Explore the importance of rules in a community with the engaging first instructional activity of this series on the US government. To begin, children play a paper clip game that requires them to make up their own rules as they go,...

Historically, members of the upper class provide plenty of fodder for comedic writers. Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest is no exception, and a study guide for the classic play discusses some of the Victorian social...

No rules...awesome! Or is it? It's tough for young learners to think about what would happen if a rule didn't exist, but understanding the rules and where they come from helps keep everyone safe. Youngsters write a rule on the front of...

Young historians climb through the three branches of the US government in the third instructional activity of this five-part series. While reading the first three Articles of the Constitution in small groups, children write facts on...

Get young learners involved in the development of classroom rules! Students and the teacher discuss the purpose of having rules, including how rules provide order, security and safety. Then learners design pictures to accompany the...

Scholars complete a worksheet describing their hopes and dreams then work with a partner to discuss the importance of class rules. Learners brainstorm a list of rules to be compiled and displayed for all pupils to reference.

Students read maps and artifacts for information indicating the existence of a trade network in Old Babylonia and beyond. They list goods imported to and exported from Babylonia. They indicate trading centers on a map of ancient...

Rules may carry a negative connotation with many adolescents, but this simulation activity reminds them of the importance of a fair and consistent set of laws. It's very simple: pupils are arranged in rows, with the first person in each...

Simplify the teaching of the US Constitution with this primary grade social studies lesson. While reading a fun story about an imaginary place called Bubble Land, children learn about the concept of authority and the importance of...

We hear a lot about the importance of the rule of law, but most people do not really know what those words mean. The lesson is a webpage that defines the rule of law, explains why it is important in a democratic society and provides...

An executive is not just a leader of a company; you can also use the term to describe the president of the United States. The ninth part of a 20-part unit teaches high schoolers about the importance of the executive branch and the...

Give budding historians a guided exploration of the Declaration of Independence, historic photos, videos, and more as they deepen their understanding of the American Revolution and the attitude of the colonists leading up to...

Young children explore the concept of the Golden Rule in this fun primary grade lesson. To begin, the class sings the song "The Lion and the Mouse" before discussing what the Golden Rule means and how it applies...

Take to the stage! Integrate both drama and civic skills by asking pupils to create and perform skills that demonstrate the importance of the amendments in the Bill of Rights. After reviewing the Preamble to the Constitution, learners...

The House of Representatives has a lot of responsibility  in the United States government. But how did it all begin, and why is it the way it is now? A comprehensive lesson answers all of these questions about the US Constitution...

Perfect for establishing classroom protocols, this activity gets even the youngest learners thinking about rules and their consequences. The lesson begins with a discussion and a reading of the poem Humpty Dumpty that gets...

The takeaway from the "Playing by the Rules" instructional activity is that it is each person's responsibility to learn the rules in a given situation and that they must accept the consequences if they choose not to follow the stated...

When is a foot not a foot? When you use the length of your own foot to measure distances, of course. To underscore the importance of standardized units of measurement, middle schoolers engage in a series of activities that ask them to...

A class discussion defines what it means to make the classroom a safe environment. To make their classroom safe, small groups work collaboratively to create a list of characteristics that make up successful learners. Groups share their...

Establishing classroom rules within the first two weeks of school is important. But what do you do with the rules after they've been created, and how can you establish them so that they have a lasting effect all year long? Use an...

From 1500-2000, an interactive timeline details important events related to Latino Americans. Next, to each date are small, yet informative blurbs—some of which include videos. 

Europe was changing in the early nineteenth century, and the Congress of Vienna largely sought to slow and contain those sweeping changes. A slideshow presentation illustrates the details of the Congress of Vienna, including its three...

Instill the importance of respect in your classroom with a comprehensive unit that focuses on positive behavior in and outside of school. Three parts, each separated into four grade-specific lessons, cover bullying, bias, name-calling,...