Students examine the Parliamentary and Legislative functions of the Canadian government. They select an idea they believe should be made into a law, and research the area of the government capable of responding to their ideas.

Students develop critical analysis skills important to evaluate democratic structures. They increase their knowledge of the characteristics of voters and voting impact on the Electoral System.

Students, in groups, research various philosophers and the historical context of their work. They discuss the necessity and interaction of laws, regulations and human freedoms and consider the importance of the Canadian government to its...

Students become familiar with the Core Democratic Values that are the fundamental beliefs and constitutional principles of American society which unite all Americans. Each student is responsible for finding three pictures in magazines...

Students examine the platforms of early political parties in the United States. In this political parties instructional activity, students discover details regarding the attributes and ideals of the federalists and the...

Students, working in small groups, role play different kinds of governments--oligarchy, monarchy, dictatorship, and democratic republic. They portray their form of government in a skit, while other groups guess which kind of government...

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...

Fifth graders examine what it means to be a citizen. Using the Constitution, they discover the functions and purpose of government. They compare and contrast the difference between a democracy and a monarchy. As a class, they discuss...

Students work cooperatively in groups to present the specific needs of an assigned territory to a mock meeting of government officials in an attempt to amend an existing law.

Students investigate the separation of powers that are outlined in the Constitution. The lesson includes essential questions that are used to guide the research. The information is used to increase knowledge of how power is used in...

Students research opposition and support for World War I from a number of perspectives. They analyze a number of primary and secondary sources, while considering what (if anything) makes a war just and write a letter expressing his/her...

In this Athenian democracy worksheet, students read a 1-page selection about Periclean democracy and then respond to 27 short answer and fill in the blank questions.

Pupils analyze global issues. In this video podcasting lesson plan, pupils research Internet and print sources regarding selected global development issues. Pupils plan and create video podcasts that feature their research findings.

Students develop cross-cultural understanding. For this democracy lesson, students discuss core democratic values as they examine the governance in their school and their local community. Students also discuss the effectiveness of...

Eleventh graders play a "card game" centered around a "Jeopardy" type of task designed to review pertinent information on the subject of the three branches of B.C.'s government.

Young scholars read about voting rights and compulsory voting in democracies. For this voting rights lesson plan, young scholars analyze the reasons for supporting and opposing compulsory voting and discuss whether compulsory voting is...

Easily broken into pieces for several class sessions, this presentation is a great way to transition your class out of a Civil War unit and closer to the 20th century. Engaging photographs, including relevant maps and humorous political...

During elections, headlines constantly lament the issue of low voter turnout. Help class members understand why this is such an important topic with relevant articles, a discussion of both sides of the issue, and a reflective essay. 

This document provides useful information for a unit on democracy in China. While it does not include detailed activities, it does have a list of democratic principles, and important facts about China that facilitate understanding of its...

This resource uses primary source documents to explore the First Amendment. After reviewing key events of the 1790s, government or US history classes explore Madison's letter to Jefferson regarding the Alien and Sedition Acts. They then...

Creating a Bill of Rights isn't easy! Help your scholars experience what the Founding Fathers did by challenging them to write a Bill of Rights. Groups pretend they are a new democratic country and proceed to create that country's Bill...

Young scholars examine the roles and responsibilites of the president of the U.S. They identify and discuss the three branches of U.S. government, view and discuss a White House Photo essay online, and create a class book entitled, 'If I...

High schoolers explore how democracy in the United States changed and evolved from its birth to the present. They participate in a mock testing environment. Students write a multi-tasked essay on American government and politics.

The emergent adults in your US Government class can become informed, self-aware voters. This activity enables them to form an opinion about particular political issues then identify themselves on the political spectrum. Informed and...