Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

The 1828 Campaign of Andrew Jackson: Expansion of the Voting Base

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students give examples to indicate how the franchise was extended and limited in the first half of the 19th century, and cite some differences in the newly enfranchised population that could affect the way they would vote.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fragment on the Constitution and Union (1861). The Purpose of the American Union

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders examine how President Lincoln formulated the principles of the Declaration of Independence as the goal of the American Union.  For this American Government lesson, 11th graders read and analyze primary sources based...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Constitution

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students use both electronic and traditional resources to research information about U.S. Constitution, answer questions pertaining to Congress and the Presidency, and design HyperStudio presentation to display answers to research...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Legislative Branch

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners analyze Article 1 of the Constitution. They respond to the Public Criticism E-Learning module.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Regulating Freedom of Speech

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the nature and limits of the Constitutional right to freedom of speech. They read and analyze the First Amendment, discuss various case studies, and research and record their own opinion on discussion questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Free to Speak and Free to Post?

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students research on the Web and in books with city statutes or call city officials to find out the local ordinance on posting signs on utility poles. If illegal, students explore what has happened elsewhere when citizens decided to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Congress Works

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students describe role of the U.S. Congress in American government as set forth in the Constitution, and explain why the Framers created a Congress with a House and a Senate and gave them different roles.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

In the Courts

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore desegregation in the courts. In this civil rights instructional activity, students listen to their instructor present a lecture on Supreme Court cases Brown v. Board of Education and Plessy v. Ferguson....
Worksheet
Student Handouts

Letter from Birmingham Jail

For Students 8th - 12th Standards
Analyze an abridged version of Martin Luther King Jr's "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Class members read the excerpt and respond to four provided questions, which focus on the content provided. Consider taking the time to read the entire...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fair Housing Lesson 4: Constitutional Hearing

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students investigate fair housing issues in the United States. In this government lesson, students watch "No Place Like Home," and then prepare to participate in a classroom simulation that requires them to act as state legislators and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Justice in America

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students use the Preamble to the Constitution as the central resource, to consider the concept of justice in the United States, from past times to the present. Thoughtful questions are posed and helpful hand-outs provided.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Land of the Rising Guns?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students discuss the decision after World War II of Japan's to follow a policy of pacifism. After reading an article, they identify the ways Japan is strengthening its military. They watch a video to discover how their Constitution was...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Federalist Debates: Balancing Power Between State and Federal Governments

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explain the basic positions of the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. They chart the differences and similarities between state and federal governments. They write a persuasive essay in response to an open-ended question.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Taking A Stand - Rules and Laws

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore the purpose of rules and laws in society, as well as some of the basic tenets of the Constitution that address equal rights for all citizens. Next, they examine historical examples of segregation and consider its impact...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Mayflower Compact

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders investigate historical documents of the United States by reading the Mayflower Compact.  In this U.S. History activity, 8th graders analyze the wording of the original Mayflower Compact of the first U.S. settlers and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fires of the 21st Century

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore historical perspectives. In this contemporary history lesson, students listen to Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire," discuss they lyrics, and add  a new verse to the song for the years 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Chinese Expulsion Act of 1880

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students examine the Chinese Expulsion Act of 1880. In this History instructional activity, students explore the issues of immigration and exclusion surrounding the Chinese Expulsion Act. Students will use a variety of primary sources to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Abraham Lincoln, the 1860 Election, and the Future of the American Union and Slavery

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine Abraham Lincoln's political views about slavery. In this American Civil War instructional activity, students determine how Lincoln's beliefs led to the restriction of slavery in American territories. Student also analyze...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Abraham Lincoln on the American Union: " A Word Fitly Spoken"

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students consider Lincoln's perspective. In this presidential perspectives instructional activity, students explore the political thoughts of Lincoln through a series of lessons that make use of primary source analysis. They hypothesize...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Eating Over the Rainbow

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine their own diets, and then redesign the USDA's Food Pyramid to reflect nutrition experts' latest advice. They read and discuss The Color of Nutrition: Fruits and Vegetables, which is an article imbedded in this plan.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Row Behind Death Row

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students investigate several controversial issues in the criminal justice system relating to death row and give oral reports explaining how their issues safeguard or contaminate the issue of fairness in capital punishment. They offer...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Privacy in the Age of Video Surveillance: This Is Not Your Father's Candid Camera

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders examine the use of video surveillance in the corporate world and other life situations. In groups, they determine how many times and in what situations they believe they are being watched. They use the Constitution to...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Desegregation of the Armed Forces

For Students 9th - 12th
For this desegregation worksheet, students read the transcript of "Executive Order 9981," and then respond to 10 short answer questions about the desegregation of the armed forces.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Taking to the Airwaves

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students consider the purpose of talk radio and examine its importance in the new democratic Iraq. They enact mock talk shows based on current events and reflect on the value of free speech and the role audience members play in radio...

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