What functions do laws serve in our society? Your learners will be guided through several interactive activities to address this question, and to consider the impact of rule of law in American society.

What comes to mind when learners think about campaign financing? Secondary pupils watch a video about the fundraising climate during the 2012 presidential election and discuss Super PACs and Supreme Court legislation as a group. Focusing...

It's so interesting to see kids respond to articles about education. To start the day, prompt learners to discuss the words colorblindness and diversity. Then, split your class in two and have one side read an article from 2007 and the...

What exactly is the third branch of government? Your class will examine the Supreme Court and its role as the third branch. They will explore a wide variety of sources to learn about the evolution of the Supreme Court and its cases.

What is a civil case? Who appoints members to the US Supreme Court? What is the ultimate goal of sentencing juveniles? Here is a 15-question multiple-choice assessment on law and the court system in the United States.

From Marbury v. Madison and original jurisdiction to Gideon v. Wainwright and civil appeal, here is a simple and comprehensive assessment on the judicial system of the United States.

Should the death penalty for juveniles be considered cruel and unusual punishment? After analyzing the various arguments surrounding this topic and reading several quotes offered by Supreme Court justices in 2005 on the issue, have your...

Is there one ultimate arbiter who has the final say on issues or questions related to whether as act is constitutional or not? Lecture six discusses the powers each branch of the government has in making final judgments on constitutional...

Your class needs to prepare for a test on the US Constitution, but how? Pull out a handy slide show that contains nothing but perfect test preparation questions. Everything from Shay's Rebellion and the Articles of the Confederation to...

Students choose one of the Supreme Court justices and research their life as a child from birth to age 21. They identify a list of topics that related specifically to youth that this judge may have a vested interest in.

Identify important aspects of criminal law and the criminal law process. Junior high readers demonstrate verbal and written skill that focus on enduring issues, divergent viewpoints, and excerpts from famous speeches and documents in...

Learners examine the US Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Supreme Court cases in order to broaden their understanding of the US Judicial System. They research a variety of textual and Internet resources to create a tri-fold brochure,...

Young scholars explore Supreme Court cases that featured Civil Rights issues. In this Supreme Court lesson, students examine primary source records regarding Rosa Parks, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the Browder v Gayle case, in order...

Students examine appellate jurisdiction. In this Supreme Court lesson, students  examine specific Supreme Court Cases and hold a mock congress and appeal regarding Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972.

Twelfth graders explore the role of the Judicial Branch. For this U.S. government lesson, 12th graders take notes on how the courts have changed over time and then become observers of the court's history as they create timelines that...

Have an engaging class discussion on the Bill of Rights, U.S. Constitution, and the Supreme Court. Learners examine multiple aspects of the Marbury v. Madison case and the impact that case had on the judicial system in the U.S. Web...

Students examine the historical background of Supreme Court decisions and the basic principles behind legislation. As part of the lesson, students discover legal concepts and terms and write sentences using the vocabulary they have...

Middle schoolers investigate some basic facts about the Supreme Court by examining the United States Constitution and one of the landmark cases decided by that court. The operation of the Supreme Court forms the focus of the lesson.

Students are introduced to the importance of the Brown v. Board of Education case that ended segregation. As a class, they discuss how each of them would respond in different scenerios if they were a young African-American. They also...

Part two of this nine-part series on the US government continues questioning the intentions and validity of the US Constitution. This is a great lecture for more mature learners looking to understand the Constitution and its legitimacy.

Have learners try their hands at an online quiz. There are 32 multiple choice questions all related to the three branches of the US government. Questions regarding US economics are also included. 

Fourth graders examine the history of the Ohio Statehouse and order the major historical events in its development. The lesson traces the development from the time of Ohio's vast wilderness to the house's completion in 1861.

Students learn basic facts about the Supreme Court by examining the United States Constitution and one of the landmark cases decided by that court.

What does freedom of religion mean? Analyze a series of Supreme Court cases where the First Amendment right to freedom of religion was put to the test. They discuss the cases' outcomes and argue whether the right decision was made....