Curated OER
School Bill of Rights
Students study the Bill of Rights. As a class, they create a "School Bill of Rights," with amendments. Students discuss the difference between rights and responsibilities and examine Supreme Court decisions dealing with the first ten...
Curated OER
A Nation's Voice
Students research the Constitution and the War Powers Act in order to determine what the powers of the government are in times of conflict. They answer a series of questions then write a legal brief either supporting or condemning the...
University of Arkansas
Promises Denied
"Promises Denied," the second instructional activity in a unit that asks learners to consider the responsibilities individuals have to uphold human rights, looks at documents that illustrate the difficulty the US has had trying to live...
School Improvement in Maryland
Are These Human Right Violations?
Using the Declaration of Human Rights and the United States Constitution as reference tools, class members examine 14 scenarios to decide if the situation represents a violation of human rights, and if these same rights...
National Constitution Center
Separation of Powers
Learners explore how the Constitution provides for separation of power and limited government, as evidenced by the three branches of government. They participate in role-playing situations, group discussions, and complete worksheets to...
Judicial Learning Center
Judicial Independence
Most people support the idea of an independent judiciary in theory until they hear about a court case that violates their principles. An informative resource explains why the concept is important. It also provides scholars of criminology...
Judicial Learning Center
Law and the Rule of Law
We hear a lot about the importance of the rule of law, but most people do not really know what those words mean. The lesson is a webpage that defines the rule of law, explains why it is important in a democratic society and provides...
Curated OER
Term Limits: When is Enough?
High schoolers discuss the issue of term limits in the executive and legislative branches. They research the issue and create a pros and cons chart with the various opinions on Congressional term limits. In addition, they explore the...
Curated OER
The Last Abortion Clinic: Key Constitutional Issues of the Abortion Debate
Students discuss the Constitution of the United States and its amendments, then apply this discussion by creating a "Who should Decide What?" list, based upon their ideas about whether controversial issues such as abortion and medical...
Curated OER
U. S. Constitution - Elections and Terms in Office
Students explore American elections and terms in office. In this U.S. government lesson, students respond to questions about voting rights. Students then write position papers on the existence of the Electoral College.
Curated OER
Introduction to the Constitution (Enumerated Powers)
Students continue their examination of the United States Constitution. Using the text, they discover where the power for the government came from and why it was needed. They are introduced to the concept of Federalism and discuss the...
Curated OER
The United States Constitution
Twelfth graders research how the constitution was formed and the reasons for its implementation. They form a class wide constitution that expresses the steps originally used while forming the original constitution. Students vote and...
Curated OER
Write a Constitution
Fourth graders examine the United states Constitution and discuss the difficulties the framers faced in writing it. They explore ideas about the division of power, rights, and other topics contained in it.
American Bar Association
What Is Separation of Powers?
Who has the power? Scholars investigate the creation of the three branches of government in the United States Constitution. They analyze just why the framers created the branches the way they did.
Deliberating in a Democracy
Freedom of Expression
Should democracies include hate speech as a protected right? Scholars analyze the rights found under the First Amendment to the Constitution through researching evidence. Freedom of expression becomes the focal point of the...
Heritage Foundation
The Powers of the Executive
Are executives as powerful as they sound? High schoolers find out about the US president and executive branch. A variety of activities include scaffolded reading sections, research assignments, and collaborative group work.
Kauai's Hindu Monastery
The History of Hindu India
What obstacles did India face during their post-colonial formation after gaining independence? Topics discussed in the lesson include Pakistan's conflict over Kashmir, the Indian Constitution, economic development, and the...
Carolina K-12
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission & the First Amendment
Should Congress limit how much a corporation spends to support a political candidate? Here is a fantastic lesson plan and activities to help young citizens approach this question.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Putin's Illiberal Democracy
Is Russia really a democracy? High school scholars explore Russian democracy under the leadership of President Putin. The resource provides opportunity for group discussion, writing, and research to understand Russia's political history,...
Curated OER
The First Amendment
In this government worksheet, students read the First Amendment to the United States Constitution before reading about the limitations of the laws. They answer 2 short answer questions about the freedoms, and write an essay on the back...
Heritage Foundation
Lawmaking and the Rule of the Law
How many constitutional clauses does it take to create a bill? High schoolers find out with several activities and selected clauses about the rule of law and the US Constitution. Various coinciding activities help to strengthen...
Curated OER
How is Our Government Organized?
Students explore rights of their clients. In this constitutional law lesson, students play an online game that requires them to review individual cases in order to determine the rights their clients have.
Curated OER
Regulating Freedom of Speech
Students examine the nature and limits of the Constitutional right to freedom of speech. They read and analyze the First Amendment, discuss various case studies, and research and record their own opinion on discussion questions.
Curated OER
Introduction of Restrictions on Freedom of Speech
Students explore the limits of the Bill of Rights. The student and teacher roll play a situation where speech is limited.