WAC+Social+Studies

Writing Assignments based on Michigan Social Studies Standards. Please feel free to use the resources below to help. If you use additional resources, please link to them in the Additional Resources section.

History.Org WAC [|Plainfield WAC] Michigan WAC

Social Studies Content Strands

 * **Ideas how this subject uses writing** ||
 * Acquisition of important knowledge, concepts, and skills. Master the skills of summarizing, analysis, reflection, and evaluation. For analyzing, cause and effect, and empathy. Help students become better writers by assiting students in a deep understanding of knowledge and discipline skills in social studies.

. ||

(Colonization and Settlement) Create a list of hardships that colonists had to endure in the new world. List of reasons some one would leave their home and start over in the new world. List of first impressions that Native Americans would have of the colonists. (Thing of different clothes, weapons they carried, tools ect.)
 * **Standard** || **Writing Assignment Examples** ||
 * Standard I.I Time and ChronologyAll students will sequence chronologically the following eras ofAmerican History and key events within these eras in order toexamine relationships and to explain cause and effect: TheMeeting of Three Worlds (beginnings to 1620); Colonizationand Settlement (1585-1763); Revolution and the New Nation(1754-1815); Expansion and Reform (1801-1861); and CivilWar and Reconstruction (1850-1877); The Development of theIndustrial United States (1870-1900); The Emergence ofModern America (1890-1930); The Great Depression and WorldWar II (1929-1945); Post War United States (1945-1970); andContemporary United States (1968-present).Chronological thinking is at the very heart of historicalreasoning. Without a clear sense of historical time we arebound to see events as one great tangled mess. Events mustbe sequenced in time in order to examine relationships among them or to explain cause and effect. || (Meeting of Three Worlds)-Students may take on famous or not so well known personas of each of the three worlds and write creative journal entries describing their goals, experiences, and challenges based on their experiences during this tumultuous time in history.

Give students photos of important historical events without first explaining background information. Ask them to compile quick descriptions, assumptions, word associations based on their initial reactions. Use the images and their initial reactions to create news articles.

Interviews

Current events || List of characters Timeline Interview Sensory description of setting/visuals
 * Standard I.2 Comprehending the PastAll students will understand narratives about major eras ofAmerican and world history by identifying the people involved,describing the setting, and sequencing the events.Reading accounts of human events with understandingrequires recognition of chronological sequence—the beginning,middle, and end of a story. Comprehension also requiresidentification of the characters involved, the situation orsetting in which the narrative takes place, and the sequence ofevents through which the story unfolds, including the initiating event(s) and the results. || Multi-Genre Poster Including:

Write a letter/journal as if you were involved in a historical event. ||
 * Standard I.3 Analyzing and Interpreting the PastAll students will reconstruct the past by comparinginterpretations written by others from a variety of perspectivesand creating narratives from evidence.History is not a succession of facts marching to a settledconclusion. Written history is a human construction andconclusions about the past are tentative and arguable.Documents, eyewitness accounts, letters, diaries, artifacts,photos, historical sites, and other fragments of the past aresubject to analysis and interpretation. Credible reconstructionof the past draws upon a variety of records and comparesinterpretations that reveal more than one perspective onevents. One can engage in “doing history” by assessinghistorical narratives written by others or by creating anarrative from evidence that has been compiled, analyzed, and interpreted. || Write historical fiction: either place yourself in the event or write about a fictitious person. Recount sensory details ||
 * Standard I.4 Judging Decisions from the PastAll students will evaluate key decisions made at critical turningpoints in history by assessing their implications and long-termconsequences.At critical turning points in history, we sometimes encounterkey decisions that were made at the time. By enteringpersonally into such moments, we can confront importantissues of an era. When revisiting these issues, we can analyzethe interests and values held by those caught up in thesituation, consider alternative choices and their consequences,assess the ethical implications of possible decisions, andevaluate the decision made in light of its long-term consequences revealed in the historical record. || Create an intelligence report based on images from the Cuban Missile Crisis. After creating an intelligence brief, write a recommendation for the president & his advisors.

Role play, an example of Linda Christensen's tea party and write from the perspective of the person from the period. ||
 * Strand II. Geographic PerspectiveStudents will use knowledge of spatial patterns on earth tounderstand processes that shape human environments and tomake decisions about society.Knowledge of geography enables us to analyze both thephysical features and the cultural aspects of our world. Byhelping us understand relationships within and between places,a geographic perspective brings an understanding ofinterdependence within local, national, and globalcommunities. Over time and in varying contexts, studentsconstruct an increasingly sophisticated geographic perspective organized by the following themes: || Have students pick a country and an I-search paper ||
 * Standard II.I Diversity of People, Places, and CulturesAll students will describe, compare, and explain the locationsand characteristics of places, cultures, and settlements.The mosaic of people, places, and cultures expresses the richvariety of the earth. Natural and human characteristics meldto form expressions of cultural uniqueness, as well assimilarities among peoples. Culture is the way of life of agroup of people including language, religion, traditions, family structure, institutions, and economic activities. ||  ||
 * Standard II.2 Human/Environment InteractionAll students will describe, compare, and explain the locationsand characteristics of ecosystems, resources, humanadaptation, environmental impact, and the interrelationshipsamong them.Understanding human/environment interaction enables one toconsider how people rely on the environment, how they alter it,how it may limit what they are able to do, and theconsequences of actions for both people and the natural environment. ||  ||
 * Standard II.3 Location, Movement, and ConnectionsAll students will describe, compare, and explain the locationsand characteristics of economic activities, trade, politicalactivities, migration, information flow, and theinterrelationships among them.Locations are connected by different transportation andcommunication networks that channel the movement of people,goods, and information. Location of places along the networksis important in analyzing why some places are different in sizeand complexity from other places, what connections havedeveloped, why movement occurs, and the consequences of different types of movement. ||  ||
 * Standard II.4 Regions, Patterns, and ProcessesAll students will describe and compare characteristics ofecosystems, states, regions, countries, major world regions,and patterns and explain the processes that created them.The world can be viewed systematically or regionally. Climatic,economic, political, and cultural patterns are created byprocesses such as climatic systems, communication networks,international trade, political systems, and population changes.A region is an area with unifying characteristics. By definingregions, we are able to divide the world into parts in order to study their uniqueness and relationships. ||  ||
 * Standard II.5 Global Issues and EventsAll students will describe and explain the causes,consequences, and geographic context of major global issuesand events.Places are interconnected by global processes. Throughout theworld, people are increasingly linked by physical and humansystems. Interdependence can be understood through thestudy of events that have significance beyond regional or national boundaries. ||  ||
 * Strand III. Civic PerspectiveStudents will use knowledge of American government andpolitics to make informed decisions about governing theircommunities.Knowledge of government enables individuals to define theroles of citizens within a constitutional democracy and tocompare the American system of government with othersystems. Civic knowledge builds understanding about theexercise of power. With knowledge of government and politics,citizens are equipped to evaluate domestic and internationalpolicy and to exert influence in public affairs. Over time and invarying contexts, students construct an increasinglysophisticated civic perspective organized by the following themes: ||  ||
 * Standard III.I Purposes of GovernmentAll students will identify the purposes of national, state, andlocal governments in the United States, describe how citizensorganize government to accomplish their purposes and assesstheir effectiveness.All societies establish governments to serve intended purposes.The purposes served by a government and the priorities sethave significant consequences for the individual and society. Inorder to accomplish their purposes, governments organize themselves in different ways. ||  ||
 * Standard III.2 Ideals of American DemocracyAll students will explain the meaning and origin of the ideas,including the core democratic values expressed in theDeclaration of Independence, the Constitution, and otherfoundational documents of the United States.American constitutional democracy is founded on a core set ofvalues expressed in the nation’s foundational documents. Ashared commitment to these values bonds Americans with acommon identity and provides social cohesion. Political andlegal processes are created to clarify the meaning of values inthe American creed and to resolve conflicts among those values. ||  ||


 * || **Writing Assignment Examples** ||
 * Standard III.3 Democracy in ActionAll students will describe the political and legal processescreated to make decisions, seek consensus, and resolveconflicts in a free society.In a free society, there are inevitable conflicts that arise fromthe clash of various interests, perceptions, and beliefs.Responsible citizens learn to confront these conflicts and towork toward resolving them within the boundaries of democratic procedures. ||  ||
 * Standard III.4 American Government and PoliticsAll students will explain how American governmentalinstitutions at the local, state, and federal levels provide for thelimitation and sharing of power and how the nation’s politicalsystem provides for the exercise of power.The American system of government is based on shared power.Citizens who operate effectively within the federal system understand its institutions and how to work within them. ||  ||
 * Standard III.5 American Government and World AffairsAll students will understand how the world is organizedpolitically, the formation of American foreign policy, and theroles the United States plays in the international arena.The United States is part of an interconnected world whichrequires citizens to understand how the world is organizedpolitically, the process by which foreign policy is formulated, and the roles that our nation plays in the international arena. ||  ||
 * Strand IV. Economic PerspectiveStudents will use knowledge of the production, distribution,and consumption of goods and services to make personal andsocietal decisions about the use of scarce resources.Knowledge of economics enables us to understand and considerpotential implications of the basic scarcity problem faced by allsocieties: unlimited wants in pursuit of limited resources. Thisproblem requires economic decisions on matters ranging frompersonal finance to international trade. Each decision involvesboth short- and long-term benefits as well as costs. When weact upon our choice, the loss of the next best alternative is ouropportunity cost. Individuals, households, businesses, andgovernments all face choices in attempting to satisfy unlimitedwants from scarce resources. Successful economic decisionsrequire a thorough examination of alternative choices and the anticipation of both intended and unintended consequences. ||  ||
 * Standard IV.I Individual and Household ChoicesAll students will describe and demonstrate how the economicforces of scarcity and choice affect the management of personalfinancial resources, shape consumer decisions regarding thepurchase, use, and disposal of goods and services, and affectthe economic well-being of individuals and society.The quality of individual decision-making is crucial to theeffective operation of the economic system and to the personalwell-being of its members. Consumer decisions regarding thepurchase, use, and disposal of goods and services are shaped byeconomic forces. As workers, consumers, savers, and investors,individuals confront scarcity and the opportunity costs (loss of the next best alternative) of their choices. ||  ||
 * Standard IV.2 Business ChoicesAll students will explain and demonstrate how businessesconfront scarcity and choice when organizing, producing, andusing resources, and when supplying the marketplace.Businesses confront both scarcity and opportunity costs. Theymake decisions in organizing production, using resources, andsupplying the marketplace that have individual and societalconsequences. Their choices are affected by the incentives they face and the conditions in which they operate. ||  ||
 * Standard IV.3 Role of GovernmentAll students will describe how government decisions ontaxation, spending, public goods, and regulation impact what isproduced, how it is produced, and who receives the benefits ofproduction.Government decisions on taxation, spending, public goods, andregulation all impact what is produced, how it is produced, andwho receives the benefits of production. Governments also make efforts to resolve economic disputes and problems. ||  ||
 * Standard IV.4 Economic systemsAll students will explain how a free market economic systemworks, as well as other economic systems, to coordinate andfacilitate the exchange, production, distribution, andconsumption of goods and services.Individuals, businesses, and governments construct systems forproducing, distributing, and consuming goods and services.These systems coordinate economic decisions, facilitateexchange, and encourage specialization in the marketplace. They are constantly evolving as we continue to confront scarcity. ||  ||
 * Standard IV.5 TradeAll students will describe how trade generates economicdevelopment and interdependence and analyze the resultingchallenges and benefits for individuals, producers, andgovernment.The voluntary exchange of goods, services, and paymentsbetween individuals, regions, and nations is the basis foreconomic development. The resulting interdependence createsboth benefits and challenges for individuals, producers, and governments. ||  ||
 * Strand V. InquiryStudents will use methods of social science investigation toanswer questions about society.Inquiry, an essential component of effective decision-making,is the process of investigating problems of significance tosociety. Some problems can be sufficiently examined throughthe lens of a single discipline. Other problems, by their verynature, encompass more than one discipline. If citizens are tomake sound decisions in efforts to solve social problems, theymust learn how to pursue data, think critically, andcommunicate their findings effectively. Over time and invarying contexts, students will improve their ability to use the following procedures: ||  ||
 * Standard V.I Information ProcessingAll students will acquire information from books, maps,newspapers, data sets, and other sources, organize andpresent the information in maps, graphs, charts, and timelines, interpret the meaning and significance of information,and use a variety of electronic technologies to assist inaccessing and managing information.The ability to acquire information from books, maps,newspapers, data sets, and other sources, skill in organizingand presenting information in maps, graphs, charts, timelines, and the ability to interpret the meaning and significanceof data all continue to be vital skills. In addition, technologyhas become a critical part of the information age. Studentsmust have experiences in using computers, media, andtelecommunication technology to access and process information. ||  ||
 * Standard V.2 Conducting InvestigationsAll students will conduct investigations by formulating a clearstatement of a question, gathering and organizing informationfrom a variety of sources, analyzing and interpretinginformation, formulating and testing hypotheses, reportingresults both orally and in writing, and making use ofappropriate technology.Social science investigations usually begin with the clearstatement of a question meaningful to the investigator.Gathering and organizing information from a variety ofsources, interpreting and analyzing information, formulatingand testing of hypotheses, and reporting of results aresubsequent steps of the inquiry process. Computers and otherelectronic technology may be used to access and manageinformation during an investigation and to report results. Investigations can be carried out by individuals or groups. ||  ||
 * Strand VI. Public Discourse and Decision MakingStudents will analyze public issues and construct and expressthoughtful positions on these issues.Public issues are unresolved questions of policy that requireresolution if people are to govern themselves coherently. Theyarise in all communities where members make decisionscollectively. In order to foster informed consent of thegoverned, the social studies curriculum engages students inefforts to deliberate local, national, and international publicpolicy issues of enduring importance. Over time and invarying contexts, students improve their ability to produce the following kinds of discourse: ||  ||
 * Standard VI.I Identifying and Analyzing IssuesAll students will state an issue clearly as a question of publicpolicy, trace the origins of the issue, analyze variousperspectives people bring to the issue, and evaluate possibleways to resolve the issue.Whether a public issue is local or global in scope, the processof resolution begins by stating the issue clearly as a questionof policy. The origins of the issue are then traced: How did itbecome a matter of disagreement or dispute? In tracing theorigins of the issue, various perspectives that people bring to itare acknowledged. Analysis then moves to identifyingsubordinate ethical, factual, and definitional issues that must be settled in order to resolve the policy issue. ||  ||


 * **Standard** || **Writing Assignment Examples** ||
 * Standard VI.2 Group DiscussionAll students will engage their peers in constructiveconversation about matters of public concern by clarifyingissues, considering opposing views, applying democraticvalues, anticipating consequences, and working toward makingdecisions.In a democratic society, citizens engage one another in face-tofaceconversation about matters of public concern stemmingfrom significant past and current events. Through such publictalk they clarify issues and work to resolve them by carefullyconsidering opposing views, applying democratic values, and anticipating consequences. ||  ||
 * Standard VI.3 Persuasive WritingAll students will compose coherent written essays that expressa position on a public issue and justify the position withreasoned arguments.Coherently composing thoughts about civic issues requiresclarification and refinement of thinking. To be persuasive,writing must reflect consideration of alternative perspectiveson an issue and express a decision justified with reasoned arguments. ||  ||
 * Strand VII. Citizen InvolvementStudents will act constructively to further the public good.To sustain a democratic society, we must produce citizens whoare actively involved in public affairs and who regulate theirown conduct virtuously. The social studies curriculumprepares students to participate in political activities, to servetheir communities, and to regulate themselves responsibly.Over time and in varying contexts, students will demonstrate the following: ||  ||
 * Standard VII.I Responsible Personal ConductAll students will consider the effects of an individual’s actionson other people, how one acts in accordance with the rule oflaw, and how one acts in a virtuous and ethically responsibleway as a member of society.Responsible citizens address social problems by participatingconstructively in their communities. They also consider theeffects of their actions on other people and they act inaccordance with the rule of law to meet their ethical obligations. ||  ||




 * **Additional Resources** ||