Curated OER
Private Property Vs. the Public Good: the Problem of Eminent Domain
High schoolers view video The Electric Valley, discuss film clips and review news articles and other documents pertaining to eminent domain, prepare declarative statement on issue that has pro or con side, and present case to opposing...
Curated OER
Our Land
Students recognize the difference between public and private property. In this public and private lands lesson, students discuss the places mentioned in the song "This Land is Your Land." Students create a T-chart showing public and...
Curated OER
What is Public Use?
Explore the Fifth Amendment by examining the meaning of "public use" as learners read a scenario and role play their assigned parts to determine "public use." They also read Supreme Court Cases regarding the amendment and present their...
Curated OER
Eminent Domain: Should Private Property Be Taken for Public Use?
Learners explore the concept of eminent domain. In this eminent domain lesson, students analyze positive and negative consequences of Supreme Court rulings in three cases pertaining to the public good.
Curated OER
What's Public? What's Private?
Students explore the difference between public and private, and will categorize a list of places as public or private. They determine what is their responsibility to care for public (common) areas and share their new understanding by...
Curated OER
Making Decisions About Public Land
Middle schoolers write a proposal. In this public land lesson, students discuss the difference between private and public property and brainstorm what problems might occur if a citizen changed public property. Middle schoolers work in...
Channel Islands Film
Eminent Domain
After viewing the documentary The Last Roundup, a documentary about the transitioning of Santa Rosa from a privately own island to a National Park, class members debate the takings clause of the Fifth Amendment that permits the...
Curated OER
Public lands: Preserve or develop?
Students compare and contrast the characteristics of various public lands in Canada, including national forests, wilderness areas, national and provincial parks, wildlife sanctuaries, recreation areas and national historic sites. They...
Curated OER
Schools for Sale
Students differentiate between public and private goods. They analyze and evaluate various and positions on a public issue. They establish decision-making criteria. They develop a public policy based on a formal decision making model.
Curated OER
A Duck's Bill on Capitol Hill?
Use a list of environmentally related words to engage learners in a discussion about ecosystem conservation legislation. As a class, read "Aware of Political Ecosystem, Property Rights Advocate Embraces Conservation Plan." Then, present...
Council for Economic Education
New Sense, Inc. vs. Fish 'Till U Drop or Coase Vs. Pigou
Who is responsible for protecting the environment, and who should pay when it is damaged? The role of government and private industry is complicated. A role-play simulation prompts individuals to decide how to protect a fictitious town...
Curated OER
Schools for Sale
Students explore the concept of for-profit companies running schools. In this privatizing schools lesson, students simulate a meeting of school board members, community leaders, and other stakeholders to determine the privatization of a...
Curated OER
Calculating the Cost of a "Sound Basic Education"
Students state their opinions about school funding and the use of monetary resources by school districts and use reasons, facts, and examples to support their ideas. They compare sets of data related to school funding and draw...
Curated OER
The Debate Over North Shore Road
Students examine the impact of the North Shore Road Project in North Carolina. In this environmental science lesson, students share their views regarding this environmental issue. They compare and contrast the map of the Great Smoky...
Curated OER
This Land Is Our Land
Students research federal land holdings. They explore how those lands are used. They map these lands and design their own legends. They discuss whether or not the land is being used accordingly.
Curated OER
Powers of Congress
Have your class fill out this comprehension sheet while reading about the powers of Congress. There are ten multiple choice questions focused on the rights, powers, and limitations of Congressional law.
Media Education Lab
Defining Propaganda
21st century learners live in a media world. Help them develop the skills they need to be able to analyze the barrage of propaganda they face daily, with a resource that introduces them to the type of persuasive appeals found in...
Curated OER
Should Hate Be Outlawed?
Students investigate hate crime legislation. In this hate crime lesson, students examine the St. Paul city ordinance that outlawed hate crimes. Students explore the fine between hate crime legislation and First Amendment rights.
Curated OER
Family Newscast
Young scholars report on family trends, functions of the family and various ways of selecting marriage partners. In this family lesson plan, students act as editors, commercial skits, and writers for a newscast about families.
Curated OER
Thomas Jefferson's Library: Making the Case for a National Library
Students examine the need for a national library. For this Library of Congress lesson, students analyze primary sources to investigate the persuasive techniques that Thomas Jefferson used in a letter meant to show his...
ProCon
School Uniforms
Americans spend around one billion dollars each year on school uniforms, but are they necessary? As pupils research the debate topic, they form their own opinions. They review the history of school uniforms and discover the top pro and...
Curated OER
Suffragettes 1903-1913
For this suffragettes worksheet, students read 4 passages about the suffragettes and women's fight to earn the right to vote. Students use a glossary to help them understand the passages.
Curated OER
Site Robbers
Fourth graders interview a Native American and write a newspaper article or letter that expresses concern about robbing archaeological sites.
Curated OER
The Future of China's Economic System
Ninth graders explore China's economic system and the future of the system. They define economic terms, research websites to find examples of how China is developing into a mixed economy system and how it competes with the U.S. for...