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Year 3: Unit 7 – Facing a New Millennium – The Contemporary United States (2000 – 2008): Lessons

Lesson 1: Election of 2000 (Debate)

Central Question: Who should have won the election of 2000: George W. Bush or Al Gore?

Historical Background

In 2000, Republican George W. Bush faced off for president against Vice President Al Gore. The election was close; so close, in fact, that a recount was necessary in Florida. In Florida, officials doing the recount discovered that voting machines did not count all of the votes because of voting errors, resulting in a manual recount. George W. Bush, who had won Florida before the recount, opposed a manual recount, suggesting that assuming the voting preferences of voters who had not voted correctly was arbitrary and unconstitutional. Gore, who had the most to gain from a manual recount, argued that a complicated voting system disenfranchised voters, whose intent was clear on their ballots. After a legal back and forth going all the way to the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court ruled in Bush’s favor, and George W. Bush became president.

For more background, read “Who Really Won?” on the CNN website and “Precedent and Prologue” on The New Yorker website.

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 7 Key Terms:

  • George W. Bush
  • Al Gore
  • Hanging chad

Scholars understand the controversial presidential election of 2000 and can successfully debate the Supreme Court’s divided opinion on the election in Bush v. Gore.

Preparation

  • Display the Unit 7 Essential Question on the wall in your classroom for scholars to reference throughout the unit.
  • Create a word wall in your classroom with the Unit 7 Key Terms for scholars to reference during class discussion. Hold scholars accountable for using these Key Terms throughout the unit.
  • Post a timeline in your classroom or digitally to track key events from this unit and previous units.
  • Prior to teaching Lesson 1, assign “The 2000 Presidential Election” on pages 3–5 of the Unit 7 Sourcebook so scholars are prepared to discuss in the Context portion of the lesson.
  • Arrange your classroom in two parts: one side for those in favor of George W. Bush and the other for those in favor of Al Gore.
  • As scholars enter the room, assign them either George W. Bush or Al Gore, and have them sit in the corresponding part of the room.
  • Ensure that scholars have the Debate Planning Guide in the Unit 7 workbook accessible.

Do Now — 5 minutes

  • Scholars complete the Unit 7 Lesson 1 Do Now in the Unit 7 Workbook.

Context — 5 minutes

Launch (2 minutes)

  • Introduce the Essential Question for Unit 7: How do events in the contemporary United States represent change and continuity over time?
  • Explain that, each day, scholars will gather more evidence to answer this question.
  • Remind scholars that this unit builds upon past content and that they must constantly make connections to previous periods of history to help them answer this Essential Question.
  • Pose today’s Central Question and invest scholars in concluding their study of the 1990s with the election of 2000.

Discuss (3 minutes)

  • Scholars discuss the question below in pairs. Then call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars answer your question with claims supported by evidence from their homework reading.
    • Why was the 2000 election controversial?

Investigate — 10 minutes

  • Assign each scholar one side in the congressional debate about the election of 2000: in favor of Al Gore (page 7 of the Unit 7 Sourcebook) or in favor of George Bush (page 6 of the Unit 7 Sourcebook). Explain that scholars will assume the role of a senator and will use their documents to prepare to simulate a debate over the election of 2000.
  • Scholars read and annotate their positions.
  • While scholars work, circulate to determine the major trends in scholars’ work.
  • Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
    • Have each scholar tell you the main idea of the document he or she is reading. What is the main idea of this document? How do you know? How does this document help answer the Central Question?
    • Hold scholars accountable for staying focused on the main idea of the document.

Planning — 10 minutes

  • Once scholars have finished reading and annotating their sources, each group should come together to plan their side of the debate, writing their main arguments in the Debate Planning Guide in the Unit 7 Workbook.
  • As scholars plan, they should:
    • Summarize their assigned position on the election of 2000.
    • Identify at least three major arguments that support their side of the debate.
    • Determine at least three counterarguments they anticipate the opposing side will argue, based on their knowledge from class and their homework, and how they plan to rebut those arguments.

Debate — 15 minutes

  • Have a scholar from one side present his or her argument at the front of the class.
  • After this scholar presents his or her argument, have the other side respond directly to that scholar’s argument.
  • Then have a scholar from the opposing side present his or her argument, next allowing the first group to respond.
  • Hold scholars accountable for taking notes while scholars are presenting their arguments; they will use these notes to come up with a response to the argument.
  • Then as a class, conduct a vote in the election of 2000. Tell scholars that they are free to vote however they please, regardless of their assigned role. However, their votes must be informed by the different arguments presented in class. After the vote, call on one or two scholars to share out why they voted as they did.
  • Tell scholars that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of George W. Bush, and he won the 2000 election.

Exit Ticket — 5 minutes

  • Write a paragraph of no more than 200 words:
    • Who should have won the election of 2000: George W. Bush or Al Gore? Justify your argument with at least two concrete pieces of evidence from two sources.

Homework

  • Scholars read “September 11, 2001” on page 9 of the Unit 7 Sourcebook in preparation for the next lesson.

Lesson 2: The Aftermath of 9/11 (Source Analysis)

Central Question: How did U.S. defense policy change as a result of 9/11?

Historical Background

On September 11, 2001, not even a year into George W. Bush’s presidency, Al Qaeda terrorists hijacked four planes: two of the planes hit the World Trade Center in New York City, one hit the Pentagon near Washington, D.C., and the fourth was headed for the U.S. Capitol. The greatest foreign attack ever on U.S. soil, the 9/11 attacks changed the lives of Americans forever, tearing apart families and loved ones, sparking two wars, destroying lower Manhattan, and changing security and privacy in the United States.

For more background, read “Disasters and the Politics of Memory” on the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History website (free login required), “Teaching Sept. 11 to Students Who Were Born After the Attacks Happened” on the NPR website, and “Making 9/11 Relevant to Young Learners” on the Atlantic website; and browse the National September 11 Memorial Museum website.

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 7 Key Terms:

  • 9/11
  • War on Terror
  • Al Qaeda

Scholars understand the events of 9/11 and can explain how U.S. defense policy evolved in response to the threat of future terrorist attacks.

Preparation

  • By the end of the lesson, assign scholars to the pro or con side for their debate on the Patriot Act in the following lesson.

Do Now — 5 minutes

  • Scholars revise their Exit Tickets from the previous lesson based on the grade and feedback you gave them.

Context — 10 minutes

Launch (2 minutes)

  • Review the Big Ideas from the previous lesson by having scholars quickly share their takeaways from the lesson.
  • Then pose today’s Central Question and invest scholars in launching their study of how U.S. defense policy changed as a result of 9/11.

Watch (5 minutes)

  • Watch the video “9/11 Timeline” on the History Channel website.
  • Tell scholars to think about the following question as they watch the video:
    • How did the attacks on 9/11 affect New York City?

Discuss (3 minutes)

  • Pairs of scholars discuss the question posed at the beginning of the video as well as the question below. Then call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars answer your questions with claims supported by evidence from the homework and the video.
    • Why did Al Qaeda target the United States?

Investigate — 20 minutes

  • Scholars read and annotate Documents A through D on pages 10–12 of the Unit 7 Sourcebook. After reading each source, scholars should write a main idea next to the title of the source.
  • While scholars work, circulate to determine the major trends in scholars’ work.
  • Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
    • Have each scholar tell you the main idea of the document he or she is reading. What is the main idea of this document? How do you know? How does this document help answer the Central Question?
    • Hold scholars accountable for staying focused on the main idea of the document.

Discuss — 5 minutes

  • Scholars discuss the following questions as a whole class. Insist that scholars answer your questions with claims supported by evidence from the documents. Ensure that the discussion leads scholars to answer the Central Question.
    • Why did U.S. defense policy change after 9/11?
    • How did post-9/11 U.S. defense policy affect American lives?
    • Make a connection to previous content. Ask: Recall the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the last foreign attack on U.S. soil before 9/11. How did the U.S. response to 9/11 compare to the U.S. response to Pearl Harbor?

Exit Ticket — 5 minutes

  • Write a paragraph of no more than 200 words:
    • How did U.S. defense policy change as a result of 9/11? Justify your argument with at least two concrete pieces of evidence from two sources.

Homework

  • Assign scholars to the pro or con side for the debate in the next lesson. Scholars read “Patriot Act” on the History Channel website and use their homework reading to begin outlining their position in the Debate Planning Guide in the Unit 7 Workbook in preparation for the next lesson.

Lesson 3: The Patriot Act (Debate)

Central Question: Should Congress have passed the Patriot Act?

Historical Background

The Patriot Act is legislation passed in 2001 to improve the abilities of U.S. law enforcement to detect and deter terrorism. The Patriot Act’s official title is Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism, or USA PATRIOT. Though the Patriot Act was modified in 2015 to help ensure the constitutional rights of ordinary Americans, some provisions of the law remain controversial.

For more background, read “The USA PATRIOT Act: Preserving Life and Liberty” on the U.S. Department of Justice website, “The Patriot Act: Key Controversies” on the NPR website, and “The Patriot Act: What Is the Proper Balance Between National Security and Individual Rights?” on the Constitutional Rights Foundation website.

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 7 Key Terms:

  • Aviation and Transportation Security Act
  • Homeland Security Act
  • Patriot Act

Scholars understand the Patriot Act and evaluate whether or not Congress should have passed it.

Preparation

  • Arrange your classroom in two parts: one side for those arguing in favor of the Patriot Act (pro), and the other for those arguing in opposition to the Patriot Act (con).
  • As scholars enter the room, have scholars sit in the corresponding pro or con side of the room based on their assignments from the end of the previous lesson.
  • Ensure that scholars have the Debate Planning Guide in the Unit 7 workbook accessible.

Do Now — 5 minutes

  • Scholars revise their Exit Tickets from the previous lesson based on the grade and feedback you gave them.

Context — 5 minutes

Launch (2 minutes)

  • Review the Big Ideas from the previous lesson by having scholars quickly share their takeaways from the lesson.
  • Pose today’s Central Question and invest scholars in debating whether or not Congress should have passed the Patriot Act.

Discuss (3 minutes)

  • Scholars discuss the question below in pairs. Then call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars answer your question with claims supported by evidence from their homework reading.
    • Why was the Patriot Act controversial?

Investigate — 10 minutes

  • Tell scholars that today, they will be engaging in a debate about the Patriot Act: In Favor of the Patriot Act (page 15 of the Unit 7 Sourcebook) or Against the Patriot Act (page 16 of the Unit 7 Sourcebook). Explain that scholars will use their documents to prepare to debate whether or not Congress should have passed the Patriot Act.
  • Scholars read and annotate their positions.
  • While scholars work, circulate to determine the major trends in scholars’ work.
  • Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
    • Have each scholar tell you the main idea of the document he or she is reading. What is the main idea of this document? How do you know? How does this document help answer the Central Question?
    • Hold scholars accountable for staying focused on the main idea of the document.

Planning — 10 minutes

  • Once scholars have finished reading and annotating their sources, each group should come together to plan their side of the congressional debate, writing their main arguments in the Debate Planning Guide in the Unit 7 Workbook.
  • As scholars plan, they should:
    • Summarize their assigned position on the Patriot Act.
    • Identify at least three major arguments that support their side of the debate.
    • Determine at least three counterarguments they anticipate the opposing side will argue, based on their knowledge from class and their homework, and how they plan to rebut those arguments.

Debate — 15 minutes

  • Have a scholar from one side present his or her argument at the front of the class.
  • After this scholar presents his or her argument, have the other side respond directly to that scholar’s argument.
  • Then have a scholar from the opposing side present his or her argument, next allowing the first group to respond.
  • Hold scholars accountable for taking notes while scholars are presenting their arguments; they will use these notes to come up with a response to the argument.
  • Then as a class, conduct a vote for or against passing the Patriot Act. Tell scholars that they are free to vote however they please, regardless of their assigned role. However, their vote must be informed by the different arguments presented in class. After the vote, call on one or two scholars to share out why they voted as they did.
  • Tell scholars that Congress voted to pass the Patriot Act.

Exit Ticket — 5 minutes

  • Write a paragraph of no more than 200 words:
    • Should Congress have passed the Patriot Act? Justify your argument with at least two concrete pieces of evidence from two sources.

Homework

  • Scholars read “Hurricane Katrina” on the History Channel website in preparation for the next lesson.

Lesson 4: Hurricane Katrina (Video Analysis)

Central Question: To what extent was Hurricane Katrina a natural disaster?

Historical Background

By 2005, Americans were still recovering from 9/11, and the nation was deeply embroiled in the international War on Terror and the war in Iraq. At home, Americans were about to face a new crisis: Hurricane Katrina. Not only was the hurricane itself damaging, but the city of New Orleans was not prepared for a hurricane of its scale. New Orleans’ levees were weak, and despite multiple warnings to better prepare the city for such a disaster, little was done in advance. When the levees broke following the storm, mass flooding destroyed lives, homes, and much of the city. The government response to the crisis was slow, resulting in more deaths — especially among poor African Americans — because of lack of food, water, and shelter.

For more background, read “Where Black Lives Matter Began” on Slate and “10 Years After Katrina” on The New York Times website.

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 7 Key Terms:

  • Hurricane Katrina

Scholars understand the impact of Hurricane Katrina and can explain the extent to which the disaster was caused by the hurricane versus a lack of appropriate government action.

Do Now — 5 minutes

  • Scholars revise their Exit Tickets from the previous lesson based on the grade and feedback you gave them.

Watch and Discuss, 1 — 20 minutes

Launch (2 minutes)

  • Review the Big Ideas from the previous lesson by having scholars quickly share their takeaways from the lesson.
  • Pose today’s Central Question and invest scholars in continuing their study of the impact of and the response to Hurricane Katrina.

Watch (15 minutes)

  • Choose excerpts from Acts 1 and 2 from the 2006 documentary When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts, directed by Spike Lee, available on YouTube.
  • Tell scholars to think about the following question as they watch the video:
    • How did the hurricane and the breaking of the levees affect people in New Orleans?

Discuss (3 minutes)

  • Pairs of scholars discuss the question posed at the beginning of the video as well as the question below. Then call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars answer your questions with claims supported by evidence from the video.
    • Who was the most affected by the destruction of the hurricane and flooding? Why?

Watch and Discuss 2 — 20 minutes

Watch (16 minutes)

  • Choose excerpts from Acts 3 and 4 from the 2006 documentary When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts, directed by Spike Lee, available on YouTube.
  • Tell scholars to think about the following question as they watch the video:
    • How did the government respond to Hurricane Katrina?

Discuss (4 minutes)

  • Pairs of scholars discuss the question posed at the beginning of the video as well as the questions below. Then call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars answer your questions with claims supported by evidence from the video.
    • To what extent could the damage of the hurricane have been prevented?
    • To what extent did racism play a role in the response to Hurricane Katrina?

Exit Ticket — 5 minutes

  • Write a paragraph of no more than 200 words:
    • To what extent was Hurricane Katrina a natural disaster? Justify your argument with at least two concrete pieces of evidence from two sources.

Homework

  • Scholars read “The Election of Barack Obama” on pages 20–21 of the Unit 7 Sourcebook in preparation for the next lesson.

Lesson 5: The Election of Barack Obama (Source Analysis)

Central Question: Why was Barack Obama’s campaign of hope successful in the 2008 election?

Historical Background

In 2008, an African American rookie senator from Illinois was elected the 44th president of the United States. Coming in during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, Barack Obama promised to restore hope in the United States and the American government.

For more background, read “Hope, Inc.” on Slate, “Obama’s Winning ‘Change’ Strategy” on the NPR website, and the “10 Weeks of Financial Turmoil” on The New York Times website.

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand and can fluently use the following Unit 7 Key Terms:

  • Financial crisis of 2008
  • Barack Obama
  • Election of 2008

Scholars understand the events of 2008 and can explain how they, coupled with an inspiring campaign message of hope, led to Barack Obama’s election.

Do Now — 5 minutes

  • Scholars revise their Exit Tickets from the previous lesson based on the grade and feedback you gave them.

Context — 10 minutes

Launch (2 minutes)

  • Review the Big Ideas from the previous lesson by having scholars quickly share their takeaways from the lesson.
  • Pose today’s Central Question and invest scholars in continuing their study of how Barack Obama’s campaign of hope led to his election in 2008.

Watch (3 minutes)

  • Watch the video “Obama’s 2004 DNC Keynote Speech,” available on YouTube.
    • Begin the clip at 13:31 and watch to the end to allow for discussion.
  • Tell scholars to think about the following question as they watch the video:
    • How does Barack Obama define “hope”?

Discuss (5 minutes)

  • Pairs of scholars discuss the question posed at the beginning of the video. Then call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars answer your question with claims supported by evidence from the homework and the video.

Investigate — 20 minutes

  • Scholars read and annotate Documents A through D on pages 22–23 of the Unit 7 Sourcebook. After reading each source, scholars should write a main idea next to the title of the source.
  • While scholars work, circulate to determine the major trends in scholars’ work.
  • Spend 2 to 3 minutes working with three to five scholars.
    • Have each scholar tell you the main idea of the document he or she is reading. What is the main idea of this document? How do you know? How does this document help answer the Central Question?
    • Hold scholars accountable for staying focused on the main idea of the document.

Discuss — 5 minutes

  • Scholars discuss the following questions as a whole class. Insist that scholars answer your questions with claims supported by evidence from the documents. Ensure that the discussion leads scholars to answer the Central Question.
    • How did Barack Obama appeal to voters?
    • How did the events of 2008 influence Obama’s election?
    • Make a connection to previous content. Ask: Recall the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980. How was Obama’s campaign in 2008 similar to Reagan’s campaign in 1980?

Exit Ticket — 10 minutes

  • Write a paragraph of no more than 200 words:
    • Why was Barack Obama’s campaign of hope successful in the 2008 election? Justify your argument with at least two concrete pieces of evidence from two sources.

Homework

  • Scholars study their Sourcebooks, home readings, and notes from Lessons 1 through 5 in preparation for the next lesson.

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