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Steps In Selecting A President
Students follow a flowchart that describes the process of electing the American president and vice-president. They create a flowchart that explains some aspect of the US government.
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Religion and Politics: The Battle Over the Judiciary
Students analyze the relationship between religion an politics. For this Supreme Court lesson, students examine the results of the 2004 presidential election and explore how the results impacted George W. Bush and his Supreme Court...
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Stateside Slavery
Students read "Slavery's Past, Paved Over or Forgotten" from The New York Times and discuss as a class. This activity is the introduction for researching a topic on the history of slavery in the U.S. Student groups present their...
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Cartoons for the Classroom: A Parody of Broken Promises
Parodies of political figures are the lifeblood of the editorial cartoons in a free press. North Korea's nuclear threat provides young political scientists an opportunity to hone their critical thinking skills as they analyze a cartoon...
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Acts of Defiance?
Students contemplate, discuss and share responses to critical and analytical questions regarding impending war in Iraq. They write persuasive essays arguing the pros and cons of the United States waging war unilaterally.
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Judicial Void
Students explore the impact of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court. They research potential nominees to replace her, in light of her resignation, and write letters to President George W. Bush to share opinions of the...
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Behind the Scenes: The Executive Response to 9/11
Students examine the actions of the executive branch following the September 11th terrorist attacks. In this U.S. government lesson, students watch segments of a video titled "Behind the Scenes: The Executive Response to 9/11." Students...
C-SPAN
Evaluating Historical Presidential Campaign Ads
Political ads flood the airwaves each election cycle. An activity including more than a dozen political ads from iconic presidential campaigns helps learners unpack how the sausage gets made during election "silly season." Using the...
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Clinton's Farewell to the Nation
Students read the newspaper article, "A Pat and a Nudge from Outgoing Chief," about President Clinton's end of term actions, then discuss it.
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Perks and Perils
Learners research the life of the first family. In this U.S. Government lesson, students take a White House quiz, read an article about the first family and write in their journals about a typical day in their lives versus what a day...
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Inaugurating a President
Students study the traditions and history of the U.S. Presidential Inaugurations. They examine the topics George W. Bush talked about in his inaugural address and determine if his remarks clearly outlined what he has done.
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Splitting the Motherland?
Students explore issues such as Tibet's struggle for independence and China's invasion in 1950. They create a KWL chart, explore maps of Tibet, and read articles concerning China, the Dalai Lama, and President Bush's relationship to...
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The 2004 Presidential Election
Students examine the 2004 Presidential election between George W. Bush and John Kerry. Using a variety of primary source documents, they discover where the candidates stood on the issues. In groups, they create a tableau in which they...
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A Conservative Era
In this Conservative Era worksheet, students write definitions for six terms, examine five pairs of sentences then determine which one is false, then link two sets of words together by identifying which historical theme they share in...
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The Inaugural Speech: Setting The Tone For The Administration Of A President
High schoolers investigate the Inaugural Speech of the President of The United States while comparing two speeches. They conduct research to find the two speeches on the internet and look at them side by side. The lesson includes...
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Paths to the Presidency
Seventh graders investigate a timeline of the career paths that US presidents took before they became the president. They how these career choices prepared these men for the presidency.
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Using Primary Sources: Letters from the Presidents
Learners research the life of a president by reading personal letters on the American Presidents web site, and explore the ways that the character and personality of the president affected the ways they handled historical events.
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Poetry and the American Presidents
Fifth graders choose a poetry activity in order to focus their research about American presidents.
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A President's Home and the President's House
Students examine the differences between the White House and Monticello. In small groups, they complete a virtual tour, complete a graphic organizer, take notes during the tour, and identify activities taking place at the White House.
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Mystery State #42
In this mystery state worksheet, learners are given five clues which they try to answer to identify the state in question. Then, they locate the state on a map.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Refugees from the Caribbean: Cuban and Haitian “Boat People”
Should refugees fleeing poverty be allowed the same entrance into the United States as those fleeing persecution? High schoolers read about US foreign policy in the late 20th century regarding refugees from Cuba and Haiti, and engage in...
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The Great Society and A Thousand Points of Lights
High schoolers compare 2 preseidental speeches. In this presidential agenda lesson, students compare and contrast a Lyndon B. Johnson speech with a George H. W. Bush Speech.
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World History/Current Events Activity
Students define the term terrorist, and examine how terrorist methods are used to promote fear and endanger the lives of innocent individuals. They analyze why President Bush has declared war on terrorism, and write essays on terrorism.