Joseph A. Corsetti
This unit applies most appropriately to three of the Connecticut State Standards for the teaching of Social Studies. This can be found at the following website: http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2618&q=320898 and on the Connecitcut Council for the Social Studies website at: www.ctsocialstudies.org.
Content Standard 1: Historical Thinking: Students will develop historical thinking skills, including chronological thinking and recognizing change over time; contextualizing, comprehending and analyzing historical literature; researching historical sources; understanding the concept of historical causation; understanding competing narratives and interpretation; and constructing narratives and interpretation.
This unit addresses this standard in many ways. To begin with, students are continually asked to formulate their own questions and to think critically about the past. Also, students are asked to work deeply with primary source documents and write about the past as historians formulating their own opinions.
Content Standard 4: Applying History: Students will recognize the continuing importance of historical thinking and historical knowledge in their own lives and in the world in which they live.
To address this standard students are asked to think critically about the past, and make very specific, concrete connections to the present day. This is most evident in the forced choice debate, where students should use their knowledge of the past to support their ideas about the present.
Content Standard 6: Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens: Students will demonstrate knowledge of the rights and responsibilities of citizens to participate in and shape public policy, and contribute to the maintenance of our democratic way of life.
This standard is addressed by having students examine past public policy decisions about immigration and forced sterilization, and having them make specific connections to Richard Lynn's ideas about Parental Licensing.