Sunshine Civics Curriculum Guide
Florida Standards Aligned SS.912.CG.2 • SS.912.CG.3 • SS.912.CG.4
Sunshine Civics Curriculum Guide
Second-Half Instructional Roadmap • High School U.S. Government (Course #2106010 / FCLE)
Pacing Window Weeks 10 – 18 (Q3/Q4) Post-Statehood Baseline
Completed Prerequisite Content (First Half) Foundations (CG.1), Three Federal Branches (CG.3.1-3.10), & Statehood/Territories (CG.3.11)
Target Capstone Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE) Mastery
Semester 2 Pacing Architecture (9 Weeks Remaining)
WEEKS 10–11 Unit 4: Florida State & Local Gov SS.912.CG.3.12, 3.13
WEEKS 12–14 Unit 5: Rights, Liberties & Courts SS.912.CG.2.1 – 2.5
WEEKS 15–16 Unit 6: Civic Action & Elections SS.912.CG.2.6 – 2.11, 3.14
WEEKS 17–18 Unit 7: Comparative & FCLE Sprint SS.912.CG.4.1 – 4.4, FCLE
UNIT 4
Florida State & Local Governance
Weeks 10–11 • 10 Days • Standards CG.3.12 & CG.3.13
Florida Constitutional Architecture
- 1968 FL Constitution: Compare Declaration of Rights (Art. I) with U.S. Bill of Rights (e.g., explicit right to privacy).
- Plural Executive: Governor + independently elected Florida Cabinet (Attorney General, CFO, Comm. of Agriculture).
- Legislature: 40 Senators & 120 Representatives; annual 60-day regular session; balanced budget mandate.
- Florida Judiciary: Supreme Court (7 justices), District Courts of Appeal, Circuit & County courts; merit retention voting.
Local Authorities & Sunshine Laws
- 67 Counties: Board of County Commissioners vs. Charter forms; independent School Boards.
- Constitutional Officers: Sheriff, Tax Collector, Property Appraiser, Supervisor of Elections, Clerk of Court.
- Municipalities & Special Districts: Mayor-Council vs. Council-Manager; Water Management districts.
- FL Sunshine Law: Art. I, Sec. 24 & Chapter 119 open public records and open meetings mandates.
Essential Inquiry "How does Florida's plural executive and constitutional design balance local autonomy with statewide governance?"
Summative Task FL vs. US Comparative Charter Matrix
Florida Department of Education SS.912.CG Framework Page 1 of 3 • Course Architecture & State Government Next: Unit 5 Landmark Jurisprudence >
UNIT 5 Weeks 12–14 • 15 Instructional Days • Focus: Bill of Rights & Due Process
Civil Liberties, Civil Rights & Landmark Jurisprudence
High FCLE Weighting (30%)
Selective Incorporation (14th Amendment)
Examines how the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment applies fundamental Bill of Rights protections against state governments over time, transforming federal rights into universal state guarantees.
Balancing Rights with Public Order
Constitutional tests: Strict Scrutiny, Compelling State Interest, Clear and Present Danger / Imminent Lawless Action, Time-Place-Manner restrictions, and Reasonable Suspicion vs. Probable Cause.
Required Florida Landmark Cases Matrix (SS.912.CG.2.4 & 3.10)
10 Core Tested Precedents
| Landmark Case | Constitutional Clause | Core Precedent & Essential Rule | FL Connection |
|---|
| Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) | 6th Amend. / 14th Due Process | Guarantees state-appointed counsel for indigent felony defendants. | Originated in FL |
| Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) | 1st Amend. (Free Speech) | Students retain symbolic speech; cannot disrupt school operation. | — |
| Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier (1988) | 1st Amend. (School Press) | Schools may censor school-sponsored media for pedagogical reasons. | — |
| District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) | 2nd Amend. (Right to Bear Arms) | Guarantees individual right to own firearms for self-defense at home. | — |
| Mapp v. Ohio (1961) | 4th Amend. / Exclusionary Rule | Illegally obtained evidence is inadmissible in state criminal trials. | — |
| Miranda v. Arizona (1966) | 5th Amend. (Self-Incrimination) | Police must warn in-custody suspects of right to remain silent and counsel. | — |
| Brown v. Board of Education (1954) | 14th Amend. (Equal Protection) | De jure segregation in public schools violates equal protection; ends Plessy. | — |
| Marbury v. Madison (1803) | Article III / Judicial Review | Established authority of the Supreme Court to nullify unconstitutional acts. | — |
| McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) | Necessary & Proper / Supremacy | Upheld implied congressional powers; states cannot tax federal entities. | — |
Instructional Routine: FIRAC Judicial Briefing Method
1. Facts Summary of background dispute and state court rulings.
2. Issue Narrow constitutional question presented to SCOTUS.
3. Rule Holding and doctrinal test established by majority.
4. Application How the rule binds state jurisdictions today.
High School U.S. Government • Second Half Blueprint Page 2 of 3 • Unit 5 Civil Liberties & Supreme Court Precedents Next: Units 6–7 & FCLE Sprint >
Instructional Units 6 & 7
Elections, Global Systems & Assessment Mastery
Weeks 15 – 18 (Final 4 Weeks) SS.912.CG.2.6-11 • CG.4.1-4
UNIT 6
Civic Action, Elections & Policy
Weeks 15–16 • Standards CG.2.6 – 2.11 & CG.3.14
- FL Closed Primaries: Only registered party members may vote in partisan primary races (unless universal primary contest).
- Citizen Ballot Initiatives: Art. XI requires 60% supermajority voter approval to amend FL Constitution.
- Campaigns & Media: PACs, Super PACs (Citizens United), interest groups, and media bias analysis.
- Fiscal Policy Disparities: FL constitutional prohibition against personal state income tax vs. federal revenue models.
Key Project: Simulated Florida Ballot Initiative Voter Pamphlet
UNIT 7
Comparative Systems & Foreign Policy
Week 17 • Standards SS.912.CG.4.1 – 4.4
- System Comparisons: Constitutional Republic vs. Parliamentary Democracy, Monarchy, Theocracy, Totalitarianism/Oligarchy.
- Foreign Policy Instruments: Treaties, executive agreements, sanctions, foreign aid, defense alliances (NATO), diplomacy.
- International Bodies: Role of the UN, ICJ, and multilateral security organizations.
- Constitutional Division: POTUS Commander-in-Chief vs. Congressional War Powers Resolution.
Key Task: Foreign Policy Crisis Simulation Protocol
WEEK 18
Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE) Capstone Sprint
80 Items • 60% Passing Standard
20–25% American Democracy Enlightenment, Mayflower, Declaration, Fed. Papers
25–30% U.S. Constitution Articles I-VII, 27 Amendments, Checks & Balances
25–30% Landmark Cases SCOTUS holdings, Gideon, Marbury, Tinker, Brown
15–20% Civic Actions & Law Civil Rights Act 1964, Voting Rights Act, Participation
Teacher Implementation Checklist: Classroom Deliverables to Build Next
-
Unit 4 Presentation Slides: Florida Constitution vs. U.S. Constitution and Cabinet System.
-
Landmark Court Dossiers: FIRAC worksheets for Gideon, Tinker, Miranda, and Brown.
-
FCLE Practice Diagnostic: Florida-specific item bank with answer rationales and benchmark tracker.
High School U.S. Government • Florida Civics Curriculum Blueprint Page 3 of 3 • Capstone Assessments & FCLE Alignment Complete Roadmap Active
