Unit Plan
Curated OER

We the Second Graders

For Teachers 2nd
Students study the history, development and meaning of the Constitution. They participate in a classroom simulation of the Constitutional Convention by writing a Preamble, developing a government, and writing a Bill of Rights for their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Judges in the Classroom

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students study the history of the Bill of Rights and discuss the first ten amendments. The class is put into groups and each group is responsible for knowing 5 statements from the history of the Bill of Rights. Then the class plays a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Nonlegislative Powers

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders examine the powers of Congress.  In this American Government lesson, 11th graders read about Congress.  Students complete a worksheet on their findings.  
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Segregated America

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Learners investigate Jim Crow laws. In this segregation lesson, students analyze images that display American segregation. Learners use the provided questions to aid them in their evaluation of the images.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Bill of Rights

For Students 4th - 5th
In this history worksheet, students demonstrate what they know about the U.S. Bill of Rights. Students use the letters BILL OF RIGHTS to start each sentence or phrase about the Bill of Rights.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Right and Responsibility To Bear Arms

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civil Rights and the ADA

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine and discuss the 14th and 15th amentments, and evaluate the agendas of Americans from underrepresented groups in the quest for civil rights. They conduct Internet research and create essays or posters regarding Civil Rights.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The People's Right to Know

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students review Supreme Court ruling on the right to know, prior restrain and access to government. They read The Progressive case and hold a moot court to argue the outcome.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Civics: The Rule of Law

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine key concepts pertaining to the rule of law. They explore how Civil Rights leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. used it to oppose discrimination practices. They examine Supreme Court decisions demonstrating the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is the (No) Establishment Clause?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research and discuss the Establishment Clause.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Democratic Process, Constitutional Issues, Local Government

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders engage in the decision making process so as to encourage them to become active citizens upon graduation from high school.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Freedom Of Expression In Special Places

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students learn about First Amendment rights as they pertain to school and school newspapers.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

I Am a Book

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders discuss books that have been banned and the things that they have in common. They explore the concept of freedom of speech and write poems based on their discussion.
Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

Rights And Responsibilities: Debating Free Speech, Responsibility And Censorship on Campus

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students weigh rights of students and others to free speech versus the responsibilities that come with those rights.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building a Human Rights Document

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students identify the issue of basic human rights, examine the importance of the UDHR, and compare it to United States Bill of Rights. They create a definition of human rights as a class. Students are divided into groups of four and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Rights of the Child

For Teachers 6th - 11th
Students create a set of rights that promote safety and tolerance at the school site. In this Bill of Rights instructional activity, students read the U.N. Declaration on Rights of the Child. Student presenters lead a discussion of these...
Worksheet
Curated OER

4th Grade Social Studies

For Teachers 4th
In this social studies worksheet, 4th graders answer multiple choice questions about the Bill of Rights, Congress, the National Anthem, and more. Students complete 25 multiple choice questions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Racism: Law and Attitude

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine discrimination laws. In this racism lesson, students compare and contrast de facto and de jure discrimination. High schoolers also explore the Bill of Rights and determine what makes some acts and speech illegal.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Taking to the Airwaves

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students consider the purpose of talk radio and examine its importance in the new democratic Iraq. They enact mock talk shows based on current events and reflect on the value of free speech and the role audience members play in radio...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Final Question

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students analyze their own feelings about the death penalty before considering court cases involving the death penalty. They determine what their definition is of cruel and unusual punishment, and analyze how different states handle the...
Writing
Carolina K-12

Writing Prompt: The Death Penalty

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Is the death penalty unjust because it violates the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution, "cruel and unusual punishment"? Or is it just a form of permissible capital punishment? After weighing arguments for and against the...
Lesson Plan
National Constitution Center

AP English Language—Precision of Language

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Say what you mean and mean what you say. The Precision of Language addresses the importance of words, especially when they concern a person's rights. Scholars take a look at many different examples and complete questions analyzing the...
Lesson Plan
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Teaching Tolerance

Using Photographs to Teach Social Justice | Confronting Unjust Laws

For Teachers 6th - 12th
The right to peacefully assembly to protest injustice is a key element of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Class members are asked to analyze two photographs of people confronting what they consider to be unjust...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Mueller v. Allen

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate a First Amendment legal case involving religion, education, and reimbursement of tuition payments. They research the background of the cases and its precedents.