There will always be issues that we disagree with and would like to see changed, but we tend to minimize our role in society. How many times have you thought to yourself, “I’m only one person”? This seminar will explain the important role you play in government. You might not feel like you play an important role, but you do! The “dem” in “democracy” comes from the Greek word demos, meaning “people.” There are many ways that you can be actively engaged in your local, state, and federal government. In this seminar, you will learn about the rights and responsibilities you have as an American citizen and what you can do to help on a small and large scale.StandardsCC.8.6.9.-10.C--Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.5.2.9.C--Examine political leadership and public service in a republican form of government.5.2.9.D--Analyze citizens’ role in the political process toward the attainment of goals for individual and public good.

The 1960s and 70s comprised some of the most tumultuous eras in American history. The people were using their voices to express dissatisfaction with their government. This lesson provides a brief history of America’s involvement in Vietnam and surrounding areas. The focal point of the lesson is the resistance on the American homefront. In this lesson, you will discover first-hand how men were drafted for the Vietnam War and understand the draft’s role in the anti-war movement of the 1960s and 70s. You will analyze and interpret multiple primary source documents to consider anti-war sentiment in the United States.  StandardsCC.8.5.11-12.A: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.CC.8.6.11-12.A: Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.

In this lesson, you will examine how popular music reflects the diverse attitudes of the American people at different times throughout history.  Through hands-on activities, you will learn how music can empower people to fight for a common cause. You will discover how protest songs evolved throughout history. For the culminating activity, you will create an annotated playlist of your top ten protest songs of all time.StandardsCC.8.5.9-10.D: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social science.

In this project, you will explore a real-world problem, and then work through a series of steps to analyze that problem, research ways the problem could be solved, then propose a possible solution to that problem. Often, there are no specific right or wrong solutions, but sometimes one particular solution may be better than others. The key is making sure you fully understand the problem, have researched some possible solutions, and have proposed the solution that you can support with information / evidence.Begin by reading the problem statement in Step 1. Take the time to review all the information provided in the statement, including exploring the websites, videos and / or articles that are linked. Then work on steps 2 through 8 to complete this problem-based learning experience.This project addresses the following:Habits of Mind: Creating, imagining, innovatingCritical Thinking Skills: Analyze/evaluate