Students explore U.S. history by completing a quiz about civics. In this Benjamin Franklin lesson, students read assigned text about Franklin's role in the development of the Constitution and the creation of a new society. Students...

Learners explore U.S. history by participating in a government activity. In this Constitution instructional activity, students identify the role government plays in our society and the differences the British colonies had in the early...

Learners explore the U.S. Constitution. In this First Amendment lesson, students examine Norman Rockwell's "Freedom of Speech" and analyze the five freedoms listed in the amendment.

Eighth graders investigate historical documents of the United States by reading the Mayflower Compact.  In this U.S. History lesson plan, 8th graders analyze the wording of the original Mayflower Compact of the first U.S. settlers...

Students explore values that unite Americans. In this government instructional activity, students recall the symbols of America and discuss how to create a "Classroom Constitution." Students form rules and write their own Constitution.

Students explore the constitutional guarantee of the right to trial by jury. In this U. S. Constitution lesson, students read or view Twelve Angry Men and respond to discussion questions regarding the jury. Students examine the...

Fifth graders contrast and compare ancient Greece to the U.S.A.  In this Greek History lesson, 5th graders investigate the buildings and designs of ancient Greece, as well as their democracy and government.  Students answer...

Students demonstrate how the American Civil War affected black Kentuckians socially and politically. They identify and discuss the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which forced the end of slavery in Kentucky months after the...

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.

Learners defend the Constitution against a group of Senators who decide that all media must be approved by the government, all Americans must take a loyalty oath, join an official U.S. religion and subscribe to approved clubs.

Students research American symbols. In this American History lesson, students listen to the story The Wall and discuss the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. They also listen to One Nation and research an American Symbol to create a...

Fourth graders explore what the U.S. Constitution is and why it is important, the purpose of the state constitution, and its relationship to the U.S. Constitution and the similarities and differences among federal, state and local...

Third graders examine the symbolism of the United States by observing different flags.  In this U.S. History lesson, 3rd graders utilize the Internet to research state seals, flags, and other symbols that represent specific areas of...

Young scholars review amendments of the Constitution relating to due process. They discuss the Constitution in the case of Eberhard "Zip" Fuhr. They research the provisions of the WWII Alien Enemy Control Program. They determine how...

High schoolers discuss amendments of the Constitution that cover due process and discuss them in relation to the play "The White Line". They determine how national security measures conflict with the issues of due process during wartime....

Students gain historical background on the Civil War era from textbooks, encyclopedias, or supplemental material. Assign at least two photographs for each student to analyze using the Photograph Analysis Worksheet which is imbedded in...

Students study a current political cartoon to introduce the ideas of symbolism, humor, exaggeration, and caricature in editorial cartoons. They study cartoons from the past to gain an understanding of the culture of 1912.

Young scholars engage in a class analysis of posters, responding to each of the worksheet questions. They identify the similarities and differences between the posters.

Students complete a variety of written and discussion activities regarding Rosa Parks and the Alabama bus boycott and how they changed an accepted way of life in America.

Students document and list excerpts from a document that shows how calmly officials reacted to the launching of Sputnik. They research contemporary magazines and newspaper articles of the day as well.