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The Role of the Executive Branch in the Lawmaking Process
Students research the Executive Branches role in making a law. In this law making lesson plan, students study the history of the Constitution and see how much power the President has in making a bill into a law. Students then research on...
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The Electoral Process
Students explore the U.S. political system by completing several worksheets. In this government election lesson, students define and describe the two main political parties in detail to one another. Students read a piece written by a...
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Television: Comedy Vs. Drama
Students investigate the world of Television by contrasting specific programs. In this visual storytelling lesson, students compare and contrast the differences between comedy and drama by making a Venn Diagram. Students utilize the...
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Bison on the Plains
Fifth graders explore U.S. geography by reading assigned text about American Indians. In this migration lesson plan, 5th graders identify the differences between Native Americans and European settlers who traveled through middle America...
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American Studies
Entitled American Studies, this small unit covers various topics related to the study of the United States. Learners warm up by creating a dictionary of democracy, then dive into three different lessons focused on government, famous...
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War Making: Executive and Legislative Powers
Students examine executive and legislative powers. In this federal powers lesson plan, students determine who has the power to wage war in the U.S. government. Students analyze the Constitution and research historical precedents...
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Giving Voice to History
Young scholars examine the plight of Japanese Americans during World War II. In this World War II lesson, students participate in a mock evocation simulation, research primary and secondary documents about internment camps, and share...
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Learning to Respect Each Other
Discover how important Martin Luther King Jr. is to our society. In this civil rights lesson, investigate how Dr. King was an advocate for nonviolence and how he fought for civil rights for all Americans. Read and analyze Dr. King's "I...
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A Dream and an Idea: Searching for a Roadmap to Create a Country
Students compare and contrast opposing visions of government held by the founding fathers. They evaluate the roles of historical leaders in shaping the U.S. as an emerging nation.
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Philanthropy in History Lesson 1: We the People Hall of Fame
Students examine the lives of people who contributed to the common good, and democracy. They investigate grievances that lead to the call for American independence and look at the costs that are incurred as a result of personal acts of...
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Towards Separation of Church and State in Gloucester
Explore New England government in the 1700's with your class. They will identify historical documents as primary or secondary sources, then read and discuss the significance of these documents as they relate to the "freedom of religion"...
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The Bill of Rights in Current Events
Divided the class into pairs, each group is assigned one of the amendments. They use the internet to research current cases and issues involving their amendment. They are then lead into the introduction to some of the basic concepts of...
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Political Cartoons as Part of the Election Process
Students explore the impact of political cartoons on American elections. In this presidential elections lesson, students discuss the election process and then analyze political cartoons that were published during presidential elections....
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How a Bill Becomes a Law
Students make a chart on what they learned about how a bill becomes a law. For this law making lesson plan, students research the authority and restrictions placed on Congress on how they make a bill into a law and then present their...
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Ben Franklin
Students meet Ben Franklin and research his life accomplishments. In this lesson about the history of Benjamin Franklin, students will visit several websites in order to learn about this Founding Father. Students follow a worksheet with...
National Park Service
Civil War to Civil Rights: From Pea Ridge to Central High
Explore how the Civil War impacted the Civil Rights Movement. Class members complete a series of projects for a unit that uses a layered curriculum approach to learning.
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American Heritage Themes
Students explore American freedom, unity, progress, and responsibility. In this American history lesson, students discuss what it means to be an American as they reflect on contributions of noteworthy Americans and write a composition...
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Fifty States
Fifth graders find each state and its capital city on a map before memorizing the information. They work in small groups after watching a modeled lesson by the teachers. They write a statement about their assigned states and capital...
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New Nation
Fifth graders discuss leadership, citizenship, symbols for a nation, how to create peace after reading "The Iroquois Constitution," "The Declaration of Independence," and "Letters from An American Farmer." They create their own nations...
National First Ladies' Library
The Flying Inauguration of the "Sudden President
Learners study the inauguration process as well as what the constitution states about who succeeds the President of the US when the office is emergently vacant. They discuss the role of government and the events leading to Lyndon...
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Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself
Students investigate the years during World War II in which Japanese Americans living on the West Coast were held in internment camps.
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Environmental Law-Making
Students go through the process of creating and passing a federal law. They select an environmental issue, research related policies for the issue, draft the bill, discuss it among committee members, bring it before the class and bring...
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Founding Myths, Stories that Hide Our Patriotic Past
Young scholars participate in a scavenger hunt using their textbooks to find information about historical events, people and places in US history during the Revolutionary Era. After creating their list of important people, students...
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A New, Capital Idea#141
Students design a pamphlet which explains where a capital for a new country, which is comprised of the New England region, should be located. They include the reasons for their decision based on where physical and human features are...