Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Comparing Constitutions: Ohio

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
Compare and contrast the U.S. and Ohio constitutions in this hands-on lesson using excerpts from both documents. Dig into how they structure the government, address individual rights, outline the amendment process and more.
Lesson Plan
American Bar Association

American Bar Association: What Does the Preamble of the Constitution Mean? [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A lesson plan to help students understand the preamble of the U. S. Constitution.
Primary
US Government Publishing Office

U.s. Government Publishing Office: Constitution of the United States of America: 16th Amendment Income Tax [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Read this text of the 16th Amendment, followed by the history of the Amendment and an analysis. (PDF)
Unit Plan
CPALMS

Florida State University Cpalms: Florida Students: Comparing Constitutions: Florida vs. the u.s.

For Students 7th
The US Constitution and the Constitution of Florida are compared in this tutorial and how each incorporates the system of federalism. A PDF file of the tutorial is available.
Primary
Library of Congress

Loc: New Nation: The Constitution [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
This teacher's guide provides a list of resources for information about the Constitution and its signers.
eBook
Other

Institute for American Liberty: The First Principles of the Constitution [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This article contains information about the principles used to create the Constitution of the United States.
Handout
Other

Freedom Forum: Finding Common Ground Religious Liberty in Public Schools [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A lengthy report on the issue of religious liberty and the public schools. Issues explored are religious holidays, a teacher's guide to the teaching of religion, and much more. The report is in PDF format.
Primary
US National Archives

Our Documents: The Bill of Rights (1791)

For Students 9th - 10th
An interactive experience with the Bill of Rights. The Our Documents group allows you to view a copy of the original Bill of Rights. There is a brief information section along with links to larger images, a typed transcript, and...
Primary
US Government Publishing Office

U.s. Government Publishing Office: Eighth Amendment Further Guarantees in Criminal Cases [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource provides the various court rulings as to what has been interpreted as "excessive bail", etc.
Website
Digital History

Digital History: Hamilton and Jefferson the Men and Their Philosophies [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton played a huge role not only in crafting important documents in U.S. history, but also by serving as secretaries in George Washington's first cabinet. Read about their diametrically opposing...
Activity
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Constitutional Rights Foundation: The Marshall Plan for Rebuilding Western Europe [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Activity in which students draw upon informational text to analyze the purpose of the Marshall Plan and evaluate the impact it had on Western Europe and U.S. foreign relations. Then apply that knowledge to consider what the priorities of...
Article
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Constitutional Rights Foundation: The War of 1812: America's First Declared War [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Article discusses the War of 1812 as America's first declared war and what that meant for the future of the U.S. Includes questions for discussion and small group activity.
Graphic
US Government Publishing Office

Ben's Guide to u.s. Government: Branches of Government

For Students 5th - 8th
Students will visualize how the Constitution organized our 3 branches of government and the role each plays in our government. This infographic breaks down the powers of each branch and shows how they perform checks on the other...
Activity
Scholastic

Scholastic: Democracy for Kids: Understanding Rights and Responsibilities

For Students 3rd - 8th
Scholastic offers a series of printable panels and classroom activities in PDF format that focus on a U.S. citizen's right to express his- or herself. Content focuses on the Bill of Rights and its provisions for freedom of religion,...
Activity
Other

Understanding the Federal Courts

For Students 9th - 10th
A ten part publication which describes the federal court system, its structure and organization, what types of cases they hear and much more. You can also download a PDF version of the document.