and appeal, the State Court System (Judicial Branch) hears court cases and interprets the laws passed by the Legislative Branch and signed into action by the Executive Branch. All judges in Texas (at all levels) are elected. Local County and City At the county level, the County Commissioners (254 counties in Texas) pass laws and function as a court for judicial review. The County Judge (Executive) and other county elected and appointed officials and departments enforce laws. The County Sheriff is an important elected official of the Executive Branch of government in Texas. In the Judicial Branch of government at the county level are the county and justice of the peace courts. At the city level in Texas there are varying types of governments. Houston has a city council / mayor type of government. The city council and mayor function to pass legislation and decrees which affect city government. The judicial branch of government at the city level consists of municipal court . This court mostly handles misdemeanor offenses and is a criminal (not civil) court. Civil cases are heard at the county level. Texas Education Agency (TEA) This Agency (part of the Executive Branch of government at the State level) has an elected board and an appointed Commissioner of Education (leader of the board). This agency's job is to enforce and interpret regulations and laws which affect education. These laws are enacted by the State Legislature, enforced by TEA and at times interpreted in court cases brought by individuals to the State Court system. Use a newspaper to locate articles that illustrate the functions of each branch of government at the various levels. Have students summarize the articles and label the branch and level of government involved. Let students play Government Bingo . Give each student a blank bingo card and have them fill in the following words in whichever spaces they choose. The teacher uses the information to call out clues that apply to each level and branch of government. When a student gets a "bingo" he gets extra credit (or some other reward). Categories for the Bingo card would include: Names of agencies, positions, individuals in those positions currently and so on. For instance: U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives; President; Lt. Governor; Governor; Mayor; U. S. Supreme Court; municipal court. Clues or questions might include: The chief executive of the United States; The lawmaking body with 100 members; The highest court in the land; and so on. (15) Government. The student Remind students that Texas has no state income tax. Texas is one of Identify major sources of revenue for the State government which include: understands the structure and only a few states in the United States that does not have a state ● Taxes sales, gasoline, business, etc. functions of government created income tax. This method of funding state government is the most ● Federal money and programs by the Texas Constitution. The used nationwide. ● Public lands sale, rental, leasing, and mineral rights student is expected to: ● Income from investments interest income from investing state money (B) identify major sources of Specific data on current tax rates and amounts collected from ● Licenses, user fees, fines driver, automobile, boat, inspections, entrance revenue for state and local various revenue sources at the federal, state and local levels can be fees, fines for violations, etc. governments such as property tax, accessed on government websites on the Internet. Using these real ● Other sources for example, the lottery sales tax, and fees; and numbers is important for student understanding. Identify major sources of revenue for Local governments which include: CISD 2015 Examination of newspaper articles or Legislative documents about the proposed budgets submitted by the President, Governor, and/or Mayor also provide good sources of information and discussion. ● ● ● ● Define: ● Revenue government income ● Tax an amount charged by the government on certain goods and services to generate income. ● Income Tax a direct tax on the amount someone earns, usually paid annually. ● Sales Tax a regressive tax that has a greater impact on lowincome households than on middle and upper income households. This type of tax is the major source of revenue (along with property taxes) for state and local governments in Texas. Review levels of government federal, state, and local (city and county) Property taxes Additional taxes local sales tax, hotel taxes, User fees water, sewer, trash (e.g., City of Houston public utilities) Licenses and permits business, building, etc. Interpret a graph of State Revenue (available from online sources related to state government, almanacs, texts and other sources) Locate examples showing state and local revenue sources. Categorize these examples into the main sources of state and/or local income. Ask students to illustrate "Tax $'s at Work" by identifying examples of government spending that impact them, such as education spending (appropriate spending issues are often currently in the news). Examples of limits on freedom of speech and press are: ● slander when you make false statements and accusations about someone. ● libel when you print false statements or information about someone. ● Other limits on criticizing the government include directly threatening speech or acts against the government or persons within the government. (16) Citizenship. The student Individual citizens have a specific role in the election process. Some examples of civic responsibility, including participation in the electoral understands the rights and Voting is one of the foundations of our democratic system. Students process are: responsibilities of Texas citizens should recognize the importance of: 1. Obeying rules and laws. in a democratic society. The 1. Registering to vote when they turn 18. 2. Keeping the community clean. student is expected to:(A) identify 2. Being informed about candidates and election issues. 3. Working on community improvement projects. rights of Texas citizens; and 3. Voting in elections. 4. Participating in elections school, local, state and national as a voter or a . 4. Understanding that through voting they are direct participants volunteer. in a representative democracy it is one way "their voice can 5. Being available for jury duty (when they are old enough). be heard". 6. Reporting suspicious or dangerous behavior of others that might be harmful to individuals or the community. 7. Testifying to what one witnessed. 8. Contributing money and/or time to community efforts. 9. Being informed on community, state and national issues, including election issues. 10. Attending school and following school rules. 11. Showing pride in the community, state and nation. 12. Writing letters to public officials voicing an opinion. Individual citizens can contact their representatives in government (state and national) to voice their opinions through: Writing letters, sending emails, making phone calls to the local offices, participating in organized meetings such as open forums or town hall meetings, campaigning for a candidate, or visiting the offices of government officials (at the local, state, and national levels). CISD 2015 (16) Citizenship. The student understands the rights and responsibilities of Texas citizens in a democratic society. The student is expected to: (B) explain and analyze civic responsibilities of Texas citizens and the importance of civic participation. Review the concepts of rights and responsibilities. Individual citizens have a specific role in the election process. Voting is one of the foundations of our democratic system. Students should recognize the importance of: 1. Registering to vote when they turn 18. 2. Being informed about candidates and election issues. 3. Voting in elections. 4. Understanding that through voting they are direct participants in a representative democracy it is one way "their voice can be heard". (17) Citizenship. The student understands the importance of the expression of different points of view in a democratic society. The student is expected to: (B) describe the importance of free speech and press in a democratic society; and Have students choose one way to fulfill civic responsibility, follow through with their choice of action and write a summary of what they did. Have students illustrate one or more ways to exhibit civic responsibility and display their posters and drawings in the classroom. Help students apply the characteristics of good citizenship to their own lives. Some specific examples might include: ● Being a responsible individual listening to the teacher in school, doing things that mom asks me to do, doing my homework… ● Following rules and respecting laws paying attention to school rules, not running in the hallways, walking in crosswalks to cross the street… ● Respecting the rights of others listening to others, taking turns on the playground, not disturbing others who are trying to work, not getting in a fight when someone does something I don't like, leaving people's "stuff" alone… ● Being honest telling the truth, not taking things that belong to someone else without their permission… ● Having civic responsibility picking up litter at school or in the community, helping in the neighborhood . . . ● Having tolerance and caring for others helping an elderly neighbor, giving to a charity, helping with my baby brother or sister… ● Being patriotic saying the Pledge of Allegiance or standing when singing the Star Spangled Banner. Identify reasons for the importance of free speech and press. Some of the most important are: ● to make the government more responsive to the will and needs of the people ● to be able to express ideas, orally and in print, in public without fear of recrimination ● to be able to inform individuals and the public, orally and in print, about government actions ● to monitor events ● to criticize government actions, orally and in print. Cite reasons for limits on free speech and freedom of the press. Rights are limited when they encroach on the rights of another. Some examples of limits on freedom of speech and press are: ● slander when you make false statements and accusations about someone ● libel when you print false statements or information about someone ● Other limits on criticizing the government include directly threatening speech or acts against the government or persons within the government. Reoccurring TEKS CISD 2015 Ask students to imagine their lives without the element of free speech. Have them speculate and write a story about what would be different for them. Draw a political cartoon illustrating the importance of free speech or freedom of the press. Display the cartoons. ( Note: Using the appendix "Analyzing a Political Cartoon," allow students to analyze the work of their peers.) Skills (21) Social studies skills. The student applies criticalthinking skills to organize and use information acquired through established research methodologies from a variety of valid sources, including electronic technology. The student is expected to: (B) analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeandeffect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea, summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing inferences and conclusions; (21) Social studies skills. The student applies criticalthinking skills to organize and use information acquired through established research methodologies from a variety of valid sources, including electronic technology. The student is expected to: A) differentiate between, locate, and use valid primary and secondary sources such as, media and news services , to acquire information about Texas; (22) Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. The student is expected to: (A) use social studies terminology correctly; Vocabulary Constitution Checks and balances Limited government Federalism Republicanism CISD 2015 Have students locate and summarize current events articles that address the issues of freedom of speech or freedom of the press. Separation of powers Popular sovereignty Individual rights municipal revenue veto Judicial review amendment
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