Lesson Plan
National Constitution Center

Federalism, the Commerce Clause, and the Tenth Amendment

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
How do the state and federal governments relate to each other? The Constitution has a lot to say about that! Using an interactive online tool, pupils explore the Tenth Amendment. They apply their knowledge to political cartoons and news...
Activity
US Department of Commerce

The Census Questionnaire: Then and Now

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
As the United States has changed, so has the census! While required by the Constitution, the questions the government asks to allot representation and federal funding has developed over time. Using images of previous censuses, young...
Lesson Plan
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C-SPAN

The Role of the Executive Branch in Policy Making

For Teachers 6th - 8th
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...
Lesson Plan
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C-SPAN

Choice Board: Expressed and Implied Powers

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution expressly lists powers given to Congress. Over the years, lawmakers have expanded the enumerated powers to include powers implied by the list. To better understand the significance...
Interactive
DocsTeach

WWI America: Babe Ruth's Draft Card

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Even the Great Bambino wasn't above suspicion during World War I. An eye-opening activity explores America's greatest pastime through the lens of government officials during WWI. Academics examine Babe Ruth's draft card to understand how...
Interactive
DocsTeach

Gulf of Tonkin Incident and Resolution

For Teachers 7th - 12th
They sunk our battleship! An engaging activity focuses on the Gulf of Tonkin Incident and the sinking of the USS Maddox. Young historians learn how it increased tensions leading to the Vietnam War and read through a first draft of the...
PPT
Curated OER

The American Revolution: Creating a New Nation

For Teachers 10th - 12th
The American Government was founded on several major principles which led to the US Constitution, Federal System, and Bill of Rights. This presentation follows Colonial America on its journey from colony, to freedom fighter, to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: A Picture Book of Abe Lincoln (Adler)

For Teachers K - 3rd
The story of Abe Lincoln serves as the backdrop to this vocabulary-in-context activity as you read David Adler's A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln. Scholars learn these politically themed words before listening to you read the story...
Worksheet
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Mr. Roughton

Roman Empire

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
Does the United States parallel the Roman Empire in any way? Young historians work with four documents in order to answer this query as part of a structured DBQ assignment.
Lesson Plan
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Theodore Roosevelt Association

Theodore Roosevelt: A Presidential Timeline

For Teachers 5th - 12th Standards
Throughout his life and presidency, Theodore Roosevelt contributed to the America we know today in so many ways. An adaptable lesson prompts young historians to create a chronological timeline of Roosevelt's contributions to different...
Lesson Plan
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Judicial Learning Center

Judicial Independence: What’s Wrong with This Court?

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Why is it important for judges to operate independently of politics or other branches of government? Scholars ponder the question as they examine video clips, case studies, excerpts of the US Constitution, and an interactive computer...
Lesson Plan
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iCivics

Mini-Lesson: Midterm Elections

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Find out the differences between presidential and midterm elections with an informative resource. Pupils discuss the importance of midterms to the presidency and how midterms affect the balance of government branches. They also fill out...
Lesson Plan
PBS

The Meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The Fourteenth Amendment was extremely important to civil rights and is a crucial one to remember. The resource teaches about the Supreme Court decisions related to the amendment through writing exercises, reading, and working in small...
Lesson Plan
American Battlefield Trust

Preserving Battlefields

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
Save that site! Budding historians go on a rescue mission to save important Civil War battle sites using a project-based lesson plan. After carefully researching the importance of critical engagements and evaluating current threats,...
Lesson Plan
C-SPAN

Foreign Interference in U.S. Elections

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
With election security looming large for 2020, pupils decide what should be done to protect them from foreign interference. A series of videos, including interviews with national security officials, elected representatives, and experts...
Lesson Plan
Teaching Tolerance

The True History of Voting Rights

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Explore what voting rights really are in an intriguing lesson that explores the history of American voting. The resource examines the timeline of voting rights in the United States with group discussions, hands-on-activities, and...
Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Fighting for Whose Freedom? Black Soldiers in the American Revolution

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Fight for freedom! The lesson delves into the world of African American soldiers during the American Revolution. Scholars read documents, such as the Dunmore Proclamation, to understand how the British government treated African...
Instructional Video1:19
PBS

Phase Changes | Phases of Matter | UNC-TV Science

For Students 6th - 12th
Take an energetic ride through the phase changes of a water molecule in a compact activity. Young scientists learn about the phases of matter and discover the role of thermal energy in governing phase changes while watching a short...
Interactive
DocsTeach

WWI Propaganda and Art

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Uncle Sam wants you! During World War II, the US government and military created a propaganda campaign to gain public support. The activity uses primary documents such as photos to explain how and why the propaganda campaign was...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Congress: The House of Representatives

For Students 10th - 12th
This simple worksheet could accompany a text (as it indicates a chapter and section), but could also be given as a guide to independent research. Basic concepts of Congress are prompted through matching and multiple choice. This could be...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who's in Charge of This Animal?

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders study wildlife management and identify the appropriate government agencies that are in charge. They examine different wildlife management techniques. They write a letter showing interest in the activities of one of the...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Formally Amending the Constitution

For Students 10th - 12th
How easy is it to amend the U.S. Constitution? As your students will learn in this government worksheet, not very. Five true/false questions and five multiple choice questions quiz students on the process of amending the Constitution, as...
Worksheet
Curated OER

The Judicial Branch

For Students 5th - 6th
In this social studies instructional activity, students investigate the job of Sandra Day O'Connor in the judicial branch of the U.S. government. Students answer 25 questions, completing sentences with words from the word bank. This page...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Representation: Elections

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students study and examine how elections are conducted in Australia. In this representation lesson plan, students make comparisons regarding systems of voting. Students explore the three levels of government and discuss federal...

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