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Do Suspected Enemies Have Rights?
Students investigate the history of Japanese immigration. They complete an online Webquest, explore various websites, answer discussion questions, and locate and read newspaper articles about enemy compatants.
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Right of Privacy: 4th Amendment
Students are introduced to the 4th Amendment of the Washington state Constitution. In groups, they examine the Constitution of the state of Washington and compare it to the United States Constitution. They role play the role Supreme...
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Constitution Day
Pupils examine and discuss recent court cases involving young people and the Bill of Rights.They use a focus question to create the context for class discussion: How does the Bill of Rights apply to young people and students?
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Citizens Together
Students examine the bill of rights as it relates to founding documents and their significance today. In this bill of rights lesson plan, students use newspapers as sources to answer critical questions regarding democratic citizenship....
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Bill of Rights -- Americans with Disabilities Act
Students focus on the First and Ninth Amendments of the Bill of Rights. Before visiting a museum, they examine the Americans with Disabilities Act. During the visit, they work together with a museum member to watch a video and get...
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9/11: A Nation Remembers
Students take a closer look at 9/11 memorials. For this public memorials lesson, students prepare for a visit to the National Constitution Center by analyzing photographs taken by Jonathan Hyman. After students visit the exhibit, they...
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Cartoons for the Classroom: The First Amendment? D'oh!
In this current events worksheet, students analyze a political cartoon about First Amendment rights and respond to 3 talking point questions.
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Civil Rights Movement
Students identify and acquire an understanding of what the Civil Rights Movement consisted of, the issues that sparked the Movement, the people who participated and the events that occurred during the Movement. They also identify how to...
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Treason and Trials - Aaron Burr
Students examine the Constitutional definition of treason and research the case of Aaron Burr as first interpreted in 1807. They consider how Burr's case relates to the case of John Walker Lindh.
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Creating a Classroom Belief Statement
Fourth graders cooperatively develop a classroom belief statement that serves as their classroom constitution. Each student is involved in the creation of the statement. Each group presents their belief statement to the class.
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The Articles of Confederation
The purpose of this lesson is to assist students in discovering the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and the foundation for creation of the United States Constitution. Students will investigate the events leading up to the...
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Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Limited Government
Students write a letter to King George III from the point of view of Thomas Jefferson. They defend constitutional democracy and explain the differences between limited and unlimited government.
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The Voter
High schoolers identify the constitutional amendments and major federal laws that have shaped suffrage in the United States.
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Perseverance
Students examine how the failure of Reconstruction led to the systematic passage of Jim Crow laws in states across the South and the negative impact these laws had on the growth and development of the US.
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Arkansas Black Pioneers: A History of African-American Colonies in Arkansas
Students identify various regions of early Arkansas as these regions relate to African American colonies that settled in Arkansas after the Civil War.
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Imposing Democracy
Twelfth graders discuss the probability of imposing a democracy in a country in which there is no history of this type of government being successful. Using the internet, they work together to research Japan's experience with democracy...
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Should the United States Have a Central Bank?
Students assess the validity of a national bank. They study the importance of McCullough v. Maryland. They review the arguments of Hamilton and Jefferson. They analyze the Tenth Amendment and the debate over state v. federal power. They ...
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The My Lai Courts Martial of 1970
Pupils research the My Lai Massacre and trial. Students discuss the events and the trial, reviewing the constitutional amendments and concerns related to the massacre. Pupils write an analysis of photographs related to the incident.
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Inside the Courtroom
Twelfth graders explain the difference between a class action and civil law suit. In groups, they compare and contrast criminal and civil trials and review various cases. They determine the place of law in the American constitutional...
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Japanese American Internment
Students examine Japanese internment camps of World War II. In this World War II lesson plan, students participate in a simulation of Japanese internment camps in the United States. Students determine the constitutional rights that were...
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Citizen Me
Fifth graders examine what it means to be a citizen. Using the Constitution, they discover the functions and purpose of government. They compare and contrast the difference between a democracy and a monarchy. As a class, they discuss...
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Religion in Public Schools
Students examine the presence of religion in public institutions. In this ethics lesson, students focus on one aspect of the presence of religion in public institutions, and the controversy surrounding religion in the public schools....
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United States Pride
Third graders learn the responsibility of citizenship and learn facts about a state they choose to research.
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Texas v. Johnson
Students examine the freedom of speech. In this Supreme Court lesson, students analyze primary documents from Texas v. Johnson and discuss the implications of the decision regarding flag burning.