iCivics
Mock Election
Here is an excellent resource in which class members host a mock election for a candidate and policy that will be implemented into your very own classroom. Progressing from primaries, through the campaign trail, and finally to the mock...
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Dictating the Future
Read the article "Bush Lays Out Goals for Iraq: Self-Rule and Stability" and examine the keys points from President Bush's speech. Whether presented in written text or as an audio bite students will work in groups to research world...
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Shame on You!
Should public humiliation be an acceptable consequence for a crime? Have your middle schoolers engage in a round table discussion about the recent resurgence of the use of public humiliation as a punishment for crimes in the United...
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The Rules of the Game
Students debate whether college athletes should be held to a higher behavioral standard than non-athletes. Students determine whether behavior outside of school should be punishable by university administration, then write letters to the...
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I Can Manage Myself (ICMM) Club
Students who have disruptively talked or created a disturbance during a lesson then write an essay about respect. They read an explanation of what respect looks like in the classroom and copy an explanation about why talkative behavior...
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Writing a Class Constitution
Students view a short play and explore the United States constitution relating it to the importance of rules in the classroom and in the community.
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Constitution Day
Students discuss the need for rules in their community and classroom. Using this information, they identify the authority figures at their house, at school and in the community. They are read a book about following the rules and listen...
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Pledge of Excellence
First graders discuss their prior knowledge of The Golden Rule and compare it to their school's Pledge of Excellence. They discuss the five parts to the pledge and discuss how to be a caring friend, how to do their personal best, how to...
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Playing by the Rules
Middle schoolers discuss honesty and the common good. In this character education lesson plan, students observe a role play demonstrating inappropriate classroom behaviors. Middle schoolers evaluate consequences of actions and draw a...
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Stage a Debate: A Primer for Teachers (Lincoln-Douglas Debate Format)
For a comprehensive overview of debate styles and formats, look at this resource. It details the Lincoln-Douglas debate format (one-to-one debate with specific, timed rounds of points, cross-examination, and rebuttals). You can also find...
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Back-to-School Night Basics
Ease your fears about Back-to-School Night with practical planning ideas that are sure to make your event a success.
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Learning to Survive
Using the article "Escaping Afghanistan: Children Pay Price," discuss the lives of Afghan refugees and the impact of Taliban rule. A detailed list of questions is provided, but you will have to search for the article. Extension...
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Down for the Count?
The New York Times article “Supreme Court, Split 5-4, Halts Florida Count in Blow to Gore” provides the opening to an assessment of the United States Supreme Court decision in the case of the 2000 presidential election. Assuming the...
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Taking Age into Account
Have your class consider the issue of minors' accountability for their crimes. They discuss specific cases and the general issue of juvenile crime in round table discussions. Use this activity to emphasize the rules and individual roles...
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Doing Our Jobs
First graders identify traits of good listeners and speakers and role-play these traits in pairs. They brainstorm acceptable and unacceptable behaviors for the classroom and identify what jobs are appropriate for first-graders to perform...
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We Are a Comm-un-it-y. I've Got All My Classmates with Me-Part I
Students investigate the meaning of community. In this community lesson, students look at the concepts of civic engagement, civic responsibility, and common good. They determine how a classroom is a community and the need for having...
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Lesson Plan: U.S. Government
Students examine reasons for studying government. In this U.S. government lesson plan, students brainstorm the reasons for rules. Students draft their own class constitution in the style of the U.S. Constitution.
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Cartoons for the Classroom: Bipartisan Reconciliation
In this current events worksheet, students analyze a political cartoon about bipartisan reconciliation in America and respond to 3 talking point questions.
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Rules and Responsibilities Youth and the Process of Change
First graders learn vocabulary in regards to laws, courts, and policeman. They read and discuss the book, The Value of Respect: The Story of Abraham Lincoln. An attorney visits the classroom and discusses the roles of judges and juries.
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Our Classroom-The Community of Fun
Students identify why trust is important to a community. They explain what is meant by a common resource. They compare and contrast how the community functions when rules are followed or not followed.
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Judges In The Classroom
Students explore legal requirements of searches conducted with and without a warrant and explore legal standard for conducting random searches of passenger vehicles preparing to board state ferries from a Judge who visits the classroom.
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Playing By Different Rules
Learners explore the concept of American imperialism by researching and analyzing historical examples of American imperialism. They draft a set of laws that would govern the actions of powerful nations in other countries.
C-SPAN
The Impact of Citizens United v. FEC
What began as an effort to show a movie by an interest group has impacted financing of federal elections. Did the Citizens United case lead to more "dark money" in politics, or did it shine a light with more speech? Using video clips...
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Seeing Both Sides of an Issue
Students examine global issues from different perspectives. In this communication skills lesson, students participate in a classroom activity that requires them to take stances on issues and then consider the support of other...