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...

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...

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...

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,...

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 of a...

How did Federalists feel about the federal government? Learners search for the answers in the Federalist Paper No. 51, which discusses the powers of the presidency. Then, they answer various questions to test for their comprehension of...

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 examine a specific environmental concern to their local community. In groups, they explore how the justice system would deal with the problem by participating in a treasure hunt. They review the meaning of federal and state...

Students examine the three branches of the Federal Government and their decision to place Japanese-Americans in camps during World War II. They analyze debates made by leaders during this time period.

"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...

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...

Students participate in a scavenger hunt to gather information on their governmental officials. Using the internet, they identify and discuss the various political boundaries to determine who their representative is. They complete a...

Students examine the role of the Michigan Supreme Court. They diagram the procedure one must follow to bring a case before the Court. They discuss the order of business for oral arguments as well.

Young scholars identify the courts that make up the Michigan judicial system. They explore the responsibility of each court and diagram how cases move to the Supreme Court. They compare and contrast the different types of courts.

Young scholars discuss energy and where they can find it. They will then discuss the sun and how it functions as an energy source. Next, students get a piece of black paper and some coins. They go outside and make a design with the coins...

Students 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 discuss...

Students will analyze and evaluate political propaganda. In this lesson on the Federalist movement, students will examine the Federalist papers and analyze the Anti-Federalist argument mage against constitutional ratification. This...

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.