I’m Mrs. Gulaid—history lover, positivity enthusiast, and proud teacher at JHS 194 for the past 10 years. With over 17 years in education, I believe learning should feel like an adventure. In my class, we don't just study history—we experience it. I strive to create a classroom where every student feels valued, curious, and ready to dive into the stories that shaped our world. Let’s make this year unforgettable!
Passport Curriculum-7th Grade
Unit Names
Unit Overview
Unit 1: Native Americans Early Encounters and Colonial Development
This introductory unit to American history digs into North America before European exploration and examines the factors that led to the exploration and development of the New World.
Unit 2: American Revolution
This unit offers a multitude of perspectives on the causes and outcomes of the Revolutionary War, and other historical phenomena relating to the American struggle for freedom. Topics in this unit include: colonial responses to British taxation; how the sharing of culture, identity, and political and economic ideas shaped the foundations of American government, and how military strategies and geography affected the outcome of battles. Lessons also emphasize the actions of ordinary people, specifically the experiences of continental soldiers, women, African Americans, and Native peoples, who were all central to the revolutionary process.
Unit 3: A New Nation: The United States Constitution
This unit offers a multitude of perspectives on the development of the new American nation (1783–1803), and the challenges founding fathers faced in unifying a people and creating a form of government. Concepts and topics of representative lessons in this unit include: identify the limitations of the Articles of Confederation; study Shays’ Rebellion; analyze the Great Compromise and the differences of opinion on how to establish a legislative branch; discuss slavery in the Constitution; understand Federalism, Checks and Balances and the power of each branch of government; interpret The Bill of Rights, discuss Washington’s Legacy and Hamilton’s Economic Plan.
Unit 4: A Nation Grows
This unit offers a multitude of perspectives on the growth of the United States in the first half of the 19th century. Concepts and topics of representative lessons in this unit include: The Lewis and Clark Expedition, The Monroe Doctrine, U.S. Acquisition of Territory, Erie Canal, New York’s Trail of Tears, Immigration: Irish Potato Famine, and the Declaration of Sentiments.
Unit 5: A Nation Divided
This unit offers a multitude of perspectives on the United States Civil War. Concepts and topics of representative lessons in this unit include: The Growth of Slavery, Resistance to Slavery, Causes of the Civil War, Key Leaders, The Emancipation Proclamation, the New York City Draft Riots and the Effects of the War.
Passport Curriculum-8th Grade
Unit Name
Unit Overview
Unit 1: Reconstruction (1865–1877)
Focus: Explores the challenges of reunification, the status of African Americans, and differing approaches to Reconstruction.
Key Topics:
Lincoln’s, Johnson’s, and Radical Republican plans for Reconstruction.
The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments.
The Freedmen’s Bureau and its impact.
The rise of sharecropping and its effects on African Americans.
Black Codes, Jim Crow laws, and the emergence of the Ku Klux Klan.
Unit 2: A Changing Society and the Progressive Era (1890–1920)
Focus: Investigates the effects of industrialization, urbanization, and the Progressive Movement.
Key Topics:
Labor unions and their impact on workers.
Women’s suffrage and the fight for voting rights.
Civil rights movements for African Americans and Chinese Americans.
Technological advancements and their societal effects.
Unit 3: The United States as an Expansionist Nation (1860s–1914)
Focus: Examines Manifest Destiny, westward expansion, and imperialism.
Key Topics:
The impact of railroads and new technologies.
Native American resistance and assimilation.
U.S. involvement in Hawaii, the Philippines, and the Spanish-American War.
The role of Yellow Journalism in shaping public opinion.
Unit 4: World War I and the United States Between Wars (1914–1941)
Focus: Analyzes U.S. involvement in World War I and the societal changes during the interwar years.
Key Topics:
Causes of World War I and the U.S. decision to enter the war.
The effects of new technologies on warfare.
The Roaring Twenties and the Harlem Renaissance.
The Great Depression and the New Deal.
Unit 5: The United States Assumes Worldwide Responsibilities (1941–Present)
Focus: Explores U.S. involvement in World War II, the Cold War, and postwar global responsibilities.
Key Topics:
Causes of World War II and U.S. neutrality.
The decision to use the atomic bomb.
The Cold War and its impact on domestic and foreign policy. The War on Terror and globalization.
Unit 6: America After World War II: The Changing Nature of the American People (1945–Present)
Focus: Investigates the Civil Rights Movement and other social movements post-World War II.
