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Regulating Freedom of Speech
Students examine the nature and limits of the Constitutional right to freedom of speech. They read and analyze the First Amendment, discuss various case studies, and research and record their own opinion on discussion questions.
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The Role of the Executive Branch in the Lawmaking Process
Students research the Executive Branches role in making a law. For this law making lesson plan, students study the history of the Constitution and see how much power the President has in making a bill into a law. Students then research...
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We Are the Government
Students read primary documents to find the motivations of the founding fathers of the United States. In this primary documents lesson, students discuss the meaning of the Preamble to the Constitution, read parts of the Constitution...
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Why Do We Separate Power?
High schoolers investigate the separation of powers that are outlined in the Constitution. The lesson includes essential questions that are used to guide the research. The information is used to increase knowledge of how power is used in...
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Democracy: An Introduction.
Learners study the U.S. Constitutional System and how it compares with forms of democracy that developed in ancient Greece and Rome. They list and explain the requirements it takes to form a society to be considered a nation.
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The Conficts of the Founders
Young scholars discuss the often conflicting viewpoints of the framers of the Constitution. One Framer in particular, George Mason, strongly objected to the creation of the Constitution. His objections are explored and the Constitutional...
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The Government and Natural Rights
Students are introduced to some basic ideas the Framers used in creating the kind of government they thought would best protect the natural rights of each individual and promote the good of all. At the conclusion of the lesson, they know...
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The National Legislature: ch 10
Answering comprehension questions during or after reading an informational text can help focus the reader's attention. Here are 5 True/False and 5 multiple choice questions related to the Congress, bicameralism, and basic governmental...
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Exploration of the Bill of Rights
Research the Bill of Rights and the necessity for each of the protections that it provides. They choose one of the rights and, pretending to be a framer of the Constitution, give a speech as to why that should be included in the...
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The Constitution and The Bill of Rights
Studnets learn about The Constitution and The Bill of Rights through a series on Internet pages that include such things as the framers, court cases and games.
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Birth of a Nation
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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Abolish the Office of Governor
Students explore the history of the Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776. In this historical analysis lesson, students analyze the constitution of the state and determine how citizens benefited (or didn't benefit) from the document....
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Profiles of the Framers
Students examine the early lives of the Framers, and the historical events that may have influenced the decisions they made at the convention. Students conduct research on the Framers, writing newspaper articles, pamphlets, or dramas.
The New York Times
Evaluating Sources in a ‘Post-Truth’ World: Ideas for Teaching and Learning about Fake News
The framers of the United States Constitution felt a free press was so essential to a democracy that they granted the press the protection it needed to hold the powerful to account in the First Amendment. Today, digital natives need to...
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The Role of the Executive Branch in the Lawmaking Process
Learners examine Article I, Section 7, and Article II, Sections 2 and 3, of the U.S. Constitution, explain the president's role in the lawmaking process, and define the term veto.
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Supreme Court: Background
Learners explain the role of the Supremem Court under the Constitution. They explore current evetns related to the Constitution and read about the roles of the Senate and President in selecting the next justice. They create a chart about...
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Foundations of American Government: Teacher’s Guide
Students explore the foundations of America. In this early American history lesson, students watch Discovery video segments regarding the Boston Massacre, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights....
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Legislative Branch
Young scholars analyze Article 1 of the Constitution. They respond to the Public Criticism E-Learning module.
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How Congress Works
Students describe role of the U.S. Congress in American government as set forth in the Constitution, and explain why the Framers created a Congress with a House and a Senate and gave them different roles.
Judicial Learning Center
Levels of the Federal Courts
The Supreme Court gets all the glory, but very few federal cases make it to the highest court. An interesting lesson explores the structure of the lower levels of the federal court system. In addition to outlining the organization of...
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In Whom Do We Trust?
Students articulate their understanding of the framers' intentions with respect to the separation of church and state, explore the issue of church/state separation and how it is currently manifesting itself in Ohio by reading and...
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Constitutional Issues: Separation of Powers
Students discribe the principle and the history of separation of powers.
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How Congress Works
Young scholars study the role of the U.S. Congress in American government as described in the Constitution. For this U.S. government lesson, students watch an overhead about 'public criticisms' in the legislative process and complete a...
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The Articles of Confederation
The purpose of this lesson plan is to assist students in discovering the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and the foundation for creation of the United States Constitution. Students will investigate the events leading up ...