Students consider what they already know about democracy and examine how viable democracy is for Middle Eastern nations such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Students describe the importance of being a responsible citizen. In this philanthropic actions lesson, students view "An American Story" and identify examples from the movie. Students discuss and recognize philanthropic behaviors in the...

Students research the origin of the Purple Heart. In this writing lesson students research personal stories of friends or family who have received the Purple Heart. Students then design their own armed forces award complete with an...

Students explore what it means to be American. In this American identity lesson, students consider the contributions of Americans throughout history that have protected the promises of the U.S. Constitution.

Students use maps, the Internet, graphic organizers and discussion to explore the history of the Middle American Colonies. They consider how the colonies were founded and the ideas of religious freedom and self-government they embodied.

High schoolers create an advertising campaign to persuade the Founding Fathers to adopt a particular political philosophy. Working in groups, they conduct research about a certain political philosophy. Students create a pitch to be...

Students investigate the concept of freedom with the context of the First Amendment. They research and take notes looking for the connections between democracy and freedom. They complete a writing assessment that includes naming all of...

Students examine the lives of people who contributed to the common good, and democracy. They investigate grievances that lead to the call for American independence and look at the costs that are incurred as a result of personal acts of...

Students relate the Glorious Revolution, the American Revolution, and the French Revolution through web based research and scenarios.

Students explore the constitutional guarantee of the right to trial by jury. In this U. S. Constitution lesson, students read or view Twelve Angry Men and respond to discussion questions regarding the jury. Students examine the...

Students use KWL charts, stores, news, books, and movies to learn about the Presidents and symbols of America. In this Presidents and symbols lesson plan, students participate in many activities that introduce them to the leaders and...

Young scholars create a map illustrating the three branches of goverment. They identify the branches of government and the shared or exclusive powers of each. Students use mapping as a prewriting stategy. They discuss our national...

Students view a PowerPoint presentation on the Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society's Civil Rights and/or the Native American Rights. They write a reaction paper and prepare for a class discussion. They work in groups and discuss...

Eighth graders explain the meaning of the Declaration of Independence. They view a political cartoon of the period, then do a writing assignment for homework. They write about how they would feel if the British were calling them traitors.

Students make connections between nonviolent ideals and art. In this visual arts lesson, students discuss the successes of the American Civil Rights Movement and discuss Gandhi's influence on the movement. Students then examine images of...

Students examine how different world governments function and interact with each other. In groups, they research one of the five types of governments. Students prepare news magazines, Powerpoint presentations, and newspaper storyboards...

Students engage in a instructional activity that is concerned with the concepts related to comparing the United States and Iroquois Indians while focusing upon the foundations of the ruling documents like the US Constitution. They...

Students examine the governance of natives in Canada. In this native studies activity, students read handouts on the Iroquois and Huron Confederacies and then respond to discussion questions about the 2 governance systems.

Here is a fascintating lesson which relates how the motto "In God We Trust" came to appear on all US currency. It turns out that a man from Arkansas came up with the idea and petioned his congressman and President Eisenhower himself to...

High schoolers examine the voting practices of the past several presidential elections while using data to determine the influence of different factors. They identify the reasons for high or low voter turnout and then display the outcome...

High schoolers interpret the Second Amendment. For this U.S. Constitution lesson, students examine the right to bear arms as they compare 2 Michigan Supreme Court cases and discuss their personal interpretations of the amendment.

Students identify the courts that make up Michigan's judicial system. They state the responsibilities of each court and diagram a flow chart of how a case moves to the Michigan Supreme Court. They participate in a quiz about the current...

Fifth graders identify and define in their own words the first ten amendments to the Constitution. They are assigned a CDV or amendment from the Bill of Rights and create and present a one-minute skit demonstrating it.

Eighth graders examine the importance of the Declaration of Independence by using a variety of research sources and computer technology to obtain information. They internalize the thoughts, actions, and motives of the signers of the...