Students explore U.S. history by completing a quiz about civics. In this Benjamin Franklin lesson, students read assigned text about Franklin's role in the development of the Constitution and the creation of a new society. Students...

Learners explore U.S. history by participating in a government activity. In this Constitution instructional activity, students identify the role government plays in our society and the differences the British colonies had in the early...

Students get an in-depth look at how our checks and balances system helps maintain the separating of powers between the three branches of government. They use current event head lines and insert them into he appropriate space on the...

Students explore U.S. history by reading biographical material in class. In this Benjamin Franklin lesson plan, students identify the life of Franklin and the events that led him to become one of America's first heroes. Students complete...

Students receive an overview of the role and purpose of taxes in American history. They identify different types of taxes implemented by the US government and explain the origin of the federal income tax.

High schoolers explore the functions of the U.S. Census. In this civics lesson plan, students understand the origins of the census and its role in U.S. history, recognize the political importance of apportionment based purely on...

"How did the slavery system undermine the United States' democratic principles?" This question launches a study of how the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence, Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, and Article IV,...

Use this U.S. History unit plan as a template for creating your own! Simply download the resource and edit the text fields with your own customized unit plan. This is a great jumping-off step, especially for newer teachers. 

Students investigate racism in the 20th century by exploring U.S. History. In this Civil Rights instructional activity, students review the history of slavery, the Civil War and the fight for equality in the mid 1900's. Students complete...

To war! To war! Every nation in the history of the world has had to deal with warfare on some level. Scholars go through a series of activities and discussions surrounding the development of the Constitution to help them better...

Many of your class members will have heard of Executive Order 9066 and the Japanese internment camps of World War II. Some may even recognize the terms “Issei” and “Nisei,” but few will have heard of Enemy Alien Hearing Boards, of the...

Students work in groups to research and examine Constitutions from various countries. In this government and public interests lesson, students analyze primary and secondary documents to make a comparison between constitutional documents...

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...

Students explore the process of writing our Constitution through an interactive program. They are to put themselves in the place of the statesmen and predict how they felt at the time. They compare the founding fathers.

Students demonstrate how the American Civil War affected black Kentuckians socially and politically. They identify and discuss the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which forced the end of slavery in Kentucky months after the...

Students analyze an unknown primary source document to determine its origin. In this Constitution instructional activity, students read primary source documents and contrast and compare the evolution of the drafts of the Constitution....

Students analyze film clips in class. In this democracy lesson, students identify the differences between civil liberties, democracy and freedom. Students view a video regarding Japanese internment and answer study questions as well as...

Students examine the nativist and racist movements in the history of the United States. In groups, they analyze the reactions of religious and ethnic groups to these movements and create a chart to compare the goals of each group. To...

Fifth graders contrast and compare ancient Greece to the U.S.A.  In this Greek History lesson, 5th graders investigate the buildings and designs of ancient Greece, as well as their democracy and government.  Students answer...

Fourth graders investigate the Civil War by researching the state of Virginia.  In this US History lesson, 4th graders identify Abraham Lincoln, James Chestnut and Fort Sumter, and discuss their roles in the start of the Civil...

Madison was there! Scholars go on a journey to discover the person behind the founding father label as they explore James Madison's role in the formation of the United States government. The culmination is a writing assignment and...

Pupils compare and contrast the United States and Alaska Constitution. After reading each preamble, they identify the reasons for each constitution to be drafted and discuss what they reveal about citizens responsiblity in government. ...

Students identify the principles of democracy when framing the United States Constitution. In groups, they analyze the differences that were settled before anyone signed the document. They role play their own activity in which they...

Fifth graders explore U.S. geography by reading assigned text about American Indians. In this migration instructional activity, 5th graders identify the differences between Native Americans and European settlers who traveled through...