Anti-Defamation League
The Road to Brown
As part of the study of segregation in U.S. schools, scholars research and create a timeline of events that led to the historic Supreme Court case, Brown V. Board of Education. Groups research a topic or event that led to the decision,...
Curated OER
Small Country Constitution
High schoolers pretend they live in a very small country with a Constitution, and Bill of Rights, like that of the US. People from another planet conquer the country, but allow them to retain five rights. They choose the five rights they...
Curated OER
Children's Literature and the Bill of Rights
Students read a variety of well-known studenT books and discuss concepts presented in the books as they relate to the Bill of Rights. They discuss the books and compare them to the Bill of Rights Amendments.
Curated OER
Rights of the Accused: To Be Confronted with the Witnesses Against Him
Students take on the role of Supreme Court Justices, after reading summary of a case and the arguments for and against a defendant's appeal. They make a decision, write majority and minority opinions, and report their decision.
Curated OER
The Election Is in the House: The Denouement
Students research the US Presidential election of 1824. They explain why the election of 1824 was decided in the House of Representatives. They summarize relevant portions of the Constitution on presidential election procedures.
Curated OER
Understanding James Madison The Father of the Constitution
Students research James Madison and create a table of his strengths and weaknesses. In this James Madison lesson, students read Jean Fritz's, The Great Little Madison, while developing their research skills, vocabulary strategies, and...
Curated OER
What are the 13th,14th, and 15th Amendments?
The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments are outlined in this PowerPoint. Each amendment is noted on its own slide, with a summary of its purpose and important sections of the actual document. Tip: Have students choose an amendment and write...
Curated OER
Protesting within First Amendment Rights
Students research the First Amendment and what it says about the right to peaceably assemble as well as read in particular about those who were arrested or removed from an area for being disruptive during a protest on the War in Iraq....
Curated OER
Court Cases Testing the Establishment of Religion
Although the PowerPoint this lesson plan calls for is unavailable, you could easily create a presentation to fulfill its purpose. Learners listen to a presentation and keep track of the information with a graphic organizer that looks at...
Curated OER
Religion in the Schools
The requirements of the Equal Access Act are studied and applied to factual situations. By looking at the particular contexts suggested your class can examine the difficulties faced by administrators in whether they should permit...
iCivics
You've Got Rights!
If aliens invaders nearly destroy the world in the distant future and leaders must decide on a pamphlet of protections to preserve individual rights, what should they include? Introduce the Bill of Rights and the struggle between the...
Ashbrook Center at Ashland University
Bill of Rights
Do citizens need protection from the federal government? Scholars investigate why the framers of the Constitution created the first 10 amendments and what these amendments mean to citizens of the United States more than 200 years later....
Curated OER
The Juvenile Death Penalty
Sensitive material is discussed in this activity. 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...
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...
Curated OER
Liberty for All: Voices from the Revolution
Did the Declaration of Independence really intend to grant liberty for all? Get your class thinking about historical perspective with documents relaying the experiences of women, white men, and African-Americans during the Revolutionary...
Curated OER
The Final Question
Students analyze their own feelings about the death penalty before considering court cases involving the death penalty. They determine what their definition is of cruel and unusual punishment, and analyze how different states handle the...
Curated OER
Citizenship and the Constitution
Students identify government officials and resources on a local, state and national level. They determine the structure of local, state, and national governments.
Curated OER
The Bill of Rights: Debating the Amendments
Students interpret historical evidence presented in primary and secondary resources. In this Bill of Rights instructional activity, students research 12 possible amendments that were considered for the...
Curated OER
Government is News: Studying the Constitution
Sixth graders explore the United States Constitution. In this social studies lesson, learners discover how a bill is made into law, study the election process, and identify specific elements of the Bill of Rights.
Curated OER
Branches of the Government: Jeopardy Game
Jeopardy games are great ways for students to review concepts in an interesting way. This Game covers the Amendments, 3 Branches of US Government, and miscellaneous terms related to American independence and law.
Judicial Branch of California
A “Commemorative” Bill of Rights
It's 1943, and Jewish people in Denmark are in hiding from the Nazis. What protection can the United States offer them? By examining the Constitution, specifically the Bill of Rights, scholars consider the protections afforded to those...
Curated OER
American Focus on World Constitutions
Young scholars describe demographic, economic, political and geographic features of the U.S., summarize events leading to the creation of the Constitution and describe the process of amending the Constitution.
Curated OER
The Constitution
Eighth graders watch as their teacher presents information on the Constitution, government and laws through a PowerPoint presentation. In groups, they discuss the importance of government and laws and identify the main ideas in the...
Curated OER
The Constitution Lives! How it Protects Your Rights Today
Students brainstorm their rights as Americans. In this The Constitution Lives! instructional activity, students discern the difference between rights and rules by completing a worksheet. Students consider the differences between types of...