The high school activity 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...

Easily broken into pieces for several class sessions, this presentation is a great way to transition your class out of a Civil War unit and closer to the 20th century. Engaging photographs, including relevant maps and humorous political...

September 17 is a great day to focus on the US Constitution for on this day in 1787, the Constitution was signed. Through a series of activities, high schoolers get a chance to look closely at this famous document and the rights and...

Can the President of the United States pass a law all by himself? Scholars investigate the concept of the executive order in regards to the powers of the presidency. They use current issues and events to monitor media bias while also...

Ratifying the Constitution was no simple task. Using primary sources, such as classic writings from the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, young scholars examine the arguments for and against the Constitution. They then decide: Would they...

From Marbury v. Madison and original jurisdiction to Gideon v. Wainwright and civil appeal, here is a simple and comprehensive assessment on the judicial system of the United States.

It's match time! Academics participate in an exciting matching game using primary sources. The activity uses documents of key decisions and matches them to the presidents that they are attributed to. Scholars also make a list of key...

Laws affect everything from a scholar's favorite public park to rules in the classroom. Express the importance of lawmaking and teach how they relate to every facet of life with a resource on how a bill becomes a law.

Why is it so important to have a trial by jury in the American judicial system? This right is one of the hallmarks of American democracy, but it also comes with the responsibility of serving on a jury if called. Young legal scholars...

How reliable is oral history? The resource uses the oral history website to help academics understand the pros and cons of using recollections to teach others. Scholars complete a worksheet, draft a letter to a representative, and...

Marijuana affects the brain differently than inhalants, which have a different effect than opioids. Elementary and middle school classes read about these drugs as well as nicotine, methamphetamine, hallucinogens, and steroids before...

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...

Students explain the differences between the three branches of government. Using the structure of a democracy, they listen to text about the United States Constitution. They discover how their government affects their lives in negative...

Students research the judiciary branch of government, the way in which judges are appointed and the apparent loopholes and remedies in the legal process.

Young scholars explain why the Framers designed a long and complicated legislative process, and evaluate how effectively the legislative branch of the government is serving the purposes for which it was created.

Fourth graders analyze the branches of the Texas government and identify its powers and characteristics. The separation of powers and checks and balances are identified.

Fifth graders research, examine and study about the three branches of the government and the contents of the Constitution including both the Articles and the Amendments. They create their own classroom constitution at the end of the unit.

Students identify government officials and resources on a local, state and national level. They determine the structure of local, state, and national governments.

Students take and defend positions on what conditions contribute to the establishment and maintenance of a constitutional government. They debate whether or not the government should have prosecuted Nixon over the Watergate scandal.

Although we currently focus on Abraham Lincoln's positive contributions in creating a more equal society, the truth is that Lincoln was actually a controversial character in his time! After studying the Civil War, give your high...

Tenth graders compare and contrast the immigration reform policies of Presidents Reagan and Bush. In this immigration lesson plan, 10th graders examine primary documents related to each president's policy for immigration reform. Students...

Fourth graders complete a unit of lessons on the development of the U.S. government. They examine the main ideas of the Declaration of Independence, develop a class translation of the preamble to the Constitution, create a flow chart,...

Young scholars identify 4 branches of law-criminal, civil, consumer, and family. using a newspaper, they locate examples of how laws affect citizens on a daily basis.

Young scholars complete a unit of lessons on the documents, symbols, and famous people involved in the founding of the U.S. government. They create a personal bill of rights, write a found poem, design a flag, conduct research, and...