Inauguration Day is January 20. Implement an entire week's worth of mini activities to help young historians become knowledgeable of the President's job, the executive branch, and the White House. The worksheets focus on...

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but words can tell many stories. To conclude their study of the women who have served in the US Congress until 2006, groups analyze statements made by these remarkable women.

Senators are public servants but they do get paychecks. The activity focuses on historical analysis and a treasury document from the first Congress. Scholars read the document, answer questions, and participate in group discussion to...

Each state is entitled to two statues in the National Statuary Hall Collection in Washington, D.C. After reading about Utah's debate over whether or not Martha Hughes Cannon should be represented by one of their statues, individuals...

Looking for some ideas for how to celebrate September 17, Constitution Day? Check out a packet that focuses on the factors that are considered in the amendment process. Class members examine the amendment process and the types of...

Introduce young historians to the US Constitution with this upper-elementary social studies lesson plan. Beginning with a general discussion about the role of government in society, students go on to work in small...

Young historians explore the meaning of the Preamble to the US Constitution in this upper-elementary social studies lesson plan. Working with partners or in small groups, children discuss the purpose of government before reading and...

The Civil Rights Act of 1866, which granted citizenship to all males in the U.S., resulted in the first African Americans to be elected to Congress. Class members research 11 of these men, the challenges they faced, and craft...

Through reading materials, worksheets, and a primary source activity, this resource provides an overview of the structure and powers of the legislative branch of government in the United States. Readings review how a bill becomes a law,...

What was the purpose of the Iranian Nuclear Deal? An insightful resource explains nuclear tensions in the Middle East and Iranian weapon development that contributed to the Nuclear Deal in 2013. Academics learn the agreement limited...

To be Puerto Rican, in the words of one politician, is to be "foreign in a domestic sense." Young historians consider the American role in colonialism and its impacts on Hispanic Americans through the first part of the twentieth century...

In the 1950s, how did the Red Scare and the actions of Senator Joseph McCarthy affect the American people? Your young historians will analyze primary source documents on the Red Scare, participate in a "find the...

Engage your class while learning about the US Constitution with this fun primary grade social studies lesson. After viewing a picture of the US Constitution, young learners piece together a US flag using stars and...

Explore the unique structure of the federal system of government in the United States. Class members will learn about how most nations were organized before the establishment of the Constitution, how power is currently divided...

When are responsibilities freely chosen, and when have they actually been imposed on us? Here you'll find a unique way to frame your class discussion on civic duty and responsibilities inherent in the United States Constitution.

How did the United States Congress determine how the new president and vice president would be named when the nation was first established? Who would provide money for the government, and how would the executive branch be organized? 

What stories can a desk paperweight and picture frame possibly tell us about the president of the United States? Pupils are transported to the desk of President John F. Kennedy through an engaging interactive site. The guide offers...

Not just anybody can do the job of a federal judge, but according to the United States Constitution just about anybody can be appointed. The lesson outlines the process and requirements for becoming a federal judge, focusing on the...

Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution takes center stage in a lesson that asks class members to assume the role of state senators, debate a resolution to amend the U. S. Constitution to permit naturalized citizens to run for...

From the Louisiana Purchase to the Spanish-American War, the history of the United States is intertwined with the story of Hispanic Americans. Using an article about Hispanics in Congress during the 1800s, learners research their lives...

Readers of "The Palace Thief" focus on how the author's descriptions and word choices reveal the characters of the narrator, Sedgewick, and the senator.

Did you know that the Chinese Court Gazette is the longest continuing news paper in history? In addition to some great background information, this resource includes suggestions for activities across grade levels and across the curriculum.

As part of a study of women in Congress, groups analyze historical photographs associated with women's history and with women senators and representatives.

After reading the contextual essay, "Assembling, Amplifying, and Ascending: Recent Trends Among Women in Congress 1977–2006," groups select a female senator or representative and research her background and contributions.