Curated OER
African American Women Trailblazers
Young scholars take a closer look at the accomplishments of African-American women. In this African-American history lesson, students explore the work of Bessie Coleman, Gwendolyn Bennett, Lulu Madison White, and Zelma Watson George as...
Morningside Center
Challenging the Boy Scouts of America's Anti-Gay Policy
This straightforward plan invites class members to consider Boy Scouts of America's position on barring homosexual members. It includes readings outlining the position of those against such discrimination, but little from the perspective...
Curated OER
The Election
Students participate in an election. They are asked to vote for one of four candidates without knowing who they are or what they stand for. Students gain an important lesson when voting to make sure that security of freedom and...
Curated OER
How government Works
Students read to understand the process of lawmaking. For this lawmaking lesson, students define vocabulary and create an organizer showing the law making process. Students role play the various people involved in the...
Curated OER
American Justice on Trial
Young scholars role play a trial in which they consider if the United States government violated the rights of Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor.
Curated OER
Veterans Day Remembered
Sixth graders investigate Veteran's Day. In this holiday lesson, 6th graders conduct interviews with veterans and create an oral presentation to share the results of their interview.
Curated OER
The Constitution
A study of the Constitution can lead students into an exploration of civil rights, laws, and history.
Curated OER
Diet: You Are What You Eat
Third graders examine the issue of food quality to assess the dangers of pesticides, additives, and improper food preparation. After keeping food diaries and categorizing foods, they fill in food pyramids based on their journal entries....
Curated OER
The Election Process
In this election process instructional activity, students learn about the election process in the United States in which the president is selected. They then answer the 16 questions on the instructional activity. The answers are on the...
Curated OER
You and the Law -- Beating the Odds
Students examine the rate of institutional racism in the United States. Individually, they write in their journals about how they can make better choices and increase their self-esteem. Using historical documents, they identify the...
Curated OER
Understanding Presidential History
Students research to find the qualifications necessary to be President of the U.S. In this presidential qualification instructional activity, students research their family roots to see if they could qualify to be President. Students...
Curated OER
Cooperative Classroom Text Features Activities
Fifth graders examine text features and create a PowerPoint presentation. In this text features lesson, 5th graders go over Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures and text features before they choose one to include in a book and...
Curated OER
How Can Children Make A Difference In Their World As Human Rights Activists?
Students define term activist, identify and analyze contributions of activists of the past, realize that students can make a difference in their world, identify personal characteristics of students activists, recognize impact on...
Curated OER
Civil Liberties And National Security
Learners experience profiling first-hand through creation of a Class ID, and daily persecution of a selected group of students. They examine the tension between the concern for national security and for the preservation of civil liberties
Curated OER
Letters to the Government
Seventh graders examine how to be active participants in their local, state, or federal governments. They create a powerpoint presentation and write a letter to one of their governmental representatives about a problem and solution of...
Curated OER
Adult Criminal Justice System
Twelfth graders examine the procedures and protections involved in processing an accused person through the criminal justice system. They view a Powerpoint presentation, conduct research, and write a paper describing a crime they have...
Curated OER
The Supremes
Students discuss steps cases go through to reach Supreme Court, examine Bill of Rights, and rank rights in order of importance to them. Students then research Supreme Court case dealing with one of first ten amendments, and write about...
Curated OER
Courage to Be You: King Day
Learners define discrimination and what its like to be a stranger.In this discrimination lesson, students research the lives of Vivien Thomas and Hamilton Naki. Learners produce a wall display showing how they've overcome discrimination.
Curated OER
The Declaration of Independence
Students examine the Declaration of Independence. In this colonial America lesson, students read literature regarding the document as well as excerpts of the document itself. Students also perform a Reader's Theatre script based on the...
Curated OER
The New Republic
Students research the Federalists and Anti-federalists. In the lesson on state legislature, students use primary sources to create a brochure and write an essay that illustrates federalist and anti-federalists viewpoints.
Curated OER
Branches of Government
Students explore the three branches of government. In this government and U.S. history lesson, students listen to a story about a boy who attempts to sponsor a bill to ban cartoons. Students interview three teachers who each represent...
Curated OER
The Storming of the Bastille Student Worksheet
In this French Revolution worksheet, students read a paragraph and visit the noted Web sites to find the information to respond to 7 short answer questions about the storming of the Bastille.
Curated OER
Democracy Lesson Plans: History And Political Protest
Technology, and democracy lesson plans can help students understand recent events in Iran, and their link to such sites as Twitter.
Curated OER
Hello, I Am Deborah Sampson
Fifth graders research a historical figure from the Revolutionary War, dress as that person, and present information on that person. In this Revolutionary War lesson plan, 5th graders are videotaped as they present to the class.