Idaho Social Studies 9-12.GOV.11

Social StudiesGrades 9–12American Government

The Standard

Understand the shared values and aspirations of Americans including liberty, egalitarianism, individualism, and laissez-faire government.

Idaho Content Standards: K-12 Social Studies · Foundations of the American Political System

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students explain four common American beliefs in plain language: personal freedom, equal standing, self-reliance, and limited government involvement in the economy. They use a policy choice to show where those beliefs agree or pull against one another.
What Mastery Looks Like: Given a minimum wage proposal, a student can explain why someone might support it as a matter of fairness and oppose it as government interference with business. They can name the belief behind each argument and use a detail from the proposal to support their answer.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think equality means everyone must earn the same amount, or that individualism means people never help each other. They may take laissez-faire to mean no government rules at all, rather than limited government involvement in the economy.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: A city proposes raising the minimum wage. Write one reason someone might support it and one reason someone might oppose it. Name the belief behind each reason.

Lesson moves

Give pairs value cards and policy cards for minimum wage, business licenses, and protest permits; have them sort matches and defend one disputed match.
Ask: Can a higher minimum wage help workers while limiting business choice? Have students write two sentences, one for each claim.
Post four value signs; read a shop owner sets prices without government rules, then ask students to move and explain their choice.
Show a sample food truck permit with a handwashing rule; students explain why government might limit a seller's freedom.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 9-12.GOV.11, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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