Curated OER
Case Study: Constitutional Law
Posed here is an issue of land ownership and law from the year 1773. Learners can use what they know about the US Constitution, statehood, and Articles I, III, and IV to answer five questions regarding the scenario.
Curated OER
Living Under the Illinois Black Codes
Students use the text of the Illinois Black Codes to examine the laws in place. Using this information, they draw their own conclusions about why the laws existed in a free state. They also identify the purpose of these laws and how they...
Curated OER
John Jones and the Fight to Repeal the Black Laws
Middle schoolers examine the role of John Jones and his fight to repeal the Black Laws of Illinois. Using the text of the law, they explore his reasoning for repealing the laws and the arguments he used to support his beliefs. They draw...
Curated OER
Lincoln: The Constitution & the Civil War
Students examine the presidency of Abraham Lincoln. In this Abraham Lincoln activity, students analyze the political and constitutional issues that Lincoln dealt with during his time in the White House as they play an online game and...
Curated OER
Age of Enlightenment
Studnets compare example of primary documents that have shaped U.S. government and our Constitution.
Curated OER
School Bill of Rights
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...
Curated OER
Why Does Congress Work That Way?
Students discover the powers of Congress. In this legislative branch lesson, students examine the legislative process as they analyze Article I of the U.S. Constitution. Students consider the powers of Congress as they define the role of...
Curated OER
Slavery and the Legal Status of Free Blacks: Rhetorical Analysis of Debates During the 1847 Illinois Constitutional Convention
Eleventh graders read actual arguments regarding the status of free blacks in Illinois and slavery in the United States more generally.
Curated OER
Lesson 28: Introduction to Illinois Government
Fourth graders research and compare the United States and Illinois Governments. They play the game Who Wans To Be A Millionaire.
Curated OER
What Makes a Good Law?
Why were laws created? Spark a group discussion on why we need laws to co-exist. Should the sale of some things be outlawed on Sundays? Read a case summary between Target and the state of Minnesota that debated this issue. Ask your...
Curated OER
Slavery and the Legal Status of Free Blacks
Students examine the status of free blacks in Illinois and slavery in the U.S. They read and analyze primary source documents, answer and discuss questions, participate in a group discussion, and present the group's findings to the class.
Bill of Rights Institute
Preserving the Bill of Rights
Consider how America's founding fathers and their experiences contributed to the rights we all enjoy today. A collection of reading, writing, and collaborative exercises prompt high schoolers to think about the ways their current lives...
Curated OER
Legislative Branch
Young scholars analyze Article 1 of the Constitution. They respond to the Public Criticism E-Learning module.
Cornell College
Dred Scott v. Sandford Supreme Court Decision
Dred Scott was a harbinger of the Civil War. An enslaved man claimed freedom because his owner had taken him into free territory. Not only did the Supreme Court rule that Dred Scott and his wife were to remain enslaved, but it also ruled...
Curated OER
Your turn to Vote
Students develop an understanding of the legislative process. They role play as legislators and witnesses commenting on the proposed bill.
Curated OER
Social Studies: Symbols of the United States
Young scholars research the political traditions of the United States at the national and state levels. After discussing various symbols, students compose essays about the principles expressed in the Declaration of Independence and...
Curated OER
The Anti-Slavery Movement
Eleventh graders as a class create and write a constitution for an anti-slavery society. They investigate demographics of slavery, treatment of slaves, the colonization movement, and women in the abolition movement, and present their...
Curated OER
Abraham Lincoln's Position on the Question of Slavery and Its Extension
Students read excerpts from Abraham Lincoln's speeches and letters between 1854 and 1861 and look for information relative to Lincoln's thoughts on the legal and Constitutional aspects of slavery.
Curated OER
The Eiserloh Story
Students read "The Eiserloh Story" and evaluate decisions made by the government in time of war. They determine if the government violated the rights of innocent civilians. They identify the Bill of Rights and analyze each Right.
Curated OER
Rights and Responsibilities
Students focus on the rights and responsibilities of being an American citizen as they develop a T-chart and discuss the topic.
Curated OER
Before Dred Scott: Freedom Suits in Antebellum Missouri
Learners examine and analyze original documents that enhance understanding of antebellum slavery in Missouri and a particular method of gaining freedom: the freedom suit.
Illinois State Bar Association
Mock Trial Teacher Training
Whether you are new to the mock trial format or have extensive experience with the program, you'll find much to learn from this teacher training manual that includes strategies for teaching the various aspects of court room trials.
Curated OER
How to Become a Member of Congress
Students identify requirements for becoming a U.S. Representative or a U.S. Senator, explain procedure for running for representative or senator, and create an informational brochure.
Curated OER
Rock Cycle: The Story of a Rock
High schoolers examine the rock cycle by watching videos and then use creative storytelling techniques to tell the story of a rock as it undergoes geologic changes.