Curated OER
Selecting a Chief Justice For The United States Supreme Court: The Senate Confirmation Hearings of Judge John Roberts, Jr.
Students review the procedures for selecting a new Supreme Court Justice. In groups, they determine which questions the nominee should be asked and practice asking the questions with a classmate. They watch the confirmation hearings...
Curated OER
Rights and Responsibilities
Students examine the concepts of dual responsibilities and rights. They read three cases, identify the rights and responsibilities, and arrive at verdicts.
Curated OER
How Did That Get There?
Students evaluate the role of government in addressing land use and other environmental issues. They analyze the powers, responsibilities, and limitations of elected and appointed officials in the national legislative, executive, and...
Curated OER
The Constitution: Our Plan for Government
Students investigate the importance of separation of powers, checks, balances, and judicial review. They also investigate how national and state governments are linked.
Curated OER
US Constitution And Amendments
Students become familiar with the US Constitution and consider how it affects their lives. They research the Preamble to articulate the purposes of government, compile collages, and research the separation of powers within each branch of...
Curated OER
Write a Constitution
Fourth graders examine the United states Constitution and discuss the difficulties the framers faced in writing it. They explore ideas about the division of power, rights, and other topics contained in it.
Curated OER
Supreme Court Newspaper
Students examine the purpose and responsibilities of the Supreme Court and its justices. In groups, they research a specific case and identify how the Supreme Court affects their lives. Using the information they find, they create a...
Curated OER
Court Documents Related to Martin Luther King, Jr., and Memphis Sanitation Workers
Young scholars read about the civil rights movement in their textbooks. They engage in a whole-class discussion of how nonviolent direct action can be a powerful tool for bringing about social, economic, or political change.
Curated OER
The Formation and Function of the Supreme Court
Students analyze the role of the U.S. Supreme Court. They read a handout and Article III, section 1 of the Constitution, analyze and rate by relevance noteworthy Supreme Court cases, and write how they decided each rating.
Heritage Foundation
The House of Representatives
The House of Representatives has a lot of responsibility in the United States government. But how did it all begin, and why is it the way it is now? A comprehensive lesson answers all of these questions about the US Constitution...
Curated OER
In the Light of Reverence
Learners watch a documentary prior to participating in a Supreme Court simulation in order to study how religious practices are protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. They interpret conflict from a number of perspectives...
Curated OER
Procedures of the Court
Students examine the role of the Michigan Supreme Court. They diagram the procedure one must follow to bring a case before the Court. They discuss the order of business for oral arguments as well.
Curated OER
John G. Roberts, Jr. -- Nominee, Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
Students examine the life and work of John G. Roberts, the nominee to be the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. In groups, they use the internet to define the role of the Chief Justice and complete handouts to record their information....
Curated OER
Women Judges and Justice in Washington State
Students learn of the barriers women have faced in becoming lawyers and judges and identify strategies women use to become successful.
Curated OER
Scooting Away from Justice?
Students examine President Bush's July 2007, decision to commute the 30-month sentence of former White House official, I. Lewis 'Scooter' Libby by reading a New York Times article. They scan editorial sources on various sides of the...
Judicial Branch of California
Separate But Equal - Is It Black or White?
The story of Ruby Bridges and the case of Brown vs. The Board of Education are fantastic tools for discussing the concept of separate but equal. Kids tackle some big questions about what is fair, what is civil, and what rights or laws...
Curated OER
The American Revolution: 1775 - 1783
Track the ins and outs and wartime strategies used by both the British and the Americans during the Revolutionary War. Multiple comparisons are made between both factions, maps, statistical data, images, and light text is used throughout...
Curated OER
Teaching With Documents: U.S. Constitution Workshop
What does it mean to be American? Explore the constitution and what it really means to be a citizen here. First, learners of all ages will investigate different primary source documents. Then, they establish each document's...
Curated OER
United States Government 5th Grade
In this review of United States government worksheet, 5th graders recall facts and answer multiple choice questions. Students answer 25 questions.
Curated OER
4-H Citizenship Activity Page - Beginning Level
This is a 4-H citizenship activity that asks learners to examine county government, city councils, the three branches of the United States government, and complete a community service project. It also includes a word search,...
Curated OER
Bill of Rights
US history classes explore constitutional rights as they relate to court cases involving teens. Your class must already be familiar with the Bill of Rights before beginning this series of exercises. In preparation for a debate-style...
Judicial Learning Center
State Courts vs. Federal Courts
Popular culture often portrays the Feds as the most fearsome of law enforcement agencies. Yet, someone charged with a crime is considerably more likely to end up in a state court. The lesson, one of six covering the Organization of the...
Digital History
The Age of Constitution Writing
Was the United States significantly more democratic in their governing structures and laws after the overthrow of British authorities? Compare and contrast summaries of the country's constitutions under British rule and after...
Curated OER
U.S. Constitution and Amendments
Young scholars explore the framework of government and examine the Constitution to see its impact on their lives.