Just how long did it take the framers to write the Constitution? What role did the drafting process play? Scholars examine various drafts from the Constitutional Convention to gain a better understanding of its formation. Interactive...

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....

It's time to end racism. The final installment of the series encourages scholars to consider what is needed to ended the racial caste system in the U.S. Young historians complete group discussion, written prompt, and a hands-on-activity...

Learn what it means to respect others in an engaging lesson plan on religious beliefs. An inclusive resource focuses on understanding other religious beliefs, the right to freedom of religion, and the U.S. history of religious diversity....

As part of the study of segregation in U.S. schools, scholars research and create a timeline of events that led to the historic Supreme Court case, Brown V. Board of Education. Groups research a topic or event that led to the decision,...

In this crossword puzzle learning exercise, learners find 20 terms related to the Constitution by reading the clues and complete the puzzle.

Use this U.S. History unit plan as a template for creating your own! Simply download the resource and edit the text fields with your own customized unit plan. This is a great jumping-off step, especially for newer teachers. 

Students discover the conflicts that arose between the political parties over issues of foreign policy and economics. Using the Internet, they research the Alien and Sedition Acts and how they relate to the U.S. Constitution. They...

Students analyze an unknown primary source document to determine its origin. In this Constitution activity, students read primary source documents and contrast and compare the evolution of the drafts of the Constitution. Students analyze...

Students create working definition of common citizen, and investigate and discuss important sections of Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, and other Amendments. Students demonstrate...

Students determine how the content of the U.S. Government enables the U.S. Government to function. They examine the roles and functions of the three branches of government and how the separation of powers and checks and balances affect...

Students receive a list of banned books from which they choose one to read. They read their chosen book and write a paper that includes a discussion of the First Amendment and its guarantees and the reason(s) why they believe their book...

Students read biographies of their assigned Founding Father. They present an oral argument that their assignee deserves to be better known by making connections between regional politics and postions defined by character.

Learners explore the three branches of government. In this government and U.S. history lesson plan, students listen to a story about a boy who attempts to sponsor a bill to ban cartoons. Learners interview three teachers who each...

Eighth graders watch as their teacher presents information on the Constitution, government and laws through a PowerPoint presentation. In groups, they discuss the importance of government and laws and identify the main ideas in the...

In this United States history worksheet, students use the 16 clues in order to fill in the crossword puzzle with the appropriate answers pertaining to the Constitution of the United States.

In this U. S. government worksheet, students respond to 17 short answer questions about the first amendment and the separation of church and state.

Every president of the United States must be a natural-born citizen, but the definition of natural-born is not as straightforward as it seems. Secondary scholars examine two points of view surrounding the constitutional requirement...

What's the best way to make sense of the Constitution?  A helpful lesson contains both the text of Article III and annotation of each of its sections, breaking it down into easy-to-understand parts. It also includes links to a...

Upper graders put their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution to the test when they are asked to mark which of several statements are from either the Constitution or the Communist Manifesto. A class discussion follows. Use this resource as...

Creating a Bill of Rights isn't easy! Help your scholars experience what the Founding Fathers did by challenging them to write a Bill of Rights. Groups pretend they are a new democratic country and proceed to create that country's Bill...

Students examine excerpts of Thomas Paine's Common Sense. In this early American history lesson, students read Paine's pamphlet and analyze the information according the rubric provided.

Students participate in a classroom simulation to discover the issues facing those who formed the new U.S. government. They compare and contrast the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. Using resource sheets and working in...

For this government worksheet, students find the words that are related to the Constitution. The answers are found at the bottom of the page.