The New York Times
Understanding the Mathematics of the Fiscal Cliff
What exactly is the fiscal cliff? What are the effects of changing income tax rates and payroll tax rates? Your learners will begin by reading news articles and examining graphs illustrating the "Bush tax cuts" of 2001 and 2003. They...
Federal Reserve Bank
The Fed's Role in Making and Setting Monetary Policy: Part 2
How does the Federal Open Market Committee work to formulate the nation's monetary policy in the United States? As the second segment of a lesson on the role of the Fed in setting monetary policy, class members will learn about open...
Federal Reserve Bank
The Fed - Helping Keep Banks Safe and Sound
What does an examiner look for when analyzing a bank's financial condition? In addition to learning about the 5-Cs for reviewing loans and CAMELS (capital, assets, management, earnings, liquidity, and sensitivity to risk), your learners...
Advocates for Human Rights
Civic Engagement and U.S. Immigration Policy
To conclude their study of immigration and human rights, class members create a civic engagement project centered on an issue of immigration and designed to influence US immigration policy. They examine examples of attempts to...
Council for Economic Education
Economic Data Lesson: Economic Policy Options
Can you make decisions that will impact millions of people around the nation? Scholars research the role of the Federal Reserve, and its Chairman, on the economic outlook of the country. They analyze current trends in unemployment,...
C-SPAN
Voting Discrimination and the Effects of Shelby County v. Holder
Show students that every vote counts as they debate the federal government 's role in protecting voting rights in historically racially discriminated areas. In the Supreme Court case Shelby County v. Holder, the high court found...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Lesson 2 James Madison: The Second National Bank—Powers Not Specified in the Constitution
How much power is too much power for the federal government? Scholars use primary documents and constitutional research in groups to analyze the creation of the Second National Bank under James Madison. This is the second lesson of a...
Humanities Texas
Primary Source Worksheet: Letter Regarding the Whiskey Rebellion
Analyze the federal government's direct response to the Whiskey Rebellion through this fantastic primary source analysis activity activity.
Anti-Defamation League
Soccer, Salaries and Sexism
Call it soccer, call it football, but call it unfair! the US women's soccer team has called out the US Soccer Federation for unfair treatment in terms of salaries, support, and working conditions in a lawsuit filed in 2019. Young...
Curated OER
Wildflower Beautification Project
Students, in cooperative groups, design and create a wildflower garden for the community. They write letters to property owners requesting use of their land and then write invitations to their parents and to local, state, and federal...
Curated OER
Neo-Classicism
Taking students from the origins of Neoclassical art, architecture, sculpture, painting, and decorative arts to the "sunset" of the artistic movement, this slideshow provides ample infomation and examples of the art form. The slides...
Curated OER
Biotechnology Regulations
Bio-ethical laws and regulations on the federal, state, and local levels are covered in this Powerpoint discussing genetically modified food. The steps needed to get permits and approval for GMO crops and other foodstuffs are...
Curated OER
Are Antismoking Ads Effective?
Are the anti-smoking ads put out by the federal government effective? This question is posed to your critical thinkers. They'll read excerpts from a New York Times article and then compose thoughtful blog responses to four related...
Alabama Department of Archives and History
Cells for Sale - Convict Leasing in Alabama
The benefits and drawbacks of convict leasing following the Civil War are the focus of a activity that asks groups to examine primary source materials to gain an understanding of the program before individuals decide whether...
James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
This exercise on the Constitution requires small groups to design a visual metaphor that expresses the concept behind one of seven principles: popular sovereignty, federalism, republicanism, separation of powers, checks and balances,...
Delegation of the European Union to the United States
Structure of Government within the EU
The political system of the European Union is historically unique and has been constantly evolving. To better understand the structure of the EU, class members compare the EU's branches to those of the United States Federal Government.
Curated OER
Corporate Tax Rate and Jobs
Does lowering the corporate tax rate help create jobs in the United States? Learners explore the top pro and con arguments and quotes relating to the issue. They read background information about the creation of the federal corporate...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Kennewick Man: Science and Sacred Rights
"Have respect for the dead!" Scholars investigate how science and religion often clash. As they look into the laws of science and the laws of religion, the legal ramifications at the federal level of both play into an argument they...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Dems and dat dang debt
Warm up the class with this political cartoon analysis. They use the provided guiding questions to analyze a cartoon depicting issues of debate regarding Federal debt. Critical thinking is a must with this activity.
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Unemployment
It's the classic paradox in this political cartoon analysis; any jobs plan requires extra government spending. However, the unemployed aren't willing to concede to more federal spending for what they want most, jobs. Background...
Curated OER
Handout 4C: Reflection UFW Today
How has the UFW or United Farm Workers labor union changed? Learners go to the website and explore several articles and specific legislative actions currently in place today. The worksheet includes answers and a web link, and will allow...
Federal Reserve Bank
Piggy Bank Primer: Saving and Budgeting
Introduce young economists to basic concepts like unlimited wants, opportunity costs, saving, and budgeting with this workbook designed by the Federal Reserve Bank.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Arizona v. United States — States and Immigration Law
As part of a study of immigration law, class members read a summary of the Supreme Court case, Arizona v. United States. They then examine a series of examples and acting as federal court judges, must determine if the scenarios...
National Wildlife Federation
It's a Green Revolution: An Introduction to Eco-Schools USA
Eco-schools is a project of the National Wildlife Federation and empowers schools to manage their schools with a green focus. Scholars work to define environment and sustainability and springboard this into learning the eight...