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Corporate Governance
Examine the role of the Securities Exchange Commission. Upper graders watch a short Bill Moyers video, analyze a political cartoon, complete a graphic organizer on the SEC, and develop SEC reform strategies to rebuild investor confidence.
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Government Protecting Rights
Students explore tribal sovereignty. For this American Indian lesson, students learn about tribal sovereignty, watch a movie, take notes, and complete a reaction paper.
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Third Grade Social Studies
In this social studies worksheet, 3rd graders complete multiple choice questions about laws, government, states, and more. Students complete 25 questions.
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Baseball Challenge: 5th Grade Social Studies
Quickly review facts relating to U.S. History in a Baseball Challenge presentation. The information relates to branches of government, the Vietnam War, WWII, and other key events.
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Powers of Congress
Have your class fill out this comprehension sheet while reading about the powers of Congress. There are ten multiple choice questions focused on the rights, powers, and limitations of Congressional law.
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4-H Citizenship Activity Page - Beginning Level
This is a 4-H citizenship activity that asks learners to examine county government, city councils, the three branches of the United States government, and complete a community service project. It also includes a word search, directions...
iCivics
Branches of Power
Learners take on the roles of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of government in the United States and work to develop public policy issues and ideas into laws in this engaging and well-designed online interactive.
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Whose go the Power: Checks and Balances
After introducing the three branches of US government, test the class' understanding of government powers. They are asked a series of questions regarding a federal act and then, answer which branch has the power of decision making....
Federal Reserve Bank
Choices Are Everywhere: Why Can’t We Just Have It All?
Here is a resource covering a range of terms and concepts regarding scarcity, opportunity cost, and government debt in economics.
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The Legacy of Ancient Greece and Rome
Where did the inspiration for the US government system come from? From the ancient Greeks and Romans, of course. Scholars define nine terms relating to Greek and Roman government, complete a graphic organizer, and list the greatest...
Learning for Justice
The Color of Law: Creating Racially Segregated Communities
It is pointed, powerful, and painful! The first of three lessons about laws and practices that support inequality looks at how government policies created and reinforced segregated communities. Young social scientists read excerpts from...
Curated OER
Government Games
Students, with a small group of other classmates, research information about their country's government including voting process, budget setting or the process needed to pass new laws. They design and make a game board that incorporates...
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Cartoons in the Classroom: Economic Blame Game
Two political cartoons grace this critical analysis activity. Several very good discussion questions and points to consider, could make this an interesting start to any US Government class. Prepare upper graders for identifying...
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Our Classroom Constitution
Develop a system of classroom rules created by the kids, for the kids with this three-part lesson series on the US Constitution. After learning about the structure of the Constitution and the government it established, young scholars...
BBC
EU, UN, and Commonwealth
Find out how international government organizations work to face global issues. Learners examine if major organizations like the EU, UN, and Commonwealth are effective at tackling big issues like animal protection. They think about the...
Curated OER
What is Government?
Young scholars explore values that unite Americans. In this government instructional activity, students recall the symbols of America and discuss how to create a "Classroom Constitution." Young scholars form rules and write their own...
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Laws
Students discuss laws and their importance. They discuss silly or unique laws and explore the process that must be followed to make a law.
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The Need for Laws
Learners consider the presence of authority in their lives. In this law instructional activity, students compare forgotten laws that function in their lives to forgotten instructions in making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
K12 Reader
What is a Tribal Government?
What is life like on a Native American reservation? Learn about the ways a tribal government works with a reading comprehension activity. After reading a short passage, kids use context clues to answer five comprehension questions.
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What is the Federal System Created by the Constitution?
Explore the unique structure of the federal system of government in the United States. Class members will learn about how most nations were organized before the establishment of the Constitution, how power is currently divided between...
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Why Do Governments Exist? Locke, Hobbes, Montesquieu, and Rousseau
Here is a great secondary source reading that includes the primary ideas and philosophies of the famed Enlightenment philosophers: Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Charles Montesquieu, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In additional to discussing...
Center for Civic Education
What Basic Ideas Are in the Preamble to the Constitution?
Introduce young historians to the US Constitution with this upper-elementary social studies lesson plan. Beginning with a general discussion about the role of government in society, students go on to work in small groups identifying and...
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Cartoons for the Classroom: Shine the Light on Your Government
What don't we know about our government? Explore the concept of transparency and freedom of information throught this analysis handout, in which scholars examine 2 political cartoons. Background information provides context, explaining...
Stockton University Wordpress
Civil Disobedience: Is it ever ok to break the law?
As part of a study of civil disobedience, class members read excerpts from the writings of activists who were willing to break the law to protest unjust laws.