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Water Wars: Responsibility in the Age of Globalization
Learners explore the concept of water as a resource and as a human right. In this conservation instructional activity, students record and chart personal water usage and consumption then brainstorm ways in which to responsibly reduce...
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Court Documents Related to Martin Luther King, Jr., and Memphis Sanitation Workers
Young scholars read about the civil rights movement in their textbooks. They engage in a whole-class discussion of how nonviolent direct action can be a powerful tool for bringing about social, economic, or political change.
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Priorities and Power: Migrants and Voting
Students examine the African-American migrants entry into the political process. They summarize their findings in a short essay.
Student Handouts
Comparing Countries’ Constitutions
Analyze the constitutions of five different countries and see how they relate to each country's culture and traditions. Pupils read the preambles to the constitutions of India, Ireland, Russia, Suriname, and the United States. After...
US House of Representatives
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
Groups select a photograph from one of the four eras of African Americans in Congress and develop a five-minute presentation that provides background information about the image as well as its historical significance. The class compares...
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Social Studies: Segregation, Jim Crow Laws, Plessy vs. Ferguson
Learners examine the concept of segregation. In this civil rights lesson plan, students discuss the separate but equal theory as well as the Plessy vs. Ferguson decision. Learners also research women of the Civil Rights Movement and Jim...
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Political Parties, Platforms, and Planks
Ninth graders examine the origins and functions of political parties. In this American Government lesson, 9th graders create a party platform to address political issues that are likely to arise during a national election. ...
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Create Your Own Constitution
Eighth graders explore the processes, purpose and components of a good and just constitution. They focus on the Constitution of the United States of America. Students discuss the purpose of a constitution and reasons why the Constitution...
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What is Meant by Returning to Fundamental Principles?
Students apply the principles and ideas suggested by the Constitution to a contemporary issue or problem, and work through the issue to reach their own conclusions.
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US Patriot Act: Security vs. Privacy
High schoolers use readings, worksheets and discussion to explore the ramifications of the US Patriot Act which was passed by Congress shortly after September 11th. They review Constitutional Amendments and consider how they relate to...
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Ratification & Review
Students work with their parents to decorate strips of construction paper in primary colors to represent one family member per link on the chain. They sing a gathering song and all share their family chains. They read the story of the...
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Apartheid and Segregation
Learners view a television program that depicts the history South African Apartheid and the United States' system of segregation. They discuss how laws were used to uphold these institutions and compare and contrast racism and...
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The Preamble to the U. S. Constitution
Fifth graders explain the purpose of the government by examining the Preamble to the Constitution. They identify ways in which the government is preserving those rights today. They discover one of the fundamental principles of...
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Turmoils of The 1960's and 70's.
Students engage in the study of the social problems associated with the 1960's and 1970's. They explain how the government made attempts to solve the problem and evaluate the success. This is done through the writing of an essay using...
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When is Humanitarian Intervention Justified?
Students analyze different foreign policies to derive their own idea of what constitutes appropriate intervention by a government. They complete a detailed proposal for their own Declaration of Human Rights.
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Our National Documents
Students consider the significance of selected American documents. In this civics lesson plan, students analyze excerpts of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
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What is Meant by Returning to Fundamental Principles?
Students explain in what ways the American experience in self-government can be called an adventure in ideas. They evaluate positions on a number of issues related to the fundamental principles and values of government and individual...
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Due Process of Law and the Jim Crow Era
Students analyze eight case studies of Supreme Court decisions regarding due process of law and their impact on American society in the early 20th century. They digest that although the 14th amendment was intended to give federal rights...
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Ireland – Key Words – Matching Exercise
In this Irish vocabulary learning exercise, students match the 12 terms listed on the left to their appropriate definitions on the right.
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Analyzing the economic, political, social, and cultural transformation of the United States since World War II
Eleventh graders examine political issues in the United States between 1936 and 2000. In this American history instructional activity, 11th graders study the economy, education, government, civil rights, and sports of this time period....
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Democracy
Eleventh graders examine the denial of rights to individuals in the United States. In this American Government lesson, 11th graders study President Roosevelt's Day of Infamy speech. Students create a presentation on the...
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Political Spectrum
In this government worksheet, high schoolers identify and describe the differences between each part of the political spectrum by listing some points under each title in the chart. Then they choose any of the 9 issues listed, discuss and...
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Comparing the 1945 Vietnam Declaration of Independence and Constitution of 1992 with the United States Declaration of Independence and Constitution
High schoolers compare and contrast the Vietnamese and American plans for government. For this government systems lesson, students analyze and compare excerpts of the 1945 Vietnam Declaration of Independence, the Vietnam Constitution of...
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Knowing the Ropes
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...