Curated OER
Bill of Rights: Rights and Responsibilities
Students explore the meaning of freedom. In this U.S. History lesson, students research the Declaration of Independence and how it relates to American freedom by completing activities and a mock trial.
Curated OER
Age of Enlightenment
Studnets compare example of primary documents that have shaped U.S. government and our Constitution.
National Endowment for the Humanities
George Washington: The Precedent President
Everyone knows that George Washington was the first president, but do your scholars know why that was so important? The lesson plan, the third in a sequence of three, allows learners to understand how George Washington set a precedent...
Curated OER
Cuban Missile Crisis: Teaching Activities
Students create a timeline of the important events of John F. Kennedy's presidency. They construct a timeline of the major events of the Cuban Missile Crisis. They compare the Missile Crisis events with their presentation in the movie...
Curated OER
The Inauguration and the Constitution
Learners read the sections of the US Constitution that discuss the elements of the inauguration. They study how the inauguration symbolizes the peaceful transition of power in a democratic republic and show the parts of the inauguration...
Curated OER
Differences and Settlement in Framing the United States Constitution
Students identify the principles of democracy when framing the United States Constitution. In groups, they analyze the differences that were settled before anyone signed the document. They role play their own activity in which they...
Teaching Tolerance
The True History of Voting Rights
Explore what voting rights really are in an intriguing lesson that explores the history of American voting. The resource examines the timeline of voting rights in the United States with group discussions, hands-on-activities, and...
Council for Economic Education
Preparing a 1040EZ Income Tax Form
Some of us never feel like we know how to do our taxes! Help scholars understand the process early by using an informative resource. They fill out their own tax forms in a simulation activity and view multiple resources to learn even...
Center for History and New Media
A Look at Virginians During Reconstruction, 1865-1877
The transition between rebellion to reunification was not smooth after the Civil War. Young historians compare primary and secondary source documents in a study of the Reconstruction era in Virginia, noting the rights that were not...
PBS
President Theodore Roosevelt: Foreign Policy Statesman or Bully?
Can a negative perception of a president's foreign policy harm his or her historical legacy? A project that winds the clock back to the date of Theodore Roosevelt's death puts students at the editorial desk of a fictional newspaper....
Curated OER
Create a New Amendment
Students review and discuss the important points of the amendments to the Constitution. They discuss the guidelines for adding a new amendment to the Constitution. Students brainstorm ideas for the new amendment.
Curated OER
The Bill of Rights and Your Life
High schoolers review the contents of the Constitution by taking a trivia quiz and brainstorm the rights contained in the Bill of Rights. After discussing the Bill of Rights, students categorize and outline its content. Given a...
Curated OER
Writing a Newspaper Article
The perfect resource for a beginning journalism teacher or someone designing a journalism unit, this activity prompts learners to write a newspaper article. It covers all aspects of the writing process, such as a guided warm-up...
Curated OER
Recreating Marriage: The Same-Sex Union Debate
A debate continues regarding same-sex marriage as a constitutional right. This lesson requires learners to define marriage then formulate an argument that reconstructs the national debate perspectives. Many standards are addressed but a...
Curated OER
Election Baseball
Students play trivia baseball where they answer trivia questions about the Constitution and elections. In this social studies lesson plan, students research facts about the Constitution and elections while playing the game.
Curated OER
Lesson Plan: U.S. Government
Students examine reasons for studying government. In this U.S. government instructional activity, students brainstorm the reasons for rules. Students draft their own class constitution in the style of the U.S. Constitution.
Curated OER
Bill of Rights: Rights and Responsibilities
Students explore the Bill of Rights. In this U.S. Constitution lesson, students consider the individual liberties outlined in the Bill of Rights as they read the provided handouts and complete the provided worksheet activities.
Curated OER
CREATING THE CONSTITUTION
Young scholars engage in a variety of activities aimed at strengthening comprehension of the Constitution. The activities are part of a layered curriculum and students create a portfolio for assessment.
Curated OER
Constitution Day
Pupils examine and discuss recent court cases involving young people and the Bill of Rights.They use a focus question to create the context for class discussion: How does the Bill of Rights apply to young people and students?
Curated OER
Supreme Court Decisions and Their Effect On Us
Consider five Supreme Court cases and how their outcomes have directly affected the American population. Government students research and compose a 1-2 page pager outlining the examples of our daily life that have specifically been...
Curated OER
Rights of the Accused: To Be Confronted with the Witnesses Against Him
Learners take on the role of Supreme Court Justices, after reading summary of a case and the arguments for and against a defendant's appeal. They make a decision, write majority and minority opinions, and report their decision.
Curated OER
"Whispering Wires": Public Law vs. Individual Civil Liberties
High school student love discussing controversial issues like those brought up in this fourth amendment case study. They examine the 1928 Olmstead vs. U.S. prohibition court case, applying the fourth amendment to determine whether...
Curated OER
Declaration of Independence and the Constitution
Fifth graders read a rewritten version of the Declaration of Independence, create a set of pictures illustrating the Preamble of the Constitution and create a version of the Declaration of Independence in the form of a song, a poem,...
Curated OER
Our Compromise, Our Constitution
Sixth graders explore, analyze and study our constitutional government and become aware of the purpose of our government. They assess the basic rights that are protected by the United States Constitution through graphic organizers and...