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Denying Civil Rights
High schoolers continue their examination of the United States Constitution. Individually, they identify events in which the government has limited our civil rights and write an essay. In groups, they debate the issue and answer...
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Making More Places at the Table: The American Civil Rights Movement of the 50's and 60's
Eleventh graders examine the biography of Henry B. Gonzalez. They examine primary source documents from Congressman Gonzalez's personal papers related to his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.
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Human Rights Timeline
Students create a time line that includes personal, national, and international human rights events. The lesson is very personal and encourages students to understand themselves and others within the community.
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Being Treated Equally
Second graders study the dates and events that pertain to Martin Luther King Jr.'s life. They discuss and then write a journal entry about what it means to treat other equally. They place important events of Martin Luther King's life...
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The Reconstruction Period
Students use documents and other resources to evaluate the success or failure of the Reconstruction for giving rights to African Americans. The documents are primary resources with questions included for students to complete.
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Back To Africa
Students analyze the massive immigration after 1850 and how new social patterns, conflicts, and ideas of national unity developed amid growing cultural diversity, and how the Progressive movement influenced different groups in American...
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History Lesson 10: Plyler v. Doe: Can States Deny Public Benefits to Illegal Immigrants?
Students consider the rights of illegal immigrants. For this illegal immigration lesson, students analyze the Supreme Court case Plyler v. Doe and determine whether illegal immigrants should have access to public benefits. Students...
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Martine Luther King Jr. and John Lewis: Speeches at the March on Washington, August 1963
Ninth graders study the Civil Rights Movement. In this American History lesson, 9th graders analyze the speeches of major civil rights leaders. Students compare and contrast the meanings of these speeches.
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The Art of Nonviolence: Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, and Concepts of Nonviolence in Indian Art
Students make connections between nonviolent ideals and art. For this visual arts lesson, students discuss the successes of the American Civil Rights Movement and discuss Gandhi's influence on the movement. Students then examine images...
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King's Dream Revisited
Young scholars investigate the life and accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. They complete a Webquest, listen to an excerpt from a speech, take an online quiz, answer discussion questions, and read newspaper articles about...
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Celebrating Martin Luther King Day
Students examine how Martin Luther King Day is celebrated in the United States. They practice treating others equally and respectfully. They also identify ways in which they can help King's dream of peace a reality.
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Separate is Not Equal: Brown v. Board of Education
Students analyze photographs that feature segregation. In this human rights lesson plan, students examine photographs of a segregated movie theater, a Ku Klux Klan gathering, a segregated business sign, and an illustration from "Harper's...
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Justice Demands an End to Segregation, But it Does Not End
Learners define human rights and describe how it applies to politics, economics and cultural rights. As a class, they watch a video how the Constitution was made and discuss its purpose. In groups, they present information to the class...
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Do You Have a Prayer?
Students review the 1st Amendment and the clauses which deal with prayer/religion in schools. They discuss, in groups, the Equal Access Act, which gives students the right to practice/express their religion at school and take a quiz on...
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We the People: Promise and Practice in our Constitution
Students examine the concept that the constitutional government guarantees that our government is not all-powerful and analyze the purposes of our government that are listed in the Preamble. They assess that equality under the law and...
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The Story of Ruby Bridges
Students research Ruby Bridges and discuss differences they have with their classmates while also discussing their equality. In this Ruby Bridges lesson plan, students also write about a character word that describes Ruby, and create an...
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Women in Progressive Era
Students study the Progressive Era. They identify the important people, places, and evens of the Era and determine how women influenced the progressive movement. In addition, they create an article to address issues related to the movement.
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Making the Supreme Court Matter to Teens
Here are lessons and ideas to help social studies teachers enlighten students about the importance of the Supreme Court.
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Land, Liberty and the Struggle for the American Dream
Students investigate equality by reading a historical fiction book in class. In this civil rights lesson, students read the story Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry with their classmates and define the Jim Crow Laws that kept blacks...
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Secession: A Southern Perspective
Eighth graders determine how secession impacted South Carolina as well as the United States. In this American Civil War lesson, 8th graders examine selected primary and secondary sources in order to study the state's sovereignty and the...
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Gandhi's Life and Guiding Principles
Second graders investigate philosophy by researching the life of Mahatma Gandhi. In this biographical lesson, 2nd graders listen to a reading of the book "Gandhi" and make a character map of his actions, feelings and thoughts....
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Korematsu v. United States (1944)
Students examine equal protection. In this Supreme Court lesson, students examine primary documents from Korematsu v. United States and discuss the implications of the decision with regards to Japanese internment.
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The ADA, the Supreme Court, and Self-Advocacy
Students study the role the Supreme Court plays in laws and decisions that affect individuals with disabilities and examine the policies of the American with Disabilities Act. They draw parallels between policies enacted by the ADA and...
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Martin Luther King Jr. Layered
Students identify African American and their contributions to American Society. They describe what African Americans did and explain how it positively changed our way of life. In essence, this lesson plan increases children's self-esteem...