Students become knowledgable about the attire, traditions, and protocols of the Senate and Supreme Court by doing research.

Students use primary source documents to gather information on justices in the Michigan Supreme Court. They write about the thoughts and experiences of the author. They identify and describe each justice briefly.

Twelfth graders explore desegregation as it occurred at various stages in United States history. They specifically chronicle the role of South Carolina in the desegregation case of Brown v. Board of Education.

Considering the expressed and implied powers of Congress, was it constitutional for the United States to establish the Second National Bank in the early nineteenth century? What is the constitutionality of the Federal Reserve...

Middle schoolers study one aspect of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States; the battle over desegregating the public schools. They study the desegregation of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas by producing a newspaper,...

According to some estimates, there are more guns than people in the United States. Learners decide if America should enact more gun control laws. They analyze information about gun deaths in the United States by year, read about the...

Freedom of religion has been a controversial, yet fundamental, tenet of the United States since even before the nation's birth. In a well-constructed lesson, the class compares the Minnesota Constitution to the US Constitution as a means...

Was the United States significantly more democratic in their governing structures and laws after the overthrow of British authorities? Compare and contrast summaries of the country's constitutions under British rule and after...

The first legal gay marriage in the United States occurred in Massachusetts in 2004. Since then, countless others have tied the knot. Scholars decide whether gay marriage should be legal by reading a history of the issue, analyzing the...

Using this simple worksheet, your learners will have the opportunity to practice reading timelines while learning about key events during the civil rights movement in the United States.

The battle over same-sex marriage is a prevalent issue in the United States, and a valuable topic to be discussed in your social studies classroom. Here is a basic outline of introductory questions, focus questions, vocabulary, and media...

How far have we come and how far do we still need to go to achieve equality and full civil rights in the United States? Include a packet of materials collected in your observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Former President Barack Obama reformed the United States' health care system with Obamacare, but is the new legislation good for America? Scholars read a historical timeline about the passage of health care reform laws and compare United...

Baseball great Jackie Robinson fought for social justice. His efforts to push for equal access are detailed in an episode from from the Ken Burns: The Jackie Robinson Collection. After viewing the clip, class members engage in a...

Eleventh graders read about and discuss the Japanese Internment of World War II. In this Japanese Internment lesson, 11th graders examine the Japanese Internment. They talk about the civil rights aspect, how they would deal with being...

Students examine citizen rights and protections. In this Minnesota courts lesson, students examine primary documents from State v. Hershberger and discuss the implications of the decision.

Students watch a documentary prior to participating in a Supreme Court simulation in order to study how religious practices are protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. They interpret conflict from a number of perspectives...

Wow! This resource provides three related lessons on the First Amendment that challenge US government students to explore their personal opinion on the separation of church and state. Each lesson can be adjusted in length, but is...

In this US government activity, students answer 8 multiple choice questions about the laws, courts, and Constitution of the United States.

Students interpret the Second Amendment. In this U.S. Constitution instructional activity, students examine the right to bear arms as they compare 2 Michigan Supreme Court cases and discuss their personal interpretations of the amendment.

Students research the Supreme Court judicial selection process while role playing. They examine the political nature of the process and discuss merits of Supreme Court nominees.

Students examine the intent  Bill of Rights. In this American government instructional activity, students watch segments of the Discovery video "The Bill of Rights."  Students discuss and debate the 4 Supreme Court cases...

Students argue an appellate case and analyze public policy conflicts.

Eleventh graders explore the process of perfecting the Union through changes made to the Constitution, and through the powers delegated to each branch of government.  In this American Government lesson, 11th graders research various...