Curated OER
The Great Depression and Everyday Life
Examine everyday life during the Great Depression, as well as the effects if the Depression on American population, society, and economy. Learners write who, what, where, when, and why summaries of a person who relocated to California...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Benjamin Franklin, Elder Statesman
Ben Franklin was the only American to sign The Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Alliance with France, the Treaty of Paris, and the US Constitution. An interesting resource explores his role in the latter by comparing the US...
Curated OER
Kill the Indian to Save the Man: Reservations, Assimilation, and Native American Resistance and Persistence in the West
Students investigate the theory versus the reality of US government reservation policy in the mid to late 19th Century by watching a video. They design a time line that shows how the individual tribes surrendered to the reservation...
Curated OER
Judicial Review
Student demonstrate understanding of both sides of the argument between Jefferson and Marshall that led to the strengthening of the Judicial Branch through the creation of judicial review. Unit is comprised of five lessons and fits into...
Curated OER
What Is the Role of the President in the American Constitutional Government?
Students read about the role of the president. In this US government lesson, students read about the role of the president as stated in the US Constitution. Students examine issues of presidential power and identify various checks and...
Curated OER
U.S. Government & Indian Nations
Students explain the Constitutional basis of the Federal Indian relationship; summarize the Constitutional references to American Indians; and, evaluate the importance of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787.
Curated OER
The Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan: Student Worksheet
These guided reading questions accompany several websites on the development of the US Constitution. While some of the links have changed, they are still accessible. History or government classes benefit from reading primary source...
Curated OER
The Impact of the IWW on the Nation or Who were the Wobblies?
Students evaluate the role labor groups had on the U.S. Government in the early 1900's. For this teaching American history lesson, students complete several activities, including response writing and listening to music, that reinforce...
Curated OER
"I've Been Working on the Railroad" - Federal Land Grants and the Construction of the Illinois Central Railroad in Mid-nineteenth Century Illinois
Eleventh graders, in groups, design a self-sufficient community. Groups present the communities they've designed. They compare and contrast the communities presented. They research the theories of Johann Heinrich von Thunen online and...
ProCon
Social Security Privatization
Should Social Security be privatized, or is the government program fine just the way it is? Scholars read pro and con arguments and watch videos to learn more about the debate topic. Pupils also have an opportunity to interact with other...
Curated OER
The Rule of Law
Students examine the rule of law and government in this civics lesson. They discover the origins and how it impacts them on a daily basis. They also analyze its role in the judicial system.
Curated OER
Steps In Selecting A President
Students follow a flowchart that describes the process of electing the American president and vice-president. They create a flowchart that explains some aspect of the US government.
Curated OER
A Lesson To Accompany "The First Bank of the United States: A Chapter in the History of Central Banking"
Here is an interesting topic. Learners examine the economics that led to the founding of the First Bank of America. They participate in a reader's theater experience depicting the debate between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson...
ProCon
Sanctuary Cities
Should sanctuary cities receive federal funding, or do they defy federal laws? That is precisely the question scholars attempt to answer as they prepare for a class discussion or debate. After reading some brief background information,...
Bill of Rights Institute
Celebrate Constitution Day
September 17 is a great day to focus on the US Constitution for on this day in 1787, the Constitution was signed. Through a series of activities, high schoolers get a chance to look closely at this famous document and the rights and...
Curated OER
Taxes in U.S. History: Evolution of Taxation in the Constitution
Young scholars 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.
Internal Revenue Service
Fairness in Taxes: How Taxes Affect Us
Learners are able to compare the effects of the following, using income as a measure of ability to pay: a progressive tax, a regressive tas, and a proportional tax. They explain how a mixture of regressive and progressive taxes could...
Curated OER
U.S. Government & Indian Nations
Students explain the Constitutional basis of the Federal Indian relationship. They summarize the Constitutional references to American Indians, and evaluate the importance of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. They examine Utah's...
Curated OER
State Government Debt in Utah: Rapid Growth in Recent Years
Students examine growth of debt in Utah state government from 1991 to present, compare general obligation debt and revenue debt incurred by state, identify four primary methods used by governments to finance projects, and complete...
Curated OER
This Land Is Our Land
Students research federal land holdings. They explore how those lands are used. They map these lands and design their own legends. They discuss whether or not the land is being used accordingly.
Curated OER
Demonstrating an Understanding the Evolution of Democracy in the United States
Students explore how democracy in the United States changed and evolved from its birth to the present. They participate in a mock testing environment. Students write a multi-tasked essay on American government and politics.
Judicial Learning Center
The Judge and the Jury
Unless you are a lawyer, you might not understand just how unrealistic Law and Order and other legal dramas actually are. Here's a great resource to help scholars of criminology gain a more realistic perspective. The lesson outlines the...
Judicial Learning Center
Civil Rights and Equal Protection
Almost every American is familiar with the Supreme Court case of Brown vs. Board of Education. Far fewer understand the constitutional reasoning or the wide-ranging consequences of the ruling in the field of criminology. The interesting...
Curated OER
Role Playing Free Speech
Pupils conduct research into looking at a free-speech issue. They role play the events surrounding a court case. The lesson includes guiding questions to help create context and determine areas of further study. The presentation includes...