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Citizen Me

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders examine what it means to be a citizen. Using the Constitution, they discover the functions and purpose of government. They compare and contrast the difference between a democracy and a monarchy. As a class, they discuss...
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All Sorts of Seeds!

For Teachers 1st
First graders compare seeds and explore how they are carried through the environment.
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Birth of a Nation

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders portray one of the actual framers of the Constitution. They summarize each class period with a journal entry and culminate the experience with the actual framing and signing (or not signing) of the Constitution.
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United States & Canada: How Are We The Same? How Are We Different?

For Teachers 6th - 7th
Students compare and contrast similarities and differences between Canada and the US.  In this geography lesson, students read various articles and identify similarities and differences in economies, cultures, geography, climate,...
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The Bill of Rights Today

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine the Bill of Rights, They read the Bill of Rights and clarify the meaning of the material using different reading strategies. In groups, students brainstorm to compare and evaluate their conclusions with those of...
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The Dynamics of the Leadership Process

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students explain the dynamics surrounding the selection of a leader for a country. They explain the involvement of individual citizens in the selection process.
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"Breadline": The Great Depression Causes, Consequences and Recovery

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students compare prices of popular items of late 1920s to cost of those items presently, determine which companies are best in which to invest, analyze causes and consequences of stock market crash of 1929, and evaluate significance of...
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Campaign Signs and Pranksters

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students collect campaign literature and investigate what signs local candidates are using. Students contact local politicians/candidates and interview them about the concepts and creation of their campaign literature. Students compare...
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Going Greek

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders learn about the life of a young boy in Greece and all about his cultural heritage. Pupils gather information about the history, culture, and the many influences the ancient Greeks had on modern day society. Terrific video...
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Getting to Democracy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students define democracy and analyze the conditions needed for democracy to flourish. Students research governments in the Middle East to determine how and if they have any form of democracy within their government.
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Our National Documents

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students explore the significance of National Documents. In this National Documents lesson, students read handouts regarding the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights. Students complete the provided...
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Hitler¿¿¿s Fatal Gamble ? Comparing Totalitarianism and Democracy

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students compare/contrast totalitarianism and democracy and examine their roles in World War II. They read a handout, complete a Venn diagram, and participate in a class discussion.
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The Middle Ages: A Time of Conflict and Change

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students become familiar with the concepts of conflict and change and the relationship between them. They then analyze medieval social groupings to understand relationships among people and people groups.
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Studies of the Ancient World

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders, after taking a pretest, write a paragraph describing the difference between Athens and Sparta and write an article about the ancient Phoenicians, describing their contributions to world history. They compare democracy in...
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Writing Newspaper Articles

For Teachers 7th - 11th
Students write newspaper articles regarding their service learning experiences. In this writing skills instructional activity, students review the writing process skills to develop high-quality articles. Students write articles regarding...
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Lesson 28: Introduction to Illinois Government

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders research and compare the United States and Illinois Governments. They play the game Who Wans To Be A Millionaire.
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Hammurabi's Code of Laws

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students explore why the need arose for laws to govern society, comparing and contrasting hunter/gatherer societies vs. agrarian societies. They write letters to the editor of the Babylonian Times, discussing their opinion of Hammurabi's...
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Comparing the Similarities and Differences of Medieval Castles

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students compare and contrast a Japanese castle with a Welsh castle. In groups, pupils use the internet to research specified topics on a castle. They explore the government, construction and military function of the area. Classmates...
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Drought, nomads and the price of peanuts

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students read two short text items, which describe different approaches to agriculture. They describe the likely advantages and disadvantages of each approach for farmers, commercial peanut buyers, the government, nomadic herdsman and...
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The Social and Economic Impact of Wildlife and Natural Resource Management

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students develop an understanding of environmental laws and regulations.  In this research lesson, students utilize information that involves controversial issues of wildlife and society. 
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American Colonial Life in the Late 1700s: Distant Cousins

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore daily life and its influences in the late 1700s for two families in different colonies- Delaware and Massachusetts by becoming historical detectives. After gathering information from artifacts to make inferences about...
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American Colonists Protest Song

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the role of protest songs. In this early American history lesson, students research the acts passed by the British that angered colonists. Students then listen to protest songs from contemporary American history prior to...
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Slave Auctions in South Carolina

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students examine primary sources in the form of auction records, create frequency charts, graphs and diagrams that they analyze to anwer questions followed by the writing of a paper that demonstrates their comprehension of the lesson.
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South Carolina and Quebec - A Comparative Study

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Pupils compare the structure and functions of the state government of South Carolina and the provincial government of Quebec. They examine the role of political parties and differing expressions of democracy and make a...