Social Studies,
Although they have suffered severe losses, the Confederacy clings to independence. The goal of Generals Sheridan and Sherman is to break the Confederate will in their campaigns of destruction. Their success will influence the reelection of Abraham Lincoln.
As Grant sought to win the war, hundreds and thousands of lives would be sacrificed at places such as Cold Harbor, the Battle of the Crater and even in the D.C. area as Gen. Jubal Early approached the capital city. Using the work of Post staffers we examine how the Civil War’s casualties and those of today’s conflicts and wars can be understood in words and through informational graphics.
We focus on three areas in which governments deal with the legal and ethical obligations to provide education of good quality, without discrimination or exclusion: the rights of girls, children with physical disabilities, and undocumented students. We explore the issue through Washington Post articles, a guest commentary and an editorial; case studies, an e-Replica search and Think Like a Reporter activity.
South Africa, rich in culture and the arts, presents a case study for independence, democracy and economic sanctions. Activities and articles help students to understand apartheid, its dismantling and the leadership of Nelson Mandela.
Advances in technology permit exploration deeper into oceans and over wide expanses of uninhabited or unexplored lands. Centuries-old maps provide direction for modern-day trekkers seeking to follow in early pilgrims’ footsteps, modern maps allow comparison, and 3-D maps give dimension to discoveries above and below sea level.
Demanding equality for all, black Americans exercised First Amendment rights of speech, assembly and petition for a redress of grievances. The civil rights movement needed leaders, but grassroots efforts and demands of Americans brought about change.
The Sixteenth Amendment, establishing a federal income tax, was ratified in February 1913. In order to understand the working of taxes, students need to see how taxes will influence budgeting on the personal and government levels. Students are not that far off from needing to budget their own lives and they need to know where their money is going, not just how they earn it.
The United States Constitution requires the president submit his nominations for appointment for Senate confirmation. Members of the Cabinet and independent agencies fulfill the executive role of enforcing the laws passed by Congress. Each supervises its areas of responsibility, collaborates on shared interests and handles complex issues. Real examples are illustrated through the U.S. relationship with Mexico and Canada.
The National Gallery of Art exhibit, Shock of the News, is the inspiration for this Washington Post NIE curriculum guide. The show exhibited works of artists who incorporated newspapers in their compositions — from Pablo Picasso’s use in 1912 of a fragment of a newspaper. The suggested art activities span the sections of The Washington Post and the variety of mediums found in the National Gallery of Art’s exhibit. The projects can be assigned in many disciplines and all grade levels.
Primary documents — including diaries, photographs and eyewitness accounts — provide insight into the history of slavery in the District of Columbia and Lincoln's decision to end slavery in D.C. The D.C. Emancipation Act was the first step towards equality and enfranchisement of the modern Civil Rights Movement.
