Should schools be permitted to punish young scholars for off-campus cyberbullying? After reading a passage that details statistics about cyberbullying and Supreme Court rulings about schools' ability to limit student speech,...

Young scholars investigate how even low concentrations of alcohol affect a person's functioning. They examine alcohol-related risks affect both the individual and the public. They create a policy for alcohol use and defend its use.

Freedom of religion has been a controversial, yet fundamental, tenet of the United States since even before the nation's birth. In a well-constructed lesson plan, the class compares the Minnesota Constitution to the US Constitution as a...

Middle schoolers discover why it's important to establish a positive credit history and understand the value of credit reports to lenders and borrowers. They apply legal guidelines to establish the uses of a credit report other than...

What defines marriage in society? Scholars investigate the moral and legal arguments of what defines marriage. They analyze different marriage traditions and social customs around the world along with Supreme Court decisions. Individuals...

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.

Big Brother is always watching you! Scholars analyze the impact security cameras have on the legal system in a democracy. Primary documentation, case studies, and video clips investigate the use of video in prosecution and provide an...

How many teenagers have wanted their parents to let them make their own decisions?  The answer is ... all of them! Scholars investigate where parental liability begins and ends in the eyes of the law. Using case studies and legal...

Pupils compare and contrast the legal system as it pertains to juvenile and adult crime and punishment. Incorporating primary documents, legal decisions, and video evidence, individuals form an argument debating the treatment of...

"Promises Denied," the second instructional activity in a unit that asks learners to consider the responsibilities individuals have to uphold human rights, looks at documents that illustrate the difficulty the US has had trying to live...

Who does what? To develop an understanding of the balance of power between the US federal and state governments, class members research responsibilities in terms of legal systems, security issues, economic activities, lawmaking, and...

Print or block? That is the question young journalists debate as part of their study of the freedom of the press. Half the class represents the journalists' legal team, and the other half represents the government's legal team. Teams...

Ninth graders research the Bill of Rights, and the difference between a conservative and a liberal court decision. They examine how peoples' rights are expanded or limited by court decisions.

Students research the laws and policies for school dress codes in their school and others in their state or area and explore what others say about these policies. After research is complete, students divide into two teams to develop...

Students debate imposing tariffs on imported shoes. In this tariffs lesson, the class is divided into two groups: those that oppose a tariff on imported shoes, and those that support it. Groups read about each position, write position...

Should democracies include hate speech as a protected right? Scholars analyze the rights found under the First Amendment to the Constitution through researching evidence. Freedom of expression becomes the focal point of the...

Students examine historic examples of authority during wartime. They interpret the Fifth Amendment. They debate the merits of the Patriot Act.

Students explore civil liberties as they relate to the events of September 11, 2001 and the months that followed, and discuss how these circumstances may or may not have altered the rights of American citizens and foreigners visiting the...

Students explore civil liberties. They identify the major provisions of the Canadian Constitution. Students describe fundamental principals of federal and provincial legal systems. They distinguish between individual and group rights....

Pupils use Ernest J. Gaines' A Lesson Before Dying to investigate the reality of legal segregation. For this segregation lesson, students work in groups to study the books characters and how their classification affected the rights they...

A guided-inquiry lesson asks seventh graders to research the compelling question, "What does it mean to be equal?" Guided by three supporting questions, researchers complete three formative performance tasks and gather evidence from...

Advertising is all around us. Sometimes those advertisements are directed at young people, so it's important for youngsters to recognize false advertising and fraud when they see it. That's what this instructional activity is all about....

Elementary schoolers look into the very real, and scary, practice of identity theft. They discover the main techniques used by people who steal other people's identity. Learners produce an identity theft tip sheet and share their tips...

Understanding the US government's role proves very important in the American economy, especially for consumers. Scholars learn about how varying government agencies help them when facing an issue. The third and final resource in the...