Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Statue of Liberty: The Meaning and Use of a National Symbol

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Engage your class in a series of activities, each related to the use or analysis of symbols used to convey patriotic or national concepts. They identify different national symbols and explain their meanings, discussing the importance of...
Lesson Plan
Constitutional Rights Foundation

If Men Were Angels: Teaching the Constitution With the Federalist Papers

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Much like the methods of group work, the writers of the Federalist Papers worked together to advocate for their viewpoints against the anti-federalists. The resource enables learners to break into small groups and conduct research before...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Consequences of the Sedition Act

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers research and discuss the consequences of the Sedition Act. They illustrate the difficulty of balancing security needs and personal freedom using an example from John Adams's presidency.
Lesson Plan
3
3
American Documentary

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Plea Bargains

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The outcome of 90 percent of criminal cases in the US is determined by plea bargains. Clips from the documentary Better This World create the backdrop for an investigation of the benefits and drawbacks of the plea bargaining process....
Lesson Plan
1
1
Delegation of the European Union to the United States

Cultural Identity

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How does cultural diversity impact political identity? That is the question researchers face as they continue their examination of the European Union and the programs it has developed in its attempt to achieve unity in diversity. To gain...
Lesson Plan
1
1
PBS

Making Change: Revolutionary Tactics of the Civil Rights Movement

For Teachers 10th - Higher Ed Standards
The film American Revolutionary: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs introduces viewers to the differing philosophies of and strategies employed by 1960s civil rights leaders such as Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. and the debate over...
Lesson Plan
1
1
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Special Order 40

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The city of Los Angeles' 1979 Special Order 40 states: "LAPD officers shall not initiate police action with the objective of discovering the alien status of a person." After reading a fact sheet that details the history of Special Order...
Lesson Plan
Global Oneness Project

Repairing the Fabric of Democracy

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
During elections, headlines constantly lament the issue of low voter turnout. Help class members understand why this is such an important topic with relevant articles, a discussion of both sides of the issue, and a reflective essay. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Rise and Fall of Joseph McCarthy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze documents, cartoons, speeches and articles about Joseph McCarthy and his crusade against "Un-American" activities. They guide their research with a worksheet and participate in class discussions about their findings.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Bill of Rights

For Teachers 9th - 12th
In groups, learners review one of four selected Supreme Court cases. The whole class watches a video introducing the four cases, and then small groups dive into Internet research in an attempt to write a two-paragraph summary of the...
Lesson Plan
Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights

Van Jones: Police Brutality

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Develop an understanding of how the media and society are connected and responsible for the defense of universal human rights. Learners investigate and examine the conflicts of police brutality as it is portrayed in the media and through...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Inside the Courtroom

For Teachers 12th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Moot Court Preparation

For Teachers 12th
Twelfth graders prepare themselves for a mock moot court. In groups, they are presented with an overview of each activity and research appellate cases related to the topic given to them. They identify regions of the country that have...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Campaign Finance Reform and Public Opinion

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners discuss the issue of finance reform in political campaigns. Using the internet, they identify the positives and negatives of finance reform and research the problems associated with campaign fund-raising. They share their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cultures Around the World

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students research, using the Internet, cultures of the world. They identify countries, their currency, holidays, climate and societal information. They look at the distance of international cities from their hometown.
Lesson Plan
Advocates for Human Rights

Migrants in the Media

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Class members examine two documents—The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and The Rights of Migrants in the United States—and then use reports in the media to assess how well the US is doing in ensuring these rights.
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

The Preamble to the Constitution: A Close Reading Lesson

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union..." These familiar lines begin the Preamble to the Constitution, but do learners know what they mean? A close reading exercise takes a look at the language of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chicago Tribune vs. US (1942): When Does Freedom of the Press Go Too Far?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students define freedom of the press in peace and war time. As a class, they identify the need for the public to be informed, but discuss where the line should be drawn to protect national security. They develop their arguments and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Evacuation: The Japanese Americans in World War II

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine Japanese internment camps of World War II. In this World War II lesson, students use primary and secondary sources to research the evacuation process and life within the internment camps. Students discuss the racial bias...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Focus on Economic Data: US Employment and the Unemployment Rate, March, 2012

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Read all about the various types of unemployment and the United States is are currently at the low-point of an unemployment cycle. Kids examine what economic factors affect the unemployment rate, and what data shows for different US...
Lesson Plan
Anti-Defamation League

Soccer, Salaries and Sexism

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Call it soccer, call it football, but call it unfair! the US women's soccer team has called out the US Soccer Federation for unfair treatment in terms of salaries, support, and working conditions in a lawsuit filed in 2019. Young...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Immigration Debate

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine statements made by immigrants about immigration. They use the internet to research the truthfulness of these statements. They practice their decision-making skills.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Utah's Children's Health Insurance Program (chip): How Well Are We Doing?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze Utah's CHIP program. They compares it to other states in terms of benefits and customer satisfaction. They examine how rules and regulations at the federal level shape state-level program operations. They research and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Japanese Military Build-up

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students evaluate the state of Japan's military and their defense strategy under the current Shinzo Abe administration. They watch the film, 'The Raping of Nanking' and read "The Return of Japanese Militarism: Rising Sun" by Joshua...

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