Students investigate the free-market system and anti-trust laws. In this Bill of Rights lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture on the details of monopolies and the progressive reform movement to establish...

Students analyze an unknown primary source document to determine its origin. In this Constitution lesson, students read primary source documents and contrast and compare the evolution of the drafts of the Constitution. Students analyze...

Students discuss and identify the first ten amendments to the Constitution and apply their understanding of the material to how they currently affect their lives. They discover the rights and responsibilities of being a citizen, and...

Students are introduced to the concept of Civil Rights. In groups, they use a timeline of the Navajo tribe to identify the ways the tribe has made advances in Civil Rights throughout the years. To end the activity, they take notes and...

Young scholars research Samuel Adams' role in the crafting of the Second Amendment. They consider how Adams' views evolved with time and write a one-page response linking their research to current events.

Prepare your English learners for their upcoming citizenship test with this presentation. Addressing common questions about the American government and Constitution, this slideshow could be a good study guide for students who struggle...

Students discuss the Constitution of the United States and its amendments, then apply this discussion by creating a "Who should Decide What?" list, based upon their ideas about whether controversial issues such as abortion and medical...

Students work in groups to research and examine Constitutions from various countries. In this government and public interests activity, students analyze primary and secondary documents to make a comparison between constitutional...

Third graders identify roles of Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution in establishing new country, create posters with their ideas about each part of Constitution, and explain three branches of government, including their...

Eighth graders complete a unit of lessons on the period of time from Reconstruction to the Civil Rights movement. They analyze and interpret political cartoons and editorials, conduct research on famous civil rights places, and complete...

Students examine the work of the United Nations. In this United Nations lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the history of the United Nations. Students respond to discussion questions...

Students examine the implication of civilian targets in war. In this World War II lesson, students investigate the history of bombing practices in war. Students zero in on World War II bombing practices as they discuss precision and area...

Eighth graders locate the major land forms and bodies of water on a map of Louisiana. In groups, they discuss the role of the Mississippi River in the Battle of New Orleans and how land and water affect the outcome of battles. To end...

Students examine the First Amendment and consider the contributions of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson. They review conflicts between the rights of Church and State and write a Madisonian argument on the issue.

Establishing classroom rules within the first two weeks of school is important. But what do you do with the rules after they've been created, and how can you establish them so that they have a lasting effect all year long? Use an...

An informative lesson provides scholars the opportunity to study a Supreme Court case regarding the First Amendment and make a ruling with the members of their group. Class members also participate in group discussion and prepare a...

Is history repeating itself? A riveting lesson examines the parallels between mass incarceration in the U.S. and the Jim Crow Laws of the past. Academics review Jim Crow Laws and compare them to mass incarcerations of African Americans....

Practice analyzing primary sources in a thought-provoking lesson on the impact of slavery. Young historians read a petition regarding the Fugitive Slave Law and answer a series of questions to understand the importance of the document....

Teach the class about the predecessor to Declaration of Independence—the Virginia Declaration of Rights. Using the foundational documents, scholars examine the two writings to consider how they are similar and how they are different. A...

Studnets compare example of primary documents that have shaped U.S. government and our Constitution.

"Without concerned citizen action to uphold them (human rights) close to home; we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world. . ." Eleanor Roosevelt's comment is used to set the stage for the conclusion of a five-lesson unit...

Young scholars identify Articles of Confederation and explain why it failed, explain argument over need for Bill of Rights in Constitution and James Madison's role in securing it's adoption, and compare and contrast ideas of Federalists...

Students examine Article I, Sections 1, 7, and 8, of the U.S. Constitution and discuss the authority and restrictions placed on the Congress in making laws.

Students determine how the content of the U.S. Government enables the U.S. Government to function. They examine the roles and functions of the three branches of government and how the separation of powers and checks and balances affect...