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Uncovering The Truth
Students investigate the social and religious contexts that surrounded the Salem Witch Trials. The research is guided using the worksheets included in the lesson plan. The culminating assignment is writing an editorial of personal...
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Tracking a Legislator
High schoolers track a member of the Connecticut legislature whose political life and choices during the course of the semester provide the opportunity for students to gain greater civic literacy and understanding through in-depth,...
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Constitutional Rights Of Students
Twelfth graders brief Supreme Court cases about student rights that they have studied over the past year, and apply them to a contemporary situation.
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Constitutional Convention
Pupils develop a constitution for a hypothetical country called Permistan by reviewing the constitutions from the other countries they have already studied.
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The Home Front: Convincing Americans to Help America Prepare
Sixth graders examine the actions of the U.S. Government after the attack on Pearl Harbor. In this preparation for war lesson, 6th graders analyze WWII posters and view a clip on the American Home Front. Students discuss and list the...
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Trading Off
Students explore how the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has impacted the people and economies of North America and Mexico.
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The Right to Know Your Rights
Students read a New York Times article in order analyze the Miranda Rights. They explore various legal views of these rights through group interviews and presentations.
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Of Power and Politics
Students consider the problems and issues that arise when a government has more than one person at the head of the government and explore the possibility of China's military chief's resignation by reading and discussing the article...
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Gunshots by the Numbers
Students analyze the incidence of gun injuries among children and what can be done about it by reading and discussing the article "Keeping Guns Out of Children's Hands." They convert statistics about gun injuries into visual...
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Give Peace a Chance
Students read and discuss the 1979 occupation of the American Embassy in Iran. They research the nations that are believed to currently pose a threat of terrorism toward the United States and speculate on ways in which these nations'...
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Public Policy Research
Students explore a public policy issue of local importance. Through research and survey, they identify a public policy issue affecting people in their local area. Students determine how this issue affects the lives of those involved and...
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Let Your Motto Be Resistance: African American Portraits: Grades 3-5
Students explore the contributions of African Americans of the 20th century. In this African American history lesson, students examine portraits of Muhammad Ali, Romare Bearden, Lorraine Hansberry, Judith Jamison, and Leontyne Price in...
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Keeping A Watchful Eye
Students explore the use of satellite surveillance systems to track criminals. They consider how the use of this technology in law enforcement might affect them and write opinions on whether or not such a system should be adopted by...
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Rights-Minded
Students expand their knowledge and understanding about the civil rights movement by investigating the lives of some of the people who contributed to it.
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Remembering Rosa
Students research and profile figures in American civil rights such as Rosa Parks, from 1955-68, to create commemorative posters.
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Why Can't I Vote?
Fourth graders take an unannounced test (failure is expected) and the top scores are rewarded with candy bars. They compare this test to the literacy tests given before 1960 and votes to candybars. They journal their responses.
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Comparing/Contrasting Northern Life to Southern Life
Students compare and contrast the lives of African Americans who moved North vs. those who stayed in the South during the era of Jim Crow Laws.
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Government Lesson Plan: Lesson Plan 9
Young scholars examine and compare/contrast the steps of criminal and civil cases. They define key vocabulary terms, develop an outline of a criminal and civil trial, and analyze the differences in standards of proof in legal cases.
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Using High Stakes Testing to Make Students and Schools Accountable for Learning
Learners conduct an informal survey about their views on high stakes testing and use basic computation skills to evaluate results as a group. They participate in activities related to high stakes testing and "No Child Left Behind"...
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One Person CAN Make a Difference
Learners illustrate how the actions of one person can make a difference. They identify school and community issues to address and complete group projects and action plans for making changes in the school or community.
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Breaking the Code: Actions and Songs of Protest
Students listen to and discuss the purpose of protest music. They analyze an editorial cartoon related to Jim Crow and read questions from the literacy tests given to African-Americans. They work together to write a song about the...
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A New Generation of Fighters
Middle schoolers discuss the reasons why people are less likely to take a stand on issues today than they were in the past. In groups, they research the efforts of Kings, Parks and others to end discrimination and racism. They read...
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Civil Rights Webquest
Young scholars, working individually and in teams, research life in their community during the civil rights era. They take part in a role-playing discussion about civil rights issues based on their research, and create individual and...
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Case in Point
Students read about and discuss the re-opening of the Emmett Till murder case. They research and write about a famous civil rights trial and create a poster highlighting the importance of the trial.