Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The constitution and The Bill of Rights

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore an Internet site that introduces the Framers, court cases, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and even games and quizzes.
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American Government Preamble to the United States Constitution

For Students 4th Standards
Observe Constitution Day with a worksheet that delves deep into the who, what, why, when, where, and how of the U.S. Constitution. Scholars read a short informational text then answer 10 questions—short answer and multiple choice. 
Lesson Plan
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Wartime and the Bill of Rights: The Korematsu Case

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the balance between civil liberties and protection. In this national security lesson, students explore the Korematsu case which references the Japanese internment camps of World War II. Students draw comparisons between...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Alien and Sedition Acts: Defining American Freedom

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore the purpose of the Alien and Sedition Acts.  In this US History lesson, 11th graders analyze primary source documents.  Students write an essay using writing prompts. 
Lesson Plan
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Can I Feel Your Pain? A Sculpture Project

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners conduct research dealing with some aspect of human rights in Latin America. They create a sculpture as a response to an instance of repression that touched them from their research. They give a brief oral report on their country.
Lesson Plan
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Our Country

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders study about being a citizen in a democracy. They also study about the important American symbols and the process for electing the President. Students develop a creative writing story and create a drawing of a room....
Lesson Plan
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Civil War and Reconstruction

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate the Civil War by researching the state of Virginia.  In this US History lesson, 4th graders identify Abraham Lincoln, James Chestnut and Fort Sumter, and discuss their roles in the start of the Civil...
Lesson Plan
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How to Teach the Legacies of the 1960s

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students consider which aspects of world around them have roots in 1960s, research and compare 1960s to today with regards to Civil and Women's Rights, Vietnam, counterculture, music, voting, and economic rights, and explore legacy of...
Organizer
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American Revolution and Constitution Take-Home Assessment

For Students 10th - 12th
In this early American history worksheet, students draw diagrams of that feature the responsibilities of each of the 3 branches of the federal government and then create their own original visuals that highlight the formation of American...
PPT
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The Brief American Pageant: The Path of Empire

For Teachers 8th - 11th
America's status as a world power came relatively quickly after the American Revolution - as did the expansion of its borders. The slides in this brief presentation detail the period from 1890 to 1899, in which a series of maps detail...
PPT
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The Brief American Pageant: The Stalemate Seventies

For Teachers 9th - 11th
A glimpse of the political and economic contexts of the 1970's, this series of slides includes two graphs (median family income and Consumer Price Index) and a map that details the results of the 1972 Nixon-McGovern Presidential...
Lesson Plan
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Follow the Leader

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Here is a phenomenal lesson on the three branches of government for your second and third-graders. It presents this often-confusing information in an easy-to-understand format. Many excellent activities and worksheets are embedded in the...
Lesson Plan
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Do We Need a New Constitutional Convention

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students analyze the adaptive nature of the U.S. Constiution. In this Amendments lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the amendment process. Students respond to question regarding...
Lesson Plan
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Making Sense of the Employee Free Choice Act

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the Employee Free Choice Act. In this workers' rights lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the details of the legislation. Students work in pairs to discuss questions and...
Lesson Plan
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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
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Separate is Not Equal: Brown v. Board of Education

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Pupils analyze photographs that feature segregation. In this human rights activity, students examine photographs of a segregated movie theater, a Ku Klux Klan gathering, a segregated business sign, and an illustration from "Harper's...
Lesson Plan
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Citizenship City

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students design labels promoting civic responsibility to distribute to the community. In this civics lesson, students engage in a simulated reunion and discuss their future careers and research various community organizations and...
Lesson Plan
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What Would Hannah Think?

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students read excepts from various government documents on the issue of slavery in America. Using the internet, they research a topic related to slavery of interest to them and present to the class their findings. They examine the life...
Lesson Plan
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Slavery and the Legal Status of Free Blacks: Rhetorical Analysis of Debates During the 1847 Illinois Constitutional Convention

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders read actual arguments regarding the status of free blacks in Illinois and slavery in the United States more generally.
Lesson Plan
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Is Coming to the United States of America Good For the Immigrant?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students evaluate impact of American politics, economy, culture, and environment on the immigrant, gather first person data, and use it to develop a persuasive presentation.
PPT
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The Brief American Pageant: The Resurgence of Conservatism

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Take a short trip back in time with this presentation, which details the political and electoral contexts of 1980's and 1990's America. Covering the Gulf War as well as domestic economics, these slides feature easy-to-read charts and...
PPT
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The Brief American Pageant: The Stormy Sixties

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Intended for use with The American Pageant by David Kennedy, Lizabeth Cohen, and Mel Piehl, this slideshow includes maps and graphs that detail politics and social dynamics in 1960's America. The textbook is not necessary for...
Lesson Plan
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Segregated America

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Learners investigate Jim Crow laws. In this segregation lesson, students analyze images that display American segregation. Learners use the provided questions to aid them in their evaluation of the images.
Lesson Plan
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Susan Brownell Anthony

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students learn what it was like for women in the United States prior to the time they could vote. They identify important facts and the contributions that Susan B. Anthony made to America.