Assessment
New York State Education Department

US History and Government Examination: August 2013

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
While the United States is now one of the strongest countries in the world, at its founding, it was plagued by controversies over the ratification of the Constitution, the Louisiana Purchase, and the expansion of slavery. Using a...
Interactive
2
2
Judicial Learning Center

State Courts vs. Federal Courts

For Students 6th - 12th
Popular culture often portrays the Feds as the most fearsome of law enforcement agencies. Yet, someone charged with a crime is considerably more likely to end up in a state court. The lesson, one of six covering the Organization of the...
Assessment
New York State Education Department

US History and Government Examination: August 2016

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Multiple-choice and essay questions test comprehension, writing ability, and skills with primary source analysis. The comprehensive exam covers many different subjects including the United States census, Constitution, and important...
Writing
Carolina K-12

Writing Prompt: The Death Penalty

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Is the death penalty unjust because it violates the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution, "cruel and unusual punishment"? Or is it just a form of permissible capital punishment? After weighing arguments for and against the...
Lesson Plan
1
1
Brown University

Considering the Role of Values in Public Policy

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Strong opinions come from deeply held values. Young citizens explore the values that are most important to them in a class discussion and activity. As they prioritize a list of values cards that include freedom,...
Lesson Plan
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum

Red States/Blue States: Mapping the Presidential Election

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Young historians investigate how voting patterns have changed by comparing the outcome of the 1960 election to the outcome of the recent election. A creative final assessment has participants making a news show wherein they provide...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Constitution & Native Americans

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify and consider US Constitutional origins in American Indian culture. They discuss and consider what it means to them to attribute the origins of the US Constitution to American Indian oral tradition. They compare the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Explicit and Implicit Language - Interpreting the Meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars write an essay analyzing the language of the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution.  In this US History lesson, students review the difference between implicit and explicit meanings. Young scholars watch a...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Proposition 8 Struck Down

For Students 9th - 12th
Have your class examine the issues surrounding same-sex marriage, civil rights, and proposition 8. They read a New York Times article entitled "Proposition 8 Struck Down" and then answer 10 who, what, when, where, and why questions....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding the Debt Ceiling Debate and the Budget Control Act of 2011

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Upper graders listen to a podcast on the EconTalk website featuring economist Keith Hennessey. The podcast focuses on the Budget Control Act of 2011, the national debt, and government spending. They read specifics about the BCA, then...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Defending the Homeland--The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1789

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore that there have been times during the history of the US when ,in response to real and perceived threats, both domestic and foreign, our country has responded by passing legislation. Students trace the fundamental rights...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Supreme Court Decisions and Their Effect On Us

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Consider five Supreme Court cases and how their outcomes have directly affected the American population. Government students research and compose a 1-2 page pager outlining the examples of our daily life that have specifically been...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

American Focus on World Constitutions

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders describe essential components of a constitution and cite cultural factors affecting international law-making.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

We the People Level 2

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students explore U.S. history by participating in a government activity. In this Constitution lesson, students identify the role government plays in our society and the differences the British colonies had in the early 18th century....
Worksheet
Curated OER

The National Legislature: ch 10

For Students 8th
Answering comprehension questions during or after reading an informational text can help focus the reader's attention. Here are 5 True/False and 5 multiple choice questions related to the Congress, bicameralism, and basic governmental...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Do We Still Need the Electoral College?

For Teachers 6th - 12th
One of the most confusing aspects of any presidential election year is the role of the Electoral College. Learners read a bit about how the Electoral College works and then they hold a mock election in their classroom. They'll redraw a...
Activity
Administrative Office of the US Courts

Engel v. Vitale

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
"Is school-sponsored prayer in public schools unconstitutional?" That is the question teams debate as they consider the arguments presented to the Supreme Court in Engel v. Vitale. The attorneys study the provided talking points and...
Worksheet
Curated OER

The First Amendment

For Students 4th - 5th
In this government worksheet, students read the First Amendment to the United States Constitution before reading about the limitations of the laws. They answer 2 short answer questions about the freedoms, and write an essay on the back...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Amending the Constitution

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students research the history of the process of amending the US Constitution to explain the latest amendment that failed on June 28, 2006. They complete the research and view images online.
Lesson Plan
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Refugees From Vietnam and Cambodia

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The United States may have pulled its troops from the Vietnam War in 1973, but the conflict was far from over for the citizens living in Asia at the time. An informative resource lets learners know about the wave of over 220,000...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Debate on Ratification: Should We Ratify the New Constitution?

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Students determine whether the Constitution should be ratified. In this U.S. Constitution instructional activity, students research the roles of famous Federalists and Antifederalists in order to prepare them to participate in a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Lesson To Accompany "The First Bank of the United States: A Chapter in the History of Central Banking"

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Here is an interesting topic. Learners examine the economics that led to the founding of the First Bank of America. They participate in a reader's theater experience depicting the debate between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson...
Lesson Plan
1
1
Encyclopedia Britannica

Presidential Qualifications

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Can anyone grow up to be president of the United States? As part of their study of the 2020 election, groups research the constitutional requirements to become president. The class then brainstorms a list of qualifications beyond those...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The U.S. Constitutional Tradition

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students study the Constitution and then in an interactive group activity create a "Second Constitutional Convention" specifically designed to evaluate and trim down the number of amendments.

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