Introduction:Our first unit of World History will be to evaluate the current social, political, environmental, cultural and economic issues that currently face our neighbor to the south and explore the historical events that helped shape them. Our unit will be focused around the below key questions:

1. What are the SPICE elements and how do we apply them to better understand any society?
2. What are the key aspects of Mexico's physical and human geography and how have they shaped their development?
3. What are the roots of racial and economic inequality in Mexico?
4. How did Mexico gain its independence from its colonial masters and how has did its political system evolve in the 19th Century?
5. How did Mexico's economy modernize and who/what are the winners and losers from this process?
6. What are the roots of Mexico's War on Drugs and how has it lead to the current conflict?
7. How does political corruption impact Mexico and how have some citizens attempted to challenge the system?

8. How can we use art to help represent and analyze the social, political, environmental, cultural and economic realities of a nation?
Resources:
We will be drawing from a number of historical (primary and secondary) and modern sources for this unit that will all be uploaded or linked to in the unit calendar below. Most resources will be provided in hard copy during class and students are expected to file all teacher provided resources in their World History binder.
Assessment
Throughout our unit you will learn content and practice historical skills to help demonstrate mastery of the below standards. These standards will be used to design assessment rubrics and to report on your attainment in World History.

Informative/Narrative Writing (4 Standards)
Writing 1: Focus/Thesis/Theme: I can clearly develop and identify the main point of my writing.
Writing 2: Evidence/Historical Details: I can use a variety of types of evidence to support my main point. 
Writing 3: Historical Analysis: I can create a compelling and cogent argument
Writing 4: Social Studies Writing: I can organize my ideas, write using proper citations, and use a variety of writing strategies. 

Historical Thinking/Concepts (4)
HT1: Significance (Identifications): I can define key terms and explain how they are important to the understanding of the historical topic.
HT 2: Cause and Effect: I can explain the causes and effects of complex historical events.
HT 3: Perspectives (OPVL Source Analysis): I can analyze the value and limitations of a variety of types of sources in regards to studying history.
HT 4: Change & Continuity: I can explain how themes in history have remained the same and how they have changed.

Life Skills (2)
LS 1: 21st Century Life Skills: I can collaborate with my peers to discuss and support complex ideas, and use technology responsibly to explore the past and present.
LS2: 21st Geography: I can effectively apply geographic knowledge and skills to better interpret the past



Unit Calendar
The Calendar outlines the plan for our day to day in class activities and the homework that will be assigned. The expectation is that students complete all homework assignments for the next lesson unless otherwise indicated on the calendar. While we would like this to be set in stone, unforeseen events and intriguing tangents might change the plan so if you are ever in doubt on what is due and when, please ask!