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:• 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.