Civil Service Lesson Plans

Students examine the 1883 Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act. They discuss the spoils system, answer discussion questions, read and analyze speeches, complete a worksheet summarizing their findings, and report their findings to the class.

Students investigate the campaign contribution scandal in Illinois during the 1990s. They listen to a teacher-led discussion, answer discussion questions, compare/contrast two reform acts, and write their own civil service law.

Eleventh graders outline civil service reform proposals made by Senators during debates on Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act. They interpret 1883 Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act to see if it incorporated Senators' proposals or resolved their criticisms.

Eleventh graders examine the type of political reform in the 1800s. In groups, they analyze the Pendleton Civil Service Act and two other economic acts. To end the lesson, they take a quiz and discuss the impact of the acts on the timeperiod.

Eleventh graders discuss the 19th-century spoils system. They discuss the 1990s licenses for bribes campaign contribution scandal that occurred under George Ryan's (Illinois's then-Secretary of State) tenure. .

Learners view a video clip about the war in Iraq. They discuss how the coalition forces know when they have won. They read an article about the situation as well.

Eleventh graders read "An American Story" from their text as an incident that changed the way people thought about the "spoils system." They take notes and create a class time line of the information presented. As each person and event is discussed, a marker is placed on the class' time line.

Learners view a news clip and work in groups to create a newscast. In this political events lesson, students work in groups to research and design a newscast on a topic related to Reconstruction, Garfield's assassination, and other civil war era topics. Learners conduct interviews and present their newscast to the class.

Students investigate the role of a world citizen to advocate for justice and kindness. In this citizenship lesson, students examine how historical figures have taken action for the common good. They learn about Martin Luther King's, "I Have a Dream Speech." They work with a partner to research a philanthropist, create a poster, and add it to a "Wall of Philanthropists" display.

Students role play one of the Presidents between 1877 and today. Individually, they use the internet to research the President through official documents, political cartoons and various editorials. Throughout the year, they are asked to speak in the voice of that President and how they did react to the situation.