Madison Public Schools
Journalism
Whether you are teaching a newspaper unit in language arts, covering the First Amendment and censorship in social studies, or focusing on writing ethics in journalism, a unit based on the foundations of journalism would be an excellent...
Humanities Texas
Primary Source Worksheet: Ronald Reagan, Excerpt from Reagan's First Inaugural Address
A key challenge in teaching kids how to read informational text, particularly primary source documents, is finding suitable resources and then developing questions that guide readers. Never fear, help is here in the form of a series...
Museum of Tolerance
The Price of Personal Responsibility
A reading of Patrick Henry's "Speech in the Virginia Convention," Henry David Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience," and Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail" launch a discussion about the price one is willing to pay to...
Curated OER
Six Day War
Learn about the diverse perspectives involved in the Six Day War by having learners examine and annotate presidential speeches given by the three nations—Egypt, Israel, and the United States—at the heart of the conflict and producing...
Smithsonian Institution
Spanish American War
Today, Cuba and America sometimes struggle with diplomatic relations, but did you know that America went to war against Spain to free Cuba? Learners examine many interesting facts related to the Spanish American War using an informative...
Curated OER
Freedom Fighters
Students discover the accomplishments of Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, Jr. In this social justice lesson, students watch "Freedom Fighters," and then read speeches or writings made by each of the men. Students write compare and...
Southern Nevada Regional Professional Development Program
Common Core Reading Standards: Understanding Argument
What does your class know about logical fallacies? They can find out quite a bit and practice identifying logical fallacies if you follow the steps and use the resources provided here! After reviewing ethos, pathos, and logos, ask small...
San José State University
Revising for Clarity: Characters and Their Actions
This handout offers a three-step process for revising sentences for clarity: diagnose, analyze, revise. After reading an example sentence revision with a detailed explanation, learners complete three sample sentences using the three-step...
Facing History and Ourselves
Laws and the National Community
When it comes to the law, is justice always served? Teach scholars about how law sometimes enables prejudice of entire groups of people with a unit on World War II that includes a warm-up activity, analysis of primary sources,...
National Constitution Center
Born in the U.S.A: Music as Political Protest
Though often used in shows of patriotism, Bruce Springsteen's 1985 song "Born in the U.S.A." is critical of America's role in the Vietnam war and its treatment of American veterans. High schoolers analyze the song's lyrics in an activity...
Curated OER
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
Students explore the concept of symbolic speech. In this case study lesson, students read excerpts of Tinker v. Des Moines. Students then complete the provided worksheet activities and determine whether they agree with the outcome of the...
Curated OER
Valuable Lessons
Learners explore how immigration, citizenship, due process of law, and the freedoms of speech and assembly have shaped American values throughout American history
NPR
Civil Rights of Japanese-American Internees
Prompted by a viewing of Emiko and Chizu Omori’s Rabbit in the Moon, a documentary about the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II, high schoolers examine a series of documents, including the Bill of Rights and the UN’s...
Curated OER
In God We Trust; All Others Pay Cash
Learners review their knowledge on the First Amendment. After reading an article, they identify specific church and state issues. Using the Internet, they research President Bush's proposal from a specific point of view. They summarize...
Administrative Office of the US Courts
Engel v. Vitale
"Is school-sponsored prayer in public schools unconstitutional?" That is the question teams debate as they consider the arguments presented to the Supreme Court in Engel v. Vitale. The attorneys study the provided talking points and...
Curated OER
Reading Comprehension
In this reading comprehension worksheet, students answer higher level thinking questions based on thought provoking words in their questions. Students complete 5 higher level thinking questions.
Curated OER
Painting Inside the Lines
Students examine how freedoms of expression and religion are shaped within democracies. They consider reactions to controversial art exhibit in Moscow. They compose reaction papers supporting or refuting a quotation from the article read...
Mississippi Whole School Initiative
Dream Big...With Your Eyes Wide Open
For many people, Barack Obama's presidency was the next step in Martin Luther King, Jr's dream of America's future. Explore the dreams of Americans past and present, as well as the young Americans in your class, with a set of activities...
Curated OER
Dictating the Future
Read the article "Bush Lays Out Goals for Iraq: Self-Rule and Stability" and examine the keys points from President Bush's speech. Whether presented in written text or as an audio bite students will work in groups to research world...
Curated OER
Freedom of Hate Speech?
Students, using a New York Times article as a springboard for discussion, investigate and debate the complex issues of First Amendments Rights and censorship for Hate Groups using Websites for propaganda.
PBS
The March on Washington and Its Impact
High schoolers read Martin Luther King, Jr's speech that he gave in Washington. They identify the social conditions that led to the civil rights movement. They discuss the significance of the March on Washington.
Curated OER
Adding to the Picture: The 1963 March on Washington
Who do your scholars imagine when they think about the civil rights movement? If only a few faces come to mind, this lesson will expand their concepts of the movement's leaders. Learners examine an image of the 1963 March on Washington,...
Curated OER
Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X: A Common Solution?: Lesson Plan
Students explore the ideological and political development of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X through primary source documents. They identify the various personal, social, and political factors that influenced Martin Luther King,...
Curated OER
Freedom of Press or Bulletproof Vests?
Students explore the extent to which a person go for his ideals, focusing on one man's pursuit of free speech in Thailand. They, in groups, respond to five questions related to the article and based on the theme of free speech.