Judicial Learning Center
How to Create a Law
Laws affect everything from a scholar's favorite public park to rules in the classroom. Express the importance of lawmaking and teach how they relate to every facet of life with a resource on how a bill becomes a law.
US House of Representatives
House History Comes Alive
How reliable is oral history? The resource uses the oral history website to help academics understand the pros and cons of using recollections to teach others. Scholars complete a worksheet, draft a letter to a representative, and...
DocsTeach
Documenting Key Presidential Decisions
It's match time! Academics participate in an exciting matching game using primary sources. The activity uses documents of key decisions and matches them to the presidents that they are attributed to. Scholars also make a list of key...
Curated OER
The Constitution
Eighth graders watch as their teacher presents information on the Constitution, government and laws through a PowerPoint presentation. In groups, they discuss the importance of government and laws and identify the main ideas in the...
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Writing a Social Studies Essay
For this social studies essay worksheet, students follow the provided steps listed in the graphic organizer to write their own social studies essays. Students also read a sample essay about the U.S. government.
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What is a Court?
Learners examine and discuss the judicial branch of the U.S. government. They define what a court is, list three characteristics of a trial court and an appellate court, and analyze various trial and appeal situations.
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War Making: Executive and Legislative Powers
Students examine executive and legislative powers. In this federal powers lesson, students determine who has the power to wage war in the U.S. government. Students analyze the Constitution and research historical precedents regarding...
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Constitutional Issues: The Separation of Powers
Learners research and stage a debate on the question: RESOLVED that the Constitution should be amended to provide for a parliamentary system of government. They debate if a parliamentary system of government might be better.
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Who Is Who? What Do They Do?
Second graders create rhymes in order to remember the names of representatives and executives in our government at the state level.
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Bill of Rights and Lawmaking
Ninth graders consider how the Bill of Rights impacts the lawmaking process in the United States. In this Bill of Rights lesson plan, 9th graders discuss the amendments and their limitations. Students research the role of the Legislative...
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Veterans Day
In this Veterans Day worksheet, students fill in a crossword puzzle as they figure out the answers to fourteen facts about Veterans Day.
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Supreme Court Newspaper
Students examine the purpose and responsibilities of the Supreme Court and its justices. In groups, they research a specific case and identify how the Supreme Court affects their lives. Using the information they find, they create a...
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Government law
Fifth graders explain how a bill becomes a law. They watch a video and take notes on the video titled: America Rock "I'm Just a Bill." Students work in groups to create a bill to present to congress that relates to safety. They read...
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Ethnicity, Gender and the Courts
Eleventh graders explore their own beliefs about the qualities that make someone qualified to sit on the Supreme Court. In this American Government lesson, 11th graders write about and debate the ethnic, religious, and gender...
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Government: Missouri Bar Civics Library
Students visit the Missouri bar Website to examine information about the U.S. Constitution and its Amendments. They complete a variety of activities from the provided lessons including the judiciary, Fourth Amendment issues, civil law,...
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Interest Groups in South Carolina Government
Students create an outline and short class presentation about an assigned interest group by conducting research using the Internet and interest group contacts. They evaluate the role of an assigned interest group in the South Carolina...
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Who or What is Un-American?
Students explore concepts about civil liberties, research the history of sedition-related legislation in the U.S. and create a position paper on the topic.
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Differences and Settlement in the Legislative Budget Process
Students discuss the issues at hand when legislators are trying to agree on policy. In groups, they role-play different roles within a sub-committee when trying to balance the budget. They present their findings to the class and...
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Government: War Powers Limitations
Students examine historic examples of authority during wartime. They interpret the Fifth Amendment. They debate the merits of the Patriot Act.
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Investigating the Judiciary Act of 1789
Students research the Judiciary Act of 1789 including why it was needed and what it provided. They write a paper using all steps of the writing process outlining their findings.
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Ohio's U.S. Presidents
Fourth graders investigate the state of Ohio's claim to be the "Mother of Presidents." Nine U.S. presidents were from the state and their contributions and terms of office are examined in this lesson.
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Our Country's People Crossword Puzzle
In this US citizens worksheet, students complete a crossword puzzle by answering 19 clues. They use words from a word bank at the bottom of the puzzle, which includes ancestor, citizen, government, president, and immigrant.
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Congressional Travel
Students determine the distances traveled by the members of the legislative branch of the US Government. In this travel distance lesson, students locate Washington, DC on a globe using the longitude and latitude of the city. They...
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VA History Miniquiz - Assemblies and Burgesses
In this Virginia history instructional activity, students answer 17 multiple choice questions regarding the government of colonial Virginia.