Teaching Tolerance
Mass Incarceration as a Form of Racialized Social Control
Mass incarceration: A result of a tough stance on crime or racial discrimination, you decide. Academics explore the history and reasons behind mass incarcerations in the United States and its impact on ethnic communities. The...
Curated OER
If I Were President
Children discuss voting and the presidency. They make a picture of what they would do as president and dictate a caption. The class then votes on the snack they would like to eat that day. This presents many wonderful learning...
Curated OER
Government and Community Resources
Adult learners, with the assistance of flash/picture cards, explore a variety of United States holidays and social customs: Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and more. In addition, they draw pictures illustrating...
Curated OER
Power and Authority
Fourth graders study authority and power as its used in government. In this government lesson, 4th graders define power and authority. Students then read different scenarios of authority and power examples in people as well as...
Curated OER
Passport to the World
Eighth graders investigate the process for obtaining a United States passport. They plan a trip to a foreign country looking at important information including the climate, geography, culture, money, and language. They complete the...
Curated OER
ADULT ESOL LESSON PLAN--Government and Community Resources
Students, after reviewing/examining a lengthy list of vocabulary terms, explore and identify government officials, especially the current United States President. They view a variety of pictures with government officials on them and...
Curated OER
In God We Trust; All Others Pay Cash
Learners review their knowledge on the First Amendment. After reading an article, they identify specific church and state issues. Using the Internet, they research President Bush's proposal from a specific point of view. They summarize...
Curated OER
Give Me Liberty or Give Me Freedom
Welcome to America, the land of liberty and freedom. Examine the ways in which the terms liberty and freedom have been used in the United States. After researching and analyzing quotations from the past and present, learners create an...
Curated OER
Branching Out
Students research structure, function and primary responsibilities of each office of the Executive branch, create a chart displaying their research.
Curated OER
Crossing Borders, Crossing Boundaries?
Students explore how the United States government is using biometrics to secure American borders. They examine the pitfalls of biometrics programs and propose possible ways to strengthen the program.
Curated OER
Outsourcing City Hall
Students examine how some city halls around the country are using private companies to run them. After watching a video, they write a reaction paper to some part of it. They write an article for their school newspaper discussing whether...
Bill of Rights Institute
The Declaration of Independence
Take classes on an in-depth tour of the Declaration of Independence. An informative resource effectively scaffolds learning by providing warm-up and wrap-up activities. It also includes a variety of handouts for individuals to complete,...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Investigating the Declaration of Independence
Teach your class about the Declaration of Independence while giving them practice working as a team. The resource breaks participants into groups and has them answer questions about specific grievances from the Declaration of...
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: A Picture Book of Abe Lincoln (Adler)
The story of Abe Lincoln serves as the backdrop to this vocabulary-in-context activity as you read David Adler's A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln. Scholars learn these politically themed words before listening to you read the story...
Curated OER
Longfellow Amongst His Contemporaries: the Ship of State Dbq
Students evaluate the ship of state metaphor in relation to the historical events in America from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War. They synthesize ideas presented in ten different primary source documents and compose an essay...
Curated OER
How Congress Works
Students study the role of the U.S. Congress in American government as described in the Constitution. For this U.S. government lesson, students watch an overhead about 'public criticisms' in the legislative process and complete a quiz....
Curated OER
Essay About a Quote by John Adams
In this essay worksheet, students read the quote by John Adams, "A government of laws, and not of men." Students write an essay about what they think this means.
Curated OER
Sizing Up The Senate
Students consider Senate leadership by examining specific positions and staging a mock legislative session. They write reflective essays considering the inner workings of the Senate.
Curated OER
The Electoral Process
Students explore the U.S. political system by completing several worksheets. In this government election lesson, students define and describe the two main political parties in detail to one another. Students read a piece written by a...
Curated OER
Perks and Perils
Learners research the life of the first family. In this U.S. Government lesson plan, students take a White House quiz, read an article about the first family and write in their journals about a typical day in their lives versus what a...
Curated OER
Send Lincoln a Letter
Learners discover the postal service through a letter writing activity. In this U.S. Government lesson, students read the book Mr. Lincoln's Whiskers, and discover the life history of President Abraham Lincoln. Learners write a letter...
Curated OER
U.S. Population Hits 300 Million
Students read a story about the population in the United States reaching 300 million, and answer vocabulary and comprehension questions about it. For this population lesson plan, student respond to literature by answering questions,...
ProCon
Right to Health Care
Is health care a right or a privilege? Scholars review pro and con arguments to decide if all Americans should have the right to health care. They also watch informative videos and review information on the United States and...
ProCon
Gun Control
According to some estimates, there are more guns than people in the United States. Learners decide if America should enact more gun control laws. They analyze information about gun deaths in the United States by year, read about the...