Unit Plan
Carolina K-12

Active Citizenship in After School

For Teachers K - 12th Standards
Active citizenship is the bedrock of any great democracy. Continue the trend by teaching the next generation about voting rights and the functions of elections in society. The variety of activities in the resource includes a human...
Lesson Plan
Carolina K-12

Making First Vote Your Vote: Designing a Schoolwide Election

For Teachers 8th - 12th Standards
Encourage pupils to design an election plan for the entire school. They participate in a Board of Elections, create polling rules, discuss election controversies, write questions about the issues, run the election through an online...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Rise and Fall of the Jim Crow Era

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars explore African American history by researching the Jim Crow laws. In this Civil Rights lesson, students define the Jim Crow laws, the reasons they were put into place, and how they were ultimately defeated. Young scholars...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Model United Nations Activity

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine current and past problems and situations affecting the United Nations, and explore life, career, and philosophy of Ralph Bunche, American diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner. Students then prepare portfolios to...
Lesson Plan
Oklahoma Bar Association

Into Which Caste Have You Been Cast?: India's Caste System

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
What was it like to fit into a certain class with no choice in the matter? Learners experience the caste system in a role-play activity, work individually on handouts to enhance their learning, and participate in an evaluation activity...
Lesson Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Electoral Politics

For Teachers 12th
You won't just get a lesson when you click on this resource. As you click on the related resources located to the left of the screen, you'll find, a professional development video, teacher/student notes, lesson plan, and related...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Defining Moments From the Past: Japanese American Internment

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students conduct a mock Congressional Hearing to decide whether or not Japanese Americans who were sent to internment camps during World War II should be provided financial restitution. They research and create a time line of events...
Lesson Plan
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Plyler v. Doe: Can States Deny Public Benefits to Illegal Immigrants?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Illegal immigration is an ever-changing source of consistent controversy. A reading passage about the rights of undocumented workers and illegal immigrants—and the lack thereof—guides high schoolers into a mock trial activity. Three...
Unit Plan
Curated OER

What is Equality and How Does it Affect Me?

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students explore the concept of civil rights and the ways in which Dr. Martin Luther Kind and others utilized non-violent protests to achieve their goals. They participate in a variety of discussion and role play activities during this...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Thanks Be To You

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students research U.S. history by completing a worksheet activity in class. In this historical figure lesson, students identify the contributions and risks taken by the former African-American leader Martin Luther King Jr. Students read...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Are the Social Studies?

For Teachers Higher Ed
Identify core social studies subjects with adult learners. They will discuss key issues from twentieth century American history and identify key social studies concepts taught at elementary grade levels. They then modify this activity to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is Democracy?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine civic duties. For this citizenship lesson, students play an online game that requires them to consider the needs of their community. Students campaign for the issue they choose in the game.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Infusing Equity by Gender into the classroom

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Learners examine equality. In this civics lesson, students appoint committees for various offices then model a mock committee/application process in the classroom, followed by a discussion of whether equity was achieved or not and why.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cuban Missile Crisis: Teaching Activities

For Teachers 10th - 11th
Students create a timeline of the important events of John F. Kennedy's presidency. They construct a timeline of the major events of the Cuban Missile Crisis. They compare the Missile Crisis events with their presentation in the movie...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Eye of the Beholder: A Media Literacy Activity

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore the impact the news media have on shaping perceptions and opinions in general and in their coverage of the presidential campaign.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Constitutional Issues: Watergate and the Constitution

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students take and defend positions on what conditions contribute to the establishment and maintenance of a constitutional government. They debate whether or not the government should have prosecuted Nixon over the Watergate scandal.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Staffing Exercise: A Lesson Cluster for Civics

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students discuss gender bias and non-traditional career areas as they relate to governmental appointed positions. The participate in a simulation in which they apply for and decide who would get traditionally male positions in the Dept....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Official Statements

For Teachers 7th - 11th
Students research the viewpoints of famous Americans, and then write commencement speeches reflecting these viewpoints to be delivered to high school graduates of today.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Memorandum Regarding the Enlistment of Navajo Indians

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Learners examine the Navajo dictionary used by the U.S. military in W.W. II. They role-play Navajo messengers and Marine Corp staff. They research the Battle of Iwo Jima and confirm or discount the claim that Navajos made the victory...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bill of Rights: Rights and Responsibilities

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students explore the meaning of freedom.  In this U.S. History activity, students research the Declaration of Independence and how it relates to American freedom by completing activities and a mock trial.
Lesson Plan
National First Ladies' Library

There's Only How Much? Rationing in World War II

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students discuss the idea of rationing as a restriction on the amount of something or the frequency with which something may be purchased or used in order to contribute to the greater good of the group which was what happened during...
Lesson Plan
Carolina K-12

Choice, Conflict, and Compromise at the County level

For Teachers 8th - 12th
With all the hubbub surrounding national elections, it's easy to forget the importance of local government. After learning about county governance and voter turnout for local elections, young citizens demonstrate how local...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Social Studies: Cultural New Orleans

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students observe the PBS film, "New Orleans," to explore such topics as race relations, cultural history, and urbanization. After examining n interactive map displaying the city at various dates in its history, students role-play as...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Negro Leagues Baseball and the Law

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine historical law and its impact on Negro Leagues Baseball and Black Americans. Students identify and research laws contributing to segregation or integration, and choose one law to reenact in a historically accurate manner.