Curated OER
How Laws Are Made
Students create a graphic organizer to illustrate the steps elected representatives must take to make a new law. Included: Student work sheet and role-play ideas. Students use their graphic organizers to write a paragraph briefly...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Educating About Immigration The DREAM Act
Group members role play state legislators, supporters of and opponents to the The DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors). After listening to the arguments put forth for and against the immigration...
Center for Civic Education
What Does Returning to Fundamental Principles Mean?
Looking for materials for your Constitution Day and Citizenship Day lessons? Then check out this packet of activities that not only gets your class members thinking critically about the fundamental principles at the heart of American...
PBS
Constitution Day
Travel back to 1787 as young scholars investigate the creation of the US Constitution. After first working in small groups to create sets of classroom rules, young scholars go on to read a summary of the Constitution and watch a short...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Purged From the Voter Rolls: Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute
Once a registered voter isn't always a registered voter. Academics explore the topic of voter registration and hindrances to remaining registered. The resource focuses on data analysis, federal voter registration law, and Supreme Court...
Curated OER
Kentucky in the Civil War
Seventh graders consider how Kentucky was involved in the Civil War. In this American Civil War lesson, 7th graders view PowerPoint presentations on the topic and then discuss the state's neutrality policy and eventual secession....
Curated OER
Pilgrims and Puritans
With graphic organizers galore, learners will follow the changes of church and state in early colonial America. They look at the differences between the pilgrims and the puritans in terms of beliefs and life ways. Myths and...
C-SPAN
Presidential Candidate Research
Don't let the young citizens in your social studies class get all their election information from inflammatory commercials and arguing pundits. Use a lesson plan from C-SPAN to guide class members through an election season with a...
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...
Our White House
The Our White House Inauguration Celebration Kit for Kids!
Get the youngest American citizens involved in the presidential election and inauguration with a set of social studies activities. Focusing on the history of presidential inauguration ceremonies, learners draft their own poems, design...
Curated OER
The National Government and the 50 States
Test your government students' knowledge of the National Government with this review worksheet. Posing five true/false questions and five multiple choice questions about elements of the National Government, this activity could serve as a...
Curated OER
The U.S. and Iran: Confronting Policy Alternatives
Students examine the relationship between the United States and Iran. In this global issues lesson, students research policy options the U.S. can take regarding Iran's desire to build more nuclear weapons.
Curated OER
Lesson I - Why is Delaware Called "The First State"?
Students discuss why Delaware is called the First State, research background leading to Delaware's ratification of United States Constitution, complete worksheet on United States Constitution, and work in groups to choose an individual...
Curated OER
The Preamble to the Constitution
Students discuss key phrases from the Preamble of the Constitution, find ways to relate the values stated in the Preamble to their daily lives, and explore possible changes needed in the Constitution by future generations of citizens.
Curated OER
4-H Citizenship Activity Page
In order to understand how our government works, students need to delve into the intricacies at both the local and federal level. Using this 20 question activity learners explore how government affects their daily life.
Curated OER
Citizen Journalism
Students examine the role of citizen journalism, freedom of the press, and the First Amendment. They analyze the results of an Internet survey, discuss the ethics of downloading copyrighted material on the Internet, and write a news story.
Curated OER
Just how broken is the Senate?
Twelfth graders examine the role of the Senate in the United States. In this American Government lesson, 12th graders read various articles and answer questions to these articles. Students write a letter to their Senator on a...
Carolina K-12
Are You a Democrat or a Republican? Are You Really?
Have new or soon-to-be voters examine different political parties and their platforms as they figure out which one aligns most with their beliefs. After taking a few online quizzes, students split into pairs to discuss and then...
Curated OER
Out with the Old, in with the New
Eleventh graders review the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, and explore the major debates during the writing of the Constitution. They review vocabulary and compare primary source documents to study the three branches of...
Curated OER
Who are American Citizens?
Students investigate American citizenship. For this civics lesson, students consider the basic knowledge of U. S. government new citizens are required to have. Students also examine the 14th amendment that describes U. S. citizenship.
Curated OER
Defining Citizenship in Recent Events
Learners research the rights and responsibilities of citizens and non-citizens living in the U.S. They present a dialogue that showcases their research and take a quiz on the material.
Curated OER
Citizenship
First graders come up with ideas that make other students good or bad citizens in the classroom. In this citizenship lesson plan, 1st graders write their ideas in a chart.
Curated OER
Citizenship
Students discuss and define the term citizenship. For this character education lesson, students explore the responsibilities of citizenship in small groups. Additionally, students compare events in history and discuss their personal...
Curated OER
New Citizen Exam is Democracy 101
Students read a USA Today article about U.S. democracy and then complete questions about the topic. In this democracy lesson, students read the article 'New Citizen Exam is Democracy 101.' Students learn about the test for U.S....