On American Identity, Diversity, and Common Ground

The anniversaries of the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, and the signing of the Constitution on September 17, 1787, provide us an opportunity to reflect upon who we are as Americans, examine our most fundamental values and principles and affirm our commitment to them, and evaluate progress toward the realization of American ideals and propose actions that might narrow the gap between these ideals and reality.

The following four lesson plan unit are designed to accomplish these goals.

Students will gain an understanding of the role money plays in the US economy. The lesson begins with a simulation of a barter economy and discussion of the need for money. The students will then learn about the characteristics, functions, and types of money through discussion and reading an informative comic book about money.

Students will learn about one of the most important rights of citizenship. This is the right to participate in governing our nation. Students will discuss different ways they can participate. The lesson will also suggest things students should think about in deciding whether or not they should participate.

In this lesson, students gain an understanding of why the Founders thought a republican form of government was best, as well as learn about civic virtue and the common welfare.

Young people often feel disengaged from the political process and powerless to bring about change. However, history shows us that successful movements have often had youth at the forefront, leading the charge for social justice. In this lesson, students will examine historical and current examples of various movements and protests driven by youth, in the hope that young people will begin to develop political identities themselves.

Many of the ideas that influenced the Founders originated in the government of the Roman Republic. This lesson provides an opportunity for students to explore and discuss the meaning of republicanism, common welfare, and civic virtue as they were said to have been practiced in ancient Rome, and to consider how these ideas influenced the thinking and behavior of the Founders.

A sample lesson from the Center for Civic Education's "We the People," which focuses on the ideas that influenced the founding fathers. Critical Thinking Exercises are included at the end of the chapter.

In this lesson, students examine some of the fundamental ideas about government that are contained in the Declaration of Independence and the Preamble to the U.S. Constiution.