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Responsible Citizenship
Sixth graders investigate the problem of crime in the United States. They conduct class discussion and roleplay the types of actions that should be taken when witnessing a crime. They discuss the roles of social responsibility and its...
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Asian Americans and U.S.-Asia Relations:
Eleventh graders research the events that led to the Japanese American internment. They write a list of things that they take for granted that the Japanese Americans didn't have while they were interned.
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Letters to the Government
Seventh graders examine how to be active participants in their local, state, or federal governments. They create a powerpoint presentation and write a letter to one of their governmental representatives about a problem and solution of...
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First Things First: Using the Newspaper to Teach the Freedoms of the First Amendment
Students use the newspaper as a tool to make connections about what the five freedoms guarantee in the First Amendment. In this first amendment lesson plan, students analyze events in the newspaper to form conclusions about the freedoms...
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Lessons from the Holocaust
Students discover what a dictatorship is by examining the holocaust. In this government activity, students discuss the laws that were enacted for Nazis to take control of Germany, and the types of laws we have put place to prevent...
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Participating in Democracy
Students analyze film clips in class. In this democracy lesson, students identify the differences between civil liberties, democracy and freedom. Students view a video regarding Japanese internment and answer study questions as well as...
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Places Where I See the Flag
Students examine the symbolism of the American flag and places where they see the flag. They sing the Star Spangled Banner, develop a list of places where they see the flag, and complete a page for a class flag book.
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The 13 Colonies HyperStudio Presentation
Fifth graders research their colony, synthesize the data, and put their information in a HyperStudio Presentation. Finally, they need to do a self-evaluation of their work and work habits.
iCivics
A Trip Around the World
How do the rights of citizens in other countries, such as India, Germany, Brazil, and Iran, compare to those of Americans? Take a closer look at the provisions of various foreign constitutions, and compare and contrast the protections...
State Bar of Texas
Baker v. Carr
Can the federal government override the state government to protect the citizens of the United States? The 1962 Supreme Court case Baker v. Carr outlines the issue of equal protection under the law. Scholars investigate with a short...
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China's Economy
Twelfth graders identify indicators for the U.S. and China in order to compare and contrast these two large economies. They explain ways in which economic differences between the U.S. and China impact the lives of American and Chinese...
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Campaign Posters 1788-1816
Seventh graders examine the first years of the U.S. under the U.S. Constitution. They identify the main themes of the Federalist and Republican parties, conduct research, and write a campaign speech and create a campaign poster.
PBS
The Media and the War: The Penny Press, Walt Whitman and the War
The Mexican-American war marked a significant moment in United States history, as well as in the history of American media. The mid-nineteenth century saw the introduction of the Penny Press, which provided many American citizens with...
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Hafta Do NAFTA?
Students examine the benefits and problems of U.S. participation in the North American Free Trade Agreement. In two groups, students represent the campaign team for a presidential candidate, one for and one against NAFTA, and research...
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It is Our Right-Don't Waste It!
Students explore the basic rights granted to all American citizens by the U.S. Constitution in the light of women's issues. The women's suffrage movement, the role of Susan B. Anthony, and the timeline of events on voting rights are...
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China's Economy
Students examine China's economy. In this economics lesson, students investigate economic facts and indicators for the U.S. and China in order to compare and contrast these two large economies.
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Towards Separation of Church and State in Gloucester
Explore New England government in the 1700's with your class. They will identify historical documents as primary or secondary sources, then read and discuss the significance of these documents as they relate to the "freedom of religion"...
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Civil Liberties and National Security
Students identify the civil liberties outlined in the U.S. Bill of Rights and discuss the importance of these liberties in today's society. They research examples of when Congress has taken legislative action to protect national security.
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A "State of the Arts" Coin 4-6
Young scholars study the historical figures depicted on the penny,
nickel, dime, and quarter and explore how symbols of U.S. patriotism were used in their design. They research symbols of Texas and choose one to draw in a design for a...
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Why Come To America?
Eighth graders investigate reasons large numbers of people immigrated to the U.S. They identify hardships and risks involved in coming to America and identify the affects immigration has had on the traditions and cultures in the...
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Due Process: Is It Always Due?
Students explore the basic Constitutional protections of due process and then consider the balance of these basic protections with issues of national security. A variety of segments of U.S. Supreme Court cases are examined in this lesson.
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Interpreting Political Cartoons – Vietnam Era
Eleventh graders explore opinions regarding U.S. involvement in Vietnam. In this primary source analysis lesson, 11th graders analyze political cartoons related to the Vietnam War and then respond to the provided discussion questions.
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Solar Energy in New York
Middle schoolers examine a variety of information for New York State including insolation data, and economic or political data, thus incorporating both science and social studies. Encouraging learners to become concerned citizens as they...
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State v. Hershberger
Students examine citizen rights and protections. In this Minnesota courts lesson, students examine primary documents from State v. Hershberger and discuss the implications of the decision.