Center for Civic Education
What Is Authority?
Young scholars examine the concepts of power and authority as they begin learning about government in this elementary social studies lesson. Through a series of readings, discussions, and problem solving activities, children learn about...
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Evaluating Potential Sources: Deciding What to Use and What to Reject
Teach young researchers how best to choose sources. This PowerPoint presentation underscores the need for accuracy, authority, objectivity, currency, and coverage.
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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...
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Asking Shows Respect for Privacy of Others
Fourth graders explore how to hold conversations and respect the privacy of others. They discuss why it is important to ask those in authority for help and to respect others' belongings. They review signs they have observed in public and...
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Respect for Authority
Students examine the country of Mongolia and how it is trying to form a democracy. As a class, they participate in a class meeting about a new class rule and they voice their opinions. They read excerpts of a letter of a Peace Corps...
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The Hippies vs. Authority
Students, in groups, explore the dynamics between hippies and authority figures and create a T-chart outlining the concerns and arguments of both sides.
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Accepting Authority
Second graders in a 2nd grade classroom review "self control" and begin a instructional activity on "accepting authority." They discuss people who have authority over them and review what they should do in a variety of scenarios where...
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The Credibility Challenge: In Search of Authority on the Internet
High schoolers identify and interpret the background and practice in determining authority on the Internet. Then they identify how to tell whether an author has expertise or not, and whether they're getting the straight story. Students...
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Authority Figures
First graders simulate that they have been stranded on a desert island. They are not going to be rescued and they have to figure out who is in charge, form a government, and how many levels of leadership there needs to be.
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Why Do We Need Authority?
Students examine the problems created by a lack of effective authority described in Mark Twain's Roughing It. They explain how we use authority to protect our rights, to provide order and security, and to manage conflict.
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What A Beautiful Baby!
In this career learning exercise, students imagine that they are adopting a baby. They create a budget chart for all of the expenses needed to properly care for a baby. Students calculate the costs for a month, including babysitting.
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Cuban Missile Crisis
Seventh graders explore, analyze and study all the various aspects that happened concerning the Cuban Missile Crisis. They assess documents from the Cuban Missile Crisis and make decisions about what the United States should do based on...
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Spending Public Money
Students work in small groups. They imagine that they are the council committee. Students choose from a list of projects to be funded. They have one hundred thousand dollars to spend and they have to spend the money on a project that...
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Why Do We Need Authority?
Young scholars examine a situation in which there is no effective authority and identify problems which the lack of authority creates. They explain how authority can be used to deal with these problems.
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Who's Boss in a Fairy Tale?
Learners analyze the story of Cinderella to determine who is the authority and how justice works in the context of the story as well as determining which elements of the story could happen and which are fanciful.