Students engage in the comparison of cases which demonstrate the increasingly volatile political crisis in the 1850s arising over the issue of slavery and the necessity for the enactment of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the U.S....

Students research the rights and responsibilities of citizens and non-citizens living in the U.S. They present a dialogue that showcases their research and take a quiz on the material.

Learners create an advertising campaign to persuade the Founding Fathers to adopt a particular political philosophy. Working in groups, they conduct research about a certain political philosophy. Students create a pitch to be made to...

Students examine the role of the President. They discuss the President's responsibilities and compare both father/son presidents (Adams and Bush).

Tenth graders explore the Constitution as a "living document." After reading three specific cases, learners consider characteristics that make up a living document. In groups, they conduct guided research on each case. Pupils write a...

Students explore the concepts of martial law, writ of habeas corpus, due process, discovery and human and constitutional rights during World War II. They assess the roles and responsibilities of government leaders and citizens during...

Students 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.

Twelfth graders work together in groups to examine the discrimation Japanese Americans felt after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Using primary source documents, they analyze and discuss the case of Fred Korematsu who was placed in an...

Young scholars research and discuss the features and controversies of the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893.

Students examine procedures and processes of the Michigan Supreme Court. They explain the Second Amendment to others. They compare and contrast two cases dealing with the Second Amendment.

Young scholars explore the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. They research a philosopher using reference books and reliable Internet sources and write a two-page paper utilizing proper writing conventions. In addition,...

Young scholars examine the transcripts of the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates and create a platform for each candidate in the 1858 Senate race. They utilize the candidates' arguments to explore the historical and political impact.

Students research the Federalists and Anti-federalists. In the lesson plan on state legislature, students use primary sources to create a brochure and write an essay that illustrates federalist and anti-federalists viewpoints.

Students review the 1st Amendment and the clauses which deal with prayer/religion in schools. They discuss, in groups, the Equal Access Act, which gives students the right to practice/express their religion at school and take a quiz on...

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...

Student review the Constitution using Dataviewer. Students discuss each Amendment in the Bill off rights and what each one means to individuals and their freedoms. Students break into groups and brainstorm about Amendments they think...

Young scholars analyze the judicial decision making process, and identify three places presenting First Amendment problems. They analyze how the 1st Amendment applies to school newspapers, and argue for and against limiting 1st Amendment...

Pupils read the Federalist #10. In groups, they discuss the meaning of each paragraph. Afterward, students write a summary exploring the important arguments of the paper. Pupils explore the historical significance of the document.

Students consider the significance of selected American documents. In this civics lesson, students analyze excerpts of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

High schoolers examine student search and seizure. In this Supreme Court lesson plan, students examine primary documents from New Jersey v. T.L.O. and discuss the implications of the decision.

Young scholars examine lives, philosophies, and political beliefs of four Enlightenment Thinkers: Baron de Montesquieu, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Hobbes, and John Locke. Students then work with partner to write short speech from...

In this current events worksheet, students analyze a political cartoon about First Amendment rights and respond to 3 talking point questions.

Students read articles relating to Jackie Robinson's breaking of the racial barrier in professional baseball. This leads to a deeper exploration of racism in the United States. They use a variety of worksheets imbedded in this plan to...

Students explore the concept of symbolic speech. In this case study lesson plan, students read excerpts of Tinker v. Des Moines. Students then complete the provided worksheet activities and determine whether they agree with the outcome...