Government · Week 17 · Participation, Media, and Comparative Government
Democracy Compared
Comparing how civil society works under constitutional democracies and authoritarian regimes, and practicing the respectful disagreement that free societies depend on.
- Students will
- Students compare civil society in constitutional democracies and authoritarian regimes and describe how power is shared in the U.S. system and in a parliamentary system.
- SEL skill
- Disagree respectfully while acknowledging a point you can learn from
- What it looks like
- Students practice respectful disagreement and the humility to learn from others.
- Content focus
- Democracy compared
- Format
- Partner exchange
Relationship skills
Relationship skills mean building and keeping healthy relationships by communicating clearly, listening, cooperating, and working through conflict. More relationship skills activities
What you get
A teacher guide with what to say, step by step, plus student pages and a supports page for students with diverse learning needs, including those with IEPs. Print or Project it, or assign it in Google Forms and Google Docs for Google Classroom. Your first 10 activities are free.
Standards
- 12.3.4: CA History Social Science Content Standard, Grade 12: Principles of American Democracy (standard 12.3, item 4)
- 12.9.2: CA History Social Science Content Standard, Grade 12: Principles of American Democracy (standard 12.9, item 2)
- CA HSS Analysis Skill: HI1 Show the connections between particular historical events and larger social, economic, and political trends. (Historical Interpretation)
- C3 Framework (national): D2.Civ.8.9-12 Evaluate social and political systems in different times and places that promote civic virtues and democratic principles.
- Literacy in history: RH.11-12.9 Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in several primary and secondary sources.
Fits these textbook chapters
- Government Alive! Power, Politics, and You, Chapter 2: Comparing Forms of Government
- Government Alive! Power, Politics, and You, Chapter 17: Creating American Foreign Policy
- Government Alive! Power, Politics, and You, Chapter 18: Confronting Global Issues
- United States Government and Civics, Chapter 1: Foundations of Government
- United States Government and Civics, Chapter 23: Making Foreign and Defense Policy
- United States Government and Civics, Chapter 24: Comparing Political and Economic Systems
- Magruder's American Government, Chapter 1: Principles of Government
- Magruder's American Government, Chapter 17: Foreign Policy and National Defense
Textbook names are used only to help you find activities that fit what you teach. RoseThread Connect is not affiliated with these publishers.
More relationship skills activities for Government
- Rights That Belong to Everyone Relationship skillsExamining the freedoms in the Bill of Rights and practicing how to speak up for a right while listening closely to someone who interprets it differently.
- How a Bill Really Becomes Law Relationship skillsFollowing a bill through committee, compromise, and vote, and practicing the give and take that turns a group idea into a shared plan.
- Gratitude for a Shared Republic Relationship skillsStudents write thank you notes to a classmate who disagreed with them respectfully and to a person who serves the community.
Previous: A Free and Responsible Press · Next: Gratitude for a Shared Republic
RoseThread Connect activities are drafted with the help of AI and shaped by educators. Students never have to share anything personal. Our five SEL skills are informed by CASEL's SEL Framework; RoseThread Learning is not affiliated with or endorsed by CASEL.