Curated OER
Supreme Court Decisions on Freedom of Religion
What does freedom of religion mean? Analyze a series of Supreme Court cases where the First Amendment right to freedom of religion was put to the test. They discuss the cases' outcomes and argue whether the right decision was made....
Curated OER
Read My Lips
Middle schoolers research and examine Florida's government and the three branches of government. They write and present campaign speeches that explain the reasons why they would be the best candidates for governor.
Curated OER
Order in the Court
Students identify the branches of government, who leads each branch and its responsibilities. They understand the role that John Marshall played in our government system. They research the role of the Supreme Court.
Curated OER
Utah's Legislative Branch: How a Bill Becomes a Law
Seventh graders discover how a bill becomes a law in Utah. In groups, they decide on a law they would like to see enacted and discuss its chances of being passed by the legislative branch in Utah. They hold elections in which each...
Curated OER
Reflections on Judicial Power - Part I
Students research the Constitutional provision for the Judicial branch of government. They examine different U.S. founder's positions on the relative strength of the judicial branch and act as a review court for Marbury vs. Madison.
Curated OER
Hopi Tribal Council
Focusing on the differences between traditional Hopi government and the Hopi Tribal Council, this resource is a good addition to your unit on Native American culture. Learners conduct Internet research, analyze primary source photos, and...
Curated OER
The Judicial Branch
For this checks and balances in U.S. government worksheet, students read a 4-paragraph selection regarding the Supreme Court and then respond to 5 fill in the blank questions.
Curated OER
Legislative Branch (Congress) Questions
In this U. S. government worksheet, students respond to 10 short answer questions about the responsibilities of congressional members.
Curated OER
The Supreme Court: The Judicial Power of the United States
Middle schoolers investigate some basic facts about the Supreme Court by examining the United States Constitution and one of the landmark cases decided by that court. The operation of the Supreme Court forms the focus of the lesson.
Curated OER
James Madison: From Father of the Constitution to President
Students investigate reasons why James Madison is called the "Father of the Constitution." They discuss three events during his presidency that raised constitutional questions and look at Madison's opinions of those questions. They...
Administrative Office of the US Courts
Nomination Process
"I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States..." Scholars investigate the nomination process of Supreme Court justices when assuming office. Through examination of primary and secondary...
PBS
Civic Engagement and How Students Can Get Involved
There is no age limit on civic engagement. Even if your pupils are not old enough to vote, they are old enough to get involved. Show them how with a PBS lesson that underscores the importance of civic participation and models ways young...
Curated OER
The President's Roles and Responsibilities: Understanding the President's Job
Students examine the roles and responsibilites of the president of the U.S. They identify and discuss the three branches of U.S. government, view and discuss a White House Photo essay online, and create a class book entitled, 'If I Were...
Curated OER
Constitution Lesson Plan
Third graders identify roles of Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution in establishing new country, create posters with their ideas about each part of Constitution, and explain three branches of government, including their...
Curated OER
Understanding by Design
Fourth graders examine the origins, structures, and functions of the Colorado government. In this understanding by design lesson, 4th graders explore the three branches of government. Students identify the roles of state leaders and...
Curated OER
Judicial Branch & Supreme Court Questions
In this U. S. government learning exercise, students respond to 19 short answer questions about the responsibilities of Supreme Court members in the United States.
Curated OER
Voting Simulation
Students explore the process of voting. They study the lawmaking branch of the state government.
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...
Curated OER
Woodrow The White House Mouse
Inauguration Day is January 20. Implement an entire week's worth of mini activities to help young historians become knowledgeable of the President's job, the executive branch, and the White House. The worksheets focus on...
iCivics
For The President, All In A Day's Work
How does the president of the United States get the authority to exercise his/her duties? What responsibilities and tasks go into a hard day's work for the president? Here is a lesson plan that includes several instructional materials...
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...
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...
Curated OER
History Review: Colonial America
Explore key moments in American history with the click of a mouse! Learners read 50 questions from different eras in early America, and watch the rest of the presentation to find more questions to answer.
PBS
Analyzing McCulloch v. Maryland
What happened in the Supreme Court case of McCulloch v. Maryland? The resource teaches the specifics of the case with a video and provided discussion questions covering issues such as precedent and the Supreme Court as an equal branch of...