Curated OER
Does My Vote Count? Teaching the Electoral College
Students comprehend the purpose, function, origin, and historical development of the electoral college. They evaluate issues of fairness and representation in the electoral process, both individually and through group discussion....
Curated OER
Creating a Bill of Rights
Creating a Bill of Rights isn't easy! Help your scholars experience what the Founding Fathers did by challenging them to write a Bill of Rights. Groups pretend they are a new democratic country and proceed to create that country's Bill...
State Bar of Texas
Miranda v. Arizona
You have the right to remain silent—but why? Scholars analyze the nature of what has become known as the Miranda Rights. A short video along with paired group work and discussion opens the issue of the rights of the accused upon arrest....
University of North Carolina
Annotated Bibliographies
When researchers write a paper, they become curators of information. It's their job to determine the best sources of information on a topic and use those sources to inform their writing. As part of a larger series, a handout on annotated...
Curated OER
Maniac Magee: Found Poem
Instruct your readers to scrounge through the pages of Maniac Magee in search for descriptive passages or words they may use to write poetry. As they look for meaningful, sensory descriptors in Jerry Spinelli's novel, readers...
Teacher Web
1920's Magazine
What a creative and engaging project to incorporate into your studies of the 1920s! Your young historians will work in groups to design a magazine discussing the political and cultural topics of the decade, each member writing one...
Curated OER
Women’s Suffrage Movement
Though the movement for Women's Suffrage stretched over several decades and across two centuries, the final few years were the most difficult hurdle in many ways. Use a document-based question writing exercise to make inferences about...
iCivics
Power Play
Should states or the federal government have more power? With this fantastic online interactive, your pupils will be charged with the task of identifying arguments that support either federal or state power.
American Bar Association
News Literacy Model Curriculum in Social Studies
Scholars investigate news literacy in the twenty-first century. They use technology, legal decisions, writings, and digital privacy to analyze the topic. Using what they learned, a group assignment looks into both the challenges and...
Reading Through History
Anti-Federalist Paper No. 47
The path to a more perfect union was rockier than most history books would lead you to believe. Young historians read “Antifederalist No. 47,” written by James Madison (under the pen name “Centinel”), which sharply criticizes the...
Curated OER
Congress: The House of Representatives
This simple worksheet could accompany a text (as it indicates a chapter and section), but could also be given as a guide to independent research. Basic concepts of Congress are prompted through matching and multiple choice. This could be...
Curated OER
Write a Constitution
Fourth graders examine the United states Constitution and discuss the difficulties the framers faced in writing it. They explore ideas about the division of power, rights, and other topics contained in it.
Curated OER
We the People. . .
Learners explore the United States Constitution. In this government lesson plan, students write newspaper editorials that reflect their opinions about Amendments.
Curated OER
U.S. History: Our Constitutional Amendments
Eighth graders conduct Internet research about Constitutional Amendments and present oral reports on their findings. Their reports also include visual representations depicting their chosen amendment's focal point. Students discuss the...
Curated OER
Dancing and Singing Through the Bill of Rights
Students study the Bill of Rights. In this Bill of Rights lesson, students read and analyze the Bill of Rights before performing The Amendment Song, and a dance associated with the concepts. They work in small groups using a Frayer...
Curated OER
Changes In The New Nation: New Beginnings
Students consider the role of American newspapers in the revolution and plans for new government. In this early American history lesson, students determine how communication provided by newspapers contributed to the organization of the...
Curated OER
A Rising People: Ben Franklin and the Americans
Students examine the Enlightenment Era and its philosophies, including philosophers. Students gain an understanding concerning what they new science was and what it led to through a series of lessons and a PowerPoint. the end by writing...
Curated OER
Should Voting in the United States be Mandatory? Research Activity
Eighth graders research how many voters actually vote in the U.S. and nine other nations. They create a spreadsheet using this information and write a persuasive essay.
Curated OER
Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum
Students explore the American dream. In this contemporary music lesson, students analyze the lyrics of songs by Neil Diamond, Bruce Springsteen, and David Massengill. Students create 3-D representations of the American dream and write...
Curated OER
Covenants, Compacts, Constitutions and By-Laws... Written Documents that Guide Governing
Third graders discuss documents in our government. In this government lesson plan, 3rd graders look up vocabulary words and illustrate them. They examine a historical document to discuss and answer questions.
Curated OER
Latinos and the Fourteenth Amendment: A Primary Document Activity
Students explore Latinos and the Fourteenth Amendment. In this government and law instructional activity, students analyze the ruling in Hernandez v. Texas. Students predict how the United States would be different if the court had made...
Curated OER
The Right Choice
Students examine the leadership role of George Washington in the American Revolution. In this George Washington lesson plan, students read selections titled "Generalship," and "Candidate for Commander-in-Chief." After students read the...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Free Speech vs. Respect for Religion
In this historical events instructional activity, students analyze political cartoons about the First Amendment. Students respond to 3 talking point questions.
Curated OER
The Interview of a Lifetime
Students study the process of creating an interview by role playing as a reporter who has the opportunity to interview one of the survivors of the Titanic disaster. They ask only five questions in this interview of a lifetime therefore...