Almost every American is familiar with the Supreme Court case of Brown vs. Board of Education. Far fewer understand the constitutional reasoning or the wide-ranging consequences of the ruling in the field of criminology. The interesting...

What's missing from most studies of the American Revolutionary War is information about the role African Americans played in the conflict. To correct this oversight, middle schoolers research groups like the Black Loyalists and ...

Fifth graders get critical and political while they begin thinking about human and animal rights in relation to the US Constitution. This hand out includes answers to several questions regarding Cesar Chavez and his work to secure rights...

Students investigate the concept of equal opportunity in school. For this equal opportunity lesson, students participate in a discussion about the fairness of certain situations in school. They listen to a story entitled, "Left Out",...

Students examine the gender equality of past civilizations. In this interdisciplinary lesson, students use history books to determine which of the ancient Greek City States was the most equitable concerning gender....

Have you ever wondered where the money comes from to pay for your school, teachers, supplies, and building? The 1989 Supreme Court case Edgewood ISD v. Kirby lays a framework for open discussion on the funding of public schools. Using a...

Celebrate the birthday of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. by sharing his dream of equality for all with young readers. This printable book includes simple sentences and one- and two-syllable words that make it a perfect...

"The Gettysburg Address" is the basis of a series of activities that not only model for learners how to conduct a close reading of a text, but also how a close reading can help them comprehend a difficult text. The detailed, step-by-step...

How do you create a classroom environment where hot button topics may be discussed in a respectful manner? As part of a series of lessons that focus on immigration issues, class members examine the rules for civil discussion before...

Examine American political culture with your scholars using this self-assessment lesson. Individuals rate a list of 14 values from highest to lowest, including ideas such as financial security, right to private property, justice,...

High schoolers analyze the students handbook and revise each section to make it equitable for males and females. In this stereotypes lesson high schoolers engage in a discussion of gender inequality and then look through the student...

Students utilize simulation methods and other teaching strategies within elementary-level social studies classrooms. They identify methods of delivering social studies content that enables learners with special needs to learn from and...

Fifth graders analyze many examples of African-American poetry and examine how different poems reflect the cultural experiences of African-Americans. The poems and spirituals chosen are very effective for public presentation.

Ninth graders examine their human right to education.  In this American Government lesson plan, 9th graders evaluate how well the world is doing when it comes to providing a free, equal, quality education to our youth. 

Students discover one of the restrictions forced on women of the early 1900s. In this civil rights lesson, students investigate suffrage and why women were not allowed to vote in the early twentieth century. Students create a mock...

Students are read-aloud an excerpt from The Friendship by Mildred Taylor. They pick strips of paper, white or brown, and sit according to color drawn. Students are given preferential treatment if their paper is white while the students...

Sixth graders investigate Civil Rights by participating in role-playing activities.  In this U.S. History lesson, 6th graders research the history of slavery in order to portray a story through their debating and acting...

Students examine the rule of law and government in this civics lesson. They discover the origins and how it impacts them on a daily basis. They also analyze its role in the judicial system.

High schoolers interpret the stories of school consolidation efforts. They explore what social and structural changes have occurred in rural schools. Students debate the plusses and minuses of school consolidation from several perspectives.

Students examine various creation myths from around the world. They compare/contrast the myths, write their own creation stories, and present their myths to the class in the form of storytelling, role-playing, dance, or a puppet show.