Constitutional Rights Foundation
Options for Affecting Public Policy
Letter-writing, e-mail and telephone campaigns, petitions, marches, meetings, with lawmakers. Options for influencing elected representatives are the focus of resource that details how to craft each of these approaches to influencing...
Curated OER
Investigation of a Key Public Policy Issue
Twelfth graders select and analyze a public policy issue. In groups, they create a hot list of web sites that have been explored and investigated as a result of a web search. Using their research, 12th graders individually produce a...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Federal Policy and Immigration
How is federal policy established? To gain insight into this complex and often messy process, class members read an article that uses information on attempts to establish public policy in immigration to illustrate the role proposed...
C-SPAN
The Role of the Executive Branch in Policy Making
Although the president of the United States does not have the power to pass laws, they can propose legislation, veto bills passed by Congress, and issue executive orders that bypass Congress. Six video clips show middle schoolers these...
Curated OER
Choose Your Own Adventure: School Nutritional Policy
Mature audiences are required for this lesson on implementing health-related policies. First, they openly explore the CDC obesity page while taking notes about what they discover. Then they view a PowerPoint about the success of public...
Brown University
Considering the Role of Values in Public Policy
Strong opinions come from deeply held values. Young citizens explore the values that are most important to them in a class discussion and activity. As they prioritize a list of values cards that include freedom, justice, and democracy,...
Curated OER
Making Public Policy
Eighth graders examine a Legislative website to view the biography of a member and a map of the district that the member represents. They are then visited by the member who engages students in a discussion about how legislators make...
Curated OER
Influencing the Agenda: The Impact of Interest Groups on Policy Making
Middle schoolers examine the role of interest groups and how they affect voters. In groups, they research how the groups have affected policy making in the county. They examine a specific issue and discover whether or not a vote was...
Curated OER
Public Policy Changes Using Technology
Young scholars discuss the problem of wrestling on the playground that has resulted in injuries to classmates. They research the problem using print and Internet resources. They listen to a presentation by the high school wrestling...
Curated OER
Analyzing Public Policy Opinions
Students brainstorm a list of the major issues affecting Fairfax County, Virginia. Using the internet, they choose one topic to research in depth. To end the lesson, they analyze the effectiveness of an actual public policy proposal or...
Curated OER
Influencing the Agenda: The Impact of Interest Groups on Public Policy
Students define the terms "interest groups" and "public policy". In groups, they discuss the ways in which interest groups can have an effect on how a Board member votes. Using examples, they discover the effectiveness of interest...
Curated OER
Words to Action
What's better than talking about water quality issues in your hometown? Doing something about it! Scholars come up with a community action plan to take care of a local environmental issue having to do with the water supply. They...
Curated OER
Making an Appeal
Young scholars make an appeal. In this making an appeal lesson students give characteristics of the Washington Supreme Court. Young scholars examine public policy conflicts and present an appellate case.
Curated OER
Express Your Opinion
Students explore local, state, and national levels of government and discuss which level of government they should contact to get information, express their opinions, or get help on specific issues.
Advocates for Human Rights
Civic Engagement and U.S. Immigration Policy
To conclude their study of immigration and human rights, class members create a civic engagement project centered on an issue of immigration and designed to influence US immigration policy. They examine examples of attempts to influence...
Curated OER
The Foreign Policies of Harry S. Truman
Students read an article about the new interest in Harry S. Truman. In groups, they review his foreign policy decisions and how situations might have been different if he had made a different decision. They also examine the problems he...
Curated OER
Patriotism and Foreign Policy
Twelfth graders create a museum of Patriotism and Foreign Policy. They participate in discussions and work in committee's to determine which objects shall be displayed in the museum. They present visual and performing arts along with...
Curated OER
What Works and What Doesn't: The Potential and Limitations of Fiscal Policy
Twelfth graders study micro- and macro-economies. They examine theories about fiscal policy and the relationships between consumption and output, tax policy and government spending changes. They also consider how economic perspectives...
Curated OER
Making Laws
Students list examples of how laws have impacted their daily lives, and describe how legislators debate, discuss, and pass into law public policies that affect individuals and society.
Curated OER
Friday Forum (Day 4)
Have your young speakers participate in a discussion/debate with their whole class on their prepared argument. They listen and analyze other student's arguments and refute arguments using logic and not emotion.
Annenberg Foundation
Service Learning in the Social Studies
Active Citizenship Today (ACT) is a "unique social studies service learning program" that requires students to learn about the public policy associated with community issues they identify in their local community. This web site provides...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Public Service to a Better Image
Learners, in a program entitled "Strategies for Success," examine ways to change public perception of their school. In this project-based lesson, they explore local social and environmental issues, develop a conflict resolution...
Curated OER
The Superheroes of Public Land Management
Learners study public land management agencies and their missions. They research a management agency, design a superhero to represent the agency and describe the skills and training needed to manage public lands. They include the...
Curated OER
A Yen for Maximum Residue Limits in Food
Future public health officials or agriculturists read an article and answer questions concerning the Japanese regulations for pesticide exposure. They compare the maximum residue limit for two, 4-D of Japan with other countries. This is...