Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Checks and Balances

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students take a closer look at the responsibilities of the Legislative, Judicial, and Executive branches. In this U.S. government instructional activity, students read articles 1, 2, and 3 of the Constitution and then use Venn diagrams...
Lesson Plan
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Scavenger Hunt

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners participate in a scavenger hunt to gather information on their governmental officials. Using the internet, they identify and discuss the various political boundaries to determine who their representative is. They complete a...
Lesson Plan
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It's All About Justice

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students examine a specific environmental concern to their local community. In groups, they explore how the justice system would deal with the problem by participating in a treasure hunt. They review the meaning of federal and state...
Lesson Plan
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Hate-Crimes and Punishment

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students research and write about the effectiveness of hate-crime legislation in the United States
Lesson Plan
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Taking From the Giving Tree

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars explore the ways in which various American cities negotiate the protection of their "green infrastructure," gaining a broader understanding of proposed and enacted legislation as it relates to preserving and planting trees...
Lesson Plan
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Having the Last Word

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students discuss the influence of foreign languages in their everyday speech after reading an article from The New York Times on language legislation in Brazil. Students are divided into 4 groups in order to research languages spoken...
Lesson Plan
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Endangered Species Act

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students spend the duration of this instructional activity examining the text of the Endangered Species Act. Individually, they complete a profile to determine where they stand on the bill and read excerpts from it. Some role-play the...
Lesson Plan
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POWERS OF THE PRESIDENT: THE CASE OF LATVIA

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students compare the powers of a U.S. president to those of leaders of other countries. They pretend they are presidential advisors and make decisions as a group as to what the president has the right do in different situations.
Lesson Plan
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Making An Appeal

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students argue an appellate case and analyze public policy conflicts.
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Read All About It! Supreme Court Case Makes Headlines!

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are assigned a landmark Supreme Court case to research. They construct a one-page newsletter on the case which include a summary of the case, two pictures and a short biography on one of the justices on the Court at that time.
Lesson Plan
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Checks on Presidential Power

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students examine presidential powers. In this checks and balances lesson, students identify the constitutional and informal restraints of the president and consider the reasons for the limitations.
Lesson Plan
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We the People: 270 out of 538

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students engage in a lesson that helps them better explain the quadrennial ritual surrounding the election of a president in the United States of America.
Lesson Plan
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Constitution

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders simulate a U.S. Supreme Court hearing concerning a First Amendment case about school prayer by participating in a hearing.
Lesson Plan
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England's Cabinet

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students investigate the UK Parliament, its Prime Minister, members, and duties. They decide which posts would make up a cabinet to run their school. They compare this to the posts needed to run the country and select a cabinet for...
Lesson Plan
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History in the Making

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students create and perform a skit that demonstrates the historical period and foriegn policy of a particular president. They first complete a diagram of George Washington's presidency as a class and then form small groups to research...
Lesson Plan
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The Many Powers of the President

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students become familiar with the many roles of the president. They are given various scenarios. They must decide which of his "hats" he must wear given the specifics of each situation.
Lesson Plan
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The "Big Four"

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students identify the four individuals who are identified as the "Big Four", examine the years they were on the bench together, and look and the impact they made in key cases.
Lesson Plan
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You and the Judicial System

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore how the structure of the state and federal judicial systems affect them. They select an appropriate media and create a presentation on the structure of the judicial system, the criminal judicial system and a guide to the...
Lesson Plan
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The Supreme Court

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the Fourteenth Amendment. In this Supreme Court lesson, students define due process and equal protection as they analyze the impact of the amendment and the Supreme Court on workers' rights in the early 20th century....
Lesson Plan
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The Inauguration of Barack Obama the 44th President of the United States

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore the process of inauguration in the United States.  Students describe the symbolic and political significance of the ceremony of the inauguration of the President of the United States.  Students role...
Lesson Plan
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The Illustrated Bill of Rights

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students shoot Bill of Rights videos. In this Bill of Rights lesson plan, students film digital segment that illustrate the meaning of the first 10 amendments. Students integrate the video clips into PowerPoint presentations.
Lesson Plan
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Houghton Mifflin Social Studies/Chapter 13, Lesson 2 California Fights Smog (pp. 296-300)

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders look into certain environmental problems. The governmental branches are investigated and how government takes care to solve problems of the environment.
Lesson Plan
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How Did That Get There?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners evaluate the role of government in addressing land use and other environmental issues. They analyze the powers, responsibilities, and limitations of elected and appointed officials in the national legislative, executive, and...
Lesson Plan
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Elections for Elementary Students

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore various websites that explain how primaries, caucuses, and general elections function. They view sample ballots, and analyze the executive branch, U.S. presidents, and citizenship.

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