The octopus is a commonly used symbol in political cartoons. Help your scholars examine why it has been used in this way throughout history. Three cartoons depict different uses of the octopus. Background information helps gives context...

Baseball great Jackie Robinson fought for social justice. His efforts to push for equal access are detailed in an episode from from the Ken Burns: The Jackie Robinson Collection. After viewing the clip, class members engage in a...

Students view video The Electric Valley, discuss film clips and review news articles and other documents pertaining to eminent domain, prepare declarative statement on issue that has pro or con side, and present case to opposing side in...

Take time to remind your young learners of the valuable understanding that each branch of the United States government is really composed of other citizens. The reading material and worksheets of this resource cover the importance of...

High schoolers research the My Lai Massacre and trial. Students discuss the events and the trial, reviewing the constitutional amendments and concerns related to the massacre. High schoolers write an analysis of photographs related to...

Students review the concepts they were introduced to in a telecast on judicial review. After reading an article, they answer discussion questions and repeat the same procedure for another article. They participate in a debriefing session...

High schoolers examine extension ideas concerning 9/11, Defining Moments. They analyze a variety of Supreme Court cases, the U.S. Constitution, Mass Media Interpretations, Racism, Immigrant groups and U.S. geography. Many questions are...

Students investigate several controversial issues in the criminal justice system relating to death row and give oral reports explaining how their issues safeguard or contaminate the issue of fairness in capital punishment. They offer...

High schoolers study the importance of equality and opportunity as a characteristic of modern America.

Students examine their own First Amendment rights as students. They read and discuss a news article, discuss the Supreme Court case Frederick v. Morse, take an online quiz and conduct Internet research, and create a brochure outlining...

High schoolers explore the Great Depression and issues facing Franklin D. Roosevelt. They analyze the legal struggles surrounding the fight against the Depression. Students investigate the agenda of Southern Democrats who defied FDR...

Informational text about the Civil Rights Movement challenges young historians to prove their reading comprehension skills with six multiple choice questions. After answers are submitted a new screen displays a score,...

Young scholars trace the historical background of the sixth Amendment to the Constitution. They identify the legal issues and legal arguments in the cases studied, and evaluate the court's decisions.

Young scholars read the case briefs of Ritter v Stanton. They simulate the trial with classmates taking various parts such as appellant, appellee, bailiff, and justices. After conducting a mock argument, they write their own opinion for...

Set down the basics of the three branches of government with the reading passage included here. After reading, class members answer five questions related to the passage.

This is a fantastic resource designed for learners to envision what it was like for the three million African-Americans who migrated to urban industrial centers of the northern United States between 1910 and 1940. After reading a...

Roll the presses! Or at least have your class members participate in the time-honored tradition of the student press by creating their own newspapers or journalist pieces on a social problem. After conducting research and collaborating...

Young scholars identify government officials and resources on a local, state and national level. They determine the structure of local, state, and national governments.

What don't we know about our government? Explore the concept of transparency and freedom of information throught this analysis handout, in which scholars examine 2 political cartoons. Background information provides context, explaining...

Young scholars examine the impact of court decisions. In this Supreme Court lesson, students read the Bush v. Gore case study regarding the presidential election of 2000. Young scholars take notes on the case and respond to discussion...

Students study the history and culture of Jim Crow, as well as the scope of Jim Crow laws across the United States. They consider the concepts of terror and triumph with respect to the history of Jim Crow, the recognition of evidence of...

Students observe the procedures of the Michigan Supreme Court. They identify the processes and procedures being used. They debate a case that was presented to the Court and analyze the oral arguments of the case.

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...

Students study the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments as they examine the fight for women's suffrage. They explore the Nineteenth Amendment.