This lesson plan will give young scholars an overview of the role and purpose of taxes in American history.

[Free Registration/Login Required] Young scholars use primary source documents to investigate the central historical question about slavery. In this investigation students consider the positions of delegates to the Constitutional...

This lesson plan will help students understand that the legislative process of enacting federal income tax laws involves formal procedures based on the Constitution and informal procedures that blend and balance various interests.

Lesson and activity looks at leadership in U.S. history focussing on presidents, past and present, to determine what makes a good leader. Questions for discussion and class activity guidelines included.

This lesson explores the structure of Congress and the legislative process. There is an introduction, a research activity, an assessment, and a role play activity.

This instructional activity provides discussion, culminating, and extension activities to enhance student understanding of the Constitution, and the Committees of Detail and Style. Students have the opportunity to compare the work of...

America's constitutional government has changed over time as a result of amendments to the U.S. Constitution, Supreme Court decisions, legislation, and other practices. Students will use the seven basic principles found in our government...

This instructional activity helps young scholars understand the basic services provided for Americans in the United States Constitution and the necessity of a system of taxation to fund those services. Students will debate the pros and...

Students explore how the U.S. government was created in the years following the Articles of Confederation.

Describes the elements of the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment as it relates to the separation of church and state and freedom of religion. Speculates on the probable constitutional issues associated with the separation of church and...

A lesson that considers how the American founders answered the question, What is government? Examines why, from the point of view of the founders, government is not only necessary, but good for human beings.

In this lesson, students explore the reasons for and outcomes of some of the most impactful resolutions made to form the U.S. Constitution.

Learning module with multi-media resources helps students understand the constitutional basis and history of the State of the Union Address, identifying important historic themes and significant topics. Includes video, graphic...

In this overview lesson, students learn about state government structure, functions, lawmaking, and relationship with local government.

"The First American", Benjamin Franklin, is the only Founding Father that signed all three major documents that founded the United States of America. Students explore the many roles he took during the founding of America.

A complete unit on constitutional law that uses the court case of Texas vs. Johnson, in which Gregory Lee Johnson was convicted of desecration of a venerated object after lighting an American flag on fire. The case became an argument...

This resource presents lessons on the First Amendment. It contains many resources for use with children, and links to primary source documents.

Look at the tensions and differences of opinion that existed among early American states and citizens. Learn about the Articles of Confederation, why the first "constitution" didn't work, and how compromise led to the Constitution.

Lesson plans for students to learn about the three branches of government. They can find information about the origins of the Constitution, separation of powers, and details about each of the three branches.

A lesson plan that includes a handout and various follow-up activities for middle schoolers. The lesson is described here and a link is provided for downloading the lesson plan and handout.

This lesson involves role-playing to help the students understand the separation of powers. [PDF]

n this lesson, students learn what factors members of Congress consider when deciding whether to vote for a bill, including the powers given to Congress by the Constitution, what a member's constituents want, his or her political party's...

[Free Registration/Login Required] Students use primary source documents to investigate central historical questions. In this structured academic controversy, students examine constitutional amendments, a Black Code, a personal account...

This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court's decision that it was constitutional to keep black and white people segregated as long as the accommodations for each race were "equal." Students learn about the concept of...