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Unit Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

What Happens in the White House?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Young historians complete a unit of lessons on the functions of the White House. They conduct Internet research, develop a list of activities that take place at the White House, and create a chronological timeline of events at the White...
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Lesson Plan
Facing History and Ourselves

Laws and the National Community

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
When it comes to the law, is justice always served? Teach scholars about how law sometimes enables prejudice of entire groups of people with a unit on World War II that includes a warm-up activity, analysis of primary sources,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Discovering Democracy in Canada: Federal Perspectives

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders research one aspect of government. They teach their peers co-operatively about the key elements of Democracy in Canada at the Federal Level by giving group presentations.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ensuring Democracy in Iraq

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore what democracy means and how it can be spread to Iraq. They create strategies to ensure elections are fair. Students discuss the importance of fair voting conditions and the features of a democracy.
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Lesson Plan
PBS

Journalism in War Time: What Does the Public Need to Know?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
A viewing of the documentary War Feels Like War, launches an exploration of the importance of accurate and comprehensive war reporting. Groups investigate various news agencies and assess the factors that influence their stories. A...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is Communism?

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore Communism. They explore Communism's roots in economics and discuss the spread of Communism in the Eastern Hemisphere. They evaluate a Communistic and a Capitalistic society. Students reflect upon the positives...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is a Puppy Mill?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students consider community and legislative efforts to stop puppy mills. In this animal welfare lesson, students discuss the needs of pets and determine how puppy mills do not meet the needs of animals.  Students research animal cruelty...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Complex Systems: The Development of Democracy in Iraq

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students study Iraq as an example of a developing democracy and learn if the many qualities needed to be a democracy exist there. They make a list of all the characteristics of democracy. Students analyze their research into a chart.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Democracy in the Middle East

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explain that President Bush's foreign policy to promote democracy is a departure from the Cold War policy of containment, and examine the reasons this policy has been proposed at this time.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Plants -- What Are Their Parts and Functions?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students identify the parts of a flowering plant and their functions. They describe its life cycle as well. They compare the parts of the plant to the roles that are needed in a democracy.
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Lesson Plan
Deliberating in a Democracy

Marriage and the State

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What defines marriage in society? Scholars investigate the moral and legal arguments of what defines marriage. They analyze different marriage traditions and social customs around the world along with Supreme Court decisions. Individuals...
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Worksheet
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Read Works

American Government Preamble to the United States Constitution

For Students 4th Standards
Observe Constitution Day with a worksheet that delves deep into the who, what, why, when, where, and how of the U.S. Constitution. Scholars read a short informational text then answer 10 questions—short answer and multiple choice. 
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Lesson Plan
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Constitutional Rights Foundation

270 Votes to Win: The Electoral College in the United States

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What exactly is the Electoral College and how does it work? The lesson is part of a larger series on government that explains what the Electoral College is and how it helps determine an election winner. Academics participate in...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Election of 1800

For Teachers 5th - 8th
The 2020 election is not the only unpredictable one in history. The Election of 1800 highlighted an unforeseen event in a presidential election. The activity reviews documents from the elections and what happened when the electoral...
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Lesson Plan
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Classroom Law Project

What do cartoonists see in this election?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Cartoons from the 2008 Presidential election provide the text for a lesson designed to help learners understand how political cartoonists use persuasive techniques to present a point of view.
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Interactive
DocsTeach

The School Lunch Program and the Federal Government

For Teachers 6th - 12th
The school lunch program is rooted in the struggles of the Great Depression and is still assisting families today. Academics research documents and images relating to the creation of the school lunch program. Scholars use a worksheet to...
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PPT
Beverly Hills High School

Dawn of the Revolution to The Reign of Terror

For Students 9th - 12th
What was France like before the Revolution? Set the scene for the French Revolution with an informative PowerPoint presentation that covers the political, economic, and social divisions that led the people to revolt.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Truth, War and Consequences

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Students explore their understanding of democracy, while comparing their concept of democracy with other students. They also research the possibility of democracy in Iraq.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding What Makes a Good News Story

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Students explore the news sources at their school in order to write stories that reflect what's going on in all communities and to identify what makes a good story. In this news writing activity, students journal about what makes a good...
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Lesson Plan
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Facing History and Ourselves

Citizen Watchdogs and the News

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
To conclude their case study of media coverage of the shooting of Michael Brown by a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer, class members consider the role of citizen watchdogs in a democratic society, develop strategies for combating...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Are Our Common Values?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students make a poster. In this values instructional activity, students read the Preamble to the Constitution and discuss the core democratic values that are found there and in the Declaration of Independence. Students are each...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gandhi's Swaraj: Power to the People

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders discover what a swaraj is. In this world history lesson, 6th graders create a Venn Diagram comparing Gandhi's swaraj to American's democracy.
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Lesson Plan
Foreign Policy Research Institute

Democracy Wall

For Teachers 7th - 12th
How free are people in the United States, or in the world for that matter? The class reads and compares two articles that discuss levels of freedom enjoyed by different people around the globe. They discuss why some people have more...
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Lesson Plan
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Classroom Law Project

What does the Constitution say about voting? Constitutional Amendments and the Electoral College

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
As part of a study of voting rights in the US, class members examine Constitutional amendments connected with voting and the role of the Electoral College in the election process.