Curated OER
The Role of State Government and the State Constitution
Students investigate the relationship between state and national governments. They define the principles of American federalism how the constitution outlines the powers of state and federal government. Lesson focuses on Nebraska...
Curated OER
The French Revolution
Students understand the basic political events of the French Revolution, broken down into four stages, and the shifts of power during each stage. They examine how the members of the Third Estate gained not only political but also...
Curated OER
The President's Role and Succession
Fourth graders examine the role the President of the United States plays in American government and the order of succession of cabinet members. They explain about presidential qualifications and the path to becoming President.
Curated OER
The Constitution: Our Plan for Government
Students investigate the importance of separation of powers, checks, balances, and judicial review. They also investigate how national and state governments are linked.
Curated OER
Civics: Missouri's Non-Partisan Court Plan
Students examine the ways that the Missouri Non-Partisan Court Plan helps the court maintain a system of separation of powers and checks and balances. After discussing the principle of judicial impartiality, they complete a chart...
Curated OER
US Constitution And Amendments
Students become familiar with the US Constitution and consider how it affects their lives. They research the Preamble to articulate the purposes of government, compile collages, and research the separation of powers within each branch of...
Curated OER
The Power of Words: Social Justice Words
Students role-play the position of a presidential candidate. They create their platform to include social justice programs and present it to the class. They answer questions to end the lesson.
iCivics
Constitution Day
Celebrate Constitution Day, September 17, with an activity that asks class members to identify the responsibilities of the three branches of the U.S. government.
Wisconsin Historical Society
Civil Disobedience
When is civil disobedience acceptable? Class members read examples of Jim Crow laws, an excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King's "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," and a newspaper article and then consider the factors that make a law just or...
Facing History and Ourselves
Laws and the National Community
When it comes to the law, is justice always served? Teach scholars about how law sometimes enables prejudice of entire groups of people with a unit on World War II that includes a warm-up activity, analysis of primary sources,...
Carolina K-12
African Americans in the United States Congress During Reconstruction
The Civil Rights Act of 1866, which granted citizenship to all males in the U.S., resulted in the first African Americans to be elected to Congress. Class members research 11 of these men, the challenges they faced, and craft...
Federal Reserve Bank
Ten Mile Day
Get your class working on the railroad with this detailed and interactive lesson. After reading and discussing Ten Mile Day, learners explore division of labor, human capital, and productivity with a hands-on group activity in which they...
Curated OER
The Boundary Dispute between New Hampshire and Massachusetts, 1677-1741
High schoolers research primary and secondary source documents to examine the separation of New Hampshire from the larger colony of Massachusetts.
Curated OER
I Won't Live in a Toxic World
Students examine four separate environmental health issues using fish-bowl technique, and discuss roles of both government and citizens in maintaining a pollution-free environment.
Curated OER
Three Levels of Government
Students name and broadly classify the powers and duties of each level of executive government in Australia. They identify and examine areas of overlaid and cooperation between various executive levels. Students examine the nature of...
Curated OER
Religion and the Civil Rights Movement
Students investigate the role of religion in the Civil Rights Movement. In this religion and ethics lesson, students explore the separation of church and state as they examine how religious faith has inspired social change in the United...
National First Ladies' Library
The Gilded Age
Students investigate the economic events that caused such a separation between social classes in the United States during this time period. Then they design financial and social models with the goal of closing the gap between the super...
Curated OER
Multicultural Issues and the Law: Gender and Race Based Schooling
Learners examine the problems associated with gender based and race based education. In groups, they research the history of education and the laws that have changed education and impacted lives. They brainstorm a list of the positives...
Curated OER
Congress and the Creation of the Bill of Rights
Students participate in inquiry activities to explore powers outlined in the Bill of Rights. In this Bill of Rights lesson plan, students creation of a class Bill of Rights, evaluate and propose amendments, and analyze primary source...
Kids Voting USA
Kids Voting USA: K-2 Classroom Activities
Address both social studies and critical reading skills with a resource dedicated to the voting process, the American democracy, and the ability to evaluate information in order to develop a stance on an issue. Each themed activity set...
Curated OER
Images of Slavery and the Underground Railroad
Pictures and photographs can help us foster greater connections and a deeper understanding of a historical time period. After closely analyzing several images that depict slavery and the Underground Railroad, your class will have the...
Student Handouts
Foreign Affairs
Inform your class about foreign policy during the Reagan administration. The resource includes a reading passage that gives an overview of foreign policy decisions made during the Reagan administration and nine questions for pupils to...
Student Handouts
The Players and Their Games
Explore the countries involved in World War II. Pupils find information about what these countries were like before the war. Who was the leader of each country? What issues, concerns, and goals were important in 1938? They fill in their...
PBS
Constitution Day
Travel back to 1787 as young scholars investigate the creation of the US Constitution. After first working in small groups to create sets of classroom rules, students go on to read a summary of the Constitution and watch a short video...