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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Sit back, relax, and transport to 1787! This lesson on the Constitution begins with guided imagery of the Constitutional Convention. The class reads A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution in an interactive read-aloud...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Preamble to the Constitution: How Do You Make a More Perfect Union?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners analyze the Preamble of the Constitution and identify the historical context that led to its wording. They, in groups, interpret phrases from the Preamble, examine relevant court cases and create illustrations for their portion...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Breaking Barriers

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Determine how African-Americans have broken barriers in this history lesson. Middle schoolers discuss the 15th Amendment and the American civil rights movement prior to analyzing Barack Obama's speech "A More Perfect Union," taking care...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A More Perfect Union?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students read and discuss the article "Bush Insists U.S. Must Not Fail in Iraq." They work in small groups to answer three questions based on their category by searching for the answers in the article read in class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Breaking Barriers

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine the context of a speech delivered by Barack Obama. In this African-American history lesson, students discuss the 15th Amendment and the American Civil Rights Movement prior to analyzing Barack Obama's speech "A...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A More Perfect Union

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders complete a unit of lessons on the development of the U.S. government. They examine the main ideas of the Declaration of Independence, develop a class translation of the preamble to the Constitution, create a flow chart,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A More Perfect Union: Barack Obama's Race Speech at the National Constitution Center

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore the process of perfecting the Union through changes made to the Constitution, and through the powers delegated to each branch of government.  In this American Government lesson, 11th graders research various...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A More Perfect Union: Women's Suffrage and the Constitution

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students reflect on the pros and cons of Women's Suffrage and it was viewed during the late 1800's.  In this history instructional activity, students will analyze documents on women's suffrage so that they can compare and contrast the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A More Perfect Union: Barack Obama's Race Speech at the National Constitution Center

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students complete a worksheet on Obama's speech on race prior to the activity. Students read legislation and examine race relations in the U.S. In this Civics activity, students read documents related to equality and law. Students answer...
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

The Preamble to the Constitution: A Close Reading Lesson

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union..." These familiar lines begin the Preamble to the Constitution, but do learners know what they mean? A close reading exercise takes a look at the language of the...
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Worksheet
Reading Through History

Anti-Federalist Paper No. 47

For Students 8th - 12th Standards
The path to a more perfect union was rockier than most history books would lead you to believe. Young historians read “Antifederalist No. 47,” written by James Madison (under the pen name “Centinel”), which sharply criticizes the...
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Worksheet
National Endowment for the Humanities

The Declaration of Independence in Six Parts

For Students 8th - 10th Standards
Everyone knows that the Declaration of Independence is important, but what does it actually say? Members of American history classes analyze the Founding Fathers' arguments against British tyranny and for a more perfect union with a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Lesson: Immigration

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Many of your class members will have heard of Executive Order 9066 and the Japanese internment camps of World War II. Some may even recognize the terms “Issei” and “Nisei,” but few will have heard of Enemy Alien Hearing Boards, of the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson III: Crisis, Pearl Harbor, Internment

For Teachers 9th - 11th
The third in a series of lessons introduced by “A Fence Away From Freedom,” uses the Smithsonian website, “A More Perfect Union: Japanese Americans and the U.S. Constitution” and focuses on the section of the presentation devoted to the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Constitution: Drafting a More Perfect Union

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze an unknown primary source document to determine its origin. In this Constitution lesson, students read primary source documents and contrast and compare the evolution of the drafts of the Constitution. Students analyze...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Constitution: Drafting a More Perfect Union

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze the U.S. Constitution.  In this U.S. History lesson, students explore the purpose of the Constitution, as well as who was involved in its creation.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Nation of Immigrants

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students analyze the speech that Barack Obama delivered titled "A More Perfect Union." In this race relations lesson, students collaborate in heterogeneous groups to analyze the text of the Obama speech and discuss its implications....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stop the Bus: Confronting Our Assumptions About Muslims in America

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore Virginia Interfaith Center's A More Perfect Union "Misunderstanding" Ad Campaign, view two episodes of PBS America at a Crossroads series, examine historical context of colonialism and geo-political tensions in...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rational, Irrational and Square Roots

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders identify rational and irrational numbers and then, estimate the square root of numbers that are not perfect squares. They then identify what the radical is and differentiate between that and a division symbol clearly....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Power Poetry

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students use poetic devices to discuss political issues. In this cultural diversity lesson, students listen to the president's State of the Union address and write poetic pieces that express their opinions about issues the president...
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PPT
Irish Osteoporosis Society

Osteoporosis

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Osteoporosis has long been viewed as an "old ladies' disease," but there are many people at risk. There are also many things young people can do to reduce their risk factors. Learn about all of this and more through a comprehensive...
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Unit Plan
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum

Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World

For Teachers K - 12th Standards
Of the many roles he played, Benjamin Franklin most wanted to be remembered as B. Franklin, Printer. Learners of all ages find out more about this amazing man through the activities included in the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary Guide.  
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Worksheet
Clark County School District

Hollywood's Take on the Cuban Missile Crisis: Thirteen Days

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Watching the film Thirteen Days is an engaging way of acquainting learners with the Cuban missile crisis, and this activity is the perfect accompaniment for viewership! It includes 15 questions for your young historians to consider and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Arkansas and NAFTA

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Build literacy through social studies and reading strategies. This lesson focuses on using pre-reading, vocabulary building, and comprehension questions to boost literacy while educating learners on international trade, NAFTA, and...