Judicial Learning Center
State Courts vs. Federal Courts
Popular culture often portrays the Feds as the most fearsome of law enforcement agencies. Yet, someone charged with a crime is considerably more likely to end up in a state court. The lesson, one of six covering the Organization of the...
Judicial Learning Center
The U.S. Supreme Court
How do Supreme Court justices determine which cases to consider? What happens when the Supreme Court decides not to take a case? The lesson explores important questions and others in the field of criminology. It focuses on the...
Judicial Learning Center
About Federal Judges
Not just anybody can do the job of a federal judge, but according to the United States Constitution just about anybody can be appointed. The lesson outlines the process and requirements for becoming a federal judge, focusing on the...
Smithsonian Institution
Cold War
The Cold War was not necessarily always cold in temperature, but the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union sure was frigid! Scholars read various passages, view exhibition graphics, and observe an artifact from the...
Judicial Learning Center
Your 4th Amendment Rights
Americans love to learn about their rights, especially those that protect them from the government's power to invade their privacy. Young people are especially engaged by this topic. An informative lesson explores four Supreme Court...
Judicial Learning Center
The Judge and the Jury
Unless you are a lawyer, you might not understand just how unrealistic Law and Order and other legal dramas actually are. Here's a great resource to help scholars of criminology gain a more realistic perspective. The lesson outlines the...
Smithsonian Institution
New American Roles
America has dealt with its fair share of hardships in contemporary history. The resource discusses the events of the Gulf War, September 11th, the Afghanistan War, and The Iraq War. Scholars click on artifacts to learn more information,...
Curated OER
Corporal Punishment
Nineteen states legally permit school officials to physically punish children. Scholars learn more about the topic as they use the website to prepare for a class debate or discussion. Pupils read background information and discover the...
American Museum of Natural History
Tornadoes Spinning Thunderstorms
Tornado winds can reach more than 200 miles per hour. Learners explore wind speeds and more characteristics of tornadoes with an online lesson. They learn how tornadoes form and how scientists attempt to predict them. Can be used as an...
Judicial Learning Center
The Power of Judicial Review
Marbury v. Madison is arguably the most important landmark case in the history of the Supreme Court. A fact-filled lesson provides background information about the case and two others related to the concept of judicial review. Scholars...
Judicial Learning Center
Why Study Landmark Cases?
Why study landmark Supreme court cases? A helpful lesson offers a brief but valuable argument for the importance of these cases in the field of criminology. It introduces scholars to some key terms necessary for studying court cases and...
Judicial Learning Center
The Constitution
Supreme Court justices debate the meaning of the US Constitution, but we expect teachers to explain it to scholars with far less training and experience. A daunting task for sure, but it's not insurmountable with resources that simplify...
Judicial Learning Center
Article III and the Courts
What's the best way to make sense of the Constitution? A helpful lesson contains both the text of Article III and annotation of each of its sections, breaking it down into easy-to-understand parts. It also includes links to a...
Judicial Learning Center
Your 1st Amendment Rights
Why should classes care about the First Amendment? An engaging lesson serves as a powerful tool for answering just that. As all four cases in the lesson relate directly to freedom of expression in schools, young scholars explore the...
Judicial Learning Center
The Players in the Courtroom
Courtrooms are complicated. In addition to the many rules, there are a number of people whose jobs are not very clear to the casual courtroom observer. With the resource, individuals identify some of these roles and review more...
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...
Judicial Learning Center
Types of Court Cases
How can one court acquit someone of a crime, while another convicts the person of the same one? It's all because of the differences between civil and criminal trials. An informative resource provides scholars in the field of criminology...
US Government Publishing Office
Ben's Guide to u.s. Government: Quick Facts: Learn About Your State
Ben's Guide is a fun way to present U.S. Government to students grades K-12. This site presents links to all 50 states with basic information about them. Links to related sites are available.
US Department of State
U.s. Department of State: Albany Plan of Union, 1754
Learn all about the Albany Plan of Union from this article from the U.S. Department of State. Find out why it was proposed, what the plan would provide for, and the results.
US Government Publishing Office
Ben's Guide to u.s. Government: Grades K 2
Here you can learn all about the U.S. Government! Find information on our nation, how our government works, your own neighborhood, and the main government symbols. Games and other activities are also included!
Other
U.s. Agency for International Development
The official site for the U.S. Agency for International Development. USAID "is the U.S. federal government agency that implements America's foreign economic and humanitarian assistance programs." Learn all about the work it does around...
A&E Television
History.com: The States
Learn unique facts about each American state. You can also read a more in-depth history of each state, watch videos and play a game about all the states.
US Department of State
U.s. Dept. Of State: Homeschooling Resources in the Department of State
To help families in the State Department's Foreign Service, the Department has compiled information on homeschooling and distance learning. Much of this information is equally useful for any families interested in pursuing one of these...
Other
Discover Diplomacy: What Are the Key Policies of the u.s. Department of State?
The U.S. foreign policy can be narrowed down to five concepts that govern our relationships with other countries. Study the five categories and explore links to learn more about the Secretary of State John Kerry.