The system of checks and balances is integral to the functionality of the United States government. Learn more about the ways the three branches of the government work together—and about the limitations of their power—with an informative...

Do the government's affirmative action policies promote equity in the United States? The Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution and affirmative action policies come under scrutiny in an activity that asks class members to...

In September we celebrate Constitution Day. Begin the celebration with a grand conversation about the US Constitution. Follow up the in-depth discussion with a learning game in which scholars match terms to images such as...

How far in the past do the roots of Jim Crow and segregation extend? Young historians closely consider this question using detailed PowerPoint slides as a basis for discussion rather than lecture, culminating in an activity where class...

Students examine the elements of various court cases and how state and federal laws affect them. They participate in a series of mock trials to gain a better understanding of the issues involved.

Students examine the right to counsel and due process. In this Supreme Court lesson, students  examine primary documents from Gideon v. Wainwright and discuss the implications of the decision.

In this primary source analysis worksheet, students analyze political cartoons about the Supreme Court and Constitutional issues and respond to 5 talking point questions.

Learners explore the details and impact of the Plessy vs. Ferguson U.S. Supreme Court case.  In this U.S. History lesson, students participate in several group discussions and group activities that examine both sides of the famous...

Students explore debates regarding gay rights following the Supreme Court's Lawrence v. Texas decision. They participate in a fishbowl discussion, exploring questions on marriage, adoption, custody, employment, and military service.

Students study the Bill of Rights. As a class, they create a "School Bill of Rights," with amendments. Students discuss the difference between rights and responsibilities and examine Supreme Court decisions dealing with the first ten...

Students analyze the Fourteenth Amendment. They discuss Reconstruction, read the provisions of the Fourteenth Amendment, define the provisions, and in small groups analyze a Supreme Court case that was impacted by the due process clause.

Learners explore the controversial topic of same-sex marriages in a fishbowl discussion. They write balanced news articles based on interviews exploring people's opinions on laws that define marriage.

Learners explore various state laws concerning capital punishment and conduct a mock meeting of the United States Congress to set standards for the death penalty.

Students explore the American anti-abortion movement's "incremental" approach to legislation; they then evaluate key decisions, regulations, and legislation from the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade, to the present.

Watermelon is a vegetable? A tomato is a fruit? Believe it or not, this debate is decades old. Groups examine rulings by the US Supreme Court, the USDA, and state statutes before developing their own criteria to use when labeling...

Learners examine their own First Amendment rights as students. They read and discuss a news article, discuss the Supreme Court case Frederick v. Morse, take an online quiz and conduct Internet research, and create a brochure outlining...

Students examine federal and state constitutional law relating to search and seizure. They analyze various scenarios, participate in an opinion poll, and discuss difficulties in balancing individual privacy rights with the need to fight...

Learners identify the justices known as the "Big Four" in the Michigan Supreme Court. They explore their similarities and differences. They examine the cases that were decided by them that have had an impact on the laws in Michigan.

Students are introduced to the concept of judicial review. They read an article about this topic and the Bill of Rights. They answer discussion questions and review as a class.

Students review the concepts they were introduced to in a telecast on judicial review. After reading an article, they answer discussion questions and repeat the same procedure for another article. They participate in a debriefing session...

Just what is jurisdiction and why does it matter? A helpful activity takes academics on a journey to understand how judicial jurisdiction works. Scholars read excerpts from the Constitution and court documents to understand the process...

An incident with a Swiss Army knife leads to a suit against the police department for battery, false arrest, and intentional infliction of emotional distress in the Brooks v. Lawrence & the Metro City Police Department mock...

The 1965 Civil Rights marches from Selma to Montgomery and the resulting Voting Rights Act of 1965 are the focus of a social studies lesson. The resource uses film clips to inform viewers not only about the discrimination that gave rise...