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Privacy and the Fourth Amendment
Students examine the right of privacy for individuals in a society that is changing due to technology. They examine how courts have to change the idea of privacy.
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Mock Appellate Arguments
Students participate in a mock appellate argument by role playing a case. They develop a case and present it to the judge using proper argument techniques.
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Search and Seizure: What Does It Mean?
Students, in a juvenile correctional facility, study the meaning of the Fourth Constitutional Amendment. They study definitions and complete worksheets to investigate the implications of the amendment.
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Whose Rights Are Violated?
High schoolers examine the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution. They work with a partner to determine which amendment has been violated while working on a worksheet.
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Small Country Constitution
Students pretend they live in a very small country with a Constitution, and Bill of Rights, like that of the US. People from another planet conquer the country, but allow them to retain five rights. They choose the five rights they want...
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Domestic Abuse and Order For Protection
Students read an article about the laws pertaining to cases of domestic abuse. They take a quiz, consider how they might help a friend involved in an abusive situation and participate in a mock trial where they examine varying points of...
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"Whispering Wires": Public Law vs. Individual Civil Liberties
High school student love discussing controversial issues like those brought up in this fourth amendment case study. They examine the 1928 Olmstead vs. U.S. prohibition court case, applying the fourth amendment to determine whether or not...
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Demonstrating an Understanding the Evolution of Democracy in the United States
Students explore how democracy in the United States changed and evolved from its birth to the present. They participate in a mock testing environment. Students write a multi-tasked essay on American government and politics.
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Taxes and Social Security
Students practice filling out the United States Federal 1040EZ tax form and share examples in a class discussion. A written exam is provided to help assess cumulative comprehension.
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Your Own Classroom Court
Create your own classroom court. After studying courtroom proceedings, with a focus on the concept of a trial by a jury of your peers, pupils create a set of classroom rules and develop a procedure for solving conflicts. They then are...
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Political Polls
Students explore politcical polling by conducting a poll of student body elections. They prepare a survey, distribute forms, and tabulate data.
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Justice
Students discuss strengths and weaknesses of the court system in providing equal justice for all. They identify factors that cause these weaknesses and recommend solutions.
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Philadelphia and the Constitutional Convention "Heat Up"
Students explore the Constitutional Convention of 1787. In this U.S. Constitution lesson, students role play the parts of delegates in a simulation of the convention.
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How an Idea Becomes a Law
Students explore how a bill becomes a law and the actions the President may take. They create a poster illustrating the steps.
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Town Meeting - Direct Representation
High schoolers answer the question, "Should the town of Twin Cheeks ban motorized rentals on Thome Lake?" They explore the political, personal, and economic issues involved in making this decision as they assume different roles in this...
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Who Gets the Job?
Pupils explore the process for presedential Cabinet appointments. They determine common characteristics found in members of the Cabinet.
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Arrest
Students become active participants in the legal process as they take on the roles of witnesses, jurors, and defendants in a trial simulation. An understanding and appreciation of the legal system is fostered through the experience.
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Why Vote? A Public Awareness Campaign
Students examine the structure of local government and determine why citizens vote. For this civics lesson, students listen to a lecture about the structure of local government and then encourage others to exercise their right to vote.
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An Experiment in Unfair Treatment/Prejudice
A rigged spelling bee gives class members a chance to experience some of the feelings associated with unfair treatment. Team one is given easy words while team two is given difficult words. As teams realize the unfairness the instructor...
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U.S. and Canada: How are We the Same? How are We Different?
Get high school geographers to compare and contrast Canada and the United States. They begin by drawing a freehand map of North America, then complete readings to gain insight into Canada. The text is not provided; however, another text...
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Executive Government: Ministerial Responsibility
Students are introduced to the principal of ministerial responsibility and identify ways in which ministers account for their actions. In this executive government lesson plan, students roleplay a situation to determine the level of...
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Representation: Majority Rule
Students explore government. In this decision making instructional activity, students discover the importance of majority rule in the passing of bills. They all participate in a class debate and practice the different forms of decision...
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Representation: Elections
Students study and examine how elections are conducted in Australia. In this representation lesson plan, students make comparisons regarding systems of voting. Students explore the three levels of government and discuss federal...
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3 Branches of Our Government
This straightforward fill-in-the-blank activity could be used for a variety of purposes. Young historians are given 10 sentences about the branches of government; they fill in the blanks with terminology that is related to the United...