Curated OER
Government is News: Studying the Constitution
Sixth graders explore the United States Constitution. In this social studies lesson plan, learners discover how a bill is made into law, study the election process, and identify specific elements of the Bill of Rights.
Curated OER
Teaching With Documents: U.S. Constitution Workshop
What does it mean to be American? Explore the constitution and what it really means to be a citizen here. First, learners of all ages will investigate different primary source documents. Then, they establish each document's...
Curated OER
The Bill of Rights and the News
Students examine current news stories and from them develop "BIG" questions related to individual and group rights. They then relate their questions to the U.S. Constitution and supreme court decisions.
Curated OER
Bill of Rights -- Texas v. Johnson, 1989
Learners examine the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. During a visit to the George Bush Presidential Museum, they watch a video about the Texas v. Johnson flag burning case. In groups, they discover the role of the Supreme Court...
Curated OER
The U.S. & Navajo Bills of Rights
Students are introduced to the United States and Navajo Bill of Rights. In groups, they compare and contrast the two documents and take notes to share with the class. To end the lesson, they write in their journals about their own...
Curated OER
What Is the Bill of Rights?
Students discuss the purpose of the Bill of Rights and the United States Constitution. In groups, they write about the ten amendments and their purpose. They re-word the Amendments in their own way and answer discussion questions to end...
Center for Civic Education
Constitution Day Rap
Engage your class while learning about the US Constitution with this fun primary grade social studies lesson. After viewing a picture of the US Constitution, young learners piece together a US flag using stars and...
Center for Civic Education
To Amend or Not to Amend, That's Been the Question...Many Times
Looking for some ideas for how to celebrate September 17, Constitution Day? Check out a packet that focuses on the factors that are considered in the amendment process. Class members examine the amendment process and the types of...
Curated OER
Lesson 2: The Constitution: Our Guiding Document
Explore the structure and content of the US Constitution in the second lesson of this five-part social studies series. A collection of activities, games, and videos complement a class reading of a document summarizing the US...
Curated OER
U.S. History: Our Constitutional Amendments
Eighth graders conduct Internet research about Constitutional Amendments and present oral reports on their findings. Their reports also include visual representations depicting their chosen amendment's focal point. Students discuss the...
Teaching Tolerance
Parallels Between Mass Incarceration and Jim Crow
Is history repeating itself? A riveting lesson examines the parallels between mass incarceration in the U.S. and the Jim Crow Laws of the past. Academics review Jim Crow Laws and compare them to mass incarcerations of African Americans....
PBS
Pearl Harbor and the Internment of Japanese Americans during World War II
Balancing national security and civil liberties can be tricky. To appreciate the tension between these two concepts, class members investigate the Japanese attack on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor and President Franklin D....
Curated OER
The Bill of Rights and Tracking in the U.S.
High schoolers review and analyze the Bill of Rights document and determine what rights were violated when certain individuals were tracked by the United States government. They briefly look at why it is easier to track alien residents...
Curated OER
The Law: Your Rights and Responsibilities
Students explore First Amendment rights and responsibilities.
Curated OER
Our National Documents
Students explore the significance of National Documents. In this National Documents lesson plan, students read handouts regarding the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights. Students complete the provided...
Curated OER
Understanding Procedural Justice
Learners analyze the concept of procedural justice. In this judges in the classroom instructional activity, students role play the ways the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights established certain procedures to protect people from...
Curated OER
Divided We Fall
Students examine the Bill of Rights. In this U.S. Constitution lesson, students write essays for perform plays that feature the importance of the first ten amendments. Students imagine the United States without 1 of the amendments that...
Curated OER
Religion in Public Schools
Seventh graders conduct research on important background information regarding the role of religion in American public schools. In this Ethics lesson, 7th graders examine and become familiar with the First Amendment of the Bill of...
Curated OER
Foundations of American Government: Teacher’s Guide
Students explore the foundations of America. In this early American history lesson, students watch Discovery video segments regarding the Boston Massacre, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights....
Curated OER
Supreme Court June 2010 Decisions Wrap-Up
Learners consider constitutional rights. In this Bill of Rights instructional activity, students complete an activity guide that requires learners to examine Bill of Rights-related cases of 2010. Students respond to discussion questions...
Curated OER
A Time for Justice
Students engage in a lesson that focuses on the development of The Bill Of Rights in the United States. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students two focus questions in order to guide the information search. They state...
Curated OER
We the People Lesson 2
Pupils compare the Federalists and Anti-Federalists visions for the U.S. government. In this government lesson, students conduct research on Federalists and Anti-Federalists figures. Pupils use their findings to help them write position...
Curated OER
The Philadelphia Convention/Constitutional Convention
Eleventh graders explore the major points covered during the Philadelphia Convention/Constitutional Convention. They discuss the Federalists and the Anti federalists. They discuss the Bill of Rights and the drafting of the Constitution....
Curated OER
Reporter rights vs. legal access...
Students write an article to inform readers about confidentiality with reporters, attempting to find local lawyers and journalists to explain the issues as they relate to them. Students research past cases and the status of the current...