Curated OER
What is Public Use?
Explore the Fifth Amendment by examining the meaning of "public use" as learners read a scenario and role play their assigned parts to determine "public use." They also read Supreme Court Cases regarding the amendment and present their...
Read Works
A Constitution for Kids
What better day to celebrate the US Constitution than on Constitution Day! After reading a short passage about the different understandings of habeas corpus and ex post facto, sixth graders respond to 10 multiple choice and short...
Curated OER
LEGISLATION: Passing a bill in The House of Representatives
Ninth graders explore how legislation is introduced to the House of Representatives with special emphasis on how issues of national importance arise and how bills move through the chamber. Students debate an urgent bill and direct...
Curated OER
Dancing and Singing Through the Bill of Rights
Young scholars study the Bill of Rights. For this Bill of Rights lesson, students read and analyze the Bill of Rights before performing The Amendment Song, and a dance associated with the concepts. They work in small groups using a...
Frontline
Obama's Deal
Government classes benefit from examining how a bill passes through Congress, while they focus on the compromises made by Obama's administration regarding health care reform. This includes an online video and a couple of handouts. The...
Mathematics Assessment Project
College and Career Readiness Mathematics Test A1
A six-page test covers content from several different high school math courses. It incorporates a few short answer, graphing, and word problems. It also allows room for mathematical reasoning and analysis.
Center for Civic Education
What Basic Ideas Are in the Preamble to the Constitution?
Introduce young historians to the US Constitution with this upper-elementary social studies lesson plan. Beginning with a general discussion about the role of government in society, students go on to work in small...
Center for Civic Education
Orb and Effy Learn About Authority
Simplify the teaching of the US Constitution with this primary grade social studies lesson. While reading a fun story about an imaginary place called Bubble Land, children learn about the concept of authority and the importance of...
Curated OER
Folktale Unit: Pecos Bill
Students experience a shared reading of Steven Kellogg's, Pecos Bill, while learning the associated vocabulary. They examine similarities and differences in folktales and discuss what a hero is. Finally, journal about their favorite part...
Curated OER
Concealed weapons bill on target in Ohio
Students research concealed gun legislation in the various states and create a chart for the class that shows the similarities and differences between what has passed and what has failed.
Anti-Defamation League
Shirley Chisholm: Unbought, Unbossed and Unforgotten
A 13-page packet introduces high schoolers to a lady of amazing firsts. Shirley Chisholm was the first Black woman elected to Congress, the first Black woman to run for President of the United States, and a leader of the Women's Rights...
San Antonio Independent School District
The Election of 1824
Here is a nice set of worksheets to get you started on teaching your young historians about the "Corrupt Bargain" in the presidential election of 1824, as well as the Tariff of 1828 and the emergence of new political parties.
Busy Teacher’s Café
"Smart" by Shel Silverstein
Find out just how smart your young mathematicians are with this cross-curricular math and language arts lesson. After first reading Shel Silverstein's poem "Smart", students draw pictures of coins to model the different exchanges...
Great Books Foundation
The Fox and the Stork
Young readers take part in a meaningful discussion following a reading of Aesop's fable "The Fox and the Stork." Five questions focus on the characters' actions and offering apologies.
Curated OER
Creating Laws
High schoolers view Schoolhouse Rock, I'm Just a Bill video. They explain how a bill becomes a law as well as define the difference between a bill and a law. They discuss how political beliefs might effect the process of a bill becoming...
Curated OER
Revised Law Proposals
Fourth graders view School House Rock - I'm a Bill to observe the process of writing a law. In this bill writing activity, 4th graders work in groups to create two laws for the colonists recognizing the importance of the...
Center for Civic Education
Matching Game with the US Constitution
In September we celebrate Constitution Day. Begin the celebration with a grand conversation about the US Constitution. Follow up the in-depth discussion with a learning game in which scholars match terms to images such as...
iCivics
Mini-Lesson: Congressional Committees
How exactly do both houses of Congress come to a formal decision on an issue? Scholars research the use of congressional committees as part of the legislative process. By using current events to analyze information, they see the role...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Federal Policy and Immigration
How is federal policy established? To gain insight into this complex and often messy process, class members read an article that uses information on attempts to establish public policy in immigration to illustrate the role proposed...
Texas State Energy Conservation Office
Cost-Effective Buying
Middle school energy experts read about the relationship between energy use and cost-efficiency. Then they work through a couple of scenarios to determine which approach is more cost-effective.
Curated OER
Representation: Majority Rule
Students explore government. In this decision making activity, students discover the importance of majority rule in the passing of bills. They all participate in a class debate and practice the different forms of decision making. This...
Curated OER
Buffalo Bill
Middle schoolers explore the life and times of Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley from the Wild West days. They critique their performances on stage and brainstorm various reasons for the shows popularity with Eastern audiences. Each student...
Curated OER
Writing and Amending Bills
Students participate in a classroom Congress simulation. They research and write a bill, and enact the passing, amending, and vetoing process of taking a bill through the Committee process of Congress.
Curated OER
The Supremes
Students discuss steps cases go through to reach Supreme Court, examine Bill of Rights, and rank rights in order of importance to them. Students then research Supreme Court case dealing with one of first ten amendments, and write about...