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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Case Study: Constitutional Law

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Living Under the Illinois Black Codes

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars 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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lincoln: The Constitution & the Civil War

For Teachers 7th - 12th
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Age of Enlightenment

For Teachers 7th
Studnets compare example of primary documents that have shaped U.S. government and our Constitution.
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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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Why Does Congress Work That Way?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discover the powers of Congress. In this legislative branch instructional activity, students examine the legislative process as they analyze Article I of the U.S. Constitution. Students consider the powers of Congress as they...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

John Jones and the Fight to Repeal the Black Laws

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students 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 their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Makes a Good Law?

For Teachers 10th - 12th
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...
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Unit Plan
Bill of Rights Institute

Preserving the Bill of Rights

For Students 8th - 12th Standards
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Legislative Branch

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars analyze Article 1 of the Constitution. They respond to the Public Criticism E-Learning module.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson 28: Introduction to Illinois Government

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders research and compare the United States and Illinois Governments. They play the game Who Wans To Be A Millionaire.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Social Studies: Symbols of the United States

For Teachers 6th - 8th
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Slavery and the Legal Status of Free Blacks

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Your turn to Vote

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students develop an understanding of the legislative process. They role play as legislators and witnesses commenting on the proposed bill.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

FDR-Hitler: Conflicting Political Systems

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers compare and contrast the governments of the United States and Germany during World War II. Using different media, they identify the actions of both countries during the war and their major mistakes. They write a short...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Slavery and the Legal Status of Free Blacks: Rhetorical Analysis of Debates During the 1847 Illinois Constitutional Convention

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders read actual arguments regarding the status of free blacks in Illinois and slavery in the United States more generally.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Abraham Lincoln's Position on the Question of Slavery and Its Extension

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How to Become a Member of Congress

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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.
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Primary
Cornell College

Dred Scott v. Sandford Supreme Court Decision

For Students 8th - 12th Standards
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Anti-Slavery Movement

For Teachers 11th
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854: Popular Sovereignty and the Political Polarization over Slavery

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students read selections from the Declaration of Independence, Northwest Ordinance of 1787, and the Wilmot Proviso of 1846. They contrast the maps of 1820 and 1854 to analyze developments in the national debate over slavery. They...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine the transcripts of the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates and create a platform for each candidate in the 1858 Senate race. They utilize the candidates' arguments to explore the historical and political impact.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Eiserloh Story

For Teachers 8th - 12th
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.
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Unit Plan
Illinois State Bar Association

Mock Trial Teacher Training

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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.