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Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

The Senate

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Do your learners struggle to understand the differences between the Senate and the House of Representatives?  Help them develop an understanding of how the US Constitution's clauses affect the Senate's operations. A high-quality social...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
US House of Representatives

Hispanic-American Members of Congress in the Civil Rights Era, 1945–1977

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Debates around immigration in the news are not new, but they are a defining feature of the Hispanic American experience throughout the twentieth century. Looking through the lens of Hispanic Americans in Congress, class members explore...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
US House of Representatives

Legislative Trends and Power Sharing Among Hispanic Americans in Congress, 1977–2012

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Bilingual education, voting rights, and Congressional redistricting come up often in the news. Explore these topics from another view—the perspectives of Hispanic members of Congress. Activities include an article with comprehension and...
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Lesson Plan
1
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US House of Representatives

Hispanic Americans in Congress During the Age of U.S. Colonialism and Global Expansion, 1898–1945

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
To be Puerto Rican, in the words of one politician, is to be "foreign in a domestic sense." Young historians consider the American role in colonialism and its impacts on Hispanic Americans through the first part of the twentieth century...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
US House of Representatives

Hispanic Congressional Representation in the Era of U.S. Continental Expansion, 1822–1898

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
From the Louisiana Purchase to the Spanish-American War, the history of the United States is intertwined with the story of Hispanic Americans. Using an article about Hispanics in Congress during the 1800s, learners research their lives...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
US House of Representatives

Exclusion and Empire, 1898–1941

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Often forgotten and written off as the model minority, Americans with heritage in Asia and the Pacific Islands have played an essential role in American history, including Congress. Budding historians reclaim history by researching the...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
US House of Representatives

From Exclusion to Inclusion, 1941–1992

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
The legacy of Japanese American internment impacted America for decades, including Congress. Class members consider the tenure of Asian American representatives in Congress and how the legacy of World War II affected their service. Other...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
US House of Representatives

A Growing Diversity, 1993–2017

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Connect current events to the roles of AAPI members in Congress. Activities include tracing the impact of the Vietnam War on today's representatives. Learners have various options to explore, including role-play exercises and creating a...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
US House of Representatives

The Women of Congress Speak Their Mind

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but words can tell many stories. To conclude their study of the women who have served in the US Congress until 2006, groups analyze statements made by these remarkable women.
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Lesson Plan
1
1
US House of Representatives

Recent Trends Among Women in Congress, 1977–2006

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
After reading the contextual essay, "Assembling, Amplifying, and Ascending: Recent Trends Among Women in Congress 1977–2006," groups select a female senator or representative and research her background and contributions.
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Lesson Plan
1
1
US House of Representatives

Women Pioneers on Capital Hill, 1917–1934

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
As part of a study of the women elected to Congress from 1917 to 1934, groups research and then design a museum exhibit that describes the life and the congressional service of one of these women.
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Lesson Plan
Carolina K-12

Political Parties and Conventions

For Teachers 8th Standards
The two major parties polarize many in America today, but it doesn't have to be that way in the classroom! Teach learners about political party platforms and modern campaigns with a mock political convention. After watching a PowerPoint...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Senators' Pay in the First Congress

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Senators are public servants but they do get paychecks. The activity focuses on historical analysis and a treasury document from the first Congress. Scholars read the document, answer questions, and participate in group discussion to...
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Lesson Plan
1
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C-SPAN

How A Bill Becomes A Law

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Seven steps are required for a bill to become a United States law. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) is used as a model for the process of how a bill becomes a law.  Class members work independently through a Google...
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Lesson Plan
Constitutional Rights Foundation

The Amendment Process

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Long revered as the "upper chamber," the US Senate was created to give the new nation a balance between large and small states. However, has the time for this institution passed? Using a reading on how the amendment process works,...
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Interactive
iCivics

LawCraft

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
What's it like to be a senator or member of the House of Representatives? Using a video game simulation, learners discover what it is like to craft and pass legislation from its idea through conference committee. Pop ups and annotation...
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Interactive
2
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Judicial Learning Center

About Federal Judges

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Not just anybody can do the job of a federal judge, but according to the United States Constitution just about anybody can be appointed. The lesson outlines the process and requirements for becoming a federal judge, focusing on the...
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Lesson Plan
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iCivics

Mini-Lesson: Filibusters

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How long can you speak without stopping? Scholars analyze the concept of a filibuster in the United States Senate using an installment of the Legislative Branch series of mini-lessons. They research recent filibuster attempts in the...
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

Mini-Lesson: Presidential Appointments

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Can the president of the United States hire anyone he or she wants for any position in the executive branch? The answer may surprise scholars! After investigating the appointment process, historians, by themselves or in pairs, analyze...
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Lesson Plan
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iCivics

Mini-Lesson: Midterm Elections

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Find out the differences between presidential and midterm elections with an informative resource. Pupils discuss the importance of midterms to the presidency and how midterms affect the balance of government branches. They also fill out...
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Lesson Plan
Carolina K-12

Who the People? Representative Democracy in North Carolina and Congress

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Our elected officials are supposed to represent us, but what does it mean when they aren't like us? Budding citizens explore the demographic makeup of the US Congress, the role of money in political elections, and the Citizens United...
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Worksheet
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K12 Reader

Branches of Government

For Students 4th - 5th Standards
Set down the basics of the three branches of government with the reading passage included here. After reading, class members answer five questions related to the passage.
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Organizer
Curated OER

The Legacy of Ancient Greece and Rome

For Students 7th - 8th
Where did the inspiration for the US government system come from? From the ancient Greeks and Romans, of course. Scholars define nine terms relating to Greek and Roman government, complete a graphic organizer, and list the greatest...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Simplified United States Constitution and Bill of Rights

For Students 5th - 10th
A good handout is a great find. Print this resource and hand out a simplified version of the US Constitution and Bill of Rights to your US government or US history class. The powers of the president, Congress, and the Senate are...