Curated OER
Student Opinion: How Should Schools Address Bullying?
Spark a disscussion about a current issue, bullying, in your classroom. This resource, published by The New York Times, provides a short article discussing a Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights passed into law in the state New Jersey followed...
Curated OER
U.S. History: Our Constitutional Amendments
Eighth graders conduct Internet research about Constitutional Amendments and present oral reports on their findings. Their reports also include visual representations depicting their chosen amendment's focal point. Students discuss the...
PBS
African American History: Lunch Counter Closed
Young historians investigate and evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies the Civil Rights Movement used to end segregation in the United States. After watching an video interview with Carl Matthews and Bill Stevens who participated...
George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens
George Washington: Centerpiece of a Nation
A neat Presidents Day activity, this lesson plan provides a culminating learning experience for upper elementary aged learners. After analyzing George Washington's, "A Display of the United States of America," your learners will conduct...
Advocates for Human Rights
U.S. Immigration Policy
The United States Immigration Policy is incredibly complex. To gain a deeper understanding of the criteria, quotas, preferences, and categories of immigrants admitted to the US, class members engage in a role playing activity that...
Curated OER
Constitution Day
Students examine and discuss recent court cases involving young people and the Bill of Rights.They use a focus question to create the context for class discussion: How does the Bill of Rights apply to young people and students?
Curated OER
Building Awareness of the Japanese American Wartime Experience
Students research the Japanese American World War II Camp Experience. They discuss the experience in the context of civil rights and the Bill of Rights.
Annenberg Foundation
The New Nation
The conclusion of the American Revolution brought about a new conflict—choosing the stye of government for the newly formed United States. Using the views of both Federalists and Anti-Federalists, learners work in pairs and groups to...
Judicial Learning Center
The Constitution
Supreme Court justices debate the meaning of the US Constitution, but we expect teachers to explain it to scholars with far less training and experience. A daunting task for sure, but it's not insurmountable with resources that simplify...
Curated OER
Our National Documents
Learners consider the significance of selected American documents. For this civics lesson, students analyze excerpts of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
Curated OER
How Women Won the Right to Vote
Students consider how women gained the right to vote in America. In this suffrage lesson, students investigate major events of the suffrage movement and conduct research. Students also role play petitioning to President Wilson to get the...
Curated OER
Courage to Be You: King Day (7th)
Learners define discrimination and relate it to their own experiences. In this discrimination lesson, students discuss feeling like a stranger and complete a personal experiences worksheet. Learners then find strategies to reduce or...
Curated OER
Foundations of the U.S. Constitution
Eighth graders use information found in their textbooks to create flip charts containing information about Articles of Confederation, U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, English Bill of Rights, House of Burgesses, Magna Carta, and...
Curated OER
George Mason and the Constitution
Students read various articles about the political beliefs of George Mason. In groups, they describe the major events of his life that formed his beliefs and values. They also analyze his contributions to the Constitution and the Bill...
Curated OER
"Kermit the Hermit," by Bill Peet
Students read a story about making decisions to spend and save. They fill in missing words in a poem about spending.
Curated OER
Branches of Government
Students explore the three branches of government. In this government and U.S. history lesson plan, students listen to a story about a boy who attempts to sponsor a bill to ban cartoons. Students interview three teachers who each...
Curated OER
Our Compromise, Our Constitution
Sixth graders explore, analyze and study our constitutional government and become aware of the purpose of our government. They assess the basic rights that are protected by the United States Constitution through graphic organizers and...
Curated OER
Freedom by the Fireside: The Legacy of FDR's "Four Freedoms" Speech
Students read and analyze Franklin Delano Roosevelt's 1941 State of the Union Address. They listen to recordings of speeches by F.D.R., answer discussion questions, and participate in a debate.
Curated OER
Express Yourself Lesson Seed 1
Make a study of the First Amendment and its relationship to freedom. Pupils rewrite the amendment and discuss the central idea before focusing on a specific phrase. After discussing, class members write a journal entry about the included...
North Carolina Consortium for Middle East Studies
Federalists v. Anti‐Federalists
Here is a solid lesson plan to support your instruction on the Continental Congress and the Articles of Confederation. It includes close analysis of primary source images, a guided notes template and answer key, and many key points to...
Curated OER
The Drafts of the Declaration of Independence
Seventh graders compare drafts of the Declaration of Independence. In this primary source analysis lesson, 7th graders access copies of Thomas Jefferson's original draft of the document and compare it the final document that gave birth...
Curated OER
In Congress Assembled: Continuity and Change in the Governing of the United States
Students interpret history using primary resources and secondary research. The Constitution is examined and changes are explained within the time period they were made.
Curated OER
The U.S. Constitution:Continuity and Change in the Governing of the United States
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this U.S. Constitution instructional activity, students examine and analyze primary sources regarding the plan for U.S....
Curated OER
The Preamble to the Constitution
Students discuss key phrases from the Preamble of the Constitution, find ways to relate the values stated in the Preamble to their daily lives, and explore possible changes needed in the Constitution by future generations of citizens.