CSDE Model Curricula Quick Start GuideThe African American/Black and Puerto Rican/Latino Course of Studies is a one credit, year-long elective in which students will consider the scope of African American/Black and Puerto Rican/ Latino contributions to U.S. history, society, economy, and culture. It utilizes Connecticut’s Social Studies Framework themes and inquiry-based approach already familiar to social studies teachers to deliver a content rich and personalized learning experience.The course is an opportunity for students to explore accomplishments, struggles, intersections, perspectives, and collaborations of African American/Black and Puerto Rican/Latino people in the U.S. Students will examine how historical movements, legislation, and wars affected the citizenship rights of these groups and how they, both separately and together, worked to build U.S. cultural and economic wealth and create more just societies in local, national, and international contexts.Coursework will provide students with tools to identify historic and contemporary tensions around race and difference; map economic and racial disparities over time; strengthen their own identity development; and address bias in their communities. This course will contribute to the critical consciousness and civic-mindedness competencies of a twenty-first century graduate, and ultimately facilitate students’ interest in pursuing further ethnic, anthropology, or human rights studies in the future.

In this unit, students will:• Identify tactics, mission, and accomplishments of major groups involved in the movement for equality• Investigate the causes, consequences, and historical context of key events in this time period• Evaluate how individuals, groups, and institutions in the United States have both promoted and hindered people’s struggle for freedom, equality, and social justice;• Analyze the role of the federal government in supporting and inhibiting various 20th century civil rights movements;• Analyze the role of women of color in the women’s rights movement.Compelling Question: How successful have Black Americans’ movements for equality been in transforming the dreams, status, and rights of Black Americans in the United States?Pre-Assessment: Student Identity: Imagine you are a student during the time period. Describe your school day in a onepage journal entry.

Semester 1: Unit 2 At-A-Glance: How African Americans Persisted: Slavery and Freedom Stories of Resistance and AgencyIn this unit, students will:• Analyze how Africans, African Americans, and their descendants have struggled to gain freedom, equality, and social justice.• Explore the ways in which slavery was embedded in legislation.• Investigate how multiple racial and cultural perspectives influence the interpretation of slavery.Compelling Question: How were some Africans from the global diaspora able to assert their agency to resist slavery; why were other Africans unable to do this?Pre-Assessment: Before beginning this unit, students complete a poll to survey understanding of local and global slavery that existed, the prevalence of slavery in Connecticut and the Caribbean, and the importance of slavery to the U.S. and local economies

In this unit, students will examine African American history from the political, economic, and cultural impact of Black Power to Black Lives Matter. During this era, African Americans used the vote to demand reform, created organizations such as the Black Panther Party to address police brutality, and created independent social programs. Since 1965, African Americans have made major progress, such as an increase of college graduates and decreasing the poverty rate; however, institutional racism continues to undermine the progress of African Americans and African and Black Caribbean immigrants as well as an expanding Black middle class.In this unit, students will:• Examine the impact of class and gender on how the Black community is shaped by a variety of identities, communities, and perspectives.• Analyze historical, contemporary, and emerging means of changing societies, promoting the common good, and protecting rights.• Reimagine new possibilities and more just futures for our country and our world drawn from the legacy of African American/Black experiences, intellectual thought, and culture.Compelling Questions: What are the greatest human rights issues facing America today and in the future? What does radically reimagining new possibilities and more just futures look and sound like now?Pre-Assessment: Poll students’ knowledge of political and cultural accomplishments during this time

In this unit, students will:● Explore the Latinos’ fight for independence against Spain● Explore the nationalist movements against dictatorial/non-democratic leaders in the 20th century● Analyze the power structures within the United States that influence oppressing the people and voices of the Latino world● Examine the arts as a form of resistance, strength, and communityCompelling question: With the diaspora in mind, how has the theme of resilience been illustrated in the past and present history of Latinos’ battle for equity?Pre-Assessment: Students popcorn-out what they already know about Latin American revolutions

In this unit, students will:• Analyze reasons that individuals from Puerto Rico and other Latin Americans migrated to Connecticut.• Explore the accomplishments and contributions of these individuals and their descendants to Connecticut history and culture.• Understand and examine the misconceptions and negative beliefs that have been normalized and excluded the contributions of Latinos and Puerto Ricans.Compelling question: What impact have Puerto Ricans and Latinos had on Connecticut, and what impact might they (and you) have on the future?Pre-Assessment: Students re-engage with the charts created in Semester Two, Lesson 1.0 and add to the charts using Gallery Walk protocol.