The "Constitution Day and Citizenship Day" law requires schools receiving any federal funding to provide educational programming on the history of the American Constitution. The lesson plans, materials, videos, questions, and activities...

Young journalists read a case study about an annual school tradition of a streaker running across the football field after the homecoming game. Small groups then decide whether or not to cover the story and whether or not to include a...

The debate over the integrity of stories in media is not new. Young journalists analyze historical sources that reveal freedom of the press controversies and draw parallels to challenges freedom of the press faces today. 

Why was the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 so important? The reading in the resource discusses how the act affected Southerners, Northerners, and the slaves themselves. Scholars complete the reading as a form of direct instruction while...

Students examine civil rights. In this civil rights instructional activity, students research human rights issues of United States history. Students then discuss their research findings and write Bill of Rights statements for the topics...

Students create working definition of common citizen, and investigate and discuss important sections of Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, and other Amendments. Students demonstrate...

Students analyze the rise of Islamist terrorism. In this terrorism lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the growth of Al Quaeda and other terror groups. Students respond to discussion...

What is a good citizen? Here is a fantastic unit of ten lessons that will thoroughly cover the concept of civics and citizenship in your class. Examples of activities include learning stations, primary and secondary source analysis of...

Young scholars identify and explain the Tiananmen Square incident of June 1989. Studentsl compare what it is to be an American Citizen (Democracy) vs. Chinese Citizen (Communism). Young scholars identify and define various vocabulary...

Learners explore that there have been times during the history of the US when ,in response to real and perceived threats, both domestic and foreign, our country has responded by passing legislation. Students trace the fundamental rights...

All things are subject to interpretation ... and that includes the Bill of Rights. Scholars work through activities to analyze and consider various interpretations and perspectives of the rights listed in the Constitution. They complete...

Twelfth graders discuss the creation of the United States, the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. Through a class debate, role-playing Federalists and Anti-federalists, they identify the reasons for and against ratification...

Is it illegal to lie about military service? Discuss the ways the First Amendment affects the Stolen Valor Act with a lesson that focuses on the Supreme Court case U.S. v. Alvarez. As high schoolers learn more about the history of the...

Students watch a documentary prior to participating in a Supreme Court simulation in order to study how religious practices are protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. They interpret conflict from a number of perspectives...

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...

Students read primary documents to find the motivations of the founding fathers of the United States. In this primary documents instructional activity, students discuss the meaning of the Preamble to the Constitution, read parts of the...

In this American government worksheet, students respond to 12 true/false, 11 alphabetical order, 15 fill in the appropriate articles, 15 matching, and 1 cryptogram about the structure of the American government.

Students explore the REpublican Era and the writing of the constitution and Billof Rights through various links and activities included in this collection.

Learners compare the Federalists and Anti-Federalists visions for the U.S. government. In this government lesson, students conduct research on Federalists and Anti-Federalists figures. Learners use their findings to help them write...

Middle schoolers investigate the consequences of eliminating one or more of the amendments to the Bill of Rights.

Students read the handout, "A Visitor from Outer Space" and discuss the bill of rights. They complete the Bill of Right checklist individually or in small groups then complete a poll ranking each freedom. Students write reasoning behind...

Students review provisions of Bill of Rights and First Amendment, choose five rights they would like to preserve, support their choices and ideas with reasoned arguments, and discuss consequences of keeping or losing particular rights.

Students study the history, development and meaning of the Constitution. They participate in a classroom simulation of the Constitutional Convention by writing a Preamble, developing a government, and writing a Bill of Rights for their...

Students are introduced to the writings of James Madison and explain why he is often called "The Father of the Constitution". Using primary source documents, they examine his view of the Bill of Rights and what he meant by faction. In...