PBS
Constitution Day
September 17, Constitution Day so named because that was the day in 1787, that 39 men signed the Constitution, is the focus of a series of activities designed to simulate a Constitutional convention and open a study of the US Constitution.
Judicial Learning Center
About Federal Judges
Not just anybody can do the job of a federal judge, but according to the United States Constitution just about anybody can be appointed. The lesson outlines the process and requirements for becoming a federal judge, focusing on the...
National Endowment for the Humanities
A Day for the Constitution
The "Constitution Day and Citizenship Day" law requires schools receiving any federal funding to provide educational programming on the history of the American Constitution. The lesson plans, materials, videos, questions, and activities...
DocsTeach
The Voting Record of the Constitution
A piece of the past helps shape the future. Learn what historical documents reveal about the past using an engaging activity. Academics participate in a role-playing scenario, view the voting record of the Constitutional...
Curated OER
Constitution Jeopardy
Although just a quick review of general information learned about the Constitution and U.S. government, this presentation could be used as a fun activity before the beginning of a class lesson, or as an independent experience. The...
Curated OER
Alexander Hamilton and the Roots of Federalism
Explore the origin of political parties in the United States. Learners work in groups to read and analyze copies of the "Report on Manufactures" written by Alexander Hamilton. Then, they complete a worksheet comparing the Federalists to...
Curated OER
Constitution Test Review
Your class needs to prepare for a test on the US Constitution, but how? Pull out a handy slide show that contains nothing but perfect test preparation questions. Everything from Shay's Rebellion and the Articles of the Confederation to...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
What Is Constitutional Democracy?
Rediscover the values at the heart of American democracy and what makes it unique with your pupils. Use a reading and discussion questions—in addition to an analytical activity—on the preamble to the Constitution. An additional activity...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Plyler v. Doe: Can States Deny Public Benefits to Illegal Immigrants?
Illegal immigration is an ever-changing source of consistent controversy. A reading passage about the rights of undocumented workers and illegal immigrants—and the lack thereof—guides high schoolers into a mock trial activity. Three...
Curated OER
Civil Liberties and War Powers: Korematsu v. United States
Eleventh graders compare and contrast Supreme Court decisions dealing with the application of civil rights during times of war, with emphasis on discrimination and detention. Working in groups, 11th graders review cases and analyze how...
Curated OER
Understanding the United States Constitution
Students discuss the United States Preamble and Constitution. In this United States government lesson, students discuss the differences between rights and privileges and construct a chart that lists some of our rights as citizens....
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
Lincoln's Spot Resolutions
Students take a closer look at historical relations between the United States and Mexico. For this Texas annexation lesson, students examine primary documents authored by Zachary Taylor, James Polk, and Abraham Lincoln to consider why...
Hyperion Publishing
Words We Live By: Your Annotated Guide to the Constitution
The language of the Constitution can feel quite ominous to young learners, but there are a variety of strategies you can utilize to help your class grasp the important concepts and ideals in our nation's founding document. This lesson...
National Constitution Center
Civil Liberties and Rights Worldwide
How do governments differ in how they protect human rights? While the United States prides itself on its Bill of Rights, other countries have their own ways of protecting citizens' liberties. An interactive website, paired with...
Constitution Facts
U.S. Constitution Crossword Puzzles: Expert #1
Who became US Chief Justice in 1801? Which delegate from New York advocated a strict constructionist interpretation of the US Constitution? What is the term given to the chief or one of several import crops regularly grown and sold in a...
Read Works
A Constitution for Kids
What better day to celebrate the US Constitution than on Constitution Day! After reading a short passage about the different understandings of habeas corpus and ex post facto, sixth graders respond to 10 multiple choice and short...
West Virginia Department of Education
A State of Convenience: The Creation of West Virginia
Ever wondered why there is a West Virginia but not an East Virginia? The resource answers questions like this one and more as it takes an in-depth and detailed look at the history of West Virginia and how it became a state. Several...
Judicial Branch of California
A “Commemorative” Bill of Rights
It's 1943, and Jewish people in Denmark are in hiding from the Nazis. What protection can the United States offer them? By examining the Constitution, specifically the Bill of Rights, scholars consider the protections afforded to those...
Center for Civic Education
Matching Game with the US Constitution
In September we celebrate Constitution Day. Begin the celebration with a grand conversation about the US Constitution. Follow up the in-depth discussion with a learning game in which scholars match terms to images such as...
Heritage Foundation
The Office of the Executive
An executive is not just a leader of a company; you can also use the term to describe the president of the United States. The ninth part of a 20-part unit teaches high schoolers about the importance of the executive branch and the...
Heritage Foundation
The House of Representatives
The House of Representatives has a lot of responsibility in the United States government. But how did it all begin, and why is it the way it is now? A comprehensive instructional activity answers all of these questions about the US...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates — Springboard to the White House
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates saw two primary political candidates debating seven different times about one of the most important social movements in United States history. Middle and high schoolers read an article that describes the...
Curated OER
How Has the Constitution Shaped the Economic System in the United States?
Students examine the characteristics of market economies. In this United States economics lesson, students analyze the Constitution to understand how it contributes to the market economy established in the United States. Students...