+
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

A Day for the Constitution

For Teachers 6th - 12th
The "Constitution Day and Citizenship Day" law requires schools receiving any federal funding to provide educational programming on the history of the American Constitution. The lesson plans, materials, videos, questions, and activities...
+
Lesson Plan
Newseum

‘45 Words' Video Lesson

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed Standards
A short video introduces viewers to the political struggles involved in passing the First Amendment and the many challenges it has faced since its passage.  Viewers then discuss how to balance issues of freedom of the press, national...
+
Interactive
National Constitution Center

Writing Rights: The Bill of Rights

For Students 8th - 12th Standards
Where did the cherished ideals enshrined in the Bill of Rights originate? While history gives the Founding Fathers much of the credit, laws in colonial America influenced the Bill of Rights. An interactive web-based activity allows...
+
Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Why is John Adams Standing on Thomas Jefferson's Foot?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Was it a bromance, or were they frenemies? Young historians use a controversial portrait and letters between Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and others to evaluate the relationship between the two Founding Fathers. Examining the primary...
+
Worksheet
Curated OER

Worksheet #61 Questions - James Madison

For Students 8th - 9th
In this James Madison historical term quiz, students define the meaning of several terms relating to the aforementioned topic in order to advance their historical knowledge.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Arguments Against Ratifying the Constitution

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Learners define federalism, Federalist, and Anti-Federalist, debate issue of ratification in classroom convention, and take vote on whether to add bill of rights. Three lessons on one page.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Philadelphia Convention/Constitutional Convention

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore the major points covered during the Philadelphia Convention/Constitutional Convention. They discuss the Federalists and the Anti federalists. They discuss the Bill of Rights and the drafting of the Constitution....
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Separation of Powers

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders explore and explain the responsibilities and limits of our national system of government. After reading various selections documenting the viewpoints of the federalists and anti-federalists and the separation of power,...
+
Worksheet
Curated OER

The American People, “Creating a Nation”

For Students 8th - 12th
For this early American history worksheet, students read noted pages in their textbooks and then respond to 7 short answer questions regarding the U.S. Constitution and its formation.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Debate On Ratification

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students simulate a delegate that was responsible for the Constitution. They research their arguments, and stage a debate in front of the state's legislature (the class). The class then vote whether or not to ratify the new Constitution.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson on Federalism

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders study Federalism and delegated, reserved, and concurrent powers. They participate in a simulation in which they role-play Federalists and Anti-federalists debating which powers should be categorized as delegated,...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Federalism

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students become familiar with the Federalist papers and the work of the federal government.  In this federalism lesson plan, students find similarities and differences between state and federal government.
+
Worksheet
Curated OER

Social Studies Word Search

For Students 8th - 9th
For this social studies word search, learners identify twenty five words related to the Constitution in a word search. Examples include: preside, Anti-Federalist, and senate.
+
Activity
Constitutional Rights Foundation

The War of 1812: America’s First Declared War

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Free Trade and Sailor's Rights! Pupils dive into America's first declared war, the War of 1812. They analyze the presidencies of Jefferson and Madison through diary entries and historical reasoning. To conclude the lesson, they use their...
+
Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

Congress's Territorial Powers, Implied Powers, Citizenship, and the Bureaucracy

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
An informative resource gives scholars a look into why the US Constitution placed certain federal powers over that of the state. A variety of activities about constitutional clauses helps to create meaningful learning.
+
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
Heritage Foundation

The Office of the Executive

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
An executive is not just a leader of a company; you can also use the term to describe the president of the United States. The ninth part of a 20-part unit teaches high schoolers about the importance of the executive branch and the...
+
Interactive
2
2
Judicial Learning Center

The Constitution and Rights

For Students 6th - 12th
What's the right way to teach young historians about the Bill of Rights? Many an instructor has asked this question when pondering lesson plans over the US Constitution. The Constitution and Rights is a nifty resource that provides a...
+
PPT
Curated OER

The American Revolution: 1775-1783

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Casting the American Revolution into a bright, informative light, this presentation details many key facts about the strategies and decision during the revolutionary campaigns. The latter half of the slides prompt viewers to examine why...
+
Lesson Plan
1
1
National Endowment for the Humanities

The President Under the Articles of Confederation

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
The Articles of Confederation sounds like one big, fancy title to middle schoolers. Here, scaffolded steps help to ease novices into understanding this all-important American document. Discussion questions, lesson activities, and ideas...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Bill of Rights and Your Life

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students 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 worksheet,...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Father" of Our Country vs. "Father" of the Bill of Rights

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students examine the relevance of the Bill of Rights. In this Bill of Rights lesson, students study the parts of the Constitution and the ten amendments. They investigate the rights and responsibilities that accompany being an American....
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fine Tuning a Nation: Using Cartoons

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students examine political cartoons to gain an understanding of the political issues that George Washington faced. For this historical perspectives lesson, students analyze political cartoons about the National Bank, the title...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Constitutional Convention

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students engage in a role-playing situation to illustrate the kinds of compromised that were made a teh Constitutional Convention. They write three short 1-2 paragraph arguments and then present their arguments to the class at the...

Other popular searches