Curated OER
Branches of Government
Students explore the three branches of government. In this government and U.S. history activity, students listen to a story about a boy who attempts to sponsor a bill to ban cartoons. Students interview three teachers who each represent...
Curated OER
The Three Branches of Government
Students write about working in one branch of government. In this branches of government lesson, students read about the three levels of government using various websites and then work in groups to discuss, illustrate and write about...
Curated OER
Building the Foundation
Students understand the purpose of the judicial branch of government. In this judiciary lesson, students participate in exercises to understand how the court system works. Students complete activity sheets to develop understanding of...
Curated OER
Egyptian Fairy Tale
Students explore ancient Egyptian culture and government. In this social studies lesson plan, students compare the legal system from ancient Egypt to our current American legal system. Links are included for web searching Egypt and the...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Lesson 4 James Madison: Internal Improvements Balancing Act—Federal/State and Executive/Legislative
Who has the power? The founding fathers asked the same question when the United States was formed. Learners explore issues that arose during Madison’s presidency that raised constitutional questions. Through discovery, discussion, and...
Curated OER
Branching Out
Students research structure, function and primary responsibilities of each office of the Executive branch, create a chart displaying their research.
Curated OER
Separation of Powers
Eighth graders research the three branches of government and examine the effect that the separation of powers has on the presidency. They explain the importance of the rule of law in establishing limits on both those who govern and the...
Curated OER
Twelve Angry Men: Trial by Jury as a Right and as a Political Institution
Students explore the constitutional guarantee of the right to trial by jury. In this U. S. Constitution lesson plan, students read or view Twelve Angry Men and respond to discussion questions regarding the jury. Students examine the...
Curated OER
Government Lesson Plan: Lesson Plan 5
Learners identify the process of writing a case brief. They analyze the case McCulloch v Maryland. After a lecture/demo, students utilize a case study worksheet imbedded in this plan to help them explain the process of performing a case...
Curated OER
Supreme Court Decisions on Freedom of Religion
What does freedom of religion mean? Analyze a series of Supreme Court cases where the First Amendment right to freedom of religion was put to the test. They discuss the cases' outcomes and argue whether the right decision was made....
Curated OER
Sandra Day O'Connor
No unit on important women in history would be complete without a instructional activity on Sandra Day O'Connor. After reading background information about the first female Supreme Court justice, middle schoolers engage in several...
Curated OER
Discovering Democracy in Canada: Federal Perspectives
Tenth graders research one aspect of government. They teach their peers co-operatively about the key elements of Democracy in Canada at the Federal Level by giving group presentations.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Read All About It! Supreme Court Case Makes Headlines!
Students are assigned a landmark Supreme Court case to research. They construct a one-page newsletter on the case which include a summary of the case, two pictures and a short biography on one of the justices on the Court at that time.
Curated OER
How Did That Get There?
Students evaluate the role of government in addressing land use and other environmental issues. They analyze the powers, responsibilities, and limitations of elected and appointed officials in the national legislative, executive, and...
Curated OER
Asking and Answering Questions Using the Balance of Powers
Middle schoolers complete a diagram showing the relationship between the executive, legislative and judical brances of the government. They form sentences using the question words. They restate who and what questions as well.
Curated OER
Perspectives on Civil Rights
Young scholars examine speeches of the Civil Rights Era. In this American history lesson, students listen to speeches delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr. and John F. Kennedy. Young scholars respond to guiding questions as they listen to...
Curated OER
Across The Centuries
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.