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Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

The Founding Fathers and the Constitutional Struggle Over Centralized Power

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Believe it or not, the Constitution was America's second attempt at a democratic government. Academics travel back to the past to explore the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation that would eventually lead to the Constitutional...
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

The Creation of the Bill of Rights: “Retouching the Canvas”

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
While the Constitutional Convention lay the foundation of the new government for the United States, the protections given under the Bill of Rights were controversial. Using documents, such as James Madison's and Thomas Jefferson's...
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Unit Plan
California Polytechnic State University

Australian Geography Unit

For Teachers 7th - 9th Standards
At the heart of this resource is a beautifully detailed PowerPoint presentation (provided in PDF form) on the overall physical geography of Australia, basic facts about the country, Aboriginal history, and Australia culture and lifestyle.
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Interactive
DocsTeach

WWI Propaganda and Art

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Uncle Sam wants you! During World War II, the US government and military created a propaganda campaign to gain public support. The activity uses primary documents such as photos to explain how and why the propaganda campaign was...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Representation: Majority Rule

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Young scholars explore government. In this decision making lesson plan, students discover the importance of majority rule in the passing of bills. They all participate in a class debate and practice the different forms of decision...
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Unit Plan
Film Foundation

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington: What Is a Movie?

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
Watching is not the same as seeing. Transform viewers from passive watchers to active students of film with this 34-page packet, filled with lessons and activities that use Mr. Smith Goes to Washington to examine the technology, the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Importance of Representative Democracy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the general concept of representative democracy, and compare/contrast the American representative democracy to the monarchical system. They research the role of legislative bodies in serving the government, particularly...
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Lesson Plan
2
2
Smithsonian Institution

Native Resistance: Native Resistance Then and Now

For Teachers 8th - 11th Standards
Native Americans lost so much—and gained so little in return. Scholars explore Native Americans' resistance to the United States government. The lesson uses primary sources to explore the different forms of protest and gives a voice to...
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Activity
US Department of Commerce

The Census Questionnaire: Then and Now

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
As the United States has changed, so has the census! While required by the Constitution, the questions the government asks to allot representation and federal funding has developed over time. Using images of previous censuses, young...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Government and Community Resources

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students explore how to communicate using past tense and present perfect tense verbs. They discuss words related to postal activities and the procedures to follow when mailing letters and packages, registering mail, and buying money orders.
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Curated OER

The Movement Before the Movement: Civil Rights Activism in the 1940s

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Many educators focus on the civil rights movement as it occurred after Rosa Parks incited the bus boycott. Extend the understanding of the fight for civil rights in the United States with this post-WWII lesson. Learners examine and...
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Lesson Plan
Visa

Financial Forces: Understanding Taxes and Inflation

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Take the opportunity to offer your young adults some important financial wisdom on the way taxes and inflation will affect their lives in the future. Through discussion and review of different real-world scenarios provided in this...
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

The "Federal" in Federalism

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
How are states in the United States related to each other? Does the government bind them together? Do states have different governments? After reading about federal power as a whole group, your class members will participate in a...
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Lesson Plan
1
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Judicial Branch of California

Defining Civic Duty and Participation

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
A instructional activity, geared toward older elementary scholars, combines art with social studies to explain the purpose of civic duty and how to encourage others in the community to participate. Academics create advertising campaigns...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Comparing Sparta and Athens

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students are taught the differences between totalitarianism and democracy. They discuss the historical roots of the democratic tradition. Students are introduced to the term totalitarianism and are told that it is a form of government...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
C-SPAN

Supreme Court Justices Research and Resumes

For Teachers 6th - 12th
According to Article III, Section1 of the United States constitution, the only qualification one needs to be appointed to the Supreme Court is to demonstrate "good behavior." The president and Congress are given the power to determine...
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Lesson Plan
Curriculum Development Institute

Life in the Greek City-States: Athens and Sparta

For Students 7th - 9th
Developing lessons that address the diversity found in the 21st-century classroom can be a challenge. A plan about life in the Greek city-states of Athens and Sparta provides a model for how instruction can be differentiated to address...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Constitution: the Head of State

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students participate in a constitutional convention to debate whether Australia should become a republic. They form small groups to represent various sides of the debate such as parliamentary republicanism, popular republicanism and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

News or Propaganda?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
What is considered news vs. propaganda? Learners will discuss objectivity and press responsibility while exploring these two concepts. They work in small groups to explore the article in-depth, guided by reading comprehension and...
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Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

The New Nation

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
The conclusion of the American Revolution brought about a new conflict—choosing the stye of government for the newly formed United States. Using the views of both Federalists and Anti-Federalists, learners work in pairs and groups to...
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

The Preamble to the Constitution: A Close Reading Lesson

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union..." These familiar lines begin the Preamble to the Constitution, but do learners know what they mean? A close reading exercise takes a look at the language of the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson 6: Crowded Skies

For Teachers 5th - 12th
This is a treasure-trove of multimedia resources to help your scholars analyze transportation methods. They discuss different forms of movement, utilizing several infographics to spur conversation deeper and get visual learners engaged....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Supreme Court: The Judicial Power of the United States

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate some basic facts about the Supreme Court by examining the United States Constitution and one of the landmark cases decided by that court. The operation of the Supreme Court forms the focus of the lesson.
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Activity
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Puritan Massachusetts: Theocracy or Democracy?

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Was Puritan society governed as more of a theocracy or democracy? After comparing and contrasting a series of primary source documents, middle and high schoolers form small groups and debate the question.

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