Idaho Social Studies 9-12.US2.45

Social StudiesGrades 9–12United States History II

The Standard

Examine United States policy on environmental issues.

Idaho Content Standards: K-12 Social Studies · Globalization, Information Technology, Terrorism, Political and Social Polarization 1992- Present

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students examine how the United States has addressed environmental problems through laws, agency rules, incentives, and international agreements. They compare what each policy does and who carries it out.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can explain how a clean-energy tax credit differs from an EPA emissions rule. They can use evidence to describe a likely benefit and a limit of each approach.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think the Paris climate agreement automatically sets enforceable US emissions limits. They may also assume presidents make environmental policy alone, without Congress, agencies, or courts.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: How do federal clean-energy tax credits and the Paris climate agreement try to cut emissions? Name one limit of each.

Lesson moves

Give pairs printed policy cards and have them sort a tax credit, an EPA emissions rule, and the Paris agreement by how each works.
Ask students to write three sentences arguing for tax credits or emissions rules, including one tradeoff for each.
Play a matching game with cards naming Congress, the EPA, and international negotiators alongside the actions each takes.
Show a local utility's fuel-mix chart and ask students which power source the utility could add using federal clean-energy incentives.

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