Scholars analyze why the Founding Fathers separated the governmental powers into three branches. They use evidence from a short video clip, the third in a 50-part series, to draw conclusions on the importance of having checks and...

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 and...

Who has the power? The founding fathers asked the same question when the United States was formed. Learners explore issues that arose during Madison’s presidency that raised constitutional questions. Through discovery, discussion, and...

Nearly every president has had the opportunity to name a nominee to the United States Supreme Court. But what makes someone an ideal candidate to become a Supreme Court justice? High schoolers test their prior knowledge about the Supreme...

The system of checks and balances is integral to the functionality of the United States government. Learn more about the ways the three branches of the government work together—and about the limitations of their power—with an informative...

Scholars demonstrate what they know about the separation of powers through role play. Two individuals act out a skit as the remaining class members discuss and decide whether the interaction they observed is an appropriate example of the...

Do your eighth graders know the difference between the Federal and State Governments? Encourage them to learn more about the three branches in each government with a jigsaw activity. Groups work together at six different stations to...

No matter what subject you're teaching, you'll find some fun and innovative ideas for using newspapers in your classroom with a helpful resource. Based on Getting the Most Out of Teaching with Newspapers by Rebecca Olien, the series of...

Help your learners work their way through a reading assignment for informational text. Using context clues, they answer five comprehension question based on a short passage about the three levels of government: local government, state...

Here is a basic worksheet to accompany your lesson on the United States government's system of checks and balances. Pupils identify which of the three branches of government has the power listed in the first column (i.e. veto bills,...

Set down the basics of the three branches of government with the reading passage included here. After reading, class members answer five questions related to the passage.

Develop a system of classroom rules created by the kids, for the kids with this three-part activity series on the US Constitution. After learning about the structure of the Constitution and the government it established, young scholars...

Focusing on the judicial branch of government, the fourth lesson plan 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, students go on to...

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

Explore the structure and content of the US Constitution in the second instructional activity of this five-part social studies series. A collection of activities, games, and videos complement a class reading of a document summarizing the...

Breathe new life into a teaching of the US Constitution with this interactive resource. For any upper-elementary or middle school teacher covering US history with their students, this is a must-have addition to their mobile device library.

What is a civil case? Who appoints members to the US Supreme Court? What is the ultimate goal of sentencing juveniles? Here is a 15-question multiple-choice assessment on law and the court system in the United States.

Through reading materials, worksheets, and a primary source activity, this resource provides an overview of the structure and powers of the legislative branch of government in the United States. Readings review how a bill becomes a law,...

According to the United States Constitution, which branch of government is responsible for printing money? Declaring war? Punishing pirates?! Also, what is the process for amending the Constitution? These are just some of the questions...

Check out this entertaining, speedy, and highly informative overview of the founding stages of the United States government. The video includes a detailed discussion of the limitations of the Articles of Confederation, the eventual...

Here is a fun way to get your learners moving around the classroom, interacting with their classmates, and summarizing what they know about the United States Constitution! In this human scavenger hunt, your young citizens will find...

Here is a well-designed study guide on the United States Constitution that can also be used as an assessment. The worksheets review requirements for becoming president and congressional leaders, order of succession to the presidency, how...