• Context
• Lesson-Specific Standards
• Teaching the Lesson
• Assessment
• Lesson Materials
• Resources

This lesson addresses the national standards listed below.

From the Center for Civic Education's National Standards for Civics and Government (1994):

Foundations of the American political systems: Students should be able to explain the importance of shared political and civic beliefs and values to the maintenance of constitutional democracy in an increasingly diverse American society.

Relationship of the United States to other nations and to world affairs: Students should be able to evaluate, take, and defend positions:

• on foreign policy issues in light of American national interests, values, and principles.
• about the impact of American political ideas on the world.
• about the effects of significant international political developments on the United States and other nations.
• about the effects of significant economic, technological, and cultural developments on the United States and other nations.
• about what the response of American governments at all levels should be to world demographic and environmental developments.

The roles of the citizen in American democracy: Students should be able to:

• evaluate, take, and defend positions on issues regarding personal rights.
• evaluate, take, and defend positions on issues regarding political rights.
• evaluate, take, and defend positions on the importance to American constitutional democracy of dispositions that facilitate thoughtful and effective participation in public affairs.
• explain the importance of knowledge to competent and responsible participation in American democracy.

From the National Council for the Social Studies's Expectations of Excellence: Curriculum Standards for Social Studies (1994):

Civic Ideals and Practices

• Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people create and change structures of power, authority, and governance.
• Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of ideals, principles, and practices of citizenship in a democratic republic.
• Students should participate in activities to strengthen the “common good,” based upon careful evaluation of possible options for citizen action.