Interactive
DocsTeach

Comparing the Magna Carta and English Bill of Rights with the U.S. Bill of Rights

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Just how alike are some historical documents? Discover the similarities between the Magna Carta and the United States Bill of Rights in a fast-paced activity. Historians learn the importance of both documents and the lasting impact they...
Lesson Plan
Carolina K-12

Who the People? Representative Democracy in North Carolina and Congress

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Our elected officials are supposed to represent us, but what does it mean when they aren't like us? Budding citizens explore the demographic makeup of the US Congress, the role of money in political elections, and the Citizens United...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Amending the Constitution

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students research the history of the process of amending the US Constitution to explain the latest amendment that failed on June 28, 2006. They complete the research and view images online.
Lesson Plan
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University of California

Equal Rights? The Women's Movement from Suffrage to Schlafly

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
If you've never heard of the Equal Rights Amendment, it's probably because there isn't one in the United States Constitution. Delve into the contentious history behind the ERA, its founders and supporters, and reasons for its political...
Assessment
New York State Education Department

US History and Government Examination: June 2011

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Those who lived during the Great Depression could clearly draw a line between the roaring 1920s and the desolation of the following decade. Class members examine these two periods and compare them using an essay question prompt and...
Lesson Plan
Center for Civic Education

Lesson 2: Suffrage Amendments

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
Youngsters examine selected amendments to the Constitution to determine how voting requirements in the US have changed from the colonial days to the present.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Post-1865: Effects of the War

For Teachers 9th - 12th
An engaging lesson focuses on the impact of the war and Lincoln's plan for Reconstruction had on the United States. Historians analyze primary documents, such as Constitutional Amendments and newspaper experts. They also participate in...
Unit Plan
C3 Teachers

Democracy in Danger: Should the Right to Vote Be Protected in the Constitution?

For Teachers 12th
High school seniors investigate what national, state and local rules say about voting. After examining the Constitution's articles, clauses, and amendments, researchers look at videos, listen to podcasts, and read articles to gather...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Federalism and the Division of Power

For Students 7th - 8th
Test your U.S. history class on what they know about Federalism and the division of power. There are 5 matching and 5 multiple choice questions to solve. Questions relate to the American federal system, US Constitution, national...
Unit Plan
Bill of Rights Institute

Preserving the Bill of Rights

For Students 8th - 12th Standards
Consider how America's founding fathers and their experiences contributed to the rights we all enjoy today. A collection of reading, writing, and collaborative exercises prompt high schoolers to think about the ways their current lives...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Small Country Constitution

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students 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 want...
PPT
Curated OER

Branches of the Government: Jeopardy Game

For Teachers 5th
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.  
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Bill of Rights is for US Today

For Teachers 7th - 9th
The first ten Amendments of the U.S. Constitution are vital for young people to understand. Provide the foundation of the laws that govern our country with this junior high school lesson. Groups use the newspaper to identify rights...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

U.S. Constitution and Amendments

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Young scholars explore the framework of government and examine the Constitution to see its impact on their lives.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Landmark Supreme Court Cases And The Constitution

For Teachers 11th
Have an engaging class discussion on the Bill of Rights, U.S. Constitution, and the Supreme Court. Learners examine multiple aspects of the Marbury v. Madison case and the impact that case had on the judicial system in the U.S. Web...
Lesson Plan
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School Improvement in Maryland

Affirmative Action

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Do the government's affirmative action policies promote equity in the United States? The Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution and affirmative action policies come under scrutiny in an activity that asks class members to...
Lesson Plan
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Walt Disney Company

Elizabeth Started All the Trouble

For Students 2nd - 6th Standards
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a famous suffragette that paved the way for equal rights for women. Readers respond to before, during, and after reading questions based on her story. The resource is a great addition to a instructional...
Lesson Plan
PBS

The Meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The Fourteenth Amendment was extremely important to civil rights and is a crucial one to remember. The resource teaches about the Supreme Court decisions related to the amendment through writing exercises, reading, and working in small...
Worksheet
Administrative Office of the US Courts

Cox v. New Hampshire

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
Staging a debate is a great way to class members to think deeply about issues, especially those related to rights guaranteed by the US Constitution. The Supreme Court case, Cox V. New Hampshire, focuses on the First Amendment's...
PPT
Curated OER

The American Revolution: 1775 - 1783

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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...
Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

It's Your Right: A Civil Rights Brochure

For Teachers 12th
Learners examine the US Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Supreme Court cases in order to broaden their understanding of the US Judicial System. They research a variety of textual and Internet resources to create a tri-fold brochure,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Presenting Constitutional Issues in a Non-adversarial Mode

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth Amendments to the US Constitution. They apply different points of view to their research and present their finding to the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Essentials of the US Constitution

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students determine how the content of the U.S. Government enables the U.S. Government to function. They examine the roles and functions of the three branches of government and how the separation of powers and checks and balances affect...
Lesson Plan
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University of Arkansas

Assessment and Discussion

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
"Without concerned citizen action to uphold them (human rights) close to home; we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world. . ." Eleanor Roosevelt's comment is used to set the stage for the conclusion of a five-lesson unit...