Unit 1- The Constitution
Concepts: Democracy, Government
Enduring Understandings (Big Ideas):
 A democracy depends on its citizens understanding and respecting their individual rights and
responsibilities.
Essential Questions:
 How much power should an individual or institution have?
 How do the Constitution and the Bill of Rights preserve freedom and prevent abuses of power?
 In what ways could our constitution be considered a “living document”?
Student Friendly TEKS
 15D- I can analyze how the 7 Principles of U.S. Government are reflected in the U.S.
Constitution.
 19A- I can define and give examples of unalienable rights.
 19B- I can summarize the rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.
 19C- I can explain the importance of personal responsibilities, including accepting
responsibility for my behavior and supporting my family.
 19D- I can identify what it means to be a responsible citizen and give examples.
 19E- I can summarize and explain the process for becoming a naturalized citizen.
 19F- I can explain how the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens reflect the national
identity.
 21B- I can describe the importance of free speech and press.
 25A- I can trace the development of religious freedom in the United States.
 25C- I can analyze the impact of the guarantees of religious freedom on the American way of
life.
 29B- I can analyze information by applying different types of critical thinking skills.
 29C- I can organize and interpret information from valid sources.
 29E- I can support a point of view.
Academic Vocabulary:
 Amendment Process
 Due Process
 Federal
 Individual Rights
 Ratification
 Republicanism
Unit 1: The Constitution 2014- 15
Language of Instruction:
 Democracy
 Federalism
 Popular Sovereignty
 Separation of Powers
 Checks and Balances
 Amendments
 3 Branches of Government
 Limited Government
 Republic
 Primary / Secondary Sources
 Constitution
 Resolution
Page 1 of 2
Unit 1- The Constitution
Concepts: Democracy, Government
Government Strands
The student will:
and be able to:
understand the American beliefs and
principles reflected in the Declaration of
Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and
other important historic documents
analyze how the U.S. Constitution reflects the principles
of limited government, republicanism, checks and
balances, federalism, separation of powers, popular
sovereignty, and individual rights (8.15D)
Citizenship Strands
The student will:
and be able to:
summarize rights guaranteed in the Bill of Rights
(8.19B)
explain the importance of personal responsibilities,
including accepting responsibility for one's behavior
and supporting one's family (8.19C)
understand the rights and responsibilities
of citizens of the United States
identify examples of responsible citizenship, including
obeying rules and laws, staying informed on public
issues, voting, and serving on juries (8.19D)
summarize the criteria and explain the process for
becoming a naturalized citizen of the United States
(8.19E)
explain how the rights and responsibilities of U.S.
citizens reflect our national identity (8.19F)
understand the importance of the
expression of different points of view in a
constitutional republic
Culture Strands
The student will:
understand the impact of religion on the
American way of life
Unit 1: The Constitution 2014- 15
describe the importance of free speech and press in a
constitutional republic (8.21B)
and be able to:
trace the development of religious freedom in the
United States (8.25A)
analyze the impact of the First Amendment guarantees
of religious freedom on the American way of life (8.25C)
Page 2 of 2