Government and Politics Teacher Resources

The film American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs introduces viewers to the differing philosophies of and strategies employed by 1960s civil rights leaders such as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. and the debate over...

Ostensibly about the 1955-1965 Civil Rights Movement, this resource is actually the first of a series of 24 lessons that model for learners how to examine multiple perspectives, as well as the evidence used to support a particular...

Explore how the Civil War impacted the Civil Rights Movement. Class members complete a series of projects for a unit that uses a layered curriculum approach to learning. 

Was nonviolent resistance the best means of securing civil rights for black Americans in the 1960s? In this highly engaging and informative instructional activity, your young historians will closely analyze several key documents from the...

Students analyze the tensions that existed in American society during the Civil Rights Era as well as the problems that children experienced. They evaluate editorial cartoons dealing with the American Civil Rights movement to view the...

In this American Civil Rights Movement instructional activity, 12th graders respond to 20 multiple choice, 10 true/false, 13 fill in the blank, and 6 short answer questions about the movement.

Students examine why racial tensions continued after laws were put into place to try and create equal treatment.  In this two part Civil Rights lesson, students explored the causes of the movement through photography and a PowerPoint...

What does a true American represent? Scholars investigate the equal rights era of the 1960s and 1970s in the 20th installment of a 22-part series on American history. Using photographic, magazine, written, and video evidence, groups...

What is right isn't always lawful — and what is lawful isn't always right. Such is the argument of Henry David Thoreau's Civil Disobedience, which contends that it is the duty of the citizen to disobey the authority of the government...

Ninth graders explore the impact of the American Civil Rights Movement. For this 20th century American history lesson, 9th graders watch "A Time for Justice," and listen to a voting rights speech delivered by President Johnson. Students...

Boycotts and bus rides, sit-ins and speeches. The focus of this amazing resource is on those people who were willing to put themselves at risk to take a stand for their belief in equal rights for all. A must-have for your curriculum...

Learners analyze the impact of American Bandstand on race relations. In this race relations instructional activity, students use the music and dance show American Bandstand to learn about race relations. Learners categorize pivotal...

 Students review a political cartoon and discuss desegregation.  In this cartoon analysis lesson, 11th graders discuss the impact of a political cartoon and its relation to a Supreme Court case.  Students read additional information and...

Through guided discussions and collaborative activities, your class members will not only have the opportunity to learn more about the rights of women in Iraq, but they will also consider common misconceptions of Islam and examine the...

When slavery ended, what did the government do to help African American during Reconstruction? An interesting instructional activity uses primary sources such as newspaper articles to help scholars analyze Reconstruction policies and how...

The release of Martin Luther King, Jr. from the Birmingham jail, the Children's March, and the bombings of the Gaston Motel and the home of Reverend A.D. King's home. As part of a study of the civil rights movement, class members...

After reading the article "Kings Dream Everyday," class members conduct a Socratic seminar discussion of Martin Luther King,s contributions to the civil rights movement. They then read and respond to a passage from Michael Eric Dyson's...

Learners Compare and contrast the beliefs and methodology of three leaders of the Civil Rights movement. Using specific examples, discuss how these leaders were either successful or unsuccessful in attaining their goals.

Learners make connections between nonviolent ideals and art. In this visual arts lesson, students discuss the successes of the American Civil Rights Movement and discuss Gandhi's influence on the movement. Learners then examine images of...

Learners examine the society and culture during the times of the Civil Rights movement. They view video clips and answer comprehension questions. They work together to research different authors and musicians sharing their information...

The Massacre of Tlatelolco is the focus of a discussion-based lesson. Civil-minded learners consider the nature of student movements that have ended in violence based on over-reaction and government oppression. They discuss the social...

In this History and Government of the United States worksheet, students complete passages by filling in nineteen words or phrases without using a word bank.

Why did Stephen Douglas support the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854? Why did Abraham Lincoln oppose it? Young historians examine how the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 affected the political balance between free and slave states and explore how...

Students examine civil rights. In this civil rights lesson, students research human rights issues of United States history. Students then discuss their research findings and write Bill of Rights statements for the topics they researched.