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Legislative Bill
In this legislative bill worksheet, middle schoolers draft a bill for voting on in a mock House of Representatives session that can be signed into law by the acting president.
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A New York Rioter Explains His Opposition to the Draft
In this primary source analysis instructional activity, students analyze a letter from a New York rioter over the Conscription Act. Students respond to 3 short answer questions about the letter to the editor of the New York Times.
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Creating Laws
Students brainstorm ideas for legislation and present their ideas to the class. They draft a bill and take it through the normal procedures of the Canadian Parliament.
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Making Laws
Learners take a closer look at the responsibilities of British Parliament. In this British government lesson, students participate in a simulation that requires them to examine the stages of bill passage in Parliament.
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The Law: Your Rights and Responsibilities
Middle schoolers explore First Amendment rights and responsibilities.
National First Ladies' Library
Mrs. Wilson's Alley Bill
Learners read and understand Ellen Wilson's bill. They review the federal law-making procedure and understand the implications of an appropriation bill to redress housing concerns during a time of looming war. Classmates are split into...
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Legislation: Passing a Bill in the House of Representatives
Students study the concept of legislation as it relates to passing a bill in the House of Representatives. In this legislation: passing a bill in the house of representative lesson plan, students identify why and how bills are introduced...
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Teen Drivers With Passengers
Young scholars research the current driving laws. They investigate what has happened in states that do have tougher laws to restrict passengers with teen drivers. Students discuss the pros and cons of making a change in their state.
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Tuning Out Telemarketers
Learners research the laws for telemarketers in your state. Are any in place? If not, are any under consideration? They explore the situation to find out about any national legislation to regulate telemarketing.
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Does My Hair Disrupt Your Learning
Students research the laws and policies for school dress codes in their school and others in their state or area and explore what others say about these policies. After research is complete, students divide into two teams to develop...
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Roe v. Wade: A History of Controversy
Students research what is legal now as far as abortions are concerned. Does it matter what state you live in? Does it matter how old you are? If you are a teen, does the doctor have to notify your parents? Students prepare a panel...
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Whose money is it?
Learners perform research on the Web, in books and by contacting lawyers to find out what steps the court goes through to decide who gets the money. They create a chart to illustrate what laws or policies the court follows.
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Costco and Zoning
Students research zoning laws in their own communities through literature, Web and interviews, identify retailers attempting to build in your community, find out what kind of outlets have been built in nearby areas, explore ways citizens...
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The Underground Railroad as an Act of Civil Disobedience
Pupils write an essay from rough draft to final copy about the Underground Railroad. Civil disobedience is researched from a variety of sources. There is a prewriting exercise that is included in the lesson. The whole writing process is...
National Constitution Center
Interactive Constitution
Did you know there are seven Articles and 27 Amendments to the US Constitution? Explore each and every one of them, including the Bill of Rights and other rights around the world, in a super neat US Constitution interactive.
USA.gov
How The Supreme Court Works
Just how does a case come before the highest court in the land? A graphic flow chart unpacks how plaintiffs come before the Supreme Court. Graphics include background on the nine justices and just how many cases they actually hear each...
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Interesting Facts about the Historic Trails
The Oregon trail is a very interesting part of American history. The class, having read or discussed the events leading to the westward expansion and settling of the Oregon Territory, can answer each of these fill-in-the-blank...
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LEGISLATION: Passing a bill in The House of Representatives
Ninth graders explore how legislation is introduced to the House of Representatives with special emphasis on how issues of national importance arise and how bills move through the chamber. Students debate an urgent bill and direct...
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Liberty, Equality, Uniformity?
Students examine the French draft law to ban religious symbols from public schools. They research "secularist" and "pluralist" positions regarding this ban, debate the topic in class, and draft a position paper on the ban.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Lesson 2: Chief Executives Compared: The Federalist Papers
Fix the Articles of Confederation or develop a new constitution? That was the question facing the Founding Fathers. Several of those in favor of a new constitution published a series of essays, collected in the Federalist Papers, urging...
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Industrialization
Eleventh graders examine government regulations. In this industrialization lesson, 11th graders look into what was going on inside American factories during the era. Students read excerpts of The Jungle and watch selected video clips...
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Cell Phones Create Dangers
Students research what laws, if any, relate to cell phones in your state and community. Students interview local law enforcement personnel to find out if cell phones have caused accidents in your town or city. Try to get statistics on...
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The Vietnam Lotteries
In this probability and statistics worksheet, students examine the “fairness” to the Vietnam draft lottery system by constructing box plots of each of the twelve months using data provided. The three page worksheet contains one problem...
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The Stages of a Bill Through Parliament
In this legislative process worksheet, students read 9 steps and arrange them in chronological order to reflect the steps that bills in Parliament must go through to be made into law.