Curated OER
Emerging Democracies in Eastern Europe and Russia: How Are They Doing?
High schoolers consider the success of democracies in Eastern Europe. In this government systems instructional activity, students research the implementation of democratic practices and rule in the countries of Eastern Europe following...
Curated OER
The Cold War (1945-1991): An Ideological Struggle
Covering the main topics of the Cold War, including some excellent discussion points on the methodologies of the Soviet and Eastern Bloc nations versus the US and Western Democracies, this presentation is a good way to introduce the...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Comparing Democracies
Could a president just ignore election results? In this analysis handout, scholars consider this question as they read background information on the 2008 elections in Zimbabwe. Two political cartoons poke fun at President Robert Mugabe,...
Facing History and Ourselves
Defining Democracy
For democracies, it is both the best and the worst of times. As part of a study of the challenges facing democracies, young political scientists seek first to define democracy, and then to consider the relationship between democracy and...
Curated OER
Who's The Boss?
Upper elementary and middle schoolers research and analyze some different types of governments. Democracies, Monarchies, and Dictatorships are some of the types that are looked at. Learners use the Internet to gather information that...
Deliberating in a Democracy
Minorities in a Democracy
Students consider diversity in democracies. In this democratic values activity, students read an article titled, "Minorities in a Democracy." Students respond to discussion questions about the article.
Deliberating in a Democracy
Voting
Young scholars read about voting rights and compulsory voting in democracies. For this voting rights lesson plan, young scholars analyze the reasons for supporting and opposing compulsory voting and discuss whether compulsory voting is...
Deliberating in a Democracy
Freedom of Expression
Should democracies include hate speech as a protected right? Scholars analyze the rights found under the First Amendment to the Constitution through researching evidence. Freedom of expression becomes the focal point of the...
Museum of Tolerance
Citizenship Then and Now: Comparing Ancient Rome and Contemporary American Society
Class members research citizenship in Ancient Rome and in the United States and use the provided graphic organizers to compare the rights and responsibilities of citizens in these two democracies.
Museum of Tolerance
The Role of Citizens in a Participatory Democracy
Groups research participatory democracies and compare the role and rights of citizens in ancient history with those in recent U.S. history. Guided by a series of questions, individuals compose a persuasive essay in which they discuss the...
Curated OER
Cartoons for the Classroom: Comparing Democracies
In this current events instructional activity, students analyze a political cartoon about elections in Zimbabwe and respond to 3 talking point questions.
Carolina K-12
Exploring the Electoral College
Does your vote really count? This activity helps young voters learn about the electoral college through a TED talk, a helpful handout, discussion prompts, and then a role-playing activity that has participants simulating an election on a...
Facing History and Ourselves
The Nazi Party Platform
Not all party platforms stay democratic. A resource covers many political issues in Germany during the time of World War II, and teaches pupils about the Nazi party platform and what went wrong. Individuals participate in a warm-up...
Carolina K-12
Get Out the Vote!
What better way to have a class learn about get out the vote campaigns than by having them create one themselves? After introducing get out the vote efforts and why they exist through videos, articles, and discussion questions, the...
Facing History and Ourselves
Insights on Democracy from South Africa
As part of their study of democracy, high schoolers listen to a podcast featuring two South African educators and their efforts to support the process of transforming the nation from apartheid rule into a democracy. Learners also read...
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
Juvenile Offenders
Students investigate how different democracies treat juvenile offenders as well as compare/contrast the juvenile and adult justice systems in their own democracy. In addition, individually and as a group, they determine whether juvenile...
Curated OER
When Property Rights and the Public Good Clash
Middle schoolers analyze a case involving a government's use of eminent
domain powers to construct a comprehension of property rights and how they might be viewed as essential protections for citizens in a constitutional democracy. They...
Curated OER
Flawed Democracies, Human Rights
Students create drawing that tell a story about a young girl's life in an internment camp. In this internment camp lesson plan, students hear stories and analyze photographs of internment camps and then create their own drawings.
Curated OER
Flawed Democracies, Human Rights
Students investigate the bombing of Pearl Harbor. In this U.S. History lesson, students discover the Japanese internment camps and why our government chose to relocate the Japanese. Students examine photographs from the era and their...
Curated OER
Flawed Democracies
Ninth graders examine the struggle for equal opportunity. In this American Government lesson, 9th graders create a timeline outlining various groups' struggles for equal opportunity. Students research and construct a timeline to...
Curated OER
Democracies in North America: Canada, the United States, and Mexico
Pupils examine democratic values. In this democracy lesson, students research the political systems of Canada, Mexico, and the United States in order to compare and contrast them. Pupils also discuss domestic and international events...
Deliberating in a Democracy
Cyberbullying—Alternate Lesson Plan
Should schools be permitted to punish young scholars for off-campus cyberbullying? After reading a passage that details statistics about cyberbullying and Supreme Court rulings about schools' ability to limit student speech, class...
Curated OER
Helping Countries in Turmoil
Students discover the struggles of emerging democracies. In this service learning lesson, students research a non-profit agency that is assisting the people of an emerging democracy and create and advertisement.