While he may not be as well known as civil rights activists such as Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King, or Malcolm X, Ralph Bunche's contributions certainly made him a leader in the struggle for civil rights in the United States and...

Your pupils are all citizens of your classroom. Provide some more instruction on how people can be citizens with the reading passage included here. After reading, learners answer the five related questions.

Is your class studying civil rights? Consider taking a look at President Lyndon B. Johnson's voting rights speech. This resource includes an abridged version and three related questions. Pupils consider Johnson's use of language and the...

As your historians examine the French Revolution, have them read "Declaration of the Rights of Man" in its entirety; it's not very long, and it gives them a great authenticity to understanding the efforts of the French people. After...

Balancing national security and civil liberties can be tricky. To appreciate the tension between these two concepts, class members investigate the Japanese attack on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor and President Franklin D....

All things are subject to interpretation ... and that includes the Bill of Rights. Scholars work through activities to analyze and consider various interpretations and perspectives of the rights listed in the Constitution. They complete...

How do the state and federal governments relate to each other? The Constitution has a lot to say about that! Using an interactive online tool, pupils explore the Tenth Amendment. They apply their knowledge to political cartoons and news...

Young historians take an in-depth look at the five freedoms granted by the First Amendment. Groups apply their knowledge of the freedoms to a series of scenarios to decide if the depicted actions represent a violation of the amendment.

Imagine the challenge of trying to trace your family genealogy if no records were kept of births and deaths. Where would you look for information? What types of documents could provide you with the information you seek? History...

Use a list of environmentally related words to engage learners in a discussion about ecosystem conservation legislation. As a class, read "Aware of Political Ecosystem, Property Rights Advocate Embraces Conservation Plan." Then, present...

For this Bill of Rights worksheet, learners respond to 10 short answer questions that require them to agree or disagree with 10 statements about flag burning and citizen's rights.

On December 15, 1791, the ratification of the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the UnitedStates of American by three-quarters of the states took place. These were subsequently incorporated into the Constitution and became...

Here is an interesting topic. Learners examine the economics that led to the founding of the First Bank of America. They participate in a reader's theater experience depicting the debate between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson...

How do governments differ in how they protect human rights? While the United States prides itself on its Bill of Rights, other countries have their own ways of protecting citizens' liberties. An interactive website, paired with...

High schoolers engage in a lesson plan that focuses on the development of The Bill Of Rights in the United States. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students two focus questions in order to guide the information search....

Students identify the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation and explain how these shortcomings lead to the creation of the Constitution. They explain why the Bill of Rights was added to the constitution and identify six freedoms...

Students are introduced to the United States and Navajo Bill of Rights. In groups, they compare and contrast the two documents and take notes to share with the class. To end the lesson, they write in their journals about their own...

Pupils review the Bill of Rights as a class. In groups, they use the internet to research the contributions made by historical figures in forming these rights. They create a poster showing the information they collected and present...

Students examine the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. During a visit to the George Bush Presidential Museum, they watch a video about the Texas v. Johnson flag burning case. In groups, they discover the role of the Supreme Court...

A timeline can be a powerful learning tool because it reveals a pattern in events. While few would consider St. Augustine, Florida a hotbed of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, a selection of background information and a timeline of...

Break the chain. An engaging lesson examines why it is so hard to break free of the prison system in the US. Academics participate in a reader's theater, read primary sources, and discuss their thoughts. The lesson explains the hardships...

Young scholars examine the concepts of power and authority as they begin learning about government in this elementary social studies lesson. Through a series of readings, discussions, and problem solving activities, children...

Thrill your class with the daily doubles and increasing points of Jeopardy! Complete with sound effects and visual cues, the game focuses on parts of speech, including nouns, prepositions, and conjunctions. Each point square links to a...

Bring some energy to your physical science curriculum with this engaging Bill Nye the Science Guy instructional activity. Based on his Renewable Energy video, students explore the concepts of potential and kinetic energy and learn how...