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What Constitutes a State?
Students examine the differences between various state constitutions in the United States. Then, using their own
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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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Writing a Classroom Constitution
Twelfth graders go through the process of writing a classroom constitution and then compare their process to that followed by the framers of the U.S. Constitution.
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Checks and Balances
Eleventh graders explain the structure and function of the United States government established by the Constitution. They set up a make-believe scenario: the 3 volunteers have been friends for a long time and have formed a club (the...
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Images of the American Revolution
Students analyze several documents as they research the Revolutionary War. They evaluate documents and examine them for bias and perspective. They use their research to write monologues from the point of view of a famous Revolutionary...
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The Civil War as Photographed by Mathew Brady
Learners gain historical background on the Civil War era from textbooks, encyclopedias, or supplemental material. Assign at least two photographs for each student to analyze using the Photograph Analysis Worksheet which is imbedded in...
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Photograph and Pamphlet About Nuclear Fallout
High schoolers explore the term, 'nuclear fallout.' They analyze the "Facts about Fallout" pamphlet and list any questions that either were not answered by the pamphlet or arose as a result of materials provided.
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Celebrate the Constitution
Learners explore the process of writing our Constitution through an interactive program. They are to put themselves in the place of the statesmen and predict how they felt at the time. They compare the founding fathers.
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Animating a Historic Event
Research a historic event using textbooks, primary source documents, the Internet, and other library and media resources. Young historians will take the research they have gathered and write an attention-grabbing, historically accurate...
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Cuban Missile Crisis: Teaching Activities
Students create a timeline of the important events of John F. Kennedy's presidency. They construct a timeline of the major events of the Cuban Missile Crisis. They compare the Missile Crisis events with their presentation in the movie...
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The Decision to Americanize the War in Vietnam
Students research the major events of the Vietnam War and construct a timeline. They do the same with the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson or the 1960's. They act as an advisor to President Johnson to recommend a course of action...
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Constitution Lesson Plan
Third graders identify roles of Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution in establishing new country, create posters with their ideas about each part of Constitution, and explain three branches of government, including their...
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What Are Your Human Rights?: Post World War II and Human Rights
Students define and discuss human rights, make lists of human rights they think everyone deserves, and create class list of ten most important rights. Students then translate formal language of Universal Declaration of Human Rights into...
National Endowment for the Humanities
"An Expression of the American Mind": Understanding the Declaration of Independence
Students research the structure of the Declaration: introduction, main political/philosophical ideas, grievances and assertion of sovereignty. They analyze the ideological/political origins of the ideas in the Declaration. Students...
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Americana Trivia Game
In this American history game, young scholars use the blank game board and the trivia question cards to play a board game that tests knowledge of American history. There are 28 trivia questions and full directions.
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Constitution Day
In this U.S. Constitution worksheet, learners read 14 vocabulary words related to the U.S. Constitution, then search for those words in a word search puzzle. Students then choose 5 words and write them in sentences.
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The Declaration of Independence
Students examine the Declaration of Independence. In this colonial America lesson, students read literature regarding the document as well as excerpts of the document itself. Students also perform a Reader's Theatre script based on the...
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A More Perfect Union: Women's Suffrage and the Constitution
Learners reflect on the pros and cons of Women's Suffrage and it was viewed during the late 1800's. In this history lesson, students will analyze documents on women's suffrage so that they can compare and contrast the rights of women...
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The Three Branches of Government
Sixth graders discover details about the 3 branches of government. In this primary source analysis lesson, 6th graders examine documents and images from the Library of Congress to investigate the structure of the U.S. government.
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Ambivalent Council
Young scholars consider the purpose of a constitution and research Iraq's five major population groups. They write a letter to the Iraqi Governing Council from the perspective of a member of one of these Iraqi population groups.
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Early American Government: Cause and Effect
Students explore cause and effect. In this early American government lesson plan, students research the series of events that led to the revolution, confederation, and constitution. Students use cause and effect examples to complete a...
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Get To Know The Constitution
Students search the Constitution for specific information. In this Constitution lesson plan, students read the Constitution and search for the branches of government, specific Amendments, and more, in groups.
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One Step Closer to a Treaty
Learners speak objectively about the nuclear disarmament issue and interpret sections of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. They become more informed by these discussions and readings on the nuclear
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Philanthropy in History Lesson 1: We the People Hall of Fame
Students examine the lives of people who contributed to the common good, and democracy. They investigate grievances that lead to the call for American independence and look at the costs that are incurred as a result of personal acts of...