Social Studies Unit

Title of Unit
Curriculum Area
Developed By

Southern/Eastern Asia
Governments/Civics
Social Studies
Rob Roberts Eldis Sanford

Grade Level

7th

Time Frame

3 60 minute segments

Identify Desired Results (Stage 1)

Content Standards

Georgia Performance Standards

SS7CG6 - The student will compare and contrast the various forms of government:
How the unitary, confederation, and federal systems of government distribute power.
Differences between parliamentary and presidential systems of government.
How the autocratic, oligarchic and democratic forms of government impact the participation of its citizens in
government.
SS7CG7 - The student will demonstrate an understanding of national governments in Southern and Eastern Asia.
Compare the Republic of India, Peoples Republic of China, and the government of Japan by analyzing the
leadership, the role of the citizen as far as voting rights and personal freedoms.
SS7H3 - focus on India and China and the historical impact on the governments. - The student will:
A. analyze continuity and change in Southern and Eastern Asia leading to the 21st Century:
B. Describe the impact of Gandhi belief in non-violent protest.
D. Describe the impact of communism in China in terms of Mao, GLF, the Cultural Revolution, and Tiananmen
Square.

Georgia Literacy Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1.A
Introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue, acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing
claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1.C
Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims,
reasons, and evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.1.E
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.2
Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/
experiments, or technical processes.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.6
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between
information and ideas clearly and efficiently.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.6-8.8
Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess
the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others
while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

Understandings

Essential Questions

Overarching Understanding

Through understanding of how our Federal Government

system works in America the students will have an
understanding of the benefits of government.

Overarching

How the
unitary,
confederation, and
federal systems of
government
distribute power?

Topical

A. How do the
unitary,
confederation and
federal systems of
government
distribute power

How the
autocratic,
oligarchic and
democratic forms
of government
impact the
participation of its
citizens in
government?

How has the

continuity and
change in
governments
affected the
countries within
Southern and
Eastern Asia
leading into the
21st Century?

Related Misconceptions

Governments are mostly the same and all preform

similar functions.

The people in all countries control what happens

within the country they live in.

Forms of government do not affect the daily lives of

the citizens of the country.

differently in the
countries of this
region?
B. How do the
autocratic,
oligarchic and
democratic
systems of
government
determine citizen
participation in the
government with
relation to voting
rights and personal
freedoms?
C. What are the
similarities and
differences
between the
parliamentary and
presidential forms
of government
found in this
region?
D. How do the
countries of India,
China, and Japans
forms of
government differ
in the types of
leadership and the
role of the citizen
in terms of voting
rights and personal
freedoms?

E. Define communism
as it applies to
China, then
describe the
impact of
Communism as it
relates to Mao
Zedong, Great
Leap Forward
Cultural
Revolution, and
Tiananmen Square.
F. What role did
Mohandas Gandhi
play in the
nationalist
independence
movement in
India?

Knowledge

Skills

Students will know

Students will be able to

Key Vocabulary - Autocratic, Oligarchy, Unitary,

Federal System, Confederation, Parliamentary,
Presidential
The history of Chinas government to present
The history of Indias government to present
The type of government would you find in China and
how does it impact the personal freedoms of the
citizens
Gandhis emphasis on non-violence change Indias
government

Describing An Event Organizer students

complete and then complete a short writing
activity, Describe the events leading to the
Tiananmen Square rallies, what took place at
these rallies, and the impact it had on Chinas
leaders/government.
5-W How Organizer students will complete and
use the organizer to answer, What role did
Gandhi (nationalism) play in the independence
movement in India
Use the Web 2.0 tool Animoto to make a short
video commercial for or against the government of
the country you choose. Students will state their

case and choose either India or China.

Assessment Evidence (Stage 2)

Performance Task Description
The students should be able to recognize the characteristics of the different forms of
government in South East Asia. Students should also be able to connect different
Goal historical events with the form of government in the major countries that they study in
South East Asia.
Role
Audience
Situation
Product/Performan
ce
Standards

The student will use instructional notes an pathfinder to complete the tasks
assigned in the unit.
Teacher, media specialist
The writing assessments will be completed during seatwork on an individual basis.
The Animoto commercial piece will be done in groups of 2 to 3.
Students will be asked to complete the tasks assigned above. These tasks will be
graded using prepared rubrics. The Animoto commercial will be peer assessed using a
rubric.

AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner

1.1.1

Follow an inquirybased process in seeking knowledge in curricular subjects, and

make the realworld connection for using this process in own life.
1.1.4 Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.
1.1.5 Evaluate information found in selected sources on the basis of accuracy, validity,
appropriateness for needs, importance, and social and cultural context
1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual,
media, digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
1.1.7 Make sense of information gathered from diverse sources by identifying
misconceptions, main and supporting ideas, confl icting information, and point of view or

bias.
1.2.3 Demonstrate creativity by using multiple resources and formats.
1.3.1 Respect copyright/ intellectual property rights of creators and producers.
1.3.3 Follow ethical and legal guidelines in gathering and using information.
1.3.5 Use information technology responsibly
2.1.2 Organize knowledge so that it is useful.
2.3.1 Connect understanding to the real world

Other Evidence

Students will be asked to address information literacy in this unit. The students will use a learning pathway to
examine plagiarism and how to avoid it when writing extended responses/essays. The pathway was created
using a Web 2.0 tool Learni.st (http://learni.st/users/271693/boards/77721-plagiarism-what-does-it-look-like-)

Learning Plan (Stage 3)

Where are your students headed? Where
have they been? How will you make sure the
students know where they are going?

How will you hook students at the beginning

of the unit?

The students have prior knowledge of governments from 6th grade

social studies. They also have knowledge of government from our
own form of government. Students will be given direct instruction
along with a learning path to discover the different forms of
government in the different countries of South East Asia.

The students will watch a short video on the Tiananmen Square

incident in China and there will be a class discussion on
Communism. I will also show a short video of Gandhis nonviolent
protests in India opposing that government. They will also be
shown an video excerpt from a documentary showing how Chinas
government does not allow full internet searches, especially on
political topics such as Tiananmen Square. This will hook the
students!

What events will help students experience

and explore the big idea and questions in the
unit? How will you equip them with needed
skills and knowledge?

How will you cause students to reflect and

rethink? How will you guide them in
rehearsing, revising, and refining their work?

How will you help students to exhibit and

self-evaluate their growing skills, knowledge,
and understanding throughout the unit?

How will you tailor and otherwise personalize

the learning plan to optimize the engagement
and effectiveness of ALL students, without
compromising the goals of the unit?

How will you organize and sequence the

learning activities to optimize the
engagement and achievement of ALL
students?

The learning pathway that I have created will provide the

students with all necessary links for information to be used in
completing the required tasks. The short video segments in the
pathway will allow the students to experience and explore what is
was like during these turbulent times in India and China. The
reading resources will provide accurate accounts of the events that
students need to understand.
Students should be made aware of how to choose materials
that are accurate and reflect the true nature of the conflict.
Students will be made aware of the types of propaganda and bias
that existed within such conflicts. They should use these types of
materials in producing their commercial supporting the side they
choose.
As the students research the topics provided, they will refer
back to these three criteria:
Is the material I am finding accurate?
Am I writing what I have learned about in my own words?
In my writing/video, am I putting my thoughts down in a
meaningful way that demonstrates what I have learned?
Students will choose the subject that they want to produce the
commercial about (For or against the Chinese Government /
Support or reject Gandhis emphasis on non-violence change Indias
government.)
Students will be allowed to work in groups on the Animoto project. I
will also allow any students who require small group instruction to
work with a partner.

Discussion on the different Governments of India and China

along with problems in the countries.
Students will complete: Describing An Event Organizer
students complete and then complete a short writing activity,
Describe the events leading to the Tiananmen Square rallies,
what took place at these rallies, and the impact it had on
Chinas leaders/government.
Students will complete: 5-W How Organizer students will

complete and use the organizer to answer, What role did

Gandhi (nationalism) play in the independence movement in
India
Students will complete: Use the Web 2.0 tool Animoto to
make a short video commercial for or against the government
of the country you choose. Students will state their case and
choose either India or China.
Peer review using rubrics

From: Wiggins, Grant and J. Mc Tighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
ISBN # 0-87120-313-8 (ppk)