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Majority Rule—Minority Rights

Unit of 3 lessons

9th-12th Grade

Subjects:

Language Arts, Library / Technology, Philanthropy and Social Studies

Key Words/Concepts click to view

Lesson 1 :	ELA:	Group Discussions; Journaling
	PHIL:	Global Community
	SOC:	1 genOn; Democratic Values; Economics
Lesson 2 :	ELA:	Graphic Organizer; Journaling
	PHIL:	Minorities; Social Action; Social Justice
	SOC:	1 genOn; Citizenship/Civic Engagement; Declaration of Independence; Democratic Values; Equality; Government; Justice; Majority Rule; Minorities
Lesson 3 :	ELA:	Graphic Organizer; Journaling
	PHIL:	Minorities; Social Action; Social Justice
	SOC:	1 genOn; Citizenship/Civic Engagement; Declaration of Independence; Democratic Values; Equality; Government; Justice; Majority Rule; Minorities

Unit Overview:

Two questions that a representative democracy has to repeatedly ask and answer are:

(1) How can the people retain control over and access to their elected representatives between elections? and
(2) Will the majority govern without being corrupted by its power and violate the rights of the minority?

Students will wrestle with these fundamental questions, personalize the issues and apply the principles learned to a case study illustrating the role of the independent sector to protect the minority.

Unit Purpose:

In a civil society, we need to protect the rights of the minority in order to protect government from itself and the corrupting potential of power. It is in the enlightened self-interest of the majority to protect the rights of the minority because one day the majority will find itself in the minority. Organizations in the independent sector work to protect the rights of the minority.

Unit Objectives:

The learner will:

analyze the rights and responsibilities of the majority.
explain the interrelationship between majority rule and minority rights.
describe the rights and responsibilities of the minority.
evaluate the role of the independent sector in protecting the rights of the minority.

Service Experience:

Although lessons in this unit contain service project examples, decisions about service plans and implementation should be made by students, as age appropriate.

Prepare students to eventually participate (voluntarily) in an independent sector organization that works to protect the rights of the minority.

Unit Assessment:

Concept map
Pre and post graffiti board
Journal writing
Ordering a pizza simulation
Group collage representing "Principles of American Government"

Notes for Teaching:

This unit follows units on popular sovereignty, representative government and limited government. A bulletin board is devoted to the picture on top of a puzzle box and the title of the puzzle is "Principles of American Government." The previously cited units represent three pieces of this puzzle. Each piece is a collage created by the class. Remind the class that they are completing the two remaining pieces and that all five pieces are interrelated.

For clarification of "Principles of American Government" see Civitas and National Standards for Civics and Government.

Bibliographical References:

Bahmueller, Charles. Civitas: A Framework for Civic Education. Calabasas: Center for Civic Education, 1991. ISBN: 0-89818-124-0.
National Standards for Civics and Government. Calabasas: Center for Civic Education, 1994. ISBN: 0-89818-155-0.