National Endowment for the Humanities
James Madison: Raising an Army—Balancing the States and the Federal Government
To war! To war! Every nation in the history of the world has had to deal with warfare on some level. Scholars go through a series of activities and discussions surrounding the development of the Constitution to help them better...
Curated OER
Who's The Boss?
Upper elementary and middle schoolers research and analyze some different types of governments. Democracies, Monarchies, and Dictatorships are some of the types that are looked at. Learners use the Internet to gather information that...
Curated OER
The Three Branches of Government
Middle schoolers complete a unit on the three branches of government. They compare/contrast the three branches of government, write a letter or e-mail to an executive in the Federal Government, and develop outlines for historical...
iCivics
Step Five: All about Public Policy
Public policy is important to understand because it affects everyone. The resource tells middle schoolers how the government uses policy to accomplish goals in the administration. It includes a reading, true or false worksheet, a...
Curated OER
Following the Leaders
Examine the historic election of Pope Benedict XVI and reflect on the challenges he faces as the new leader of the Catholic Church. This New York Times lesson investigates how other world leaders are chosen in different forms of...
School Improvement in Maryland
Political Systems: Advantages and Disadvantages
Every political system has advantages and disadvantages. To gain an understanding of these differences, groups investigate the political system of another country—oligarchy, monarchy, dictatorship, parliamentary—and prepare a...
Curated OER
Lessons from the Holocaust
Middle schoolers discover what a dictatorship is by examining the holocaust. In this government lesson, students discuss the laws that were enacted for Nazis to take control of Germany, and the types of laws we have put place to prevent...
Curated OER
EU Simulation: The European Council
Discover how government and the European Union works with this interactive activity. Small groups form to represent a country and create a profile. The instructor presents an issue to discuss and potential politicians then develop...
Curated OER
The Odds of Dying During a Plague
Sixth graders explore plagues in the middle ages. In this social studies lesson, 6th graders examine the impact of deadly plagues on past societies and how the governments were forced to make drastic changes in response to the plagues
Curated OER
Fighting 20th-Century Tyranny
Learners examine political regimes of the 1900s. In this government structures lesson, students watch "Fighting 20th Century Tyranny," and discuss the Holocaust and communism. Learners simulate mock interviews with the individuals in 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...
PBS
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
What rights are guaranteed to students? Do they align with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was approved by the United Nations in 1948? Middle and high schoolers present persuasive arguments about the rights they believe...
Curated OER
Elections
Fifth graders examine the voting process, the electoral college and the voting process. They identify qualities important to a president. They fill out ballot sheets and study the registration forms.
Curated OER
Social and Cultural Issues in the Civil Rights Movement
Students watch videos, listen to speeches and analyze the information that is presented about the civil rights movement. They examine visual art of the period.
Curated OER
Native Lands: Indians in Georgia-Shifting Ground Political Cartoon-Introduction
Students explore the relationship between the Creek, Cherokee, and European/American cultures prior to the American Revolution. Students do Internet research to identify and explain changes in these cultures, then create six panel...
Federal Reserve Bank
The Story of the Federal Reserve: High School Lesson Plan
Is there a bank for the banks? Pupils analyze the complexities of the Federal Reserve system by breaking it down into easy-to-understand sections. Step-by-step investigation using flow charts and graphs of how the monetary system works...
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
Trial at the Turn of the Century
Students examine and explore various aspects of change at the turn of the century including economic, political, civil and others. Students then locate and analyze various primary sources to write an essay that demonstrates their...