Creating Laws

From where do United States citizens derive their laws? This resource offers an overview of the various sources of law, such as the Constitution, statutes passed by Congress, and judicial precedents established through court cases. It...

Is "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" a fair legal and moral code? Learners examine a selection of of laws from the Code of Hammurabi. They then discuss the issues presented by the law code as well as whether or not they can be...

Focusing on the judicial branch of government, the fourth lesson in this series explores the structure of the US courts system. Beginning with an engaging activity based on the short story The Lady or the Tiger, young scholars go on to...

While this lesson includes several nice worksheets to identify and discuss the various limits on government (i.e. a constitution, the rule of law, separation of powers, consent of the governed, etc.), its main value lies in a case study...

Fourth graders gain experience comparing multiple versions of a story as they continue reading the book Eagle Song. After first revisiting the article "The (Really) Great Law of Peace" from the previous unit, the class independently...

Divided into nine topic groups, from the Proclamation of 1763 to the Battles of Lexington and Concord, your young historians will research major events on the road to the American Revolution and then create a 2-3 minute sketch explaining...

Bring history to life for your young scholars with a Fourth of July lesson series. After a class reading of the Declaration of Independence, students translate this pivotal document into layman's terms before working in small groups to...

Establish justice and tranquility in the classroom with this primary grade lesson on the US Constitution. Beginning with a discussion about the importance of rules and a class reading of a children's book on the Constitution, young...

Although this legislative process lesson is designed to accompany a specific text, it is valuable independently. Young learners participate in a picture walk (worksheet included) through My Senator and Me: A Dog's-Eye View of Washington,...

Students investigate the laws and how they are established. They compare and contrast how the laws are written for the benefits of animals and human beings. Students write refelctively about the class discussion. The lesson is conducted...