Center for Civic Education
Martin Luther King Jr. and the Power of Words
It is easy to forget the power that written or spoken word can have in effecting change. Using quotations from such inspirational leaders as Maya Angelou, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr., encourage your class members to...
State Bar of Texas
McCullough v. Maryland
Can a state government tax the federal government? The Supreme Court case McCullough v. Maryland explores different governments in the United States. Scholars research the court's decision with a video and discussion. They formulate...
Student Handouts
Comparing Countries’ Constitutions
Analyze the constitutions of five different countries and see how they relate to each country's culture and traditions. Pupils read the preambles to the constitutions of India, Ireland, Russia, Suriname, and the United States. After...
Carolina K-12
Preventing Voter Fraud or Encouraging Voter Suppression?
The issues of voter fraud and voter suppression are relevant in every election, local as well as national. Soon-to-be voters learn about a recent bill proposed in North Carolina, the Voter Information and Verification Act, and decide for...
Curated OER
Tax Jeopardy
Create a glossary of tax-related vocabulary and clip New York Times articles that present tax procedure in action, in preparation for participating in a tax quiz bowl. Young economists explore allegations that "Survivor" Richard Hatch...
Curated OER
Social and Cultural Issues in the Civil Rights Movement
Students examine the society and culture during the times of the Civil Rights movement. They view video clips and answer comprehension questions. They work together to research different authors and musicians sharing their information...
Curated OER
Development of Industrial New Hampshire
Students work in groups to research and share information about several different topics that were part of the development of Industrial New Hampshire. Students complete five parts of the project which include researching, role playing...
Curated OER
Boomtown
Students view a series of films that explore evolving concepts of civil rights in America. They consider the civil rights of African-Americans, the aged and homosexuals. They discuss the films and complete worksheets.
Curated OER
My Heritage Country Report
High schoolers list five food dishes that are part of their family's heritage. Each student then does research of a country and a recipe (possibly a family recipe). With the help of members of his/her kitchen group, the student prepares...
Generation Nation
Propaganda
How does propaganda influence our vote? Through grand conversation, scholars gain information about what is and how to identify the different ways propaganda is used in a presidential election. Using their new-found knowledge, citizens...
Carolina K-12
How Do I Pre-Register and Vote in North Carolina?
This practical activity helps young citizens learn about pre-registration to vote in elections, discuss the merits and flaws of the pre-registration process, and register themselves. The concluding activity has young voters creating an...
Carolina K-12
Making First Vote Your Vote: Designing a Schoolwide Election
Encourage pupils to design an election plan for the entire school. They participate in a Board of Elections, create polling rules, discuss election controversies, write questions about the issues, run the election through an online...
Curated OER
The Embodied Presidency
Tenth graders compare and contrast the immigration reform policies of Presidents Reagan and Bush. In this immigration activity, 10th graders examine primary documents related to each president's policy for immigration reform. Students...
Carolina K-12
Choice, Conflict, and Compromise at the County level
With all the hubbub surrounding national elections, it's easy to forget the importance of local government. After learning about county governance and voter turnout for local elections, young citizens demonstrate how local governance...
Curated OER
The Thirteen Colonies in 1770
Young scholars review the characteristics of the thirteen colonies. With a partner, they complete a worksheet describing the colonies within a specific amount of time. They review their responses and describe each region of colonies and...
Curated OER
The Embodied Presidency
Tenth graders analyze Roosevelt's Fireside Chats. In this Franklin D. Roosevelt presidency, 10th graders determine how well FDR's government programs aided victims of the Great Depression. Students examine selected Fireside Chats and...
Curated OER
The Fall of the Dollar
Students synthesize the basic workings of the international market for foreign exchange, especially how exchange rates are determined, how the value of a nation's currency is connected to its international trade, and how governmental...
Curated OER
Employee Payroll Simulation
High schoolers simulate creating and calculating employees payrolls using hourly wages, deductions, and proper taxes.
Curated OER
I'm The Taxman!
Students develop an understanding of how federal revenues are gained by taxes. This foundation enable students to decipher changes in federal tax policy. Groups of students study different types of taxes and prepare presentations on each...
Curated OER
Balance of Power
High schoolers explore the impact of the Federal Reserve Bank. In this central bank lesson, students read specific selections out of their textbooks about the history of the bank and its role in the U.S economy. High schoolers then...
Curated OER
Is All Well in Welfare?
Students explore current welfare reform issues and create plans of action to improve welfare reform laws in the United States. They predict what President Bush's "Working Towards Independence" welfare reform program might entail and...
Internal Revenue Service
Fairness in Taxes: How Taxes Affect Us
Learners are able to compare the effects of the following, using income as a measure of ability to pay: a progressive tax, a regressive tas, and a proportional tax. They explain how a mixture of regressive and progressive taxes could...
Curated OER
Corporate Governance
Examine the role of the Securities Exchange Commission. Upper graders watch a short Bill Moyers video, analyze a political cartoon, complete a graphic organizer on the SEC, and develop SEC reform strategies to rebuild investor confidence.
Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights
Juliana Dogbadzi: Slavery/Trafficking
Progress your learners' comprehension of universal human rights by exploring the violation of human trafficking through the experiences of Juliana Dogbadzi. This activity analyzes and discusses very sensistive and graphic issues but is...