Middle schoolers examine five sections of the U.S. Constitution to see what the Federal Government has said about slavery, past and present. Then, class members research individuals and interest groups who directly impacted slavery...

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

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...

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 instructional...

How do new amendments become part of the US Constitution? AP government students explore, analyze, and use the US Constitution to develop a deep understanding of the interworkings of law and government while practicing synthesis and...

Students explore U.S. history by participating in a government activity. In this Constitution lesson, students identify the role government plays in our society and the differences the British colonies had in the early 18th century....

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...

Fifth graders explain the purpose of the government by examining the Preamble to the Constitution. They identify ways in which the government is preserving those rights today. They discover one of the fundamental principles of...

Many of your class members will have heard of Executive Order 9066 and the Japanese internment camps of World War II. Some may even recognize the terms “Issei” and “Nisei,” but few will have heard of Enemy Alien Hearing Boards, of the...

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 did the slavery system undermine the United States' democratic principles?" This question launches a study of how the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence, Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, and Article IV,...

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...

Learners work in groups to research and examine Constitutions from various countries. In this government and public interests instructional activity, students analyze primary and secondary documents to make a comparison between...

Learners explore the process of writing our Constitution through an interactive program. They are to put themselves in the place of the statesmen and predict how they felt at the time. They compare the founding fathers.

Students examine the United States Constitution for laws that protect people with disabilities. They discover how the education system provides equal education to all students and how the Federal Government makes sure this is occuring.

High schoolers explore the functions of the U.S. Census. In this civics lesson plan, students understand the origins of the census and its role in U.S. history, recognize the political importance of apportionment based purely on...

Learners explore U.S. history by reading biographical material in class. In this Benjamin Franklin lesson, students identify the life of Franklin and the events that led him to become one of America's first heroes. Learners complete an...

Students examine the people and events associated with the United States Constitution. Using the Articles of Confederation, they discuss its shortcomings and the significance of the Bill of Rights. They listen and sing songs that...

Just how long did it take the framers to write the Constitution? What role did the drafting process play? Scholars examine various drafts from the Constitutional Convention to gain a better understanding of its formation. Interactive...

Use this U.S. History unit plan as a template for creating your own! Simply download the resource and edit the text fields with your own customized unit plan. This is a great jumping-off step, especially for newer teachers. 

Students analyze an unknown primary source document to determine its origin. In this Constitution instructional activity, students read primary source documents and contrast and compare the evolution of the drafts of the Constitution....

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 work together to write a Constitution for their classroom. As a class, they discuss the need for laws and how the concept of compromise is important. In groups, they compare the process they used for writing the Constitution...

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.