Curated OER
Constitutional Amendments And Gay Marriage
Upper graders critically examine the history and process of amending the U.S. Constitution in light of the current issue facing the courts on legalizing gay marriage. They read a variety of articles, watch news clips, and develop a...
Curated OER
Constitutional Amendments and Gay Marriage
High schoolers study the legal battles involving same-sex marriage. They examine primary sources and a video regarding the 14th amendment and its implications for gay marriage. They analyze a report of a California case that was sent to...
Curated OER
Searching for Answers
How does a judge in the federal judicial court decide on a verdict? Give your middle and high schoolers a better idea of how final decisions are made in the judicial system. Then split your class into four groups, assigning each group a...
Curated OER
Reorganizing the Bill of Rights
Eighth graders, in groups, explore all 26 amendments and group them accordingly.
Curated OER
Regents Review Worksheet #1: Principles of the U.S. Constitution
Kids who take the Regents Exam really need to know a lot of information. This is a wonderful exam review tool that includes 26 pages of questions, charts, and suggested readings to help upper graders pass the test. It focuses on all...
Curated OER
The Fourth and Fifth Amendments: How Do They Protect Our Rights?
Students view a PowerPoint presentation on the fourth and fifth amendments. In this history lesson, students explore the details of the fourth and fifth amendments and then answer questions that summarize the presentation.
Curated OER
The Juvenile Death Penalty
Sensitive material is discussed in this lesson. Please review to ensure that the content is suitable for your class. The topic is the Eighth Amendment and how the U.S. Supreme Court makes determinations about what constitutes cruel and...
Curated OER
Reorganizing the Bill of Rights
Eighth graders look critically at the 26 amendments to the United States Constitution.
Curated OER
The Pledge of Allegiance
Young scholars study the history of the Pledge of Allegiance. They investigate the First Amendment concept of separation of Church and state using Internet resources.
Curated OER
Constitution Repatriation Simulation
Students work cooperatively in groups to present the specific needs of an assigned territory to a mock meeting of government officials in an attempt to amend an existing law.
Curated OER
How Women Got the Vote: The Story of Carrie Lane Chapman Catt
Students participate in a simulation and compare and contrast the arguments for and against womens' right to vote. In this civil rights lesson, students simulate disenfranchisement of women by allowing only half of the class to vote on a...
Curated OER
For The Sake Of Security: U.S.A. Patriot Act & Bill of Rights
A substantive New York Times article about the U.S.A. Patriot Act, military tribunals, racial profiling, and the Bill of Rights forms the basis for a discussion of the complex interplay of fundamental American rights and the aftermath of...
Curated OER
The Right to Vote
Students discover voting barriers. In this government lesson, students explore the history of voting. Students work in small groups to analyze and debate if certain groups of people should have the ability to vote or not.
Curated OER
Due Process - Search and Seizure
Help your 11th and 12th graders gain a deeper understanding of Supreme Court decisions and law. The activities include role-play, research, and script writing that all focus on search and seizure laws pertaining to one particular case...
Curated OER
Is Everyone Protected by the Bill of Rights?
Who is protected by the Bill of Rights? Learners examine the Bill of Rights and conduct research regarding gay people in the military. They use their research findings to prepare for and participate in a debate regarding the military ban...
NPR
Same-Sex Marriage
The battle over same-sex marriage is a prevalent issue in the United States, and a valuable topic to be discussed in your social studies classroom. Here is a basic outline of introductory questions, focus questions, vocabulary, and media...
iCivics
Mini Lesson: Judicial Activism and Restraint
Scholars analyze the United States judicial branch as it pertains to activism and restraint. They use research to define the roles the courts play while at the same time investigate current events to identify how the media covers those...
Curated OER
Landmark Supreme Court Cases and the Constitution: National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie (1977)
High schoolers examine the impact of court decisions. In this Supreme Court lesson, students read the National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie (1977) case study regarding First Amendment Rights. High schoolers take notes...
Curated OER
Who are American Citizens?
Students investigate American citizenship. In this civics lesson, students consider the basic knowledge of U. S. government new citizens are required to have. Students also examine the 14th amendment that describes U. S. citizenship.
Curated OER
Focused Learning Lesson: American History
Eleventh graders review the Progressive Movement and the Women's suffrage movement. They also review the changes from the end of World War I to the Great Depression.
Curated OER
Counseling
As a class, students read a book about being bullied and being a mean person. They answer questions as a class and draws a picture of a person who bullies them. They also discuss other ways to handle the situation.
Curated OER
Prejudice and Discrimination
Students are read-aloud an excerpt from The Friendship by Mildred Taylor. They pick strips of paper, white or brown, and sit according to color drawn. Students are given preferential treatment if their paper is white while the students...
Curated OER
Who's Sharing Our Stories on "The Hill"?
Students explore parliamentary structure. They study the roles & responsibility of key players or representatives. This lesson presents a wide variety of rich activities students can engage in to further their understanding of...