Constitution Facts
U.S. Constitution Crossword Puzzles: Basic #1
Reinforce U.S. Constitution facts with a crossword puzzle. Scholars show what they know by completing the 53 prompts.
Curated OER
Same-Sex Marriage Legalized in New York
Same-sex marriage is the hot topic discussed in this New York Times article. Upper graders read the article and then answer eight comprehension questions. Note: This article is more about the Senate and legislation than about same-sex...
National Endowment for the Humanities
George Washington: The Precedent President
Everyone knows that George Washington was the first president, but do your scholars know why that was so important? The lesson plan, the third in a sequence of three, allows learners to understand how George Washington set a precedent...
Judicial Learning Center
Your 1st Amendment Rights
Why should classes care about the First Amendment? An engaging lesson serves as a powerful tool for answering just that. As all four cases in the lesson relate directly to freedom of expression in schools, young scholars explore the...
C-SPAN
14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause
Two Supreme Court cases, Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education take center stage in a lesson about the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Class members research both cases to compare and contrast the rulings.
C-SPAN
Primary and Secondary Sources: Trailblazers in Congress
Trailblazers forge the path into uncharted territory, they establish a precedent for others to follow. Young historians research trailblazers in Congress using primary and secondary sources to profile outliers that changed the face of...
Curated OER
Landmark Supreme Court Cases And The Constitution
Have an engaging class discussion on the Bill of Rights, U.S. Constitution, and the Supreme Court. Learners examine multiple aspects of the Marbury v. Madison case and the impact that case had on the judicial system in the U.S. Web...
Curated OER
History Review: Colonial America
Explore key moments in American history with the click of a mouse! Learners read 50 questions from different eras in early America, and watch the rest of the presentation to find more questions to answer.
Curated OER
James Madison: From Father of the Constitution to President
Students investigate reasons why James Madison is called the "Father of the Constitution." They discuss three events during his presidency that raised constitutional questions and look at Madison's opinions of those questions. They...
PBS
The Roosevelts: An Intimate History—Snapshot Lessons
The Roosevelt family was one of the most influential and prominent political forces in the 20th century, leaving behind a wide-ranging legacy of conservation, progressivism, and economic growth. Learn more about President Theodore...
C-SPAN
Judicial Review and Marbury v Madison
The Supreme Court case Marbury v. Madison may not be widely recognized but the landmark case is particularly significant because it established the precedent for judicial review and that the Supreme Court had power as an interpreter of...
Theodore Roosevelt Association
Interpreting the Past; Assessing Its Impact on the Present
Even though the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt ended over 100 years ago, we can still learn something from his stances and policies that is applicable today. Class members first look over a list of prevalent political issues from the...
Curated OER
Ohio Statehouse History
Fourth graders examine the history of the Ohio Statehouse and order the major historical events in its development. The lesson traces the development from the time of Ohio's vast wilderness to the house's completion in 1861.
Curated OER
Write a Constitution
Fourth graders examine the United states Constitution and discuss the difficulties the framers faced in writing it. They explore ideas about the division of power, rights, and other topics contained in it.
Curated OER
Elections for Elementary Students
Learners explore various websites that explain how primaries, caucuses, and general elections function. They view sample ballots, and analyze the executive branch, U.S. presidents, and citizenship.
Curated OER
Issues Close to Home
Students discuss their role in their local government. Individually, they use various types of media to examine and take a position on a topic important to them. To introduce their position, they write a letter to the Board of...
Curated OER
Are We the People?
Young scholars 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...
Curated OER
Graphically Speaking
Students discover the links between population and Congressional representation. In this government lesson, students research population statistics and create spreadsheets that compare population to the number of Congress members per state.
Curated OER
Civil Rights
Twelfth graders survey how controversial court cases have changed the viewpoints of civil rights. In this U.S. Government lesson plan, 12th graders work in small groups to prepare summaries of specific court cases, then present...
National First Ladies' Library
Secretary of Commerce
Middle schoolers gain understanding of economic history of United States in twentieth century by examining role of Department of Commerce. Student groups each analyze one quarter of twentieth century by researching role of Department of...
Curated OER
The Role of Individuals and Groups in the Census
Students learn why the census makes a difference. In this U.S. Census lesson plan, students describe and explain the roles that individuals, government agencies, and partner groups play in the census.
Curated OER
Portraits Of Power: American Presidents
Learners discover the responsibilities of the presidency. In this U.S. government lesson, students watch "Portraits Of Power: American Presidents," and then compose essays regarding the citizens' relationship to the presidency.
Curated OER
The Supremes
High schoolers 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...
Curated OER
Michigan Judicial System Conclusion
Students identify the courts that make up Michigan's judicial system. They state the responsibilities of each court and diagram a flow chart of how a case moves to the Michigan Supreme Court. They participate in a quiz about the current...