Unit 1-3 Catch Up Plan

​Unit 1: Digital Citizenship

By Gabrielle Dobosh

Becoming a Better Communicator

Becoming a better communicator starts with strong listening skills, especially active listening—focusing fully on the speaker without judgment or rushing to respond. Active listening improves relationships, prevents misunderstandings, and helps resolve conflicts.

Unlike passive listening, which shows little engagement and leaves speakers feeling unheard, active listening uses attention, eye contact, and awareness of nonverbal cues like facial expressions and body language to understand tone and emotion.

Paying attention and listening with intent are key to effective communication.

Categorize

Options (5)

helps to ensure speaker feels heard

shows interest in communication

listeners are aware of vocal cues and body language

does not provide verbal feedback

often involves doing other things while someone is speaking to you

Match the features with the topic. Is each of the statements a feature of active listening or of passive listening?

Active Listening

Passive Listening

What Qualifies as News?

News Reporting: a formal, precise information report of an event or issue by a reporter or multiple reporters, "just the facts".
Analysis/Commentary: Involves a deeper examination of an issue or event and may connect the facts to multiple reported stories with additional context.
Opinion Pieces: Written with the intention of persuading or convincing readers to adopt a particular point of view on an issue or event.
Editorial: An opinion piece that is unsigned and represents the views of the editorial staff or news outlet.

Match

Match the type of journalism with its definition.

• a deeper examination of an issue providing background and context to deepen understanding

• written with the intention of persuading the public to accept a particular point of view on an issue or event

• contains informational reporting on the factual events or issues involved in a story

News Analysis

Opinion

News Reporting

• News Analysis

• Opinion

• News Reporting

Lateral Reading

Lateral reading is a strategy used to verify online information by checking multiple sources.

• Instead of staying on one site (vertical reading), you open new tabs and consult other credible sources to confirm accuracy and reliability.

• This method, used by professional fact-checkers, helps identify misinformation and understand who is behind the content.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the best example of “lateral reading”?

• Your friend shares a fact with you, and you look it up on Google.

• You’ve heard that a certain media group is biased, so you avoid their news coverage.

• Finding sources that agree with your opinion

Social Media Algorithms

• Bias influences how people consume and create content, and confirmation bias reinforces existing beliefs.

• Social media algorithms amplify this by showing users more of what they already like, creating echo chambers that limit exposure to diverse ideas.

• An algorithm is a set of rules that determines what content you see based on your past activity, often to keep you engaged.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is the best description of a social media algorithm?

• A type of journalism that tries to persuade readers and viewers

• A credential or pass that identifies a journalist and what media outlet they work for

• A set of rules that internet-based media uses to show you more stories/ads/sites that are similar to those that you have already spent time on.

Unit 2: Ideas About Government

What is a Government?

A government provides the structure that keeps a society functioning. It includes a society’s leaders, the laws they put in place, and the methods they use to enforce those laws.

A government holds authority over the people it governs.

Depending on the government, the people with this authority may include monarchs, elected officials, judges, police, and other people who make and enforce decisions.

Multiple Choice

Which word best completes the sentence below?

 

The _____ of the United States provide(s) the country’s structure, laws, and leadership and keep(s) the society functioning.

• State

• Government

• Nation

Rule of Law

The rule of law means everyone, including leaders, must follow the law.

• Written laws clarify crimes and consequences, preventing arbitrary punishment.

• Without the rule of law, leaders could punish people for any reason, making it essential for fairness and accountability.

Multiple Choice

Select the answer that best explains how this headline supports the rule of law

 

"Powerful Millionaire Arrested for Fraud"

• He was able to pay his bail in cash and avoid waiting in jail after his arrest

• Despite his wealth, he was arrested for breaking the law the same as any other person

• He used the publicity from the trial to sell more of his company's products

Authoritarian governments concentrate power in one person or a small group, limiting citizen influence.

Types of authoritarian systems include monarchies, oligarchies, dictatorships, and totalitarian regimes.

Authoritarian

Democratic theory emphasizes equality, majority rule balanced by minority rights, and personal freedom with responsibility

The United States is a democratic republic, meaning citizens hold power and elect leaders to represent them.

Democratic

Democratic vs. Authoritarian Governments

Multiple Choice

What is the main difference between democratic governments and authoritarian governments?

• How influential religion is in government

• whether the state has clear borders

• where power comes from

Forms of Government

• Democratic Government: Power comes from the people, usually through elections. Leaders can be removed by voting. A republic is a type of democracy where people elect representatives (e.g., the U.S.).

• Monarchy: An authoritarian system ruled by one person, often inherited (king, queen, emperor).

• Oligarchy: Power is held by a small group, often wealthy or aristocratic families (e.g., Sparta).

• Dictatorship: One person or a small group holds power without accountability. Can arise by force, election, or heredity. Often an autocracy (absolute rule).

• Totalitarian Government: A form of dictatorship that controls both public and private life, influencing thoughts and behaviors (e.g., requiring loyalty displays at home).

Multiple Choice

In the fictional country of the Chartered Commonwealth, all citizens over the age of 20 have the right to vote. They elect leaders, and these leaders meet once a week to make decisions for the country. What kind of government is this?

• republic

• dictatorship

• direct democracy

Influences on U.S. Government

●      Ancient Athens: Introduced direct democracy, where citizens directly participate in decision-making (different from representative democracy).

●      Roman Republic: Modeled a republic with elected representatives and a system of checks and balances among three branches to prevent concentration of power.

●      Magna Carta: Established that everyone, including rulers, is subject to law and introduced ideas of individual rights like fair trials.

●      Enlightenment Thinkers: Promoted limited government, natural rights (inalienable rights for all humans), social contract (society agrees to cooperate for benefits), and consent of the governed (leaders have power because people grant it).

Match

Match the statement to the term it best represents.

• “I wish I could drive through that red light, but I know the traffic laws keep people safe.”

• “Governments everywhere have laws against killing and stealing. It seems everyone understands those acts are wrong.”

• “Everyone I talk to is angry at that senator. I expect he will be voted out of office in the next election.”

Consent of the Governed

Social Contract

Natural Rights

• Consent of the Governed

• Social Contract

• Natural Rights

The Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence (1776) proclaimed the American colonies’ separation from Britain.

• It begins with a Preamble, explaining the need to state reasons for breaking political ties.

• The Conclusion declares the colonies as “Free and Independent States,” dissolving all allegiance to Britain.

• Finally, Ratification occurred on July 4, 1776, when the Continental Congress officially adopted the document, asserting the colonies’ sovereignty and independence.

Multiple Choice

Which statement best summarizes the preamble to the Declaration of Independence?

• "All people have a natural right to equality."

• "We are going to explain why we want to break from Britain."

• "Britain has treated us unfairly and caused us to rebel."

Unit 3: Forming a Constitution

Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation (ratified in 1777) were the first U.S. constitution, creating a confederation—a loose union of independent states joined for a common purpose, mainly achieving independence. They intentionally limited central power to protect state sovereignty, but this caused major weaknesses:

●      Ineffective central government with limited authority

●      Operational challenges due to lack of quorum

●      Military limitations, relying on states for troops

●      Financial constraints, as Congress couldn’t raise funds effectively

These weaknesses made the government unreliable and unable to enforce laws or ensure defense, leading to the Constitutional Convention in 1787

Multiple Choice

Which of the following was a significant weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

• The national government had too much power over the states

• The Confederation Congress could easily raise money through taxes

• The national government could declare war, but had no authority to create a navy or army

Structure under the Articles of Confederation

Under the Articles of Confederation...

• The national government consisted of a single body called the Confederation Congress.

• It had no strong executive authority—its presiding officer could not enforce decisions.

• Each state had one vote, regardless of size or population.

• Passing laws required nine votes, and amending the Articles required unanimous consent.

• This structure created a weak central government with limited power over the states.

Multiple Choice

Which component of the government under the Articles of Confederation held the most authority?

• the President

• Congress

• states with larger populations

Shay's Rebellion

Shays’ Rebellion (1786–1787) was an armed uprising led by Massachusetts farmer Daniel Shays, sparked by severe economic hardship and debt after the Revolutionary War.
Farmers faced property seizures and imprisonment for unpaid taxes.

The rebellion exposed a major weakness of the Articles of Confederation:

• the national government’s inability to maintain order

• enforce laws

• raise funds for a standing army

• This failure highlighted the need for a stronger central government, leading to the Constitutional Convention in 1787.

Multiple Choice

What weakness in the Articles of Confederation was revealed by Shays' Rebellion?

• The national government was unable to settle disputes between states.

• The national government could not require Massachusetts to stop the rebellion.

• The national government had no ability to respond to a national crisis.

Constitutional Compromises

The Great Compromise: Created a bicameral legislature—Senate with equal representation for all states and House of Representatives based on population.

Three-Fifths Compromise: Counted enslaved individuals as three-fifths of a person for representation; allowed slave trade until 1808.

Suffrage Compromise: Left voting qualifications to individual states, addressing debates over property requirements.

Executive Election Compromise: Established the Electoral College to elect the President, balancing popular vote and state influence.

Massachusetts Compromise: Anti-Federalists agreed to ratify the Constitution in exchange for adding a Bill of Rights to protect individual freedoms.

Match

Match each compromise to its correct definition

• allowed the continued importation of enslaved people until 1808

• A compromise in which the delegates decided to leave the question of voter qualifications to the states.

• A compromise that created the process for the election of the president added a buffer between the popular vote and the final election of the president.

• An agreement between larger and smaller states to decide representation in the legislative branch, which established a bicameral legislature.

• Anti-Federalist agreement to ratify the Constitution with the added condition that the first federal Congress would adopt a bill of rights with Federalist support.

Great Compromise

Electoral College

3/5th Compromise

Massachusetts Compromise

Suffrage

• Great Compromise

• Electoral College

• 3/5th Compromise

• Massachusetts Compromise

• Suffrage

In contrast, the Constitution established a strong federal government with three branches—executive, legislative, and judicial—checks and balances, the ability to tax, regulate commerce, maintain a military, and enforce laws.

It also created a bicameral legislature and a system for amending the document without unanimous consent.

The Constitution

The Articles of Confederation created a weak central government with a single legislative body (Confederation Congress), no executive branch, and no national judiciary.

Each state had one vote, and major decisions required nine states or unanimous consent for amendments.

The national government lacked power to tax, regulate trade, or enforce laws, relying on states for troops and funds.

Articles of Confederation

Multiple Choice

Which answer best describes the difference between the Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution?

• The number of states that ratified the documents

• the strength of the national government

• the dominance of the legislative branch

Checks and Balances

a system in which each branch holds power over the others to ensure that no branch becomes too powerful.

Checks and Balances

Legislative Branch (Congress):

○Can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds vote.

○Approves presidential appointments and treaties.

○Controls funding and can impeach the President or judges.
Executive Branch (President):

○ Can veto laws passed by Congress.

○ Appoints federal judges and officials.

○Can issue pardons and call special sessions of Congress.
Judicial Branch (Courts);

○Can declare laws or executive actions unconstitutional (judicial review).

○Interprets laws and ensures they align with the Constitution.

Categorize

Options (4)

Veto legislation

Override a presidential veto by a two-thirds vote

Enforce or fail to enforce a law

Declare state or federal laws unconstitutional

Sort the checks and balances granted to each branch of government by the Constitution.

Legislative Branch

Executive Branch

Judicial Branch

Anti-Federalists opposed the Constitution, fearing a powerful federal government could become tyrannical and abuse taxing power. They favored state sovereignty and were largely farmers, working-class individuals, and some colonial elites.

Anti-Federalists

Federalists supported the Constitution and a strong central government, believing it would protect property rights and promote trade. They were mostly wealthy landowners, merchants, and business leaders.

Federalists

Ratification Debates

​The conflict led to compromises like adding the Bill of Rights to safeguard individual freedoms.

Multiple Choice

Why did the Anti-Federalists object to the ratification of the Constitution?

• They wanted the national government to determine voter qualifications.

• They believed the central government would have too much power.

• They believed the Constitution was too similar to the Articles of Confederation.

The Massachusetts Compromise

The Massachusetts Compromise emerged during intense Anti-Federalist resistance to ratifying the Constitution.

Led by John Hancock, the compromise allowed Massachusetts to ratify the Constitution on the condition that a Bill of Rights would be added later to protect individual freedoms.

This agreement reassured Anti-Federalists who feared a strong central government.

Other states followed Massachusetts’ example, attaching similar recommendations to their ratification votes, which ultimately led to the adoption of the first ten amendments—the Bill of Rights.

Multiple Choice

Why did some states follow Massachusetts's example and add conditions to their ratification of the Constitution?

• They wanted the first Congress of the new government to add a Bill of Rights.

• They wanted greater limits placed on the executive branch.

• They wanted the state legislatures to give their approval for the ratification of the Constitution.

Complete!

You have completed the test. Before you submit your quiz, be sure to:

• Answer all questions.

• Double-check your answers so the answer choices you pressed are the answers you wanted to press.

• Once you are satisfied, submit your assessment.

• Send Miss Dobosh an edio chat when you have submitted the assessment.