Students participate in a sorting activity to research and categorize the three branches of government. They listen to teacher read aloud and write questions for a game based activity

To war! To war! Every nation in the history of the world has had to deal with warfare on some level. Scholars go through a series of activities and discussions surrounding the development of the Constitution to help them better...

Learners view a PowerPoint presentation to explore the three branches of government. Using this infromation, they identify the people, buildings and responsiblities of each branch. They complete a worksheet using the internet and take a...

Although this legislative process activity is designed to accompany a specific text, it is valuable independently. Young learners participate in a picture walk (worksheet included) through My Senator and Me:...

Who has the power? The founding fathers asked the same question when the United States was formed. Learners explore issues that arose during Madison’s presidency that raised constitutional questions. Through discovery, discussion, and...

Students review the first three articles of the United States Constitution. In groups, they examine the three branches of government and their function. They follow the path of a bill until it becomes law and discuss Congress' role.

Take on the role of president of the United States with this interactive online game, which will acquaint your learners with the various responsibilities of the executive branch of government. While not an in-depth or complex resource,...

Seventh graders discover how a bill becomes a law in Utah. In groups, they decide on a law they would like to see enacted and discuss its chances of being passed by the legislative branch in Utah. They hold elections in which each...

Students research and examine Florida's government and the three branches of government. They write and present campaign speeches that explain the reasons why they would be the best candidates for governor.

Students describe the structure and function of the United States Supreme Court. They examine and analyze decisions made by the Court. They participate in a debate about recent issues.

Students get an in-depth look at how our checks and balances system helps maintain the separating of powers between the three branches of government. They use current event head lines and insert them into he appropriate space on the...

Students investigate the parts of a tree, measure its circumference and the length and width of its longest branch. The data is compiled and placed into a bar graph.

"I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States..." Scholars investigate the nomination process of Supreme Court justices when assuming office. Through examination of primary and secondary...

Young scholars review concepts shown to them in a telecast on the role of the judiciary in a system of separation of powers. After reading an article, they work together in groups to complete a chart on checks and balances. They also...

How is your state government organized? How many elected officials are women? What is the mean age of your state representatives? Young scholars answer these questions in a research project before creating a chart to reflect their...

Madison was there! Scholars go on a journey to discover the person behind the founding father label as they explore James Madison's role in the formation of the United States government. The culmination is a writing assignment and...

Students explain the differences between the three branches of government. Using the structure of a democracy, they listen to text about the United States Constitution. They discover how their government affects their lives in negative...

How much power is too much power for the federal government? Scholars use primary documents and constitutional research in groups to analyze the creation of the Second National Bank under James Madison. This is the second lesson plan of...

Middle schoolers spend the duration of this lesson examining the text of the Endangered Species Act. Individually, they complete a profile to determine where they stand on the bill and read excerpts from it. Some role-play the various...

Studnets explore the events and issues surrounding the Constitutional Convenetion and the Bill of Rights through web-sites interacting with such topics as the framers, court cases, games and more.

Students begin to examine the lawmaking process. Using their text, they describe the role of the three branches of government. In groups, they identify the four basic values protected by law and define the concept of lobbying and...

Tenth graders examine the powers of each branch of the government. They analyze the causes and effects of relationships within the government. They participate in activities to help them comprehend the material.

PBS has written a series of lessons on avoiding Armageddon. This is lesson 4 of 5 and focuses on defining terrorism. Upper graders watch episode 3 of "Avoiding Armageddon - The New Face of Terror," read how terrorism is defined by the...

Students learn why the census makes a difference. In this U.S. Census lesson plan, students describe and explain the roles that individuals, government agencies, and partner groups play in the census.