While he may not be as well known as civil rights activists such as Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King, or Malcolm X, Ralph Bunche's contributions certainly made him a leader in the struggle for civil rights in the United States and...

Balancing national security and civil liberties can be tricky. To appreciate the tension between these two concepts, class members investigate the Japanese attack on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor and President Franklin D....

Learners get the chance to act as representatives to the Constitution Convention, and must decide whether or not to recommend your state ratify the new framework. After examining the Constitution line-by-line, they consider their...

Using a tableau activity, class members consider who they want to include in a Hall of Fame to honor the framer of the Constitution. Other activities include using a tableau to act out the various sections of the Constitution and related...

High schoolers explore discrimination issues in America. In this homosexual rights lesson, students listen to their instructor lecture on antidiscrimination laws and gay rights. High schoolers respond to questions about the Romer v....

Use a list of environmentally related words to engage learners in a discussion about ecosystem conservation legislation. As a class, read "Aware of Political Ecosystem, Property Rights Advocate Embraces Conservation Plan." Then, present...

Have you ever started a project only to realize you need to scrap it and start over? Scholars analyze the issues leading to the fall of the Articles of Confederation. A group investigation into Articles II, III, and VIII unveil the...

Students explore the concept of human rights by developing and defending their own 'Bills of Human Rights' and by writing a reflective essay that compares their notions of human rights and the protection of them.

As part of a civil rights movement study, groups select an event from an interactive timeline that they feel marks a turning point in the struggle. After collecting evidence to support their choice, the teams develop a multimedia...

Seventh graders conduct research on important background information regarding the role of religion in American public schools. In this Ethics lesson plan, 7th graders examine and become familiar with the First Amendment of the Bill of...

Students explore the significance of National Documents. In this National Documents lesson, students read handouts regarding the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights. Students complete the provided...

How have groups struggled to have their unalienable rights recognized in the United States? Acting as a research team for the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, your young historians will break into groups to research...

Who has the power? The founding fathers asked the same question when the United States was formed. Learners explore issues that arose during Madison’s presidency that raised constitutional questions. Through discovery, discussion, and...

High schoolers engage in a lesson plan that focuses on the development of The Bill Of Rights in the United States. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students two focus questions in order to guide the information search....

Learners analyze the concept of procedural justice. In this judges in the classroom instructional activity, students role play the ways the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights established certain procedures to protect people from...

Middle schoolers examine the Bill of Rights. In this U.S. Constitution lesson, students write essays for perform plays that feature the importance of the first ten amendments. Middle schoolers imagine the United States without 1 of the...

Pupils identify vocabulary words from the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. In this vocabulary lesson plan, students are given clues and say the word from the clues.

Eleventh graders explore the major points covered during the Philadelphia Convention/Constitutional Convention. They discuss the Federalists and the Anti federalists. They discuss the Bill of Rights and the drafting of the Constitution....

Students define federalism, Federalist, and Anti-Federalist, debate issue of ratification in classroom convention, and take vote on whether to add bill of rights. Three lessons on one page.

Money can't buy happiness, but it can put food on the table and pay the bills. The first of a five-lesson unit teaches pupils about the unemployment rate in 1963 and its relationship with the March on Washington. They learn how to create...

High schoolers examine Sir Thomas More's Utopian vision. In this philosophy lesson, students read Utopia and determine the pros and cons of Utopian societies. High schoolers then create and present monologues of residents of the Utopia.

Explore the impact of the war on drugs in a thought-provoking lesson for high school academics. Young historians delve into the world of the criminal justice system and the racial disparity that occurs in the US. The resource provides...

The United States: One nation with countless religions. An interesting instructional activity focuses on the freedom of religion protected under the First Amendment. Academics learn why it is important to protect all religions, why there...

There is no age limit on civic engagement. Even if your pupils are not old enough to vote, they are old enough to get involved. Show them how with a PBS instructional activity that underscores the importance of civic participation and...