Is much required of those to whom much is given? That's the central question asked of middle schoolers in this lesson. Scholars consider the actions of Tommie Smith and John Carlos, Colin Kaepernick, Lady Gaga, and others who have taken...

Students focus on what it means to be a citizen of the United States and why the Chinese Exclusion Act is important when considering the concept of racism.

Students are introduced to the roles and influence of technology and the media on American representative democracy. They examine the effects of the Internet on citizens' role in government and the role and effects of media on the...

Are the juvenile courts fair? Learners read a bit from the classic Oliver Twist to consider how young people are treated and represented when they've been accused of a crime. They read a case study from their books, discuss children's...

Fifth graders design an "ecologically sound" city. They write laws for the city to help make all citizens aware of their ecological responsibilities and propose alternative power sources for light and heat.

Fourth graders explore the U.S. Constitution and how is protects the rights and freedoms of American citizens. They run through various circumstances and decide whether a person's rights have been violated.

Do your historians fully grasp the consequences of being at war? Help them connect past with present through this group research activity, which has young scholars analysing repercussions suffered by citizens of countries in conflict....

Use this SMART board activity with any short story in your unit plan. The SMART board file contains a step-by-step guide to plot diagrams, including an interactive practice page and an assignment. This resource is beneficial for language...

Fifth graders recognize the specific mythological characters and their significance to Greek citizens, create representations of some gods and goddesses, and explore mythology as an attempt by earlier civilizations to explain natural...

Students pretend to be citizens of a new space colony and have been elected to the Intergalactic Senate to consider adding a Bill of Rights to the Constitution. They break into groups and discuss what seems unfair and fair about the...

Explore how Galileo's controversial theory raised objections in his time. In this physical science activity, learners research about current controversial issues. They role play both sides of the issue, and decide which one has a...

Eighth graders work together to come up with a topic for a service learning project that engages all members of the school community. Groups then develop a dialogue and visit other classrooms to encourage other students to participate....

Use the suggested question "What does it mean to be a citizen?" to prompt your writers. After they free-write for five minutes, have them trade papers with another classmate. For the next five minutes, class members respond to the new...

Young scholars research eminent domain and whether or not there has been a land dispute in their community. Students search local newspapers, local history books or talk with civic leaders and long-time citizens and create a chart...

This resource uses primary source documents to explore the First Amendment. After reviewing key events of the 1790s, government or US history classes explore Madison's letter to Jefferson regarding the Alien and Sedition Acts. They then...

Students become active participants in the legal process as they take on the roles of witnesses, jurors, and defendants in a trial simulation. An understanding and appreciation of the legal system is fostered through the experience.

Although this was written regarding Canadian agriculture, it can be used in any agriculture or environmental science class. Learners evaluate agricultural and economic activity maps and consider land use competition. Activities that get...

Crime and punishment! Learners discuss the law, civics, and crime in the UK. They brainstorm lists of crimes and possible punishments, complete activities on a website, role-play a Juvenile Court scenario, and try to think of ways they...

Being an informed citizen requires distinguishing fact from opinion and understanding persuasion methods. Secondary learners evaluate newspaper editorials. They read opinion pieces, identify the writer's purpose and position on an issue,...

First graders verbally list personal, ethical and work habit skills needed for classroom jobs during discussion. They discuss why it is important to be honest when doing a job in the classroom? Students give examples of three skills....

Ethnic diversity is the focus of the political science lesson presented here. In it, pupils discuss the variety of ethnicities they see at their own school. They share their knowledge, or personal experiences of the way that people of...

Students determine the factors that were considered when purchasing slaves at market or through the purchase of an estate. They examine the Arkansas Slave Code and share its content through a group activity.

Sure to activate young minds, this resource asks learners to consider how media influences their personal points of view. Pupils examine how animals are portrayed in the media to understand why they feel the way they do about those...

It is important that future responsible scientists and citizens are able to read and analyze scientific literature. Here you will find four ideas for bringing current science event articles into your classroom. Suggestions range from...