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...

Students 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.

Whether out of choice or necessity, people want to know what will happen on a typical day in court. A helpful lesson walks scholars in the field of criminology through the trial process from opening statements to the final verdict. 

What's the right way to teach young historians about the Bill of Rights? Many an instructor has asked this question when pondering lesson plans over the US Constitution. The Constitution and Rights is a nifty resource that provides a...

Americans love to learn about their rights, especially those that protect them from the government's power to invade their privacy. Young people are especially engaged by this topic. An informative lesson explores four Supreme Court...

Students solve the mysteries of why Karl Vogt and Erich Braemer were on the Christmas Train. They review the definitions of the terms constitutional, human rights, due process, discovery, and the writ of habeas corpus. They review the...

Students examine the Federal Confirmation Process for filling cabinet members by completing a confirmation process flow chart. They research the process, and participate in a mock Confirmation Process.

Marbury v. Madison is arguably the most important landmark case in the history of the Supreme Court. A fact-filled lesson provides background information about the case and two others related to the concept of judicial review. Scholars...

Courtrooms are complicated. In addition to the many rules, there are a number of people whose jobs are not very clear to the casual courtroom observer. With the resource, individuals identify some of these roles and review more...

Students write about the benefits that industrial agriculture has had on growing crops. In this industrial agriculture lesson plan, students research how technology has impacted the processing speed of growing food.

This document provides useful information for a unit on democracy in China. While it does not include detailed activities, it does have a list of democratic principles, and important facts about China that facilitate understanding of its...

Twelfth graders research a list of governmental leaders of South Carolina's past and present. They briefly identify each by writing a short summary which includes the dates of their political career, party affiliation, positions held in...

Learners examine the US Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Supreme Court cases in order to broaden their understanding of the US Judicial System. They research a variety of textual and Internet resources to create a tri-fold brochure,...

Pupils review amendments of the Constitution relating to due process. They discuss the Constitution in the case of Eberhard "Zip" Fuhr. They research the provisions of the WWII Alien Enemy Control Program. They determine how national...

High schoolers discuss amendments of the Constitution that cover due process and discuss them in relation to the play "The White Line". They determine how national security measures conflict with the issues of due process during wartime....

Students create a series of drawings to show the process of how the Supreme Court does its work. The drawings may be in strip cartoon form or a series of separate illustrations.

Students examine the voting process, the reasons citizens should vote, and participate in a community drive to sign up new voters. After looking at websites, students create a poster that outlines the reasons to vote, participate in a...

There are some historical events that may warrant greater reflection and more in-depth analysis, and the decision to intern Japanese-Americans in the United States during World War II, as well as to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and...

Students examine the 1st and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. In this U.S. government lesson, students read the Amendments and interpret them in order to respond to essential questions regarding constitutional 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...

High schoolers examine the roles that scientists and government agencies play in protecting citizens from commercially produced chemicals. They watch a video, conduct Internet research, and prepare a media presentation.

Students continue their examination of the United States Constitution. Individually, they identify events in which the government has limited our civil rights and write an essay. In groups, they debate the issue and answer...

Students examine the process of how a bill becomes law. Pupils discuss reasons for debates and explore the use of filibusters. The class observes a video to discover procedures in the House and Senate. Students visit a filibuster...

High schoolers view video The Electric Valley, discuss film clips and review news articles and other documents pertaining to eminent domain, prepare declarative statement on issue that has pro or con side, and present case to opposing...