Have your class examine the issues surrounding same-sex marriage, civil rights, and proposition 8. They read a New York Times article entitled "Proposition 8 Struck Down" and then answer 10 who, what, when, where, and why questions....

So many people fought for Civil Rights in the United States. Read about the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and discuss what the act guarantees. Then pass out a slew of magazines and encourage them to observe how often minorities appear in...

The "Constitution Day and Citizenship Day" law requires schools receiving any federal funding to provide educational programming on the history of the American Constitution. The lesson plans, materials, videos, questions, and activities...

The city of Los Angeles' 1979 Special Order 40 states: "LAPD officers shall not initiate police action with the objective of discovering the alien status of a person." After reading a fact sheet that details the history of Special Order...

Students investigate the recent federal appeals court decision finding the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional. They further investigate the notions of constitutionality and separation between church and state by analyzing a patriotic...

Students read and discuss background material on several key decisions that played a role in the Civil War including the Missouri Compromise, the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Dredd Scott Decision. They create a timeline and write an essay.

Is it illegal to lie about military service? Discuss the ways the First Amendment affects the Stolen Valor Act with a lesson that focuses on the Supreme Court case U.S. v. Alvarez. As high schoolers learn more about the history of the...

Students examine federal and state constitutional law relating to search and seizure. They analyze various scenarios, participate in an opinion poll, and discuss difficulties in balancing individual privacy rights with the need to fight...

Students identify levels within the judicial system. They determine which court handles which particular type of case. Finally, they identify the differences between federal and state court jurisdiction.

Learners examine federalism and judicial review. In this Supreme Court activity, students examine primary documents from Marbury v. Madison and discuss the implications of the decision.

Understanding the US government's role proves very important in the American economy, especially for consumers. Scholars learn about how varying government agencies help them when facing an issue. The third and final resource in the...

Marbury v. Madison is arguably the most important landmark case in the history of the Supreme Court. A fact-filled lesson provides background information about the case and two others related to the concept of judicial review. Scholars...

Can a state government tax the federal government? The Supreme Court case McCullough v. Maryland explores different governments in the United States. Scholars research the court's decision with a video and discussion. They formulate...

In this review of United States government worksheet, 5th graders recall facts and answer multiple choice questions. Students answer 25 questions.

Students identify government officials and resources on a local, state and national level. They determine the structure of local, state, and national governments.

In September we celebrate Constitution Day. Begin the celebration with a grand conversation about the US Constitution. Follow up the in-depth discussion with a learning game in which scholars match terms to images such as...

Students examine equal protection. In this Supreme Court lesson, students  examine primary documents from Korematsu v. United States and discuss the implications of the decision with regards to Japanese internment.

Students explore the role of state government. In this civics activity, students play an online game that requires them to consider the needs of state residents and the structure of state government.

Students explore the jurisdictions of the courts in the federal and state systems. Students identify the differences in the two systems.

Students examine the elements of various court cases and how state and federal laws affect them. They participate in a series of mock trials to gain a better understanding of the issues involved.

In this U. S. government worksheet, students respond to 19 short answer questions about the responsibilities of Supreme Court members in the United States.

Pupils examine the impact of court decisions. In this Supreme Court lesson plan, students read the Reynolds v. United States (1878) case study regarding first election decided by the House of Representatives. Pupils take notes on...

Students research the qualifications necessary to be the president of the United States. They create a want-ad for this position using what they have learned about the qualifications.

Can the federal government override the state government to protect the citizens of the United States? The 1962 Supreme Court case Baker v. Carr outlines the issue of equal protection under the law. Scholars investigate with a short...