Curated OER
Legal Rights, the Charter, and Canada's Constitution
Students explore the issue of human rights in Canada and compare and contrast the Bill of Rights and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. They debate whether Canadians are giving up certain democratic rights in exchange for the greater good.
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Inspiration for and Application of the Bill of Rights
Students examine individual rights. In this case law instructional activity, students discuss the from and function of the Bill of Rights prior to investigating several cases that deal with Constitutional rights. Students discuss the...
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The Ongoing Debate: Crime Control v. Due Process Protection
Students investigate the Exclusionary Rule and other ways of to enforce the protections found in the Bill of Rights. They study how effective criminal control and public safety is carried out while citizens Constitutional rights are...
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First Amendment and the Future
Students read the Knight report and discuss key findings before deciding what aspects of the findings students can replicate in their own school and conduct a survey. They write survey questions and test them on sample group before...
Judicial Learning Center
The Appeal Process
Why doesn't the Supreme Court hear testimony from witnesses? How do they complete an entire proceeding in less than two hours? A helpful lesson guides scholars of criminology through these and other questions by explaining how appeals...
Curated OER
Citizenship and the Constitution
Students identify government officials and resources on a local, state and national level. They determine the structure of local, state, and national governments.
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We Are the Government
Students read primary documents to find the motivations of the founding fathers of the United States. In this primary documents lesson, students discuss the meaning of the Preamble to the Constitution, read parts of the Constitution...
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Bill of Rights and Lawmaking
Ninth graders consider how the Bill of Rights impacts the lawmaking process in the United States. In this Bill of Rights lesson, 9th graders discuss the amendments and their limitations. Students research the role of the Legislative...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan for Reading
Students in an adult ESL classroom are introduced to the definition of freedom of speech. Using the internet, they discover the differences between the rule of law and rule of men. To end the lesson, they examine how the court system...
Curated OER
Create a New Amendment
Students review and discuss the important points of the amendments to the Constitution. They discuss the guidelines for adding a new amendment to the Constitution. Students brainstorm ideas for the new amendment.
Curated OER
The Roots of Our Rights
Students examine the Preamble to the Constitution. In this government lesson, students read the Preamble of the Constitution and define the meaning of unknown words. Students write about examples of how the Constitution protects our rights.
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Supreme Court in Our Lives: Key Cases
Students analyze Supreme Court decisions and their effect on students. They discuss current events realted to the U.S. Constitution and review cases that impact students. They identify each case with its facts, issues, and arguments.
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The Bill of Rights
Seventh graders determine why the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution. In this U.S. government lesson, 7th graders discuss the first 10 amendments and any vocabulary they may be unfamiliar with. Students then read different...
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The Right to Vote
In this voting worksheet, students identify and discuss changes in voting rights throughout American history.
Then, they identify why voting is an important right for Americans. Finally, students create voting bookmarks instead of or in...
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Who Has Power?
Fourth graders discuss abuse of power in government and examine the Constitution for specific powers in each branch. They create a crossword puzzle utilizing terms and information regarding division of government powers and federalism
Curated OER
Guild v. Google
Students share opinions about what constitutes fair use of copyright materials and participate in a mock trial arguing the case of The Authors Guild v. Google.
Curated OER
Political Asylum Talk Show
Learners view videos, visit websites, and read about the nature and changes made to the idea of political asylum. Beginning with Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany, they will explore policy change throughout the years. The lesson plan...
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The Changing Meaning of "Due Process"
Middle schoolers examine the United States Constitution and how the application for due process differs in two amendments. They research the changing definition of the term since the Civil War. They use the internet to research press...
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Storytellers: Pearl Jam
Students examine the concept of freedom of speech as it applies to music. They watch and discuss the video, "VH1 Storytellers: Pearl Jam," participate in a class discussion about free speech, conduct research, and conduct a debate.
Curated OER
Latinos and the Fourteenth Amendment: A Primary Document Activity
Students explore Latinos and the Fourteenth Amendment. In this government and law lesson, students analyze the ruling in Hernandez v. Texas. Students predict how the United States would be different if the court had made an alternated...
Curated OER
Does Free Speech Exist in School?
Young scholars examine their own First Amendment rights as students. They read and discuss a news article, discuss the Supreme Court case Frederick v. Morse, take an online quiz and conduct Internet research, and create a brochure...
Curated OER
Plessy V. Ferguson: "Separate but Equal," Equal Protection
Students explore the details and impact of the Plessy vs. Ferguson U.S. Supreme Court case. In this U.S. History lesson, students participate in several group discussions and group activities that examine both sides of the famous...
Curated OER
Government Lesson Plan: Lesson Plan 8
Learners analyze the Fourteenth Amendment. They discuss Reconstruction, read the provisions of the Fourteenth Amendment, define the provisions, and in small groups analyze a Supreme Court case that was impacted by the due process clause.
Judicial Learning Center
Getting Ready for Trial
A courtroom can be a scary place for the uninitiated. Get familiar with the process using a helpful overview of the activities that take place prior to both civil and criminal cases. The lesson explains the differences between civil and...