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 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...

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 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.

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.

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...

Learners investigate racism in the 20th century by exploring U.S. History. In this Civil Rights instructional activity, students review the history of slavery, the Civil War and the fight for equality in the mid 1900's. Learners complete...

Students examine procedures and processes of the Michigan Supreme Court. They explain the Second Amendment to others. They compare and contrast two cases dealing with the Second Amendment.

Students demonstrate how the American Civil War affected black Kentuckians socially and politically. They identify and discuss the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which forced the end of slavery in Kentucky months after the...

High schoolers are introduced to the 4th Amendment of the Washington state Constitution. In groups, they examine the Constitution of the state of Washington and compare it to the United States Constitution. They role play the role...

Students focus on the First and Ninth Amendments of the Bill of Rights. Before visiting a museum, they examine the Americans with Disabilities Act. During the visit, they work together with a museum member to watch a video and get...

Eighth graders study the ratification of the 14th Amendment and the Plessy v. Ferguson decision.  In this US History instructional activity, 8th graders read excerpts from the Brown v. Board of education decision.  Students...

Pupils are introduced to the United States and Navajo Bill of Rights. In groups, they compare and contrast the two documents and take notes to share with the class. To end the lesson, they write in their journals about their own ideas...

Learners examine the presence of religion in public institutions. In this ethics lesson plan, students focus on one aspect of the presence of religion in public institutions, and the controversy surrounding religion in the public...

Students discuss the purpose of the Bill of Rights and the United States Constitution. In groups, they write about the ten amendments and their purpose. They re-word the Amendments in their own way and answer discussion questions to end...

The battle over same-sex marriage is a prevalent issue in the United States, and a valuable topic to be discussed in your social studies classroom. Here is a basic outline of introductory questions, focus questions, vocabulary, and media...

Middle schoolers examine the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. During a visit to the George Bush Presidential Museum, they watch a video about the Texas v. Johnson flag burning case. In groups, they discover the role of the Supreme...

Students practice their reading comprehension skills by reading about the Bill of Rights. They answer questions after reading to test their comprehension.

Twelfth graders work together in groups to examine the discrimation Japanese Americans felt after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Using primary source documents, they analyze and discuss the case of Fred Korematsu who was placed in an...

Why are some so resistant to change? The status quo is often to blame for a lack of forward movement in society. Following the events of World War I, women in America suddenly had a voice—and were going to use it. Scholars use the...

Students use the Internet to discover the basic information about the American Flag. They explore how to fold a flag and which holidays to use the flag. They compare Betsy Ross's flag to the ones of today. They discover the story of the...

Students are introduced to the use of mediation in court cases. In groups, they identify the different scenerios that could mediation could be used and discuss other alternatives to a solution. They practice mediating various situations...

Eleventh graders examine the biography of Henry B. Gonzalez. They examine primary source documents from Congressman Gonzalez's personal papers related to his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.

Young scholars define and discuss the definitions of race and terrorism as a class. Using the Patriot Act, they analyze it and identify how it is a response to terrorism. They discuss how the documents could be viewed as one that...