Curated OER
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 They will identify historical documents as primary or secondary sources, then read and discuss the significance of these documents as they relate to the "freedom of religion"...
Curated OER
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...
Macmillan Education
Your Year Covered
Feeling stuck? Want to energize the class? Use activities such as quizzes and fill-in-the-blank worksheets to get class members' attention with a year's worth of holiday celebrations. From Mother's Day to Robert Burns's birthday,...
Curated OER
The Branches of Government
After reviewing and reading about the three branches of US Government, complete this activity with your class. In groups, they will place their "cards" on the board under the correct branch. This lesson plan is weak and unclear. I'd make...
Curated OER
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....
Curated OER
How a Bill Becomes a Law
Students make a chart on what they learned about how a bill becomes a law. In 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...
Curated OER
The Bill of Rights
Students practice their reading comprehension skills by reading about the Bill of Rights. They answer questions after reading to test their comprehension.
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
American Heritage Themes
Students explore American freedom, unity, progress, and responsibility. In this American history instructional activity, students discuss what it means to be an American as they reflect on contributions of noteworthy Americans and write...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
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
Students 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...
Curated OER
Planetary Landers
Students watch programs from a series titled "Planetary Landers". As a class, they view a poster of various vehicles that have made their way into space. In groups, they brainstorm the characteristics that should be included when...
Curated OER
Creating A Bill Of Rights In Space
Learners create an Intergalactic Bill of Rights and apply the United States Bill of Rights to a hypothetical situation.
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
The Executive Branch
Students study the federal government, which is divided into 3 branches. They have a minimal understanding of the responsibilities of each branch.
Curated OER
Cartogram of the Great Compromise
Young scholars create cartograms of populations during 1790.
Curated OER
Do I Have a Right To Privacy?
Students, in groups, explore the Fourth Amendment and their right to privacy. They explore reasonable search/seizure, sanctity of a man's house, right to privacy.
Curated OER
50th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education
Students examine a poster of Brown v. Board of Education and discuss what the important details are. They read the story behind the poster and court case. They role play different sections of the case such as the court case or Linda...
Curated OER
Environmental Law-Making
Learners 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...
Curated OER
Founding Myths, Stories that Hide Our Patriotic Past
Students 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 create...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Presidential Gallery
Learners identify the three branches of the federal government and their role in our government. They identify important events and accomplishments in the life of one president of the United States. Students identify the major national...