Newspaper Association of America
Using the Newspaper to Teach the Five Freedoms of the First Amendment
Of all the amendments found in The Bill of Rights, the First Amendment contains some of the most important freedoms for American citizens. A unit plan on the First Amendment features interactive lesson plans designed to teach about those...
Annenberg Foundation
Actions that Changed the Law
The Fair Play Act of 2009 came about due to the actions of one woman. Young historians research Lilly Ledbetter and what she went through to get pay equal to that paid to men for the same work at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. The...
Center for Civic Education
What Basic Ideas About Government Are Included in the Preamble to the Constitution?
Young historians explore the meaning of the Preamble to the US Constitution in this upper-elementary social studies lesson plan. Working with partners or in small groups, children discuss the purpose of government before reading and...
Curated OER
What is the Federal System Created by the Constitution?
Explore the unique structure of the federal system of government in the United States. Class members will learn about how most nations were organized before the establishment of the Constitution, how power is currently divided...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Revolution '67, Lesson 1: Protest: Why and How
To some people, protesting is as American as apple pie, but the factors that lead to protests can be as confusing to veteran activists as to today's youth. Revolution '67 explores the riots in Newark, New Jersey as a case study. ...
Speak Truth to Power
Elie Wiesel: Speaking Truth to Genocide to Power
Invite your learners to discover the efforts of Night author Elie Wiesel to promote awareness of genocide in the world. After watching and reading an interview of Elie Wiesel, high schoolers work to create a living Holocaust...
Delegation of the European Union to the United States
Structure of Government within the EU
The political system of the European Union is historically unique and has been constantly evolving. To better understand the structure of the EU, class members compare the EU's branches to those of the United States Federal Government.
Delegation of the European Union to the United States
The Single Market and Free Trade
What are the benefits of a single EU market? Class members conclude their examination of the European Union by focusing on the single market concept designed to bring down barriers, create more jobs, and increase prosperity.
Caucus 101
Linkage Institutions: Interest Groups: Option A
How are elections really run and won? Learn about special interest groups, super PACs, and lobbyists with an engaging lesson plan about the caucus process. Young voters research specific interest groups and analyze their part in previous...
Caucus 101
Caucus History and Iowa’s “First in the Nation” Status
What is a caucus? Why is Iowa's first? Why did Iowa shift to the caucus format? After researching these basic questions, class members debate the question of whether or not Iowa should maintain its "first in the nation" status for caucuses.
Anti-Defamation League
Cyberbullying and Online Cruelty: Challenging Social Norms
"Everybody does it!" is often the clarion call to justify cyberbullying. Here's a lesson plan that encourages high schoolers to challenge these behaviors. Participants examine images, watch videos, and engage in discussions designed to...
Curated OER
Collaborative Projects: Have Your Say
Students imagine they are a member of their local council in Australia. Students have role play the consideration of information given to Council, then vote for or against approving applications.
Curated OER
House Bill No. 4097
Young scholars identify healthy and unhealthy foods while considering a bill that would ban certain foods in schools. Through survey and discussion, they discuss a proposed legislative bill that would ban certain types of food in...
Curated OER
The Life of the Party
Students research and deliver oral presentations discussing how state governors' attitudes reflect those commonly associated with their national party leadership. They synthesize their knowledge by writing essays on centrist politics.
Curated OER
The Right to Vote
Students are provided a form for learner to read and discuss several ways people have been prevented from voting. Students relate what they know and discovered about voting rights for different population of people. They establish a...
Curated OER
Modern Europe Research Project: How Changes in Late 20th Century Europe Helped To Shape Our Global Society Today
Students research a topic relevant to the late 20th century. They create a project while following the conditions explained in the rubric.
Curated OER
Government Goods and Services
Fifth graders investigate the connection between taxes and government services. In this economics lesson, 5th graders discuss the process and benefits of paying sales and income taxes. Using calculators, students compute the...
Curated OER
The Political Dr. Seuss
Learners discuss the role political cartoons have played in U.S. politics and public affairs since the 1700's. They analyze some of the political cartoons Dr. Seuss drew during World War II and discuss how these cartoons conveyed his...
Curated OER
Civil Liberties And National Security
Students 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
Civic Education
Students in an adult ESL class are introduced to the political discourse in the United States government. As a class, they develop their own definitions of democracy. In groups, they read an article and present their analysis of the...
Curated OER
Interconnections Between Private and Civic Life -- Focus on the County
Students discuss the connections between their lives and the government. In groups, they examine the roles that governments have in different societies throughout the world. They role-play the roles of County members in providing...
Curated OER
Great Expectations : Civic Participation
Students research the biographical information of Canadian MP's, Senators, and other senior government leaders. Each student be assigned 2 senators and 2 MP's to research.
Curated OER
Responsibilities and rights: Making civic decisions
Learners, working in small groups, investigate concepts related to social and economic decision-making. They define issues for some different groups within Australia, then assign either government or individual responsibility for each...
Curated OER
Civics/Current Events Activity for Students in Grades 4 - 7
Students examine the diverse reasons why cultures in other areas of the world often express hatred and resentment of Americans.