Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Press-ing Freedom

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students consider how free speech applies to journalistic practices in light of a legal case involving two reporters. They participate in a fishbowl discussion about journalism codes of ethics and write response papers.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bill Of Rights

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine Supreme Court cases. In this U.S. government lesson, students watch a video about the Bill of Rights and then research 4 Supreme Court cases using the noted web site. Students analyze the presented information and write...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Whose God?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers investigate religious freedom in the U.S. They watch and discuss a Bill Moyers NOW video, take a Freedom of Religion quiz, write an essay, and participate in a mock trial and debate.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Religious Intolerance and the Salem Witch Trials

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners describe the basic beliefs of the Puritan religion; identify the principle figures in the Salem Witch Trials;explain the events that led to the mass hysteria suffered by the town; analyze the First Amendment; and examine...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Bill of Rights

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore the Bill of Rights. For this philanthropy and citizenship lesson, students identify and explain how each of the first ten amendments protects the rights of citizens. Students select one amendment to illustrate, and write...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

School Bill of Rights

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students study the Bill of Rights. As a class, they create a "School Bill of Rights," with amendments. Students discuss the difference between rights and responsibilities and examine Supreme Court decisions dealing with the first ten...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bill of Rights -- Americans with Disabilities Act

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students focus on the First and Ninth Amendments of the Bill of Rights. Before visiting a museum, they examine the Americans with Disabilities Act. During the visit, they work together with a museum member to watch a video and get...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Across The Centuries

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers analyze the American Bill of Rights, compare it to the English Bill of Rights and note the differences in an essay. They access websites imbedded in this plan to do their research, then present their findings to the class.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jews in America at the Time of Growth and Change: Forging New Frontiers

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders examine the role of Jewish Americans in the 1900s. They examing the changes in industry and inventions. They also identify how Jewish Americans changed society and religious organization.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Supremes

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss steps cases go through to reach Supreme Court, examine Bill of Rights, and rank rights in order of importance to them. Students then research Supreme Court case dealing with one of first ten amendments, and write about...
Lesson Plan
2
2
PBS

Women's History: Parading Through History

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Want to teach your pupils about debate, effective speech techniques, propaganda, and the women's movement? The first in a sequential series of three, scholars analyze real propaganda images from the the historic women's movement, view a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Election Is in the House: The Denouement

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research the US Presidential election of 1824. They explain why the election of 1824 was decided in the House of Representatives. They summarize relevant portions of the Constitution on presidential election procedures.
Lesson Plan
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1
Curated OER

Teaching With Documents: U.S. Constitution Workshop

For Teachers 4th - 12th
What does it mean to be American? Explore the constitution and what it really means to be a citizen here. First, learners of all ages will investigate different primary source documents. Then, they establish each document's...
Lesson Plan
National First Ladies' Library

Missionaries, Expansionism, and The Philippines

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed
Students examine the quality of sources in research in the process of gaining an understanding of the Spanish American War, American expansionism, and the role of missionaries in history. They meet in groups to provide an audio/visual...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Burning Hatred

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students examine the constitutionality of various forms of expression; they then take part in a mock trial on the issue of cross burning. Divide the class into three groups; Supreme Court Justices, and two groups that don't agree on this...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating A Bill Of Rights In Space

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students define rights, analyze and apply the U.S. Bill of Rights to hypothetical situations, and create an Intergalactic Bill of Rights.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding Procedural Justice

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students analyze procedural justice by identifying unfair decisions by ruler in play, stating procedural guarantees that a Bill of Rights should include, and comparing their list of guarantees to those provided by the U.S. Constitution...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Bill of Rights and the Supreme Court

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore what the United States would be like today if the Bill of Rights had never been written.  In this exploring the constitution lesson, students research Supreme Court cases that were heard in the early years of the...
Activity
Administrative Office of the US Courts

Elonis v. U.S.

For Students 10th - 12th Standards
With the explosion of social media sites, with online threats and cyber bullying, issues of freedom of speech have taken on a whole new aspect. Elonis v. U.S. represents the first time the Supreme Court has considered whether or not...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Should Hate Be Outlawed?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate hate crime legislation. In this hate crime lesson, students examine the St. Paul city ordinance that outlawed hate crimes. Students explore the fine between hate crime legislation and First Amendment rights.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hate Crimes Legislation

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students investigate hate crime legislation. In this hate crime lesson, students examine the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act Students explore the fine between hate crime legislation and First Amendment...
Activity
Education World

Every Day Edit - Women Get the Vote

For Students 3rd - 8th
In this everyday editing worksheet, students correct grammatical mistakes in a short paragraph about suffrage. The errors range from punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and spelling.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Breaking Barriers

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Determine how African-Americans have broken barriers in this history lesson. Middle schoolers discuss the 15th Amendment and the American civil rights movement prior to analyzing Barack Obama's speech "A More Perfect Union," taking care...
Lesson Plan
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Constitutional Rights Foundation

Guest-Worker Program

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The U.S. Guest-Worker Program and the H-2A visa are the focus of a social studies activity. First, class members assume the role of advisors who must present the president with four proposals that would amend the visas given to...