Curated OER
Your Safety and Security or Your Civil Liberties - Which is More Important?
Students examine provisions of USA PATRIOT Act and controversies that led the ACLU to take legal action against the legislation. They create, conduct, and document results of a survey related to the PATRIOT Act and controversies...
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Will the Supreme Court Vouch for Vouchers?
Young scholars investigate past Supreme Court decisions that have centered on education issues and assess the ways in which those decisions have impacted American education. They consider the controversies surrounding the issue of school...
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Civil Liberties And National Security
Students experience profiling first-hand through creation of a Class ID, and daily persecution of a selected group of students. They examine the tension between the concern for national security and for the preservation of civil liberties
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Afghanistan Today: Civil War and Human Rights
Students examine the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. They analyze the role of religion and cultural identity in shaping governments. They also examine the United States foreign policy.
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We the People... How Does Government Secure Natural Rights?
Students investigate the Founders' ideas about what kind of government is most likely to protect the basic rights of people. They distinguish between limited and unlimited government.
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Government: The Power Grab
Students are able to identify the departments and agencies within the executive branch that enforce energy policy. They are able to describe potential concerns that the executive branch must address when developing energy policy.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Read All About It! Supreme Court Case Makes Headlines!
Learners are assigned a landmark Supreme Court case to research. They construct a one-page newsletter on the case which include a summary of the case, two pictures and a short biography on one of the justices on the Court at that time.
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The Emergence of the Judicial Branch
Learners demonstrate understanding of both sides of the argument between Jefferson and Marshall that led to the strengthening of the Judicial Branch through the creation of judicial review.
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Moot Court Preparation
Twelfth graders prepare themselves for a mock moot court. In groups, they are presented with an overview of each activity and research appellate cases related to the topic given to them. They identify regions of the country that have...
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The State of the Union Address
Students discuss and fill out a worksheet after viewing the State of the Union Address that the president makes every year.
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White Southerners' Defense of Slaveholding
Students read transcriptions of articles from two historical Virginian newspapers and examine how white southerners defended the institution of slavery. They write a one-act play or a dialogue between an abolitionist and a slaveholder.
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Learning about Vincent Van Gogh
Students conduct research on the life and artwork of Vincent Van Gogh. They explore various websites, answer research questions and write a paragraph about the information found online, and discuss as a class what makes Van Gogh's...
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Making Decisions by Group: The Jury System
Students discover how to work cooperatively within a group and communicate their ideas clearly in order to reach an agreement. They summarize their experience in writing and hand down a verdict of guilt or innocence based on the...
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Civil Action
Students will observe the legal procedures involved in class action lawsuits and gain knowledge of how they are sometimes used as a tool to deter polluters of the environment. Students will also read about the background the Love Canal...
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The Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858
Eleventh graders examine transcripts of the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates and create a platform for each candidate in the 1858 Senate race.
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Issues in Public Education During the Kentucky Civil Rights Era
Students conduct oral history interviews and research historical and contemporary media articles about multiculturalism and diversity.
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"The Election"
Learners participate in an election for the purpose of comprehending the political process and the responsibilities that come with citizenship in a free society. They elect officials with no identity and are surprised with the revealing...
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Government
Young scholars 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...
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Quest for Freedom
Fourth graders examine and discuss the Texas Revolution and the founding of Texas as a Republic. They read about the major events of the Revolution, research the events online, and complete a chart to present to the class.
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Human Rights in the Philippines
Students examine the meaning of human rights under the United Nations system, in the U.S., and the Philippines. They conduct research, discuss the concepts in groups, and conduct a debate on the human rights situation post Marcos...
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The Trial of Dred Scott
Young scholars study the trial of Dred Scott. They investigate the New York Times reporter and simulate writing about the trial for a newspaper. They identify the 5Ws from the play using a graphic organizer and present their findings...
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"Disapproved": Censorship of Film in Pennsylvania
Students analyze primary source documents of the 1920s to find the roots of film censorship and understand Pennsylvania's leadership in this movement. They analyze government censorship documents that banned a film in Pennsylvania and...
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Lobbying for Passage of the National Suffrage Amendment
Students examine the lobbying involved in trying to pass the Nineteenth Amendment. They discover the relationships between women and the suffragists. They also examine the media's coverage of the event.