Curated OER
The Railroads and Settlement of the Great Plains
Enhance your American literature unit with this resource, in which readers access the Nebraska Studies website and read about "Railroads and Settlement." They search for a photograph of some aspect of the railroad from the Prairie...
Curated OER
The Role of the Media
Students participate in class discussion to investigate how media affects the ideas of Americans (specifically in politics) and then research events in political history to analyze how the media may have influenced the government's...
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Does Money Talk?
Students describe role that money plays in politics, and write an editorial that explains whether or not they think money gives some people too much influence in government.
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Participating in the Political Process
Students explain why it is important to participate in government, and name at least three ways citizens can participate.
Curated OER
Progressive Movement in Nebraska and the United States
Learners interact with the whole progressive movement and its impact on the U.S. They list the goals of the movement. In addition, they organize primary resources and interpret political cartoons. Each student shares one of their...
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Skepticism Toward Government
Pupils explain how the media portrays certain events and its effects on public opinion of government. They focus on Watergate, the Vietnam War, and the Clinton impeachment. They write essays about skepticism promoted by the media.
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Raising Money for Government Services
Learners evaluate how money is raised to pay for government services. They describe why governments need revenue to provide goods and services. They create a list of government expenditures at the federal, state and local levels. They...
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Paying for Government Services
Students identify major sources of revenue for government spending and identify the type of tax that makes up the largest percentage of the federal budget. They are introduced to the major services provided by local, state and national...
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Ask Not What Your Government Can Do For You...Why Not?
Students explore tax incentives that are available for businesses to locate or expand their operations. They discuss reasons entrepreneurs should be aware of the governmental incentives that are available.
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Members of Congress Who Have Made a Significant Contribution
Students examine laws that have benefited the nation in a variety of ways. The congressperson in the legislative branch of the government primarily responsible for the passage of the law and the current representatives are sought in this...
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How Ordinary People Can Have an Impact
Students identify three or more ways the Federal Government impacts their daily lives and then explore ways in which citizens can influence political leaders.
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The Railroad Booms!
Students discover how the railroads contributed to the interdependence between farms and towns. Using the railroads, they describe the effect of them on western settlement and the relationship between their location and the availability...
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World War II and Propaganda Efforts
Learners define propaganda and list the various propaganda techniques used to influence people. They identify propaganda methods used by the American Government to encourage Americans to support the war effort
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Slow-moving Process
Students explain why the Framers designed a long and complicated legislative process, and evaluate how effectively the legislative branch of the government is serving the purposes for which it was created.
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Balancing the Budget
Students identify the different components that make up the federal budget. They discuss the relationship between government revenues and spending and between budget deficits and the national debt. Students predict how changes in...
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Understanding Procedural Justice
Learners analyze the concept of procedural justice. In this judges in the classroom instructional activity, students role play the ways the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights established certain procedures to protect people from...
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Why Does Congress Work That Way?
Young scholars discover the powers of Congress. In this legislative branch lesson, students examine the legislative process as they analyze Article I of the U.S. Constitution. Young scholars consider the powers of Congress as they define...
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Roles of Individuals and Groups in Politics
Students review the Federalist Paper by James Madison. They discuss the influence of interest groups in contemporary politics.
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Life before Congress
Students name some interesting backgrounds of Members of Congress, identify their current representatives in the legislative branch of the national government, and describe the background of one local representative or senator.
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How Should Congress Allocate Money?
Students discover and examine how the government spends money and then determine what they this are priorities for national spending by illustrating their ideas on a pie chart. They research the national spending allocations on the...
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Influencing Public Policy
Pupils read the local newspaper, identify a currrent community issue and develop plans to influence the formation, development, and implementation of a policy to affect the issue. They write a biography about someone who has influenced...
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
Policies that Relate to American Indians
Eleventh graders demonstrate an understanding of the impact of the western settlement patterns on American Indians. They analyze the growth and division of the United States from 1820 through 1877 and examine the non-Indian concept of...
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Show Me the Money
Young scholars investigate the history of paper currency in the United States and consider anti-counterfeit strategies that are used by making their own paper.