Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

Slavery and the Constitution

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
It's hard to believe the abolition movement was once seen as scandalous. Help learners understand how the US Constitution changed everything. A variety of activities such as corresponding reading activities, group work ideas, and...
Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

The Constitution, Federalism, and the States

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
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 in a series of 20 are designed to help learners...
Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

The Purpose of the Constitution

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What does the Constitution have to do with my life? This is a question teachers hear on a day-to-day basis. Teach high schoolers just how relevant the US Constitution is to them today with essays, real-life connection activities, and...
Lesson Plan
2
2
Hyperion Publishing

Words We Live By: Your Annotated Guide to the Constitution

For Teachers 7th - 9th Standards
The language of the Constitution can feel quite ominous to young learners, but there are a variety of strategies you can utilize to help your class grasp the important concepts and ideals in our nation's founding document. This lesson...
Worksheet
Read Works

The United States Constitution

For Students 2nd - 3rd Standards
The US Constitution is the beginning of Americans' rights. Use a five-paragraph passage to give a brief history of the US Constitution. A great last minute addition to a lesson on Constitution Day.
Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

Exercising Judicial Power

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
We should all do more exercising, but should the judicial branch as well? High schoolers develop their understanding of what powers the judicial branch carries because of the US Constitution, as well as where their limits lie in the...
Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

The Amendment Process and the Bill of Rights

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Did you know that lawmakers have proposed more than 5,000 bills to amend the US Constitution in Congress? Your class learns intriguing facts about the process of choosing amendments. A variety of activities including before and after...
Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

Procedural Rights: Amendments VI, VII, and VIII

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Even in court, your class members have procedural rights provided by the amendments. Teach high schoolers this important lesson plan by using the 18th installment of a 20-part unit exploring the US Constitution. The resource provides...
Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

The Office of the Executive

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
An executive is not just a leader of a company; you can also use the term to describe the president of the United States. The ninth part of a 20-part unit teaches high schoolers about the importance of the executive branch and the...
Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

The House of Representatives

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The House of Representatives has a lot of responsibility  in the United States government. But how did it all begin, and why is it the way it is now? A comprehensive instructional activity answers all of these questions about the US...
Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

Crime and Punishment

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
You wouldn't give someone a 10-day timeout for eating a piece of candy. The US government, too, does not believe in unreasonable punishment. A variety of exercises exploring the clauses of the US Constitution prompts class members to...
Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

Procedural Amendments: Amendments III, IV, and V

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
So many US Constitution clauses, so little time. The 17th installment in a 20-part series teaches pupils about the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments. Learning through activities such as group work, connecting to current events, and...
Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

Substantive Amendments: Amendments I and II

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The First and Second Amendments remain some of the most famous, even to this day. Learners read about several clauses from the US Constitution through a variety of captivating activities including before and after reading, group work,...
Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

Congress's Territorial Powers, Implied Powers, Citizenship, and the Bureaucracy

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
An informative resource gives scholars a look into why the US Constitution placed certain federal powers over that of the state. A variety of activities about constitutional clauses helps to create meaningful learning.
Unit Plan
Core Knowledge Foundation

Unit 7: The United States Constitution

For Teachers 4th Standards
Fourth graders delve into the United States Constitution in a unit designed to boost reading comprehension, grammar, and writing. During each lesson, scholars read through and discuss a new chapter and work with prefixes and verbs....
Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

Lawmaking and the Rule of the Law

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
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...
Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

Courts and Judges

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
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...
Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

The Senate

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Do your learners struggle to understand the differences between the Senate and the House of Representatives?  Help them develop an understanding of how the US Constitution's clauses affect the Senate's operations. A high-quality...
Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

Congress's War Powers

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Declaring war is not as easy as some may think. High schoolers learn about Congress's limits regarding war by reading important clauses in the US Constitution. Various independent and collaborative activities reinforce learning, making...
Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

The Powers of the Executive

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Are executives as powerful as they sound? High schoolers find out about the US president and executive branch. A variety of activities include scaffolded reading sections, research assignments, and collaborative group work.
Lesson Plan
2
2
Walt Disney Company

Elizabeth Started All the Trouble

For Students 2nd - 6th Standards
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a famous suffragette that paved the way for equal rights for women. Readers respond to before, during, and after reading questions based on her story. The resource is a great addition to a lesson during...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Constitution and the Bill of Rights

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders explore the information of the index of the Constitution. In this Constitution and Bill of Rights lesson, 4th graders complete a worksheet by locating keywords in the index. Students understand the importance of using an...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Post-1865: Effects of the War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
An engaging lesson focuses on the impact of the war and Lincoln's plan for Reconstruction had on the United States. Historians analyze primary documents, such as Constitutional Amendments and newspaper experts. They also participate in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Judges in the Classroom

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students examine the classification categories of rights including liberty, security, cultural, and group rights. They identify and analyze the various similarities and differences among five countries and their constitutions.