Film Foundation
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington: What Is a Movie?
Watching is not the same as seeing. Transform viewers from passive watchers to active students of film with this 34-page packet, filled with lessons and activities that use Mr. Smith Goes to Washington to examine the technology, the...
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What is Government?
Students explore values that unite Americans. In this government lesson, students recall the symbols of America and discuss how to create a "Classroom Constitution." Students form rules and write their own Constitution.
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Government Lesson Plan: Lesson Plan 2
Young scholars explore the structure and powers of the federal government. They assess the validity of recent criticisms of each branch of the federal government and create pyramid posters which simulate the structure of government.
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Lesson: Jeremy Deller: Conversing about Conflict
Bridge cultural awareness, community, government, and art with an introspective and thought-provoking lesson. Upper graders become globally and socially aware as they analyze and explore the art of Jeremy Deller. They consider his images...
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What is Suffrage? Understanding the Right to Vote
Students discover one of the restrictions forced on women of the early 1900s. In this civil rights lesson, students investigate suffrage and why women were not allowed to vote in the early twentieth century. Students create a mock...
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The Republic; Roman History, Democracy
Students explain the ways in which current American system of government both resembles and differs from the system of government in Rome form about 510 to 264 B.C.
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Where Do You Stand?
Scholars assess a government's ability to intervene in personal health decisions. They research basic facts about euthanasia and describe their opinions about new legislation passed in the United States Congress about an individual's...
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Music And Violence: What Message is Music Promoting To Our Youth
Students analyze several pieces of music and videos to examine how popular musicians and their music affect us as individuals and as a society. The perception of society's ideals, hypocrisy in government, and injustice are explored.
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Governance
Students explore government by researching Native American history. For this First Nations culture lesson, students define the Aboriginal action of speaking in a circle as a group. Students discuss their likes and dislikes with the class...
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The Mayflower Compact
Eighth graders investigate historical documents of the United States by reading the Mayflower Compact. In this U.S. History activity, 8th graders analyze the wording of the original Mayflower Compact of the first U.S. settlers and...
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A Day in the Life of a Homeless Person
Learners examine the day in the life of a homeless person. In this humanitarian activity, students examine the life of a homeless person while discovering the importance of social justice in our society.
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Finding Meaning in the Badge
Children who are three to five years old study two rank badges from the Qing dynasty to develop an understanding of social rank, language skills, and symbolism. The lesson is discussion-based and requires learners to compare and contrast...
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California Poppy Postcards
What a great lesson! Learners discuss California history, including the state flower, the poppy, and then engage in an art activity. For the activity, they learn about value, shading, layering, blending etc. to produce a realistic...
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A Sign of Their Times
Students identify the social climate that created the terms Degenerative Art and Fascist Aesthetic. They also identify how and why certain artists' artwork fell into these categories. Students recognize and discuss the Expressionist...
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Current Issues/Lesson Plan 2 : What I Think Should Happen
Students explain the roles and responsibilities of various individuals and government bodies, as well as to recognize the features of the dynamic interplay between them. They explain the process of how of a bill is signed into law.
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From a Bill to a Law
Students explore government by participating in a role playing activity. In this legal system lesson, students discuss the tasks which needed to be competed in order to write a bill and have it turned into law by the President. Students...
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The Nile: A Gift to Egypt
Sixth graders discover the Egyptian culture. In this Nile River instructional activity, 6th graders examine why the river is so important to Egypt.Students study the religions, geography and the people of Egypt. Students create an...
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The United States Flag
Students study the United States flag. In this American history and government lesson, students define and give examples of familiar symbols. Students design a classroom flag. Students identify and describe the American flag.
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Government Lesson Plan: Lesson Plan 4
Students analyze how interest groups present their viewpoint to the public. They assess how media can influence public opinion by closely examining a political ad from the 1964 presidential election.
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The Civil War as Photographed by Mathew Brady
Learners gain historical background on the Civil War era from textbooks, encyclopedias, or supplemental material. Assign at least two photographs for each student to analyze using the Photograph Analysis Worksheet which is imbedded in...
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Turning the Century
High schoolers examine the Gilded Age. In this Gilded Age instructional activity, students create a museum of their own showing what life was like in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. High schoolers investigate immigration,...
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Empire State-Building
Students explore how empires around the globe have impacted the world in which they have existed. They analyze whether or not the United States is an imperialist nation and create their own empires based on their understanding of empires...
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Letters from the Japanese American Internment
Students examine letters of Japanese-American children during internment in World War II. They discover what it was like in the camps and how they were treated once they were released. They also view photographs of the camps.
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Immigrants: Yester and Today
Seventh graders brainstorm ideas why it is necessary to have a Resident Alien Id card. They complete a KWL chart on what they know about immigrants.