American Bar Association
What Is Separation of Powers?
Who has the power? Scholars investigate the creation of the three branches of government in the United States Constitution. They analyze just why the framers created the branches the way they did.
Federal Reserve Bank
Monetary and Fiscal Policy in Times of Crisis
Following the 2008 financial crisis in the United States, why did fiscal policymakers increase government spending and reduce taxes? Discover the motivation behind these actions and learn about the separate functions of monetary and...
Curated OER
The Tax Man Cometh
Pupils examine websites and resources related to Bush's 2001 tax plan. They discuss the history of taxes and other tax topics. They look for evidence in the local newspaper of government spending at work.
Curated OER
Dual Federalism
Students compare and contrast the roles of federal and state governments in the United States. In this government lesson, students research state and national governments' joint and individual powers prior to debating a topic relevant to...
Curated OER
State Government Debt in Utah: Rapid Growth in Recent Years
Students examine growth of debt in Utah state government from 1991 to present, compare general obligation debt and revenue debt incurred by state, identify four primary methods used by governments to finance projects, and complete...
Curated OER
Separation of Powers
Students examine the roles of each of the branches of U.S. government. In this checks and balances lesson, students watch Discovery video segments and discuss the concept of federalism as they create a school-wide policy for government...
Encyclopedia Britannica
Do the Campaign Math
Follow the money trail! As part of their study of the 2020 Presidential campaign, class members to research how much money candidates have raise and spent, as well as the sources of the funds. They then graph their findings to compare...
Curated OER
Law Day: Constitutional Law Outline
Students receive information about laws. Some of the categories include powers of the federal government, federal powers vs. state powers, and the Bill of Rights. It is in an outline form that looks like the student follows along with...
Curated OER
Democratic Village Elections in China: Comparing Governments of China and the United States
Students explore democratic practices in China. In this global studies lesson, students compare and contrast democratic values of the Chinese government with the American government. Students read provided articles and conduct their own...
Curated OER
Governing National Socialist Germany
Students spend a month discovering the role of the Nazi Dictatorship during the Holocaust. Using the internet, they research the history of the Nazi party and the decline of the Weimar Republic. They examine how Hitler rose to power...
Student Handouts
The Emancipation Proclamation
Start your class on the Emancipation Proclamation. The entire text of the Proclamation is included here along with two questions to answer. Space is provided to allow pupils to write their responses right on the page. Use this as a quick...
Federal Reserve Bank
Crowding Out
This is an incredible resource for teaching your young economists about the loanable funds market and the concept of crowding out. It includes a hands-on, physical activity that serves as a metaphor to help explain the economic practice.
Curated OER
Judicial Review
Student demonstrate understanding of both sides of the argument between Jefferson and Marshall that led to the strengthening of the Judicial Branch through the creation of judicial review. Unit is comprised of five lessons and fits into...
Curated OER
The Fairfax County Budget -- A Look At Spending
Students brainstorm a list of items that should be a priority for the government to help its citizens. Using an out of date budget, they identify individual line items and the conflicts involved in making a budget work. They discuss...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
The National Legislature: ch 10
Answering comprehension questions during or after reading an informational text can help focus the reader's attention. Here are 5 True/False and 5 multiple choice questions related to the Congress, bicameralism, and basic governmental...
DocsTeach
Senators' Pay in the First Congress
Senators are public servants but they do get paychecks. The activity focuses on historical analysis and a treasury document from the first Congress. Scholars read the document, answer questions, and participate in group discussion to...
Curated OER
What is Suffrage? Understanding the Right to Vote
Students discover one of the restrictions forced on women of the early 1900s. In this civil rights lesson, students investigate suffrage and why women were not allowed to vote in the early twentieth century. Students create a mock...
Curated OER
South Carolina and Quebec - A Comparative Study
Students compare the structure and functions of the state government of South Carolina and the provincial government of Quebec. They examine the role of political parties and differing expressions of democracy and make a...
Curated OER
Alaska Purchase Debate
Students examine the benefits and the challenges Alaska has presented to the United States. They research what the government and the people of the United States considered at the time of the purchase of Alaska in order to debate the...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: The Economic Paradox
It's a classic conundrum of economics: voters want jobs, but don't want to spend the money required for businesses to hire. This political cartoon analysis worksheet has learners analyzing this enigma and responding to 3 talking points...
Curated OER
Celebrate the Constitution
Students explore the process of writing our Constitution through an interactive program. They are to put themselves in the place of the statesmen and predict how they felt at the time. They compare the founding fathers.
Curated OER
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...
ProCon
Right to Health Care
Is health care a right or a privilege? Scholars review pro and con arguments to decide if all Americans should have the right to health care. They also watch informative videos and review information on the United States and...