Smarter Balanced
Monuments (and Landmarks)
Distinguishing between and understanding the purpose of landmarks and monuments is the focus a short activity designed to provide all learners with the context of a performance task. Images of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, the...
Council for Economic Education
Tax Time Scavenger Hunt
Is a 1040EZ tax form really easy? Scholars investigate the complexities of the United States taxation system with an economics lesson. Using a wide variety of web sources, they interpret IRS taxation rules and regulations to better...
C-SPAN
Voting Discrimination and the Effects of Shelby County v. Holder
Show young scholars that every vote counts as they debate the federal government 's role in protecting voting rights in historically racially discriminated areas. In the Supreme Court case Shelby County v. Holder, the high court found...
Academy of American Poets
Teach This Poem: "Election Day, November, 1884" by Walt Whitman
To begin a study of Walt Whitman's poem, "Election Day, November 1884," learners first call out a word or two that describes their reaction to the recent presidential election. They then read an encyclopedia entry about the Presidential...
Curated OER
EU and Turkey
Should Turkey be admitted to the European Union? Before debating this question, class members research the background and stated purpose of the EU, read articles of Turkey's bid to become a member of the EU, and the concerns other...
iCivics
For The President, All In A Day's Work
How does the president of the United States get the authority to exercise his/her duties? What responsibilities and tasks go into a hard day's work for the president? Here is a lesson plan that includes several instructional materials...
Curated OER
Create Your Own Constitution
Eighth graders explore the processes, purpose and components of a good and just constitution. They focus on the Constitution of the United States of America. Students discuss the purpose of a constitution and reasons why the Constitution...
Curated OER
The Noble Savage - The Social Contract Rights and Freedoms of Modern Humanity
Students, in groups, research various philosophers and the historical context of their work. They discuss the necessity and interaction of laws, regulations and human freedoms and consider the importance of the Canadian government to its...
Curated OER
The Right to Vote
Students discover voting barriers. In this government lesson, students explore the history of voting. Students work in small groups to analyze and debate if certain groups of people should have the ability to vote or not.
Curated OER
Census Countdown
Students read and discuss the census and how the census is used by the government. In this census lesson plan, students use the data collected to compare different census's and their outcomes.
Curated OER
Government Policy and Its Impact on HIV/AIDS
High schoolers examine "President Bush's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief", identify important U.S. policy events related to AIDS/HIV from the last 25 years and hold a policy debate on the funding for AIDS/HIV programs.
Curated OER
Understanding the Purpose of Provincial Government
Young scholars examine a mixed bag of objects and discuss their relevance to "government." They discuss the three branches of Provincial Government and the purpose of each.
Curated OER
The Juvenile Death Penalty
Sensitive material is discussed in this lesson. Please review to ensure that the content is suitable for your class. The topic is the Eighth Amendment and how the U.S. Supreme Court makes determinations about what constitutes cruel and...
Curated OER
Avoiding Armageddon
PBS has written a series of lessons on avoiding Armageddon. This is instructional activity 4 of 5 and focuses on defining terrorism. Upper graders watch episode 3 of "Avoiding Armageddon - The New Face of Terror," read how terrorism is...
Curated OER
Does Rick Warren Represent Diversity?
The topic of this instructional activity focuses on whether or not Obama was able to convincingly defend his choice of choosing Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration. This is considered a controversial or hot topic...
Center for Civic Education
Constitution Day Rap
Engage your class while learning about the US Constitution with this fun primary grade social studies lesson. After viewing a picture of the US Constitution, young learners piece together a US flag using stars and stripes with facts...
iCivics
A Trip Around the World
How do the rights of citizens in other countries, such as India, Germany, Brazil, and Iran, compare to those of Americans? Take a closer look at the provisions of various foreign constitutions, and compare and contrast the protections...
Heritage Foundation
Courts and Judges
If the Supreme Court is so supreme, why do all cases not just start there? High schoolers learn why every case does not start at the Supreme Court as well as the importance of hierarchy in the US judicial system in the 11th installment...
Heritage Foundation
Lawmaking and the Rule of the Law
How many constitutional clauses does it take to create a bill? High schoolers find out with several activities and selected clauses about the rule of law and the US Constitution. Various coinciding activities help to strengthen learning.
Curated OER
Sectionalism in Early U.S.
Students, divided into three groups, representing the Northeastern, Southern, Western United States. They research these areas in early American history and as a group prepare charts, graphs and reports. They explain their needs and...
James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation
A Deliberate, Palpable and Dangerous Exercise of Other Powers: James Madison & Homeland Security
This resource uses primary source documents to explore the First Amendment. After reviewing key events of the 1790s, government or US history classes explore Madison's letter to Jefferson regarding the Alien and Sedition Acts. They then...
Curated OER
The Declaration Versus The Communist Manifesto
Upper graders put their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution to the test when they are asked to mark which of several statements are from either the Constitution or the Communist Manifesto. A class discussion follows. Use this resource as...
Curated OER
Political Issues and Opinions
The emergent adults in your US Government class can become informed, self-aware voters. This activity enables them to form an opinion about particular political issues then identify themselves on the political spectrum. Informed and...
Curated OER
1984 - Chapter 3-4 Questions
Why does Winston think sorrow and tragedy are no longer possible? What is a memory hole, and what is its purpose? Although designed as an assessment, these questions on chapters three and four of the Orwell’s dystopian classic could also...