Curated OER
We the People... How Does Government Secure Natural Rights?
Students investigate the Founders' ideas about what kind of government is most likely to protect the basic rights of people. They distinguish between limited and unlimited government.
Curated OER
Organize Your Own Government
Students, in groups, design a government. They create a web page that describes the group's fictitious nation, details the citizen's culture, identifies the type of government and explores how the chosen government would respond to...
Curated OER
What is Economics? An Economic Board Game
Students learn the fundamental concepts of economics as it relates to government.
Curated OER
Music And Violence: What Message is Music Promoting To Our Youth
Learners analyze several pieces of music and videos to examine how popular musicians and their music affect us as individuals and as a society. The perception of society's ideals, hypocrisy in government, and injustice are explored.
Curated OER
Chapter 2 Test: Government and The Economy
In this US government and economy worksheet, students complete a chapter test. They match words associated with the topic to their definitions. They list the three main branches of the government, describe the role of the President, tell...
Curated OER
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Limited Government
Students write a letter to King George III from the point of view of Thomas Jefferson. They defend constitutional democracy and explain the differences between limited and unlimited government.
Curated OER
Distinguishing Between Levels of Government
Twelfth graders study confederal, federal, and unitary governments. They compose an essay that compares and contrasts the purpose of state/local government with that of the national government in the American federal system.
Curated OER
Government Agencies
Students are taught that there is more to executive branch of the federal government than the president and cabinet. They identify in pairs the names and fucntions of different departments under the executive branch of federal...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan: U.S. Government
Students examine reasons for studying government. In this U.S. government lesson, students brainstorm the reasons for rules. Students draft their own class constitution in the style of the U.S. Constitution.
Curated OER
Governance
Students explore government by researching Native American history. In this First Nations culture instructional activity, students define the Aboriginal action of speaking in a circle as a group. Students discuss their likes and dislikes...
Curated OER
US Government: The Checks and Balances System of the US Constitution
Students examine the responsibilities of the 3 branches of U.S. government. In this checks and balances lesson, students identify the powers of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. Students share examples of...
Curated OER
Government Reform - Term Limits
Students consider the need for term limits. In this U.S. government lesson, students read selected articles about the pros and cons of term limits. Students then survey their class regarding their opinion of term limits. Students...
Curated OER
Why Vote? A Public Awareness Campaign
Students examine the structure of local government and determine why citizens vote. In this civics lesson, students listen to a lecture about the structure of local government and then encourage others to exercise their right to vote.
Curated OER
Federalism and the Division of Power
Test your U.S. history class on what they know about Federalism and the division of power. There are 5 matching and 5 multiple choice questions to solve. Questions relate to the American federal system, US Constitution, national...
Curated OER
The Evolution of the Preamble
Reading and comprehending informational text is vital in all subject areas. Upper graders use primary sources and worksheets to better comprehend the historical importance of the Preamble of the US Constitution. Web links, handouts, and...
Curated OER
Studying Florida's Constitution: State's Rights
Students examine the basic rights in their state's constitution. They vote on a class issue, analyze how an amendment is passed, develop a flow chart to demonstrate the steps, and write and illustrate a booklet about their basic rights.
Curated OER
Recreating Marriage: The Same-Sex Union Debate
A debate continues regarding same-sex marriage as a constitutional right. This instructional activity requires learners to define marriage then formulate an argument that reconstructs the national debate perspectives. Many standards are...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
What Brought Settlers to the Midwest?
Drawn by promises of fertile land, thousands of settlers poured West because of the Homestead Act of 1862. By examining images of the ads that drew them westward, learners consider the motivations for movement. They also consider how the...
Curated OER
Do We Still Need the Electoral College?
One of the most confusing aspects of any presidential election year is the role of the Electoral College. Learners read a bit about how the Electoral College works and then they hold a mock election in their classroom. They'll redraw a...
National Endowment for the Humanities
James Madison: Madison Was There
Madison was there! Scholars go on a journey to discover the person behind the founding father label as they explore James Madison's role in the formation of the United States government. The culmination is a writing assignment and...
Curated OER
Wild Horses
What a terrific resource! This presentation focuses on wild horses and what should be done about them. While the questions found in the presentation focus on grammar and comprehension, this set of slides could do so much more. Learners...
Heritage Foundation
The Constitution, Federalism, and the States
The divide between federal and state government is responsible for much of tension that continues to this day, partly because of the US Constitution. The activities in the 14th lesson in a series of 20 are designed to help learners...
Curated OER
Thirteen Original Colonies
An outstanding lesson on the Thirteen Original Colonies, and the settling of Pennsylvania by William Penn is here for your learners. Valuable discussion takes place regarding how the colonies were settled, and some excellent handouts are...
Oakwood Publishing
Workshop 4: Constitutional Convention
How do new amendments become part of the US Constitution? AP government students explore, analyze, and use the US Constitution to develop a deep understanding of the interworkings of law and government while practicing synthesis and...