Students appreciate the sacrifices that people from across the country made to ensure that all citizens could exercise their constitutional right to vote. They access excellent websites and documents imbedded in this plan to guide their...

Students examine the separation of powers in local and federal government. Using case studies, they review several instances of separation of powers. After reading the case studies, they write a brief opinion essays supporting their...

In this Napoleon activity, learners examine sources and pictures and then answer questions about Napoleon's rise to power. Students use content and make judgments about reliability of sources. Learners are also asked to use the given...

For this trees worksheet, learners put different kinds of trees into a chart and compare and contrast them. Students then answer percentage problems about the trees and short answer questions. Learners complete 7 questions in all.

Students bring in their fat diaries and work in pairs to calculate their average fat intake per day during the week of data collection. The whole class gathers to calculate their total fat intake and average fat intake per student per...

Students read and restate the Ten Amendements of the Bill of Rights. They analyze Supreme Court cases using the Bill of Rights. Students make predictions about how the Supreme Court might have deicided each case. They evaluate how the...

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...

Young scholars create a timeline of the important events of John F. Kennedy's presidency. They construct a timeline of the major events of the Cuban Missile Crisis. They compare the Missile Crisis events with their presentation in the...

Students articulate their understanding of the framers' intentions with respect to the separation of church and state, explore the issue of church/state separation and how it is currently manifesting itself in Ohio by reading and...

Students explain how various issues regarding restrictions on the Internet are impacted by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, particularly in light of the recent school shooting and bombing in Littleton, Colorado.

Students investigate the recent federal appeals court decision finding the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional. They further investigate the notions of constitutionality and separation between church and state by analyzing a patriotic...

Students share opinions about what constitutes fair use of copyright materials and participate in a mock trial arguing the case of The Authors Guild v. Google.

Students examine the Chinese Expulsion Act of 1880. In this History lesson, students explore the issues of immigration and exclusion surrounding the Chinese Expulsion Act. Students will use a variety of primary sources to write an essay...

Students explore the debate on how to curb gun violence in America. They prepare an argument for or against a strict interpretation of the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution and participate in a debate.

Students analyze a "top secret" document written by Eisenhower. They identify and chart cliches for those about to go into battle and read related poetry. They invite a veteran to describe the D-Day invasion.

Students explore basic heart anatomy, review basic definition of heart disease, research different tests used to diagnose heart disease and heart attacks, discuss what constitutes a "healthy heart" lifestyle, and incorporate it into...

Students analyze treaties made between the US government and Native American tribes. In this government lesson, students evaluate bias emotionally connect with what was gained and lost during the late 1700's. This is a 3 part lesson...

Students explore the controversial topic of same-sex marriages in a fishbowl discussion. They write balanced news articles based on interviews exploring people's opinions on laws that define marriage.

Students explore rules of conduct in a political body, first drafting rules that apply to their classroom, then adapting them to political actions in Congress.

Students share opinions about what constitutes a worthy design for a postage stamp. They research a subject and design a postage stamp to submit to the United States Postal Service.

Students debate both positions on the controversial topic of racial profiling with support for each and then develop a consensus position on how racial profiling as a law enforcement tool should be used.

Second graders explain the characteristics of a rainforest habitat.  In this rainforest lesson, 2nd graders examine the layers of the rainforest and the locations of rainforests.   Students complete a scavenger hunt on an...

Students investigate voter participation in the U.S. They watch and discuss a Bill Moyers video, complete a handout, and develop a plan to help a community overcome obstacles to voter participation.

Students examine the roles of each of the branches of U.S. government. For this checks and balances lesson, students watch Discovery video segments and discuss the concept of federalism as they create a school-wide policy for government...