Alabama's Twelfth Grade Standards

Standards

  • AL.1. Standard: Economics

    Economics is a one-semester required course for the twelfth grade that focuses on the functions and institutions of modern-day economic systems and economic theory. Students use the knowledge and analytical-thinking skills learned in previous courses and grades to analyze issues and problems in contemporary economic systems.

    • 1.1. Objective: Economics/Geography

      Explain the role of scarcity in answering the basic economic questions of what, how, how much, and for whom to produce.
      • 1.1.1. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying the positive and negative aspects of economic growth.
      • 1.1.2. Grade Level Example:
        Explaining how voluntary trade between nations illustrates the benefits of comparative advantage.
      • 1.1.3. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying how factors of production and the circular flow of goods and services meet market needs.

    • 1.2. Objective: Economics/Geography/History/Political Science

      Compare the development and characteristics of the world's traditional, command, and market economies.
      • 1.2.1. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying contributors to modern economics.
      • 1.2.2. Grade Level Example:
        Describing the struggle experienced by economies in transition from one type of economic system to another.
      • 1.2.3. Grade Level Example:
        Explaining how the desire for growth potential, labor supplies, product supplies, and adaptive capability influence a country's choice of economic system.
      • 1.2.4. Grade Level Example:
        Comparing the costs and benefits of economic growth.
      • 1.2.5. Grade Level Example:
        Explaining why the characteristics of a market economy result in a thriving economy.
      • 1.2.6. Grade Level Example:
        Contrasting economic systems of various countries with the market system of the United States.

    • 1.3. Objective: Economics/Political Science

      Analyze graphs to determine changes in supply and demand and their effect on equilibrium price and quality.
      • 1.3.1. Grade Level Example:
        Illustrating how changes in the determinants of supply and demand affect the supply and demand for products in the market.
      • 1.3.2. Grade Level Example:
        Explaining the impact of government-imposed price ceilings and floors and the impact of taxes and regulations on the market demand for a product.

    • 1.4. Objective: Economics/Geography

      Explain the impact of the labor market on the market economy of the United States.
      • 1.4.1. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying regional characteristics of the labor force of the United States.
      • 1.4.2. Grade Level Example:
        Explaining how supply and demand for labor affect wages.
      • 1.4.3. Grade Level Example:
        Describing characteristics that are most likely to increase wages and non-wage benefits.

    • 1.5. Objective: Economics

      Explain the competitive nature of the market system.
      • 1.5.1. Grade Level Example:
        Comparing the structures of sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, and cooperatives.
      • 1.5.2. Grade Level Example:
        Describing costs and benefits of entrepreneurial decisions.
      • 1.5.3. Grade Level Example:
        Describing how market exchange serves as a means of economic planning for producers.
      • 1.5.4. Grade Level Example:
        Describing the structure and functions of financial markets, including the stock market and the bond market.

    • 1.6. Objective: Economics/History/Political Science

      Explain the costs and benefits of government intervention in the economy of the United States.
      • 1.6.1. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying economic goals for the economy of the United States.
      • 1.6.2. Grade Level Example:
        Tracing the impact of government regulations on business and labor relations.
      • 1.6.3. Grade Level Example:
        Explaining conditions under which government intervention may be chosen.
      • 1.6.4. Grade Level Example:
        Comparing principles and systems of taxation at national, state, and local levels.
      • 1.6.5. Grade Level Example:
        Predicting the effect of public policy decisions on the individual.
      • 1.6.6. Grade Level Example:
        Explaining costs and benefits of running a deficit and large national debt in an economy.
      • 1.6.7. Grade Level Example:
        Describing the effect of the patent system of the United States on the number of inventions produced by American inventors.

    • 1.7. Objective: Economics/Geography

      Describe methods by which the United States measures domestic output, national income, and price level.
      • 1.7.1. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying the contribution of final goods and services to the computation of the GDP.
      • 1.7.2. Grade Level Example:
        Comparing data from various regions of the United States and other national economies.
      • 1.7.3. Grade Level Example:
        Describing the function and construction of the CPI.

    • 1.8. Objective: Economics/Geography/Political Science

      Describe the effect of fluctuations in national output and its relationship to the causes and costs of unemployment and inflation.
      • 1.8.1. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying factors involved in the business cycle.
      • 1.8.2. Grade Level Example:
        Contrasting monetary, cost-push, and demand-pull inflation.
      • 1.8.3. Grade Level Example:
        Contrasting frictional, structural, seasonal, and cyclical unemployment.
      • 1.8.4. Grade Level Example:
        Describing components of the unemployment statistic as defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
      • 1.8.5. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying reasons for regional differences in unemployment statistics.
      • 1.8.6. Grade Level Example:
        Discussing the pros and cons of government policies affecting unemployment and underemployment.
      • 1.8.7. Grade Level Example:
        Comparing causes for unemployment in Alabama to those of the nation.

    • 1.9. Objective: Economics/Political Science

      Describe economic stabilization policies of the United States.
      • 1.9.1. Grade Level Example:
        Explaining how the levels of taxes, government spending, and interest rates affect consumer consumption and saving.
      • 1.9.2. Grade Level Example:
        Explaining fiscal policy options for manipulating levels of output and inflation.

    • 1.10. Objective: Economics/History/Political Science

      Explain the role of money and the structure of the banking system of the United States.
      • 1.10.1. Grade Level Example:
        Contrasting the effectiveness of bartering and money exchange in an economic system.
      • 1.10.2. Grade Level Example:
        Explaining the creation of money through the multiplier effect.
      • 1.10.3. Grade Level Example:
        Explaining the origins of the Federal Reserve and its influence on inflation and deflation.
      • 1.10.4. Grade Level Example:
        Explaining the function of federally funded insurance programs in protecting consumers' savings.

    • 1.11. Objective: Economics/History

      Explain the past and present impact of the Federal Reserve on the economy of the United States.
      • 1.11.1. Grade Level Example:
        Describing the structure and monetary policies of the Federal Reserve.
      • 1.11.2. Grade Level Example:
        Describing tools available to the Federal Reserve to stabilize the economy.
      • 1.11.3. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying primary responsibilities of the Federal Reserve.

    • 1.12. Objective: Economics/Geography/Political Science

      Explain the basic elements of international trade.
      • 1.12.1. Grade Level Example:
        Analyzing the impact of developing nations on the global economy.
      • 1.12.2. Grade Level Example:
        Analyzing the impact of the trade deficit on the economy of the United States.
      • 1.12.3. Grade Level Example:
        Explaining how trading according to the Law of Comparative Advantage affects both poor and wealthy trading nations.
      • 1.12.4. Grade Level Example:
        Analyzing the impact of trade policy on international trade.
      • 1.12.5. Grade Level Example:
        Describing political and economic alliances.

  • AL.2. Standard: United States Government

    United States Government is a one-semester required course for Grade 12. Its goal is to develop civic competence and participation in all students. In this course, students use the knowledge and analytical thinking skills learned in the Grades 10-11 United States History courses to focus on the origins, structure, and functions of government at all levels in the nation.

    • 2.1. Objective: History/Political Science

      Identify the origins and functions of government.
      • 2.1.1. Grade Level Example:
        Comparing essential characteristics of limited and unlimited governments throughout the world, including constitutional, authoritarian, and totalitarian governments.

    • 2.2. Objective: History/Political Science

      Analyze the purposes, organization, functions, and principles of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
      • 2.2.1. Grade Level Example:
        Comparing government structure under the Articles of Confederation with government structure under the Constitution of the United States.
      • 2.2.2. Grade Level Example:
        Comparing arguments for establishing a government with three separate branches, including the views presented in the Federalist Papers regarding the branches of government.
      • 2.2.3. Grade Level Example:
        Explaining the necessity for and inclusion of a system of checks and balances.
      • 2.2.4. Grade Level Example:
        Explaining the necessity for including a Bill of Rights in the Constitution of the United States.
      • 2.2.5. Grade Level Example:
        Outlining the process of amending the Constitution.

    • 2.3. Objective: Economics/History/Political Science

      Explain how the federal system of the United States divides powers between national and state governments, including the areas of taxation, revenue distribution, federal grants, distribution of entitlements, regulation of interstate commerce, and enforcement of contracts.

    • 2.4. Objective: Economics/History/Political Science

      Describe the specific functions, organization, and purposes of state and local governments.
      • 2.4.1. Grade Level Example:
        Analyzing the Alabama Constitution of 1901 to determine its impact on local funding and campaign reform.
      • 2.4.2. Grade Level Example:
        Describing the influence of special interest groups on state government.

    • 2.5. Objective: History/Political Science

      Trace the expansion of suffrage and its effect on the political system of the United States.
      • 2.5.1. Grade Level Example:
        Describing implications of participation of large numbers of minorities and women in parties and campaigns.
      • 2.5.2. Grade Level Example:
        Describing the impact of the Selma-to-Montgomery march on the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

    • 2.6. Objective: Economics/History/Political Science

      Describe the functions and development of special interest groups.
      • 2.6.1. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying the impact of campaign contributions by political action committees on the election processes at the state and national levels.
      • 2.6.2. Grade Level Example:
        Analyzing rulings by the United States Supreme Court regarding campaign financing to determine their effect on the election process.

    • 2.7. Objective: Geography/History/Political Science

      Trace the development and impact of the media on the political process and public opinion in the United States.
      • 2.7.1. Grade Level Example:
        Explaining the effect of media consolidation on public opinion and access to various viewpoints.
      • 2.7.2. Grade Level Example:
        Describing regional differences in public opinion in the United States.
      • 2.7.3. Grade Level Example:
        Analyzing the impact of television on the election process and campaign spending.
      • 2.7.4. Grade Level Example:
        Explaining the effect of attack advertisements on voter selection of candidates.

    • 2.8. Objective: History/Political Science

      Identify the roles political parties play in the functioning of the political system of the United States.
      • 2.8.1. Grade Level Example:
        Describing the role of third-party candidates in political elections in the United States.
      • 2.8.2. Grade Level Example:
        Explaining major characteristics of contemporary political parties in the United States, including the role of conventions, party leadership, formal and informal memberships, and regional strongholds.
      • 2.8.3. Grade Level Example:
        Describing the changing influence of political parties on individuals and elected officials.

    • 2.9. Objective: History/Political Science

      Identify constitutional provisions of the legislative branch of the government of the United States.
      • 2.9.1. Grade Level Example:
        Comparing rules of operation and hierarchies of the House and Senate.
      • 2.9.2. Grade Level Example:
        Tracing the legislative process, including types of votes and committee action, from a bill's presentation to presidential action.
      • 2.9.3. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying committee structure and types of committees.
      • 2.9.4. Grade Level Example:
        Discussing problems concerning redistricting as populations shift.

    • 2.10. Objective: History/Political Science

      Identify constitutional provisions of the executive branch of the government of the United States.
      • 2.10.1. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying Constitutional provisions regarding the office of President of the United States.
      • 2.10.2. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying informal powers of the President.
      • 2.10.3. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying the influence of White House staff on the President.
      • 2.10.4. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying powers held by the President's Cabinet.
      • 2.10.5. Grade Level Example:
        Comparing the characteristics of the President of the United States with characteristics of the electorate.
      • 2.10.6. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying factors that influence voters' choices of presidential candidates.

    • 2.11. Objective: History/Political Science

      Identify constitutional provisions of the judicial branch of the government of the United States.
      • 2.11.1. Grade Level Example:
        Describing the structure of the court system of the United States.
      • 2.11.2. Grade Level Example:
        Tracing the process by which a case goes to the Supreme Court.
      • 2.11.3. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying the impact of landmark Supreme Court cases on constitutional interpretation.
      • 2.11.4. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying landmark decisions arising from Supreme Court cases originating in Alabama.
      • 2.11.5. Grade Level Example:
        Explaining the politics involved in the appointment process.
      • 2.11.6. Grade Level Example:
        Describing the shifting political balance of the court system.
      • 2.11.7. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying influences on court decisions.
      • 2.11.8. Grade Level Example:
        Contrasting the strict and loose constructionist views of the Constitution.
      • 2.11.9. Grade Level Example:
        Tracing the nationalization of the Bill of Rights from Gitlow versus New York to the present.

    • 2.12. Objective: History/Political Science

      Contrast the rights and responsibilities of citizens in a representative democracy.

    • 2.13. Objective: Economics/Geography/History/Political Science

      Explain the foreign policy of the United States and national security interests as they pertain to the role of the United States in the world community.
      • 2.13.1. Grade Level Example:
        Discussing the changing role of the foreign policy of the United States.
      • 2.13.2. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying the positive and/or negative consequences of foreign policy decisions.
      • 2.13.3. Grade Level Example:
        Identifying traditional foreign policy allies of the United States and potential areas of current and future intervention.