Eighth graders explore the processes, purpose and components of a good and just constitution. They focus on the Constitution of the United States of America. Students discuss the purpose of a constitution and reasons why the Constitution...

Learners discover the names and history of cities in San Mateo county. Using the Internet, they research the history of their city and share their information with their classmates. They also write an essay in which they reference...

Students use the Internet to gather historical facts about the county in which they live. Using the information, they discover how to check it for accuracy and present their findings to the class. They write an essay about the history of...

Students expand their knowledge by researching on the Internet the African American civil rights movement and compiling a timeline of events and heroes. In addition to the civil rights timeline, students identify the key historical sites...

Students take a field trip to the state capital, Sacramento. Using the Internet, they explain the physical and human geographic features of the area and discuss interactions between the people of California between the time of explorers...

Middle schoolers participate in a scavenger hunt to gather information on their governmental officials. Using the internet, they identify and discuss the various political boundaries to determine who their representative is. They...

In this printing practice worksheet, students trace over the words, which are written in dotted-lines, of 2 paragraphs about Flag Day. The writing is in cursive and there is a picture of an American flag on the page.

This comprehensive lesson plan will introduce students to Federalism and its role in civic life. There are five themes of Federalism each with a separate activity. Worksheets, answer keys, discussion questions, and optional activities...

Civics Online offers teachers, students, and parents many excellent resources to enhance the learning of civics in the classroom and at home.

In this lesson, students will learn how the Constitution established a new way to organize a government, called the federal system. When finished this lesson, students should be able to explain what a federal system is and how it differs...

This resource from Khan Academy provides foundational-level practice questions over the discretionary and rule-making authority of the federal bureaucracy. These questions are intended for students taking high school or college level...

September 17 is recognized in the United States as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. The purpose of Constitution Day and Citizenship Day is to commemorate the creation and signing of the supreme law of the land and to honor and...

This lengthy essay describes the balance between state and federal judiciary courts and touches on independence, integration, power limits and immunities.

This lesson plan describes how, using the guidelines provided in the Constitution, the First Congress in April 1789 named the new president and vice president, provided funding for the new government, organized the executive branch,...

Students discover that states have their own governments and powers separate from the federal government. They learn what those powers are, how they're different from the federal government's powers, and that state governments also give...

Students will learn about the federal and state courts and what they do. They will explore the courts' role in fairly settling disputes and administering justice, and the unique role of the U.S. Supreme Court in interpreting the U.S....

This lesson focuses on a variety of topics related to government spending, including the federal budget, mandatory versus discretionary spending, and government debt.

Use this library of mini-lessons to teach students about the concept of federalism, from the powers held by the federal government to the powers reserved for the states. They will also learn about state government structures and...

This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court's decision that interpreted the Commerce and Supremacy Clauses of the U.S. Constitution and affirmed the federal government's superiority with regard to its enumerated powers....

Do you know who represents you in the federal, state and local government? Do you know how to get in touch with them? This web quest will guide you through a number of web resources that will give you information about your...

Students learn about the landmark case McCulloch v. Maryland, in which the Supreme Court clarified what kinds of actions Congress can take under the "necessary and proper" clause. Students find out what events led to this case, look at...

Learners learn what happens in appellate-level courts and how those courts operate differently from the trial courts most people are familiar with from watching television. They find out what happens when someone takes a case all the way...

Our Documents is home to one hundred milestone documents that influenced that course of American history and American democracy. Includes full-page scans of each document, transcriptions, background information on their significance, and...

Students learn the primary responsibilities of the president and how those duties connect to the powers the Constitution grants to the Executive Branch.