Curated OER
Declaration of Independence
Students explore the US Constitution. In this Bill of Rights lesson, students work in pairs to select and examine amendments to the Bill of Rights. Students will identify what the amendment means, why they chose it, what it protects, and...
Curated OER
Getting to Know the Founding Fathers
Students focus on the values of moderation and self-discipline as exemplified by the U.S. Constitution and the Founding Fathers. Students participate in dialogues and role-plays.
Curated OER
Progressives and the Era of Trustbusting
High schoolers investigate the free-market system and anti-trust laws. In this Bill of Rights lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture on the details of monopolies and the progressive reform movement to...
Curated OER
Bill O'Rights
Young scholars discuss and identify the first ten amendments to the Constitution and apply their understanding of the material to how they currently affect their lives. They discover the rights and responsibilities of being a citizen,...
Curated OER
Civil Rights
Students are introduced to the concept of Civil Rights. In groups, they use a timeline of the Navajo tribe to identify the ways the tribe has made advances in Civil Rights throughout the years. To end the lesson, they take notes and...
Curated OER
Citizenship Test: Principles of American Democracy, Questions 1-12
Prepare your English learners for their upcoming citizenship test with this presentation. Addressing common questions about the American government and Constitution, this slideshow could be a good study guide for students who struggle...
Curated OER
A Right to Bear Arms - One Patriot's View
Students research Samuel Adams' role in the crafting of the Second Amendment. They consider how Adams' views evolved with time and write a one-page response linking their research to current events.
Curated OER
The Preamble to the Constitution
Students discuss key phrases from the Preamble of the Constitution, find ways to relate the values stated in the Preamble to their daily lives, and explore possible changes needed in the Constitution by future generations of citizens.
Curated OER
Looking at Constitutions
Students work in groups to research and examine Constitutions from various countries. In this government and public interests lesson, students analyze primary and secondary documents to make a comparison between constitutional documents...
Curated OER
Essentials of the US Constitution
Students determine how the content of the U.S. Government enables the U.S. Government to function. They examine the roles and functions of the three branches of government and how the separation of powers and checks and balances affect...
Curated OER
Constitutional Convention
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...
Curated OER
The United Nations: Fifty Years of Keeping the Peace
High schoolers examine the work of the United Nations. In this United Nations lesson plan, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the history of the United Nations. High schoolers respond to discussion...
Curated OER
Firestorms: The Bombing of Civilians in World War II
Learners examine the implication of civilian targets in war. In this World War II lesson, students investigate the history of bombing practices in war. Learners zero in on World War II bombing practices as they discuss precision and area...
Curated OER
Roots of Religious Liberty
Students examine the First Amendment and consider the contributions of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson. They review conflicts between the rights of Church and State and write a Madisonian argument on the issue.
Scholastic
Now that You Have Them, What Do You Do With Class Rules?
Establishing classroom rules within the first two weeks of school is important. But what do you do with the rules after they've been created, and how can you establish them so that they have a lasting effect all year long? Use an...
Judicial Branch of California
Fayette v. Take Two: The First Amendment
An informative lesson provides scholars the opportunity to study a Supreme Court case regarding the First Amendment and make a ruling with the members of their group. Class members also participate in group discussion and prepare a...
Teaching Tolerance
Parallels Between Mass Incarceration and Jim Crow
Is history repeating itself? A riveting lesson examines the parallels between mass incarceration in the U.S. and the Jim Crow Laws of the past. Academics review Jim Crow Laws and compare them to mass incarcerations of African Americans....
DocsTeach
Analyzing a Petition about Slavery
Practice analyzing primary sources in a thought-provoking lesson on the impact of slavery. Young historians read a petition regarding the Fugitive Slave Law and answer a series of questions to understand the importance of the document....
Curated OER
Express Yourself Lesson Seed 1
Make a study of the First Amendment and its relationship to freedom. Pupils rewrite the amendment and discuss the central idea before focusing on a specific phrase. After discussing, class members write a journal entry about the included...
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
Founding Documents
Teach the class about the predecessor to Declaration of Independence—the Virginia Declaration of Rights. Using the foundational documents, scholars examine the two writings to consider how they are similar and how they are different. A...
Curated OER
Age of Enlightenment
Studnets compare example of primary documents that have shaped U.S. government and our Constitution.
Curated OER
The Right and Responsibility To Bear Arms
Students write a paragraph summarizing the rights and responsibilities of owning a gun, including penalties for owners of guns which injure or kill. This less is designed for students acquiring English.
University of Arkansas
Assessment and Discussion
"Without concerned citizen action to uphold them (human rights) close to home; we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world. . ." Eleanor Roosevelt's comment is used to set the stage for the conclusion of a five-lesson unit...
Curated OER
Race and Voting in the Segregated South
Students examine the history of African American voting rights. In this voting rights lesson, students listen to a lecture on African American voting rights between the years 1890 and 1965. Students respond to discussion questions...