NYCDOE: Passport to Social Studies – Grade 10 Unit 4 Guide

Note to Teachers: To help with Remote learning, student workbook pages and/or student graphic organizers for this unit are available in Microsoft Word format on the NYCDOE TeachHub in a Google Drive folder along with Passport to Social Studies lessons that have been adjusted for remote learning. Corresponding translated workbook pages are included. Access these materials by following these instructions.

This Passport to Social Studies teacher’s guide is the fourth unit of the Global History and Geography II course, titled: Decolonization and Nationalism. This curriculum was developed by a team of NYCDOE staff and teachers, in collaboration with scholars of global history and history education. Students immerse themselves in the topic by discussing historical questions, reading and analyzing a rich collection of diverse primary and secondary sources, examining artifacts, and interpreting images, such as paintings, photographs, and maps.

In this unit, students will examine how decolonization led to independence in formerly colonized regions during the 20th century, to answer the Essential Question: Was the end of European imperialism inevitable? To evaluate their learning, students will write a historical argument that addresses this question. Students investigate how independence movements developed in response to European control and explore how these movements employed a variety of methods, including nonviolent resistance and armed struggle.

At the conclusion of the unit, students write a comparative essay analyzing two movements for decolonization to make an argument about the role of human agency and larger structural forces in creating historical change. During the unit they continue to practice contextualization skills, write with a comparative organizational structure, strengthen their ability to interpret, select, and cite accurate historical evidence, and use disciplinary vocabulary to develop their analysis.

This guide includes multiple components:
• Overview
• Day-by-Day Planner
• Model Lesson
• Unit Assessment (and rubric)
• Historical Thinking Tools and Analysis Strategies
• Key Standards
• Connections to the Regents Exam in Global History and Geography II

To evaluate student mastery of content knowledge, cognitive processes, and critical thinking skills, this unit includes opportunities for formative assessments and a performance-based unit assessment.

Please note that the NYCDOE 9-12: Passport to Social Studies materials also include a separate student Text Set for each unit.