HOME | Arts | Health | Language Arts | Math/Science | Social Studies | World Languages | Glossary

Alaska Department of Education & Early Development

Government/Citizenship Standards D-F

A student should understand the role of the United States in international affairs.
A student who meets this standard should:	Primary level (ages 5 to 7) Activities	Level 1 (ages 8 to 10) Activities
(1) be able to analyze how domestic politics, the principles of the United States Constitution, foreign policy, and economics affect relations with other countries;		Identify products from different countries that are present in the students' homes. Graph the products' countries of origin and determine those countries that produce the most goods in the students' homes.
(2) be able to evaluate circumstances in which the United States has politically influenced other nations and how other nations have influenced the politics and society of the United States;	Identify Alaska's position among the continents of the world on a globe or polar projection map.	Read a newspaper article about an event in another country and describe how it might affect America.
(3) understand how national politics and international affairs are interrelated with the politics and interests of the state;		Make a class collage on a current event with information taken from newspapers and magazines.
(4) understand the purpose and function of international governmental and non-governmental organizations in the world today; and		Research the origins and works of UNICEF and celebrate its success.
(5) be able to analyze the causes, consequences, and possible solutions to current international issues.		Study the origin of the Arctic Whaling Commission. Discuss current policies dealing with the harvesting of whales in Japan, Norway, and the United States.

Government/Citizenship Standard D

A student should understand the role of the United States in international affairs.
A student who meets this standard should:	Level 2 (ages 12 to 14) Activities	Level 3 (ages 16 to 18) Activities
(1) be able to analyze how domestic politics, the principles of the United States Constitution, foreign policy, and economics affect relations with other countries	Contrast the doctrine of "America First" with responsibilities within the community and to the world at large.	Contrast foreign policy in resource-rich and resource-poor regions of the world.
(2) be able to evaluate circumstances in which the United States has politically influenced other nations and how other nations have influenced the politics and society of the United States	Compare the constitutions of the Philippines, Korea, Japan with the U.S. Constitution. What elements were borrowed by these Asian nations?	Debate historical foreign policy positions such as .isolationism, world wars, fisheries treaties and trade, and evaluate their consequences on the U.S. and Alaska.
(3) understand how national politics and international affairs are interrelated with the politics and interests of the state;	Compare your community with the "ideal northern community" as expressed in the Northern Cities Conference. Debate future planning for your community.	Show a video demonstrating how Alaska is tied to the circumpolar north through the Northern Forum.
(4) understand the purpose and function of international governmental and non-governmental organizations in the world today; and	Simulate the U.N. Security Council.	Read the Charter of the U.N. Write an essay, "What percentage of the United Nations budget should the U.S. fund?"
(5) be able to analyze the causes, consequences, and possible solutions to current international issues.	Study and analyze the drug trade in Colombia. Debate solutions.	Analyze the role of the United Nations in responding to a particular international crisis.

Note: These activities are not state requirements or performance objectives, but rather examples of ways to interpret the standard's key elements; each district will determine its own benchmarks and develop its own set of activities.

Government/Citizenship Standard E

A student should have the knowledge and skills necessary to participate effectively as informed and responsible citizens.
A student who meets this standard should:	Primary level (ages 5 to 7) Activities	Level 1 (ages 8 to 10) Activities
(1) know the important characteristics of citizenship;	Vote on classroom issues.	Create a visual display illustrating how to get a good citizenship grade on the report card.
(2) recognize that it is important for citizens to fulfill their public responsibilities;		Given a particular issue, explain the personal responsibility to self and the public responsibility to the class.
(3) be able to exercise political participation by discussing public issues, building consensus, becoming involved in political parties and political campaigns, and voting;	Discuss elections when they occur in the community.	Identify and explain an issue of public concern that is of personal interest (e.g., a bike path, nature trail).
(4) be able to establish, explain, and apply criteria useful in evaluating rules and laws;	Help establish classroom rules.	Cooperatively develop rules for the classroom.
(5) be able to establish, explain, and apply criteria useful in selecting political leaders;	Discuss who should be the leader if no adults are present.	Read biographies. Identify qualities of a leader based on the readings. Pick people from the newspaper who fit these criteria.
(6) recognize the value of community service; and	Participate in a community service project in the school.	Participate in a community service project in the school.
(7) be able to implement ways of solving problems and resolving conflict.	Practice conflict resolution in the classroom.	Consider alternative solutions to problems and consider the consequences of each solution.

Government/Citizenship Standard E

A student should have the knowledge and skills necessary to participate effectively as informed and responsible citizens.
A student who meets this standard should:	Level 2 (ages 12 to 14) Activities	Level 3 (ages 16 to 18) Activities
(1) know the important characteristics of citizenship;	Create a picture book for preschool children which demonstrates the important characteristics of citizenship.	Describe and create (in writing or drawing) a perfect voter.
(2) recognize that it is important for citizens to fulfill their public responsibilities;	Given a particular issue, explain the difference between personal and public responsibilities.	Role play a situation in which you know a friend is involved in illegal activities. What are your responsibilities as a friend? As a citizen?
(3) be able to exercise political participation by discussing public issues, building consensus, becoming involved in political parties and political campaigns, and voting;	Research an issue of interest and be able to take and defend a position on that issue.	Resolve a current problem (e.g., trash on the highway, graffiti, polluting cars, vandalism). Consider the effectiveness of the following measures in dealing with this problem: voting, attending political meetings, contacting public officials, working in campaigns, writing letters to political parties or interest groups.
(4) be able to establish, explain, and apply criteria useful in evaluating rules and laws;	Participate in a policy-making simulation; e.g., rules for the school, neighborhood covenants, pet ordinances.	Consider drinking laws. Determine what criteria lawmakers should use in setting an age limit for alcohol consumption.
(5) be able to establish, explain, and apply criteria useful in selecting political leaders;	Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of candidates in terms of the qualifications required for a particular leadership role.	Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of candidates in terms of the qualifications required for the position.
(6) recognize the value of community service; and	Participate in a community service project in the school or community.	Plan and implement a community service project in the school or community designed to serve one of the purposes of government.
(7) be able to implement ways of solving problems and resolving conflict.	Consider alternative solutions to problems using mediation, negotiation and arbitration skills.	Role play small claims court in the classroom, assigning the roles of judge, defendant, plaintiff, and attorneys. Role play mediation for the same problems. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each system.

Note: These activities are not state requirements or performance objectives, but rather examples of ways to interpret the standard's key elements; each district will determine its own benchmarks and develop its own set of activities.

Government/Citizenship Standard F

A student should understand the economies of the United States and the state and their relationships to the global economy.
A student who meets this standard should:	Primary level (ages 5 to 7) Activities	Level 1 (ages 8 to 10) Activities
(1) understand how the government and the economy interrelate through regulations, incentives, and taxation;		Discuss the hypothetical question: Who will pay for a needed new school in your community?
(2) be aware that economic systems determine how resources are used to produce and distribute goods and services;	Locate up to five businesses in the community and list the goods and services they provide.	Give examples of the different types of economic resources: land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurship.
(3) be able to compare alternative economic systems;		Make a chart comparing traditional, command, and market types of activities that occur within the family.
(4) understand the role of price in resource allocation;		Role play the sale of a personal belonging such as bicycle, snowboard, etc.
(5) understand the basic concepts of supply and demand, the market system, and profit;	Take part in setting up a classroom store and identify and role play consumer/seller roles within the store.	Use a demand schedule to survey the student body to determine how many of a given good (cookies, friendship bracelets, etc.) they would be willing to buy at various prices.
(6) understand the role of economic institutions in the United States, including the Federal Reserve Board, trade unions, banks, investors and the stock market;		Dramatize the play, " ", which demonstrates the role of money, banks, and other economic institutions.
(7) understand the role of self interest, incentives, property rights, competition, and corporate responsibility in the market economy;	Write letters to local businesses concerning a local issue or concern.	Define those incentives which parents use to affect behavior at home.
(8) understand the indicators of an economy's performance, including gross domestic product, inflation, and the unemployment rate.		Hold a classroom auction over a number of rounds, increasing the money supply during each round (e.g., using different currencies such as coins, popcorn, beans) to demonstrate the causes of inflation.
(9) understand those features of the economy of the state that make it unique, including the importance of natural resources, government ownership and management of resources, Alaska Native regional corporations, the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation, the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, and the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority; and	Define the Alaska Permanent Dividend Fund.	Draw a resource map of Alaska indicating locations of various natural resources.
(10) understand how international trade works.		Graph the origins of students' clothing over time. Classify by type of clothing and determine patterns.

Government/Citizenship Standard F

A student should understand the economies of the United States and the state and their relationships to the global economy.
A student who meets this standard should:	Level 2 (ages 12 to 14) Activities	Level 3 (ages 16 to 18) Activities
(1) understand how the government and the economy interrelate through regulations, incentives, and taxation;	Analyze government policies designed to remedy pollution and bank degradation on the Kenai river.	Trace the effects of a tax on cigarettes on smoking behavior.
(2) be aware that economic systems determine how resources are used to produce and distribute goods and services;	Demonstrate an understanding of the role of money in the economy and describe how some business activities occur without money.	Explain why wages are higher in Alaska than in other parts of the country.
(3) be able to compare alternative economic systems;	Design a game that illustrates precontact Alaska Native economic systems.	Describe and analyze the different goals of the different economic systems.
(4) understand the role of price in resource allocation;	Construct a mind map to illustrate how the change in the price of movie tickets would alter movie-going behavior.	Find examples from the newspaper of the effects of price changes on purchasing behavior (e.g., housing, produce, etc.)
(5) understand the basic concepts of supply and demand, the market system, and profit;	Write a story to show how passengers shipwrecked on an island would decide how to allocate the available resources.	Find examples from the newspaper that illustrate changes in supply and demand on prices.
(6) understand the role of economic institutions in the United States, including the Federal Reserve Board, trade unions, banks, investors and the stock market;	Design and play a game that shows how banks create money.	Play the stock market game.
(7) understand the role of self interest, incentives, property rights, competition, and corporate responsibility in the market economy;	Explain why elephant populations are healthier in Zimbabwe than Kenya.	Discuss the role of self interest in the allocation of resources in a market economy.
(8) understand the indicators of an economy's performance, including gross domestic product, inflation, and the unemployment rate.	Classify a series of years as periods of recession or expansion by analyzing the economic data.	Chart, compare, and discuss patterns over time of GDP price levels and unemployment rates over time.
(9) understand those features of the economy of the state that make it unique, including the importance of natural resources, government ownership and management of resources, Alaska Native regional corporations, the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation, the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, and the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority; and	Interview officers in a Native regional or village corporation and find out the history and roles of the corporations in the state's economy.	Describe how the Permanent Fund was created and discuss how it can best be used to help Alaskans in the present and future.
(10) understand how international trade works.	Set up a Mini-Society trading simulation between classrooms.	Discuss the comparative advantage of Alaska and Japan using a resource inventory.

Note: These activities are not state requirements or performance objectives, but rather examples of ways to interpret the standard's key elements; each district will determine its own benchmarks and develop its own set of activities.

Government/Citizenship Standard G

A student should understand the impact of economic choices and be able to participate effectively in the local, state, national and global economies.
A student who meets this standard should:	Primary level (ages 5 to 7) Activities	Level 1 (ages 8 to 10) Activities
(1) be able to apply economic principles to actual world situations;		Discuss the opportunity cost of watching television at night.
(2) understand that choices are made because resources are scarce;	Conduct a school or grade-level survey of a local concern.	Given a scarce resource (e.g., a candy bar), brainstorm ways to choose how to use the resource.
(3) be able to identify and compare the costs and benefits when making choices;	View and discuss "The Value of Things" filmstrip series.	Plan a class outing by choosing from among given choices (each with varying benefits and costs for different groups of students).
(4) be able to make informed choices on economic issues;		Participate in KidsVote. Ahead of time, discuss the economic issues involved.
(5) understand how jobs are created and their role in the economy;	View and discuss "The Value of Things" filmstrip series.	Participate in a MiniSociety simulation.
(6) understand that wages and productivity depend on investment in physical and human capital; and	View and discuss "The Value of Things" filmstrip series.	Write a story to show how a particular machine makes someone's job easier.
(7) understand that economic choices influence public and private institutional decisions.	View and discuss "The Value of Things" filmstrip series.	Learn the cost of keeping the school gym open after school hours. Discuss other possible uses for that money.

Government/Citizenship Standard G

A student should understand the impact of economic choices and be able to participate effectively in the local, state, national and global economies.
A student who meets this standard should:	Level 2 (ages 12 to 14) Activities	Level 3 (ages 16 to 18) Activities
(1) be able to apply economic principles to actual world situations;	Given a list of school and community decisions, describe the opportunity costs of each.	Debate a current political issue using economic principles and information in the news and political advertisements.
(2) understand that choices are made because resources are scarce;	Give examples of scarce and free goods and describe how choices are made about the use of these goods.	Describe the resources used in a recycling program and the cost of those resources.
(3) be able to identify and compare the costs and benefits when making choices;	Identify the benefits and costs of building the transAlaska pipeline.	Use a decision-making grid to decide whether a recycling program makes sense in the local community.
(4) be able to make informed choices on economic issues;	Attend a public meeting to observe the process by which a community decision is made.	Analyze trade-off involved in a government spending decision.
(5) understand how jobs are created and their role in the economy;	Undertake a specialization simulation in which students produce various products.	Illustrate the circular flow for the local community.
(6) understand that wages and productivity depend on investment in physical and human capital; and	Interview people in different jobs and ask them to list the reasons they selected the occupation. Analyze the different benefits, incentives, costs and risks that influenced their choice.	Undertake a productivity simulation in which supplies of capital and labor vary at different stages during the simulation.
(7) understand that economic choices influence public and private institutional decisions.	Use a social decision-making grid where the goals of a society are listed to make social choices.	Participate in a legislative simulation by assuming roles of various interest groups and their economic interest in proposed legislation.

Note: These activities are not state requirements or performance objectives, but rather examples of ways to interpret the standard's key elements; each district will determine its own benchmarks and develop its own set of activities.