As part of a study of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, class members examine four Supreme Court decisions—Gitlow v. New York, Mapp v. Ohio, Gideon v. Wainwright, and Griswold v. Connecticut—that incorporated the due...

The divide between federal and state government is responsible for much of tension that continues to this day, partly because of the US Constitution. The activities in the 14th lesson plan in a series of 20 are designed to help learners...

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.

One of the key powers of the executive branch is the president's ability to pass or veto legislation proposed by Congress. Congress, the legislative branch, on the other hand, can override a president's veto. Five film clips show how the...

Students research the Supreme Court judicial selection process while role playing. They examine the political nature of the process and discuss merits of Supreme Court nominees.

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...

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...

Students examine the intent  Bill of Rights. In this American government lesson, students watch segments of the Discovery video "The Bill of Rights."  Students discuss and debate the 4 Supreme Court cases featured in the video.

Eighth graders describe the basic ideas of government and arguments supporting the separation of the colonies from Britain in the Declaration of Independence. They actively participate in class discussion and then review, answering all...

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...

Twelfth graders explore citizenship. They discuss what makes a person a citizen of a country. Students examine the differences between resident aliens and naturalized citizens. They discuss the process for becoming a citizen and decide...

High schoolers use the Internet to read a brief description of Magna Carta (link provided). They "walk through" the document with the teacher, identifying four major themes. Students read and discuss "The Rhetoric of Rights: Americans...