Teaching Tolerance
Using Photographs to Teach Social Justice | Confronting Unjust Laws
The right to peacefully assembly to protest injustice is a key element of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Class members are asked to analyze two photographs of people confronting what they consider to be unjust...
Curated OER
Naturalized Citizens and the Presidency
Students consider the presidential requirements. In this U.S. Constitution lesson, students participate in a role play that requires them to act as senators and debate an amendment to allow naturalized citizens to run for the presidency.
Curated OER
What Are Our Common Values?
Students make a poster. In this values lesson plan, students read the Preamble to the Constitution and discuss the core democratic values that are found there and in the Declaration of Independence. Students are each assigned a core...
Curated OER
The Bill of Rights and the Founders
Students explain similarities between historical statements of rights and their modern applications, explore ideas of "Rights of Englishmen" and natural rights, discuss evolution of concept of rights and its impact on Bill of Rights,...
Curated OER
Scopes Trial Activity
Learners are able to prepare arguments for a moot court case. They know how the Scopes Trial impacts academic freedom today. Students know what constitutional amendments are applicable to this issue (including the Butler Act). They...
Curated OER
How a Bill Becomes a Law
Students examine Article I, Sections 1, 7, and 8, of the U.S. Constitution and discuss the authority and restrictions placed on the Congress in making laws.
Curated OER
Federalist 47
Students will analyze and evaluate political propaganda. In this lesson on the Federalist movement, students will examine the Federalist papers and analyze the Anti-Federalist argument mage against constitutional ratification. This...
Curated OER
The Election Is in the House: The Denouement
Students research the US Presidential election of 1824. They explain why the election of 1824 was decided in the House of Representatives. They summarize relevant portions of the Constitution on presidential election procedures.
Curated OER
Comparing the 1945 Vietnam Declaration of Independence and Constitution of 1992 with the United States Declaration of Independence and Constitution
Students compare and contrast the Vietnamese and American plans for government. In this government systems lesson, students analyze and compare excerpts of the 1945 Vietnam Declaration of Independence, the Vietnam Constitution of 1992,...
Curated OER
Citizenship
Fifth graders read the preamble of the U.S. and Florida Constitutions. They discuss vocabulary definitions surrounding the concept of citizenship. They discuss and write about the rights and responsibilities of citizens and apply their...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan for Reading
Students in an adult ESL classroom are introduced to the definition of freedom of speech. Using the internet, they discover the differences between the rule of law and rule of men. To end the lesson, they examine how the court system...
Curated OER
Bill of Rights and Lawmaking
Ninth graders consider how the Bill of Rights impacts the lawmaking process in the United States. In this Bill of Rights lesson plan, 9th graders discuss the amendments and their limitations. Students research the role of the Legislative...
Curated OER
The Constitutional Convention Debates
Students explore the signers of the United States Convention. They answer questions about the compromise debates. Students examine the concerns of Charles Pinckney regarding the security of the Southern States against emancipation of...
Curated OER
"Whispering Wires": Public Law vs. Individual Civil Liberties
High school student love discussing controversial issues like those brought up in this fourth amendment case study. They examine the 1928 Olmstead vs. U.S. prohibition court case, applying the fourth amendment to determine whether...
Curated OER
Preserving Democracy
Students read excerpts of the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution. Using the documents, they identify the ideas of how the government should be run. In groups, they develop a skit that encourages people to be...
Curated OER
U.S. CONSTITUTION: PREAMBLE
In this worksheet of the preamble to the Constitution of the United States, students are given the 14 lines of text to read and evaluate.
Curated OER
Worksheet #48 Questions - United States Judicial System
In this United States judicial system quiz worksheet, learners answer ten fill in the blank questions over the aforementioned subject.
Curated OER
Why Does Congress Work That Way?
Students discover the powers of Congress. In this legislative branch lesson, students examine the legislative process as they analyze Article I of the U.S. Constitution. Students consider the powers of Congress as they define the role of...
Curated OER
We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution
Robert Coles’ The Story of Ruby Bridges forms the basis of this powerful cross-curricular study of civic education and civic responsibility. Class members consider how the book presents authority, responsibility, justice, and privacy.....
Curated OER
Taking A Stand - Rules and Laws
Young scholars explore the purpose of rules and laws in society, as well as some of the basic tenets of the Constitution that address equal rights for all citizens. Next, they examine historical examples of segregation and consider its...
US National Archives
Inaugural Quiz!
Inauguration Day is a time-honored tradition to celebrate the transition between presidential inaugurations. How much do you know about the history of the ceremony itself? High schoolers test knowledge about Inauguration Day with an...
K12 Reader
Branches of Government
Set down the basics of the three branches of government with the reading passage included here. After reading, class members answer five questions related to the passage.
iCivics
Congress
Through reading materials, worksheets, and a primary source activity, this resource provides an overview of the structure and powers of the legislative branch of government in the United States. Readings review how a bill becomes a law,...
Brown University
Considering the Role of Values in Public Policy
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,...