Judicial Learning Center
The Ratification Debate
Most Americans profess their love for the US Constitution, but this was not always the case. An informative lesson overviews the debate between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists by summarizing the main arguments of each side. It...
DocsTeach
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
1964: A victory for the civil rights movement! Scholars read a section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and discuss what affirmative actions means to them. The resource is a jigsaw activity, with each group focusing on one section of the...
Curated OER
Indiana Courts: How Do They Work?
Students identify the branches of Indiana's judicial system and determine the differences between the different courts and different types of cases. Students create a flow chart showing how a court case works its way through the legal...
Judicial Learning Center
Law and the Rule of Law
We hear a lot about the importance of the rule of law, but most people do not really know what those words mean. The lesson is a webpage that defines the rule of law, explains why it is important in a democratic society and provides...
Curated OER
American Democracy
Twelfth graders represent a specific interest in the business community and must present a plan that benefit the community and present the least amount of danger to the community. They must convince the city fathers that their venture is...
Curated OER
Montana Tribal Governments
Students engage in a research instructional activity to find out more information about tribal governments. The instructional activity includes guiding questions to help in the research process. They complete a chart of comparisons and...
Curated OER
Checks and Balances: Japanese-American Incarceration
Students examine the three branches of the Federal Government and their decision to place Japanese-Americans in camps during World War II. They analyze debates made by leaders during this time period.
Curated OER
Sandra Day O'Connor
No unit on important women in history would be complete without a instructional activity on Sandra Day O'Connor. After reading background information about the first female Supreme Court justice, middle schoolers engage in several...
Curated OER
Lesson 2: The Constitution: Our Guiding Document
Explore the structure and content of the US Constitution in the second lesson of this five-part social studies series. A collection of activities, games, and videos complement a class reading of a document summarizing the US...
College Board
Balance of Power Between Congress and the President
Three branches of government help create a system of checks and balances. A helpful resource provides a series of articles regarding the balance of power between the legislative and executive branches of government. Historians answer...
Curated OER
The Importance of Inauguration Day
As Inauguration Day approaches, prepare your learners by researching the protocol of years past.
Teaching Tolerance
Critiquing Hate Crimes Legislation
The high school lesson plan explores what hate crimes are and how the government has responded to those crimes. Academics read legislation, analyze political cartoons, and complete hands-on-activities to understand what motivates...
PBS
Analyzing McCulloch v. Maryland
What happened in the Supreme Court case of McCulloch v. Maryland? The resource teaches the specifics of the case with a video and provided discussion questions covering issues such as precedent and the Supreme Court as an equal branch of...
Curated OER
The President's Role and Succession
Fourth graders examine the role the President of the United States plays in American government and the order of succession of cabinet members. They explain about presidential qualifications and the path to becoming President.
Curated OER
Government: The Power Grab
Learners are able to identify the departments and agencies within the executive branch that enforce energy policy. They are able to describe potential concerns that the executive branch must address when developing energy policy.
Curated OER
Play House
Students take a closer look at representative government. In this House of Representatives lesson, students discuss their local representative in Congress and research his or her responsibilities. Students then participate in a House of...
Curated OER
Getting to Know the House
Students take a closer look at representative government. In this House of Representatives lesson, students discuss their local representative in Congress and research his or her responsibilities. Students respond to the provided...
Curated OER
A Bill Becomes A Law
Students discover how a bill becomes a law. For this Legislative Branch lesson, students discuss how a bill makes its way through the House and the Senate. Students author their own bills as well.
Curated OER
A Bill Becomes A Law
Students discover how a bill becomes a law. In this Legislative Branch lesson, students simulate a bill making its way through the House and the Senate. Students author their own bills in this simulation.
Curated OER
Washington, D.C.
In this Washington, D.C. government facts learning exercise, students read ten facts associated with the United States and determine if they are true or false.
Curated OER
Just how broken is the Senate?
Twelfth graders examine the role of the Senate in the United States. In this American Government lesson, 12th graders read various articles and answer questions to these articles. Students write a letter to their Senator on a...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The President Under the Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation sounds like one big, fancy title to middle schoolers. Here, scaffolded steps help to ease novices into understanding this all-important American document. Discussion questions, instructional activity...
Curated OER
War Making: Executive and Legislative Powers
Students examine Constitution and what it says about war-making power, contrast roles and responsibilities of executive and legislative branches of government when it comes to making war, become familiar with important 20th and 21st...
Curated OER
Separation of Powers
Eighth graders research the three branches of government and examine the effect that the separation of powers has on the presidency. They explain the importance of the rule of law in establishing limits on both those who govern and the...