Anti-Defamation League
What Is the Dream Act and Who Are the Dreamers?
The DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act) is the focus of a lesson that asks high schoolers to investigate the act's provisions and read statements by individuals who support and oppose the act. They then...
Curated OER
Tuning Out Telemarketers
Students research the laws for telemarketers in your state. Are any in place? If not, are any under consideration? They explore the situation to find out about any national legislation to regulate telemarketing.
Curated OER
Student Opinion: How Should Schools Address Bullying?
Spark a disscussion about a current issue, bullying, in your classroom. This resource, published by The New York Times, provides a short article discussing a Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights passed into law in the state New Jersey followed...
Curated OER
Teen Drivers with Passengers
Students research the current driving laws, particularly as they apply to teens. Students interview state legislators perhaps to see if they think this is a good idea. Students write an in-depth article about teen driving and the effect...
Curated OER
The Politics of Student Loans
Give your upper classmen something to think about. They'll read a New York Times article on the politics of student loans. The six comprehension questions will have them thinking about the impact legislation has on how much they'll pay...
Intel
Metric Madness
Scholars learn about the metric system and produce a presentation on how to convert within the metric system. They then develop a brochure in support of legislation requiring the use of the metric system.
Curated OER
The Real Work is Done in Committee: A Simulation
Students research the Canadian federal legislative process, and identify the main features of local, provincial, and federal governments in Canada. They simulate the process of a bill going through the legislative process.
Curated OER
Putting Thought Into Political Action
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.
Curated OER
A Changing of the Guard: Traditionalists, Feminists, and the New Face of Women in Congress
Students explore the role of women as Congressional leaders. In this women's rights lesson, students identify and investigate the impact of women representatives and senators in the U.S. Legislative Branch. Comprehension questions, data,...
Curated OER
Drunk Driving Legislative Session
Young scholars explore the consequences of drunk driving and analyze Washington's law on DUIs.
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Driver's License Task Force
Students read a handout on unauthorized immigrants and discuss questions. In this current events lesson plan, students engage in a simulation in which they are advisers to the state governor. Students analyze several proposals and try to...
K12 Reader
Branches of Government
Set down the basics of the three branches of government with the reading passage included here. After reading, class members answer five questions related to the passage.
Teaching for Change
A Documents-Based Lesson on the Voting Rights Act
How did the Voting Rights Act affect the daily lives of American citizens? A document-based lesson developed by the Student Non-Violent Coordinating committee (SNCC) presents a case study of the impact of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 on...
US House of Representatives
Hispanic-American Members of Congress in the Civil Rights Era, 1945–1977
Debates around immigration in the news are not new, but they are a defining feature of the Hispanic American experience throughout the twentieth century. Looking through the lens of Hispanic Americans in Congress, class members explore...
PwC Financial Literacy
Buying a Home: Terms of a Mortgage
Buying a home, dealing with a lender, securing a mortgage; these are daunting tasks for many adults. Why not teach middle schoolers about this area of adulthood so they are better-prepared to make the leap into home ownership when they...
Curated OER
Is It A Crime To Be Gay?
Students stage a parliamentary committee hearing in the newly independent Eastern European country of Boldovistan. Role playing characters with differing attitudes towards homosexuality, students testify on legislation to abolish laws...
Curated OER
Using High Stakes Testing to Make Students and Schools Accountable for Learning
Young scholars conduct an informal survey about their views on high stakes testing and use basic computation skills to evaluate results as a group. They participate in activities related to high stakes testing and "No Child Left Behind"...
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...
Curated OER
(In)fringe Benefits?
Students explore the "Copy Left" movement, then analyze and discuss the key legal issues regarding intellectual property and copyright legislation in the context of global communication and the Internet.
Curated OER
Immigration Policy: Past and Present
Students examine the history of the United States' immigration policy. They identify events in history that changed policies regarding immigrants. They discuss new possible legislation as well.
Curated OER
Mock Congress
Students get involved in the legislative process of law-making by assuming different roles and working with contemporary issues. Working in small groups, students write and work on different bills. Evaluation rubric included.
Curated OER
Let's Heat Things Up!
Students build and evaluate simple models to understand the greenhouse effect. They explore the role of increased greenhouse gas concentration in global warming, and the implications of global warming theory for engineers, themselves...
Curated OER
The 36th President: Lyndon B. Johnson, US History
High schoolers research and analyze Lyndon B. Johnson's achievements as the 36th President focusing on his legislative program. They consider how the passage of time can influence a President's reputation.