Lesson Plan
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Constitutional Rights Foundation: Leadership: u.s. History

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Lesson and activity looks at leadership in U.S. history focussing on presidents, past and present, to determine what makes a good leader. Questions for discussion and class activity guidelines included.
Website
Other

Founding Fathers

For Students 9th - 10th
Find information about the founding fathers and what they accomplished. Presents the Federalist Papers, The Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights, and The U.S. Constitution. Also includes images, quotes, a history of the...
Website
Digital History

Digital History: The New Nation [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Many problems existed for the new United States. Read about issues facing George Washington as the new President, and find out about the major successes of the first Congress. [PDF]
Activity
Read Works

Read Works: u.s. Presidents James Madison

For Teachers 4th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about James Madison, the fourth President of the United States. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Website
Digital History

Digital History: Challenges Facing the Nation

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
The new United States had no blueprint to follow in establishing a new democratic government. Read about the challenges facing the new nation, and how it dealt with ways to make the government work.
Website
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Gilder Lehrman Institute: History Now: The Early Republic

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] Read about the tremendous growing pains faced by the new republic of the United States from the presidency of George Washington up to the election of Thomas Jefferson. Find out about the domestic...
Website
University of Groningen

American History: Biographies: George Mason 1725 1792 Introduction

For Students 9th - 10th
This site is provided for by the University of Groningen. Leader of the Anti-federalist faction against strong national government, Mason fought the ratification of the U.S. Constitution for protection for individual rights; read this...
Handout
This Nation

This nation.com: Amendments to the u.s. Constitution

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides the text of all the amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The first ten are the Bill of Rights.
Website
PBS

Pbs News Hour Extra: Us Repeals Ban on Gays Serving Openly in Military

For Students 9th - 10th
In the last days of its December 2010 session, the United States Congress voted to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. This policy prohibited gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military. The majority of troops serving...
Activity
Thomson Reuters

Find Law: u.s. Constitution: Fourth Amendment

For Students 9th - 10th
This is the text and fully annotated phrasing of the amendment.
Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: Democracy in America: The Constitution: Fixed or Flexible?

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
This unit explores the timeless qualities of The U.S. Constitution, the opportunities to amend it, and how it is a pillar of the American identity, through these activities, videos, and outside resources.
Handout
US Government Publishing Office

U.s. Government Publishing Office: Our American Government, 2000 Edition

For Students 9th - 10th
A popular introductory guide for American citizens and those of other countries who seek a greater understanding of our heritage of democracy. The question-and-answer format covers a broad range of topics dealing with the legislative,...
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Neh: Edsit Ement: The First Amendment

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
This resource presents lessons on the First Amendment. It contains many resources for use with children, and links to primary source documents.
Activity
Kids' Wings

Texas Bluebonnet Books: "The Landry News"

For Students 3rd - 8th
Here you will find fun, and interactive activities based on the book "The Landry News," by Andrew Clements.
Website
Utah State University

Teacher Link: Celebrations: A Resource Guide for Teachers

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
TeacherLINK at Utah State University offers a wealth of topics and project information on celebrations held throughout the world. Click on "Topics and Authors," to access a long list of available lesson plans on a variety of...
Website
Digital History

Digital History: Writing a Constitution [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
This site is from a unit called 'Writing the US Constitution.' It looks at the documents that preceded the Constitution, and the major issues that were debated while the Constitution was being created.
Primary
Digital History

Digital History: The Constitution [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Find the text of the Constitution and amendments along with an explanation of each article and section. [pdf]
Website
Library of Congress

Loc: Arthur Szyk: Artist for Freedom

For Students 9th - 10th
A great biographical site on the caricaturist and cartoonist Arthur Szyk (1894-1951 CE). There are nice images of religious, war, political and personal caricatures.
Primary
Other

U.s. Supreme Court: Miranda v. Arizona, 384 u.s. 436 (1966)

For Students 9th - 10th
A complete and in-depth history of the 1966 U.S. court case of Miranda v. Arizona.
Article
Siteseen

Siteseen: American Historama: James Madison

For Students 9th - 10th
Facts, biography, and accomplishments of the life of James Madison and summaries of important events during his presidency.
Lesson Plan
The Dirksen Congressional Center

Congress Link: Lesson Plans

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
The Dirksen Congressional Center provides abundant lesson plans on all aspects of the US Congress and the US Constitution. All lessons contain time frames, objectives, and links to material, and are built around Bloom's taxonomy.
Primary
Thomson Reuters

Find Law: Annotation 2: Fifth Amendment

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource explains the phrase "double jeopardy," including a look at its development through history.
Graphic
Curated OER

Etc: Maps Etc: House Vote on the Force Bill, 1833

For Students 9th - 10th
A map of the United States showing the results of the House vote on the Force Bill of 1833 during the presidency of Andrew Jackson. The map is keyed to show the areas of votes for or against the bill. The bill authorized Jackson to use...
Graphic
Curated OER

Wikipedia: Natl Historic Landmarks in New York: Federal Hall Natl Memorial

For Students 9th - 10th
First capitol of the United States of America; site of George Washington's first inauguration in 1789; place where the United States Bill of Rights passed; original building was demolished in the nineteenth century; replaced by the...