Curated OER
Presidential Powers
Learners study and discuss the section of the Constitution that refers to the executive branch. They write a new section or clause describing a new duty for the president of the United States. Students define the word power and proposal.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Lesson 4 James Madison: Internal Improvements Balancing Act—Federal/State and Executive/Legislative
Who has the power? The founding fathers asked the same question when the United States was formed. Learners explore issues that arose during Madison’s presidency that raised constitutional questions. Through discovery, discussion, and...
Curated OER
We The People
Students consider the main concepts of the Preamble of the United States Constitution They research different issues explored in the Constitution which have both historic and modern connections.
Curated OER
Get to Know Your Bill of Rights
Sixth graders research and examine the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America. They sequence events significant to this time period, read and discuss text, and in small groups prepare and present the...
Curated OER
Checks and Balances
Students take a closer look at the responsibilities of the Legislative, Judicial, and Executive branches. For this U.S. government lesson, students read articles 1, 2, and 3 of the Constitution and then use Venn diagrams to compare and...
Curated OER
Cultural Lit. 31: The U.S. and Iroquois Constitutions
Students identify and compare major elements of Iroquois and United States Constitutions.
Curated OER
Do We Need a New Constitutional Convention
Pupils analyze the adaptive nature of the U.S. Constiution. In this Amendments lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the amendment process. Pupils respond to question regarding the...
Curated OER
A Nation Counts
Students explore the functions of the U.S. Census. In this civics lesson plan, students understand the origins of the census and its role in U.S. history, recognize the political importance of apportionment based purely on population,...
Curated OER
Census and Apportionment
Students manage census data. For this U.S. Census lesson plan, students understand and describe the role census data play in apportionment decisions as they analyze the connection between apportionment and the Electoral College.
Curated OER
Interview With the Signers of the Constitution
Young scholars work in small groups to develop three questions that a newspaper reporter assigned to cover the signing of the Constitution might have asked each of the following signers of the Constitution: George Washington, Benjamin...
C-SPAN
Choice Board: Expressed and Implied Powers
Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution expressly lists powers given to Congress. Over the years, lawmakers have expanded the enumerated powers to include powers implied by the list. To better understand the significance...
Curated OER
The First Amendment: Freedom of Expression
Students explore First Amendment rights. In this U.S. Constitution lesson, students examine the freedom of expression as they view a PowerPoint presentation and listen to the lecture that accompanies it.
Curated OER
The Three Branches of Government
Sixth graders discover details about the 3 branches of government. In this primary source analysis lesson, 6th graders examine documents and images from the Library of Congress to investigate the structure of the U.S. government.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
If Men Were Angels: Teaching the Constitution With the Federalist Papers
Much like the methods of group work, the writers of the Federalist Papers worked together to advocate for their viewpoints against the anti-federalists. The resource enables learners to break into small groups and conduct research before...
University of Arkansas
Assessment and Discussion
"Without concerned citizen action to uphold them (human rights) close to home; we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world. . ." Eleanor Roosevelt's comment is used to set the stage for the conclusion of a five-lesson unit...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Guest-Worker Program
The U.S. Guest-Worker Program and the H-2A visa are the focus of a social studies activity. First, class members assume the role of advisors who must present the president with four proposals that would amend the visas given to...
Curated OER
The American Revolution: 1775-1783
Casting the American Revolution into a bright, informative light, this presentation details many key facts about the strategies and decision during the revolutionary campaigns. The latter half of the slides prompt viewers to examine why...
Curated OER
Voting Rights: Convicted Felons
Students explore the state right to revoke the voting privileges of convicted felons. In this voting rights lesson, students read an article and respond to discussion questions about the voting rights of felons.
Curated OER
Representation of the Common Citizen From Declaration of Independence to Present
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...
Curated OER
Constitution of the United States: Crossword Puzzle
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.
C-SPAN
Presidential Birth Requirement
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...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The "To Do List" of the Continental Congress
What is on your to-do list today? The second lesson of a three-part series on Lost Heroes of America investigates the laundry list of items in front of the second Continental Congress. Scholars research, analyze, and present information...
Curated OER
The Constitution & Native Americans
Students identify and consider US Constitutional origins in American Indian culture. They discuss and consider what it means to them to attribute the origins of the US Constitution to American Indian oral tradition. They compare the...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Driver’s Licenses And Unauthorized Immigrants
Should driver's licenses be granted to unauthorized immigrants? That is the question class members grapple with in a lesson that asks them to first read a fact sheet that details the arguments for and against licensing unauthorized...