Curated OER
How Ordinary People Can Have an Impact
Students identify three or more ways the Federal Government impacts their daily lives and then explore ways in which citizens can influence political leaders.
Curated OER
The Cold War and Development of Post-War America
Young scholars view examples of political advertisements during the years of 1952 through 1964. After viewing, they discuss how the Cold War and the threat of Communism affected the development of the United States. They compare the...
Curated OER
How do we know if it’s a First Amendment Issue?
Students consider First Amendment rights. In this Bill of Rights lesson, students complete an activity guide regarding plans to build an Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero in New York City. Students respond to discussion questions...
New York State Education Department
TASC Transition Curriculum: Workshop 11
You'll C-E-R a difference in classroom achievement after using a helpful lesson. Designed for economics, civics, government, and US history classes, participants practice using the CER model to craft arguments about primary and secondary...
Curated OER
By Any Other Name
Students examine the differences between the definitions of race and ethnicity defined by the United States government. After reading an article, they discuss the possiblity of the elimination of some races from the 2010 census. They...
Curated OER
On the Fence
Students read a news article from the New York Times related to the construction of a fence between Mexico and the U.S. and its impact on the lives of the people living on both sides. They read and discuss a variety of scenarios, answer...
Curated OER
Crime Time
Students examine fundamentals of American criminal justice by analyzing each step of the criminal process. They follow the process of a well-known or publicized criminal case in The New York Times, and keep a journal of its newspaper...
Curated OER
Delegating Authorities
Students compare and contrast democracies around the world after reading a New York Times article. They create posters and participate in a "democracy roundtable" in which they discuss two democracies.
Curated OER
Crossing Borders, Crossing Boundaries?
Students explore how the United States government is using biometrics to secure American borders. They examine the pitfalls of biometrics programs and propose possible ways to strengthen the program.
Curated OER
Freedom Voices: Abolition and Suffrage in the United States
Students explore abolition and suffrage in the United States.
Curated OER
George Washington and the Rule of Law
students compare The rule of law with the rule of men and consider life under each of these types of governments.In this government instructional activity, students read a primary source to examine the importance of the rule of law.They...
Curated OER
Comparing the 1945 Vietnam Declaration of Independence and Constitution of 1992 with the United States Declaration of Independence and Constitution
Students compare and contrast the Vietnamese and American plans for government. In this government systems lesson, students analyze and compare excerpts of the 1945 Vietnam Declaration of Independence, the Vietnam Constitution of 1992,...
Curated OER
Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)
Students examine state rights and the commerce clause. In this Supreme Court instructional activity, students examine primary documents from Gibbons v. Ogden and discuss the implications of the decision.
Curated OER
Balance of Power
Students examine the number of women in the United States Senate. After reading an article, they discover Hillary Clinton's possible bid for the presidential nomination for the Democratic party. In groups, they research the lives and...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Give Me Liberty or Give Me Freedom
Welcome to America, the land of liberty and freedom. Examine the ways in which the terms liberty and freedom have been used in the United States. After researching and analyzing quotations from the past and present, students create an...
Curated OER
The Civil War
Although we currently focus on Abraham Lincoln's positive contributions in creating a more equal society, the truth is that Lincoln was actually a controversial character in his time! After studying the Civil War, give your high...
Center for Instruction, Technology, & Innovation
Did African American Lives Improve After Slavery?
The Civil War made slavery illegal, but all ex-slaves were not totally free. Scholars visit eight different classroom stations to uncover life during the Reconstruction Era in America. Groups discover items such as Black Codes, 13th,...
Curated OER
After the Fact
Learners investigate summaries of the "9/11 Report" and examine questions relating to its findings in a fishbowl discussion. They reflect in writing on how they wish the outcomes of this report would be resolved and how these outcomes...
Curated OER
The Young Faces of Poverty
Students explore the topic of child poverty in the United States and the government's responses to it in different areas and through different programs and laws. They share their thoughts in letters to their Congressional representatives.
Curated OER
"Breadline": The Great Depression Causes, Consequences and Recovery
Students compare prices of popular items of late 1920s to cost of those items presently, determine which companies are best in which to invest, analyze causes and consequences of stock market crash of 1929, and evaluate significance of...
Curated OER
Hate-Crimes and Punishment
Students research and write about the effectiveness of hate-crime legislation in the United States
Curated OER
Constitution Lesson Plan
Third graders identify roles of Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution in establishing new country, create posters with their ideas about each part of Constitution, and explain three branches of government, including their...
Curated OER
Moving Out of the House?
Students review the past events of the impeachment proceedings against President Clinton and examine the impending steps of Congress if the House of Representatives approves impeachment and the issue moves into the Senate.