Facing History and Ourselves
Taking Ownership of the Law
The work of building and maintaining a democracy is, in the words of Justice William Hastie, "never finished." To better understand what Hastie sees as an ongoing building process, class members listen to a seven-minute podcast about two...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Plyler v. Doe: Can States Deny Public Benefits to Illegal Immigrants?
Illegal immigration is an ever-changing source of consistent controversy. A reading passage about the rights of undocumented workers and illegal immigrants—and the lack thereof—guides high schoolers into a mock trial activity. Three...
Curated OER
The Bill Of Rights And The News
Students investigate the concepts related to the Bill Of Rights. They conduct research using a variety of resources and focus upon the human rights provided in the legislation. Students read a news article and reflect the upon the...
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Right of Privacy: 4th Amendment
High schoolers are introduced to the 4th Amendment of the Washington state Constitution. In groups, they examine the Constitution of the state of Washington and compare it to the United States Constitution. They role play the role...
Curated OER
Individual Rights -- Freedom of Speech at School
Young scholars examine their individual rights at a public school. In groups, they identify the most common ways of expressing themselves and why they should limit their speech in public. They compare and contrast two cases in which they...
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Government
Students evaluate how the United States government has maintained a balance between protecting rights and maintaining order. They analyze the impact of Supreme Court decisions on governmental powers and the rights and responsibilities of...
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Segregation in Prince Edward County
Eleventh graders examine the history of integration as it applied to Virginia high school in Prince Edward County. They evaluate a map of Virginia counties, read and analyze a first person narrative of a young girl involved in a boycott...
Curated OER
Making Democracy Work for Everyone, 1877-1904
Students investigate the culture of the post Reconstruction South. They participate in a jigsaw research activity, conduct Internet research on an assigned topic, and write a report to present to the class.
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The ADA, the Supreme Court, and Self-Advocacy
Learners study the role the Supreme Court plays in laws and decisions that affect individuals with disabilities and examine the policies of the American with Disabilities Act. They draw parallels between policies enacted by the ADA and...
Curated OER
Do We Need a Permanenet International Criminal Court?: War Crimes, Violence, International Law and Politics, Nuremberg
In this instructional activity, students explore the history, relevance and current application of international tribunals for war crimes. Students look at cases from the Nuremberg trials, Tokyo trials and the Bosnian War.
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The Bill of Rights and the News
Students examine current news stories and from them develop "BIG" questions related to individual and group rights. They then relate their questions to the U.S. Constitution and supreme court decisions.
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Quotas and Jim Crow Laws
Students examine the use of quotas and Jim Crow laws. They discuss discrimination against minority groups both historically and in contemporary society. Students examine an affirmative action case and discuss the controversies involved.
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History Lesson 10: Plyler v. Doe: Can States Deny Public Benefits to Illegal Immigrants?
Young scholars consider the rights of illegal immigrants. In this illegal immigration lesson, students analyze the Supreme Court case Plyler v. Doe and determine whether illegal immigrants should have access to public benefits. Young...
Curated OER
Japanese Internment
Eleventh graders read about and discuss the Japanese Internment of World War II. In this Japanese Internment lesson, 11th graders examine the Japanese Internment. They talk about the civil rights aspect, how they would deal with being...
Smithsonian Institution
Re-Segregation of American Schools: Re-Segregation
Examine the re-segregation of public schools in a thought-provoking resource. Young scholars read articles and primary sources, complete worksheets, and watch a video to explore the idea that desegregation made schools more segregated....
Curated OER
Thurgood Marshall Makes a Difference
Students find information about the life and legal career of Thurgood Marshall, including the NAACP and its causes. They comprehend the issues and context of the Brown v. Board of Education case that Marshall argued before the U.S....
Judicial Branch of California
Separate But Equal - Is It Black or White?
The story of Ruby Bridges and the case of Brown vs. The Board of Education are fantastic tools for discussing the concept of separate but equal. Kids tackle some big questions about what is fair, what is civil, and what rights or laws...
Curated OER
Government Lesson Plan: Lesson Plan 8
Students analyze the Fourteenth Amendment. They discuss Reconstruction, read the provisions of the Fourteenth Amendment, define the provisions, and in small groups analyze a Supreme Court case that was impacted by the due process clause.
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Reconstruction (1865–1877)
In this online interactive history worksheet, students respond to 7 short answer and essay questions about the causes and effects of Reconstruction following the American Civil War.
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Equal Protection Questions
In this Supreme Court worksheet, students respond to 14 short answer questions regarding equal protection and gay marriage issues in the United States.
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Judges in the Classroom Lesson Plan
Students study case studies and determine the rights of the people who are in conflict.
Curated OER
the Rights of Detainees At Guantanamo Bay
High schoolers identify the legal issues involved in the case of the detainees being held at Guantanamo Bay and surrounding the existence of the base itself. They explain the clash between civil liberties and national security during...
Curated OER
Individual Resistance & Social Change
Young scholars examine the Brown v. Board of Education case. In this segregation lesson, students study the details of the case and compare it the Mendez v. Westminster case.
Curated OER
Road to War Assessment
In this American Civil War worksheet, students respond to 20 short answer, multiple choice, and true or false questions about the events that led to the outbreak of war.