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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
Students 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
Carolina K-12

Marsh v. Chambers and the Establishment Clause

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
1983 Supreme Court case Marsh v. Chambers, which centers on whether opening a legislative session with a prayer violates the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment to the US Constitution, is the focus of a series of discussions and...
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Lesson Plan
Carolina K-12

Principles of the US Constitution

For Teachers 8th Standards
After breaking into groups according to major principles of government (i.e., popular sovereignty, separation of powers, checks and balances, etc.) in the United States, your class members will produce public service announcements...
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Lesson Plan
Carolina K-12

The Twenty-Sixth Amendment and the Power of Youth

For Teachers 8th Standards
Empower teenagers to take political matters into their own hands! After completing an engaging warm-up activity, class members discuss both sides of the youth voting issue, learn about the connection between military history and the...
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Assessment
Carolina K-12

Sample Test: The Judicial System

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
From Marbury v. Madison and original jurisdiction to Gideon v. Wainwright and civil appeal, here is a simple and comprehensive assessment on the judicial system of the United States.
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Activity
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Carolina K-12

Constitutional Period Parade

For Teachers 5th
What a unique and creative way for class members to summarize what they have learned about the United States Constitution! Here you will find project guidelines for learners to work independently on designing a float to represent a topic...
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Unit Plan
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A&E Television

Documenting Democracy: Lesson Plans on the United States Constitution

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Balance and compromise. Class members come to understand the importance of these concepts as they investigate the concerns of the various stakeholders and how the format of the Constitution addressed these concerns.
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Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Helping to Move On? An Analysis of the Reconstruction Amendments

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Reconstruction amendments: a helping hand or another form of slavery? An inquisitive lesson compares the Reconstruction legislation that ended slavery, granted citizenship, and protected voting right for African American men. Scholars...
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PPT
National Woman's History Museum

Women's Suffrage Movement

For Students 9th - 12th
The National Women's History Museum offers a 20-slide presentation that details the history of the Women's Suffrage Movement from its creation in the 1830s through the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920.
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Activity
Smithsonian Institution

Young People Shake Up Elections (History Proves It) Educator Guide

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Vote, it's your civic duty! The resource provides several videos about voting in the United States. Scholars watch a series of topics ranging from youth participation to civic action. The educator's guide provides teachers with...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Extending Suffrage to Women

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Votes for women! The activity highlights the push for the Nineteenth Amendment giving women the right to vote. High school scholars learn how the Fifteenth Amendment giving African American men the right to vote helped to spark the...
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Activity
Digital Public Library of America

The Fifteenth Amendment

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Fifteen primary sources provide a context for a study of the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The packet captures the excitement for the changes promised by the amendment as well as the backlash against it.
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Interactive
DocsTeach

U.S. v. Amistad: A Case of Jurisdiction

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Just what is jurisdiction and why does it matter? A helpful activity takes academics on a journey to understand how judicial jurisdiction works. Scholars read excerpts from the Constitution and court documents to understand the process...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

The Voting Record of the Constitution

For Teachers 5th - 8th
A piece of the past helps shape the future. Learn what historical documents reveal about the past using an engaging activity.  Academics participate in a role-playing scenario, view the voting record of the Constitutional Convention,...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Comparing the Magna Carta and English Bill of Rights with the U.S. Bill of Rights

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Just how alike are some historical documents? Discover the similarities between the Magna Carta and the United States Bill of Rights in a fast-paced activity. Historians learn the importance of both documents and the lasting impact they...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Analyzing a Petition about Slavery

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Practice analyzing primary sources in a thought-provoking lesson on the impact of slavery. Young historians read a petition regarding the Fugitive Slave Law and answer a series of questions to understand the importance of the document....
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

The Creation of the Bill of Rights: “Retouching the Canvas”

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
While the Constitutional Convention lay the foundation of the new government for the United States, the protections given under the Bill of Rights were controversial. Using documents, such as James Madison's and Thomas Jefferson's...
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AP Test Prep
College Board

Balance of Power Between Congress and the President

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Three branches of government help create a system of checks and balances. A helpful resource provides a series of articles regarding the balance of power between the legislative and executive branches of government. Historians answer...
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

A Day for the Constitution

For Teachers 6th - 12th
The "Constitution Day and Citizenship Day" law requires schools receiving any federal funding to provide educational programming on the history of the American Constitution. The lesson plans, materials, videos, questions, and activities...
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Lesson Plan
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C-SPAN

Choice Board: Expressed and Implied Powers

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution expressly lists powers given to Congress. Over the years, lawmakers have expanded the enumerated powers to include powers implied by the list. To better understand the significance...
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Lesson Plan
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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 Emoluments Clause and the President

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
While the Emoluments Clause didn't get a lot of attention before the 2016 election, all eyes have been on this short phrase in the Constitution with the election of Donald Trump. As a business owner, do his financial interests conflict...
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Activity
Constitutional Rights Foundation

The Troubled Elections of 1796 and 1800

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Congress does more than create new laws. Political scientists delve into the elections of 1796 and 1800 to understand how political parties, the Electoral College, and personal agendas affected the election process. The resource also...
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Worksheet
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Elections, Money, and the First Amendment

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Those who spend the most, win.  Academics read informational text, participate in group discussion, and defend campaign reforms to understand the correlation between money, the First Amendment, and election results. The resource explains...