Everyone sees the results of public policy, but not everyone understands the strategy that goes into creating an effective one. Now that your class understands the brainstorming process from earlier in the series, they continue on to the...

Public policy is important to understand because it affects everyone. The resource tells middle schoolers how the government uses policy to accomplish goals in the administration. It includes a reading, true or false worksheet, a...

Introduce public policy and persuasive writing with a well-designed activity for junior high learners. The writers develop a stance on whether cities should have natural or green places within a half a mile of all residents. Included are...

Although the president of the United States does not have the power to pass laws, they can propose legislation, veto bills passed by Congress, and issue executive orders that bypass Congress. Six video clips show middle schoolers these...

Whether a person is old enough to vote or not, the government still plays a role in their daily life. Young scholars keep a journal to document how regulations affect their day-to-day lives. Once they complete the journals, academics...

Is America the land of opportunity? Learners sort out fact from fiction regarding why people immigrate to the United States and the laws affecting them using a list of web-based resources and case studies. After evaluating motivations...

From the birth of the New Deal during the Great Depression to today's debate on Social Security, the government has had its hand in social reform. Should the government take care of, and pay for, every social issue in the nation?...

Not all writing assignments take the form of an essay. When it comes to politics, it's all about policy briefs. This type of writing is the topic of an informative handout, which is part of a larger series on specific writing...

Sometimes it takes real-world examples to get concepts to click. Use the resource to instruct middle schoolers on the relevancy of public policy in today's world. Exercises include a 5W + H graphic organizer, class discussion, and...

How can understanding government regulations help your class to comprehend real-world policies? Resource exercises include a warm-up activity, a graphic organizer, case studies, and analysis questions. The lesson finishes with a lively...

The final lesson in an 11-session study of immigration asks class members to engage in either a panel discussion or a civil conversation of the controversial legal and policy issues they have investigated as part of the unit.

Letter-writing, e-mail and telephone campaigns, petitions, marches, meetings, with lawmakers. Options for influencing elected representatives are the focus of resource that details how to craft each of these approaches to influencing...

How is federal policy established? To gain insight into this complex and often messy process, class members read an article that uses information on attempts to establish public policy in immigration to illustrate the role proposed...

Strong opinions come from deeply held values. Young citizens explore the values that are most important to them in a class discussion and activity. As they prioritize a list of values cards that include freedom, justice, and democracy,...

Through an interactive, online game, your pupils will gain insight into the processes and features of local government by managing their own counties, working to adjust taxes, plan the county budget, draw in new citizens, keep citizens...

Create a study of John Adams and his wife Abigail. Small groups examine and analyze an image of John Adams and complete various questions and activities based on the image before reading and discussing background information about him....

Give your class members a thorough overview of government public policy in the United States, including how government addresses problems through regulations and actions with a well-designed packet of informational texts and follow-up...

Check out this resource for a general overview of political parties as they exist in the United States and around the world. After reading about what defines a political party and the various types of party systems that exist today, your...

How do discussions in the public sphere contribute to a public agenda, and how are these discussions distinct from those in the private sphere? This resource includes fantastic secondary source reading material on this topic, as well as...

Relate policy decisions to classroom activities. In order to prepare for a writing activity in which they will need to choose a side, learners are first given a sample policy for which they must choose yes or no and walk to the side of...

Train young political analysts by following the plans outlined here. After reviewing the three branches of the government, small groups analyze the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2004, identify instances of checks and balances, and...

Need topics that are sure to engage your debaters? This list of public policy questions includes such topics as school mascots, regulation of major league baseball, physician-assisted suicide, and violence in video games. A great...

Twelfth graders select and analyze a public policy issue. In groups, they create a hot list of web sites that have been explored and investigated as a result of a web search. Using their research, 12th graders individually produce a...