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Launching the New U.S. Navy
Students analyze United States Constitution, locate general references to common defense, and specific references in document to U.S. Navy. Students then respond to questions on Document Analysis Worksheet, and discuss relationship...
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Two Nations Struggle for Independence
Students compare the struggle for independence of the United States with that of India. They review the idea of "British Rule" as it affected both countries. Explore the idea of taxation as a way to control the resources of a country....
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Human Rights Arts Project and Research Paper
Students examine human rights abuses in thirty countries, specifically explore abuses in Dominican Republic's Trujillo regime, research one country with significant human rights abuses, use Preamble to U.S. Constitution as measure of...
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The Bill of Rights
Fifth graders examine the Bill of Rights and explain the basic freedoms contained in it. They illustrate the Bill of Rights and write essays why the Constitution needed it.
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Declaration of Independence
Twelfth graders summarize sections of the Declaration of Independence and share their interpretations with classmates. They write essays on the Declaration or an essay tracing the rights of minorities from the Revolution to the present.
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Michigan Constitution and the Legislative Branch
Pupils explore online resources to compare and contrast the different constitutions the state of Michigan has had. They continue their exploration of various websites, focusing on the legistlative branch and the homepage of their local...
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Timeline of Compromises over Slavery
In this primary source analysis worksheet, students read excerpts of the Preamble, the Constitution, and the Fugitive Slave Act, the Missouri Compromise, the Compromise of 1850, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and the Crittenden Compromise....
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Living News: Classroom Materials
Students explore controversial current events. In this Bill of Rights lesson plan, students research selected issues and examine the issues from different perspectives. Students script and record news stories that feature their findings.
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By Heart
To memorize, or not to memorize: that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler to suffer the fear and anguish of committing a poem to memory, to endure the heartache, to shuffle off this fear, and face the stares of classmates with the hue...
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Are We the People?
Students investigate their elected officials and their roles. In this governmental leadership lesson, students discuss the Constitution and research their elected officials. They also organize the information they find regarding the...
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Preserving Democracy
Students read excerpts of the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution. Using the documents, they identify the ideas of how the government should be run. In groups, they develop a skit that encourages people to be...
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What Is the Bill of Rights?
Students discuss the purpose of the Bill of Rights and the United States Constitution. In groups, they write about the ten amendments and their purpose. They re-word the Amendments in their own way and answer discussion questions to end...
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Justice
Students consider the role of justice in the formation of the United States and in the operation of today's criminal justice system. They investigate symbols associated with justice and references to justice in the Constitution.
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Government: Missouri Bar Civics Library
Students visit the Missouri bar Website to examine information about the U.S. Constitution and its Amendments. They complete a variety of activities from the provided lessons including the judiciary, Fourth Amendment issues, civil law,...
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Ambivalent Council
Students consider the purpose of a constitution and research Iraq's five major population groups. They write a letter to the Iraqi Governing Council from the perspective of a member of one of these Iraqi population groups.
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Comparison of Political Ideologies in the Context of Constitutional Preambles
High schoolers examine the various philosophies that form the foundations of political systems of major world countries.
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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...
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Government by the People
Middle schoolers explore the concept of philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students examine primary documents regarding the founding of the United States. Middle schoolers analyze section of the U.S. Constitution and the...
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The Three Branches of Government
Sixth graders discover details about the 3 branches of government. In this primary source analysis lesson, 6th graders examine documents and images from the Library of Congress to investigate the structure of the U.S. government.
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Checks and Balances
Eleventh graders explain the structure and function of the United States government established by the Constitution. They set up a make-believe scenario: the 3 volunteers have been friends for a long time and have formed a club (the...
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The Civil War as Photographed by Mathew Brady
Students gain historical background on the Civil War era from textbooks, encyclopedias, or supplemental material. Assign at least two photographs for each student to analyze using the Photograph Analysis Worksheet which is imbedded in...
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Development of Labor Unions
Students examine the conditions that led to organized labor unions. In this 20th century America lesson, students compare and contrast the Knights of Labor Constitution, the American Federation of Labor Constitution, and the Industrial...
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Images of the American Revolution
Students analyze several documents as they research the Revolutionary War. They evaluate documents and examine them for bias and perspective. They use their research to write monologues from the point of view of a famous Revolutionary...
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FDR's First Inaugural Address
Students, in groups, describe a photo to the class. They determine which New Deal program is depicted in each of the images based on the research they conducted.