Just how alike are some historical documents? Discover the similarities between the Magna Carta and the United States Bill of Rights in a fast-paced activity. Historians learn the importance of both documents and the lasting impact they...

Even the most inspiring documents in American history had to go through a few drafts before they were ready for publication. Reinforce the importance of the writing process, as well as the collaborative nature of democracy, with an...

Did you know that leaky faucets waste $10 million worth of water? Conservationists perform an experiment and draw best-fit lines to explore how the US Geological Society determined this value.

The census has been a part of the American landscape since the Constitution was written; however, it does have a history of controversy. Class members use a guided reading and simulation activity on developing census questions to...

Who would've guessed that a document written over 200 years ago would still have a lot to teach us today? A set of folder games incorporates parts of a newspaper to teach about the Constitution and how it still applies to life...

Is it illegal to lie about military service? Discuss the ways the First Amendment affects the Stolen Valor Act with a lesson that focuses on the Supreme Court case U.S. v. Alvarez. As high schoolers learn more about the history of the...

Going green? Scholars investigate the creation of the US National Park program. Through diary entries as well as expert testimony, they synthesize information and analyze the need for conservation and preservation. Finally, they display...

"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...

Just what is jurisdiction and why does it matter? A helpful activity takes academics on a journey to understand how judicial jurisdiction works. Scholars read excerpts from the Constitution and court documents to understand the process...

If your school requires a senior research paper or if you are considering one for your class, then this resource is for you. The 43-page packet includes everything from a sample letter to parents to requirements, from topic suggestions...

How can mathematics help scholars choose a college? High schoolers learn how they can use decision matrices to rank colleges based on selected criteria. They also see how to weigh criteria using multiplication of the decision matrix by a...

In an engaging activity on universal and unalienable rights, learners work in groups to establish a democratic nation and determine what principles they want to protect to ensure a democratic society. They conduct a "rights auction" in...

How should a cashier stock a cash register with coins? Learners use mathematical modeling and expected value to determine how many rolls of coins of each type they should place in a cash register.

From start to finish, here is a fantastic resource that uses engaging activities and an interactive virtual game to teach about major US Supreme Court cases. Your class members will distinguish the primary arguments made in such cases as...

Guided by close-reading questions, groups examine the similarities and differences between the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. In addition, they look at how the principles are presented in these two foundational US...

Students examine human rights abuses in thirty countries, specifically explore abuses in Dominican Republic's Trujillo regime, research one country with significant human rights abuses, use Preamble to U.S. Constitution as measure of...

A cross-curricular resource that takes the electoral votes and allows your learners to organize and analyze the data. Young voters can determine which states are more influential and interpret the dotplot provided for more data....

Students fill out a form which asked the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, and WHY about the person they were assigned to research, they gather their information from different web sites on Lightspan and Yahooligans. They create a HyperStudio and...

A review of the U.S. Constitution is presented by topics and concepts. A full list of topics gives an alphabetical listing, that when clicked, provides the actual text.

This resource discusses Clause 1, Section 3, in Article IV. It outlines the parameters put in place to ensure that as new states entered the union, power was equitably distributed among all.

An analysis of the conflicting views on the fundamental role of the government of the United States, specifically on the relationship between the different branches of the federal government, and what the Cato Institute regards as their...

Check out this site from the National Archives and Records Administration on the US Constitution and the United States Code for laws and provisions regarding presidential elections.

This is the text and fully annotated phrasing of the amendment.

This resource examines the creativity and inspiration that went into the creation and writing of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.