University of Arkansas
Promises Denied
"Promises Denied," the second instructional activity in a unit that asks learners to consider the responsibilities individuals have to uphold human rights, looks at documents that illustrate the difficulty the US has had trying to live...
School Improvement in Maryland
Dividing the Powers of Government
Who does what? To develop an understanding of the balance of power between the US federal and state governments, class members research responsibilities in terms of legal systems, security issues, economic activities, lawmaking, and...
Curated OER
Fairy Tails Can Show Due:It can happen for you, If you play your part.,
Students view a Reader's Theater focusing on the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The story is used as a springboard into a videotaped mock trial of Gold E. Locks developed by the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). They...
Curated OER
Declaration of Independence and the Constitution
Fifth graders read a rewritten version of the Declaration of Independence, create a set of pictures illustrating the Preamble of the Constitution and create a version of the Declaration of Independence in the form of a song, a poem,...
Curated OER
Absolute Monarchs and Constitutional Monarchs
In this absolute monarchs and constitutional monarchs study guide worksheet, learners respond to 15 short answer and fill in the blank questions.
Curated OER
Constitution and the Bill of Rights
Fourth graders explore the information of the index of the Constitution. In this Constitution and Bill of Rights activity, 4th graders complete a worksheet by locating keywords in the index. Students understand the importance of using an...
Curated OER
Lesson 4: The Judiciary: A Brief Introduction to the Courts System
Focusing on the judicial branch of government, the fourth lesson in this series explores the structure of the US courts system. Beginning with an engaging activity based on the short story The Lady or the Tiger, students go on...
Curated OER
The Constitution
Students determine that the rules that we follow in America were written in the Constitution. They study a copy of the constitution and discuss how it compares and differentiates from the plan the class has written. They recite our...
Curated OER
Foundations of the U.S. Constitution
Eighth graders use information found in their textbooks to create flip charts containing information about Articles of Confederation, U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, English Bill of Rights, House of Burgesses, Magna Carta, and...
Curated OER
Constitution Day
Students discuss the need for rules in their community and classroom. Using this information, they identify the authority figures at their house, at school and in the community. They are read a book about following the rules and listen...
iCivics
Argument Wars
From start to finish, here is a fantastic resource that uses engaging activities and an interactive virtual game to teach about major US Supreme Court cases. Your class members will distinguish the primary arguments made in such cases as...
School Improvement in Maryland
Court Proceedings Civil Cases
What's the difference between civil and criminal law? How do the court proceedings differ in these two types of trials? How do the standards of proof differ? Why do these differences exist? As part of their examination of the...
Curated OER
The Bill of Rights and Your Life
High schoolers review the contents of the Constitution by taking a trivia quiz and brainstorm the rights contained in the Bill of Rights. After discussing the Bill of Rights, students categorize and outline its content. Given a...
Curated OER
Core Democratic Values of American Constitutional Democracy
Students describe the ideas found in the core democratic values. In groups, they design and create a brochure explaining how the values relate to other ideas that Americans accept as a nation. They share what they know with with...
Curated OER
The Constitution
Students use both electronic and traditional resources to research information about U.S. Constitution, answer questions pertaining to Congress and the Presidency, and design HyperStudio presentation to display answers to research...
Curated OER
What Makes Us Free?: Maine's Declaration of Rights
Students analyze Maine's Declaration of Rights. They review state constitutions and declaration of rights and their importance. They analyze a section of Maine's Declaration of Rights and crete their own declarations of rights. They...
Curated OER
The Living Constitution
Tenth graders explore the Constitution as a "living document." After reading three specific cases, learners consider characteristics that make up a living document. In groups, they conduct guided research on each case. Pupils write a...
Curated OER
The Taliban Meets the Bill of Rights
Students contrast the Taliban and the Constitution. They read through "What the Taliban Banned" and identify "rights." They determine if rights in the United States are in danger and if the Taliban violate the first ten amendments to...
Center for Civic Education
Lesson 2: Suffrage Amendments
Youngsters examine selected amendments to the Constitution to determine how voting requirements in the US have changed from the colonial days to the present.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Presidential Qualifications
Can anyone grow up to be president of the United States? As part of their study of the 2020 election, groups research the constitutional requirements to become president. The class then brainstorms a list of qualifications beyond those...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Unauthorized Immigration and the US Economy
As part of a study of immigration and the U.S. economy, class members assume the role of newspaper editors to determine which submitted letters to print on their paper's editorial page to present a balanced view of the debate.
Carolina K-12
Writing Prompt: The Death Penalty
Is the death penalty unjust because it violates the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution, "cruel and unusual punishment"? Or is it just a form of permissible capital punishment? After weighing arguments for and against the...
Project Tahoe
Individual Rights vs. The Greater Good Within the Scope of War
When, if ever, is the government justified in restricting individual rights? When, if ever, should the "greater good" trump individual rights? To prepare to discuss this hot-button topic, class members examine primary source documents,...
Curated OER
Dekanawidah- A Forgotten Founding Father
Students compare plans for government. In this early American history lesson, students compare and contrast the U.S. Constitution with the Iroquois Constitution. Students identify cultural features, government functions, and citizenship...