Exploring America in the 2000s: New Millennium, New U.S. is an interdisciplinary humanities unit that looks at literature, art, and music of the 2000s to provide an understanding of how those living through the decade experienced and felt about the world around them. Through the lens of "identity," it explores life in America and the myriad groups that coexisted in harmony and, often, with friction. Cultural movements like the rise of social media and the advancements of minorities are examined alongside larger issues such as 9/11 and its profound effect on American identity, our redefined role in the War on Terror, increasing environmental awareness, and economic recession and corporate struggles. The unit uses field-tested instructional strategies for language arts and social studies from The College of William and Mary, as well as new strategies, and it includes graphic organizers and other tools for analyzing primary sources. Grades 6-8

Exploring America in the 1970s: Celebrating the Self is an interdisciplinary humanities unit that looks at literature, art, and music of the 1970s to provide an understanding of how those living through the decade experienced and felt about the world around them. Through the lens of "identity," it explores life in America and the myriad groups that coexisted in harmony and, often, with friction. Cultural movements like disco and the punk are examined alongside larger issues such as Watergate, post-Vietnam stagflation, and the birth of the women's liberation, Chicano, and gay pride movements. The unit uses field-tested instructional strategies for language arts and social studies from The College of William and Mary, as well as new strategies, and it includes graphic organizers and other tools for analyzing primary sources. It can be used to complement a social studies or language arts curriculum or as standalone material in a gifted program. Grades 6-8

Exploring America in the 1960s: Our Voices Will Be Heard is an interdisciplinary humanities unit that looks at literature, art, and music of the 1960s to provide an understanding of how those living through the decade experienced and felt about the many social changes taking place around them. Through the lens of "identity," it explores why these changes occurred and lends an ear to the voices of the groups that clamored for them. Cultural icons like the Kennedys, the Beatles, Andy Warhol, and the Beach Boys are examined alongside larger issues such as the Civil Rights and women's rights movements and the Vietnam War. The unit uses field-tested instructional strategies for language arts and social studies from The College of William and Mary, as well as new strategies, and it includes graphic organizers and other learning tools. It can be used to complement a social studies or language arts curriculum or as standalone material in a gifted program. Grades 6-8

Exploring America in the 1990s: New Horizons is an interdisciplinary humanities unit that looks at literature, art, and music of the 1990s to provide an understanding of how those living through the decade experienced and felt about the world around them. Through the lens of "identity," it explores life in America and the myriad groups that coexisted in harmony and, often, with friction. Cultural movements like grunge and Generation X will be examined alongside larger issues such as rising racial tensions following the O.J. Simpson trial and Rodney King riots, the conflict between progress and morality as scientific advances in cloning and the Internet changed the U.S., and the growing debate over previously marginalized identities and gay rights following "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and DOMA. The unit uses field-tested instructional strategies for language arts and social studies from The College of William and Mary, as well as new strategies, and it includes graphic organizers and other tools for analyzing primary sources. Grades 6-8

Exploring America in the 1980s: Living in the Material World is an interdisciplinary humanities unit that looks at literature, art, and music of the 1980s to provide an understanding of how those living through the decade experienced and felt about the many social changes taking place around them. Through the lens of "identity," it explores why these changes occurred and lends an ear to the voices of the groups that clamored for them. Cultural icons like Madonna and Bill Cosby are examined alongside larger issues such as the end of the Cold War and a changing economic and political identity. The unit uses field-tested instructional strategies for language arts and social studies from The College of William and Mary, as well as new strategies, and it includes graphic organizers and other learning tools. It can be used to complement a social studies or language arts curriculum or as standalone material in a gifted program. Grades 6-8