Interactive
Curated OER

January Civics and History Activity

For Students 5th - 10th
In this civics and history worksheet, students click on the links in the questions about civics and history to find the answers to the questions and then come back and answer the questions. Students answer 9 questions total.
Lesson Plan
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More Than Mock Elections

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students create a presidential campaign story. In this presidential campaign instructional activity, students produce, direct and act in their own campaign story. Stories focus on setting, characters, context, critical incidents, and...
Lesson Plan
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They Were Born Where?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students assess where the presidents of the United States were born and analyze the role of geography in determining the outcome of presidential elections. They create graphs visualizing the birth and home states of the presidents along...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Coins: Historic Documents and Policy Statements

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students research the importance and meaning of honoring historic documents and policy statements on coins. They consult available texts and bookmarked Internet sites and share their findings with the class. They create a poster that...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Spring-Aloud Read

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students study the season of spring and create stories about the season. In this spring season lesson plan, students read books about spring and discuss the season. Students then color and create a mini-book about Spring.
Worksheet
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Our Heritage: American!

For Students 3rd - 5th
In this poetry worksheet, students read the poem "Our Heritage: American!" and then answer 4 questions about the poem. There are 2 questions at the bottom of the worksheet for discussion.
Lesson Plan
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Separate is Not Equal

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Middle schoolers use political cartoons and editorials to study Brown v. Board of Education. In this Brown v. Board of Education instructional activity, students read the background information on eight cartoons and editorials for a...
Lesson Plan
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Redistricting: How Our Representatives Select Voters

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Young scholars examine the practice of redistricting. In this American politics lesson, students read the provided articles "The Gerrymander," and "Reforming the Gerrymander." Young scholars respond to the provided discussion questions.
Lesson Plan
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Rights and Responsibilities

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students focus on the rights and responsibilities of being an American citizen as they develop a T-chart and discuss the topic.
Lesson Plan
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Law, Values and Lobbying

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils begin to examine the lawmaking process. Using their text, they describe the role of the three branches of government. In groups, they identify the four basic values protected by law and define the concept of lobbying and identify...
Lesson Plan
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Presidents

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students identify the qualities needed to become President of the United States. Using the internet, they discover the differences in character of past presidents and draw conclusions about their time in office. They relate a piece of...
Lesson Plan
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"Disapproved": Censorship of Film in Pennsylvania

For Teachers 10th - 12th
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...
Lesson Plan
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Poor Richard's Almanack

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Pupils discover what "Poor Richard's Almanack" is and identify at least one element of good writing used by Benjamin Franklin and his work. They then identify what makes some of Benjamin Franklin's sayings applicable today and create a...
Lesson Plan
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Prohibition Then; MADD Today

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine consumer traits. In this economics instructional activity, students examine the separate histories of Prohibition and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Students participate in a classroom simulation to discover how the...
Lesson Plan
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Age of Jackson

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Students work on political campaigns. In this campaign history lesson, students study the American presidential elections of 1824 and 1828. Students research primary and secondary sources to learn about the campaigns. Students then...
Lesson Plan
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Civil War

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore rules of conduct in a political body, first drafting rules that apply to their classroom, then adapting them to political actions in Congress.
Lesson Plan
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Exercising the Franchise! The Right to Vote

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research Canadian election procedures, identify candidates and corresponding political platforms for current elections and hold mock elections. They develop a written report about a specific political party.
Lesson Plan
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Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Here’s the overview for a series of lessons about the Japanese American internment introduced by the resource entitled “A Fence Away From Freedom.” Included are the link to the Smithsonian website on which the lessons are based, a list...
Lesson Plan
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Imposing Democracy

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders discuss the probability of imposing a democracy in a country in which there is no history of this type of government being successful. Using the internet, they work together to research Japan's experience with democracy...
Lesson Plan
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Ben Franklin

For Teachers K - 8th
Young scholars meet Ben Franklin and research his life accomplishments. In this instructional activity about the history of Benjamin Franklin, students will visit several websites in order to learn about this Founding Father. Young...
Lesson Plan
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I'm Tellin'!: Kids Bringing Folktales Alive

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students participate in a reading lesson plan that works on social and academic skills. They increase reading comprehension with direct instruction with the group reading of a folktale. Then students research their own stories to tell.
Lesson Plan
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Participating in State and Local Government

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students analyze the structure, organization, and powers of State legislatures. They outline the overall shape of the office of the governor. Students analyze the structure of local governments as creations of the State. They describe...
Lesson Plan
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Understanding Plagiarism Workshop Lesson Plan

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students define the term plagiarism, they recognize plagiarism and are able to explain what constitutes appropriate use of others' words and ideas. Pupils are explained the notion of plagiarism such as: taking another's ideas is taking...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is Democracy?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners explore the facets of democracy. In this civic responsibility lesson, students create a definition of democracy and discuss the difference between a spectator and a participatory citizen. Learners discuss whose responsibility...