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...

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...

Learners explore U.S. history by completing a quiz about civics. In this Benjamin Franklin lesson, students read assigned text about Franklin's role in the development of the Constitution and the creation of a new society. Learners...

Although this legislative process lesson 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: A Dog's-Eye View...

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 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.

Young scholars 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...

High schoolers 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.

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...

"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...

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...

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...

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 spend the duration of this lesson plan 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...

Fifth graders examine what it means to be a citizen. Using the Constitution, they discover the functions and purpose of government. They compare and contrast the difference between a democracy and a monarchy. As a class, they discuss...

Students examine the role of the Supreme Court through an interactive program. They analyze the history of the Court and its members. They finally explore how the Supreme Court works.

Eighth graders watch as their teacher presents information on the Constitution, government and laws through a PowerPoint presentation. In groups, they discuss the importance of government and laws and identify the main ideas in the...

Students use pennies to illustrate how our states are represented in Congress. This lesson plan is to be implemented during a unit covering the branches of United States government.

Students 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 on...

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...