Curated OER
Polite Listeners and Traffic Rules
Learners consider the necessity of rules. In this citizenship lesson, students consider the reasons for rules and they complete traffic light activities.
City University of New York
Presidential Elections and the Electoral College
To understand the controversy surrounding the US 2000 presidential election, class members investigate the rationale behind the Electoral Collage, the intimidation involved in the election of 1876, and the 2004 American League...
DocsTeach
Analyzing a Writing Assignment by a Teenage Refugee in New York During World War II
Young historians delve into the world of teenage refugees during WWII to understand their experiences. The activity focuses on a writing assignment from a teen staying at a US refugee camp to explore the struggles they faced, such as...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Winner-Take-All: The Two-Party System
Two's company, three's a crowd. High school historians learn about the Electoral College, a two-party, winner-take-all voting system in the United States. The lesson explains the pros and cons of the two-party system, roadblocks for...
Curated OER
Getting Active in the Census
Students learn why the census makes a difference. In this U.S. Census lesson plan, students identity ways to participate in the 2010 Census while they understand the need the need for citizen action to reduce the risk of undercounts.
Curated OER
Baseball Saved Us Teacher’s Guide
Students read the book "Baseball Saved Us" and respond to the story through writing activities. In this reading lesson, students create a chart of events which they predict will take place in the story. Students then use their chart as...
Curated OER
Social Activism in the United States
Seventh graders explore the goals of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. In this US History lesson plan, 7th graders read a newspaper article that reported a significant event during this era. Students write a summary of...
Curated OER
Voting and US Resident Aliens
Twelfth graders examine the process of voting. In this American Government lesson, 12th graders evaluate the arguments for and against alien voting. Students participate in a debate on voting rights.
Curated OER
INTERPRETING THE EFFECTS OF THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR ON US CITIZENS.
Students write an article about some aspect of American life during the war. -Examples include: Food, Travel, Weapons, Communication, Maps, Leadership. Each group of three will then be responsible for posting their article to the class...
Curated OER
Your Participation as a Citizen
Students investigate their right to participate in the governing process of our nation. They look ast the different ways they are able to participate. They define citizenship, and decipher between whether or not citizens should...
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Life In A Nest: Exploring Life Cycles With Bird Cams
Why read about it when you can watch it happen? Bird cams make it possible for learners to experience the life cycle of a bird in real time! An engaging set of lessons provides activities to connect their learning to bird cam...
Curated OER
Government
Perfect for a Christian or private school setting, this instructional activity has learners use their Bible to help them identify the purpose of the government. They examine specific Bible verses then use them to define the government...
K12 Reader
National Symbols
What are the most prominent symbols of the United States? Learn about the bald eagle, the American flag, and the Statue of Liberty in a reading comprehension activity that includes a short passage and five reflective questions.
Curated OER
Chinese New Year
Gong hei fat choy! Celebrate Chinese New Year with a variety of activities that introduce learners to the Chinese myth of the race that determined which animals earned their place the zodiac.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Global Warming and the Paris Agreement
Global warming: a political debate or a scientific fact? Young historians read text, complete activities, and participate in group discussion to understand the political debate surrounding global warming and the US decision to withdraw...
TCI
Celebrating Our Constitution
School House Rock's "Preamble" launches a study of the Preamble of the US Constitution and the relevance of this 200 year-old document today.
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, justice, and democracy,...
Heritage Foundation
Crime and Punishment
You wouldn't give someone a 10-day timeout for eating a piece of candy. The US government, too, does not believe in unreasonable punishment. A variety of exercises exploring the clauses of the US Constitution prompts class members to...
School Improvement in Maryland
Dividing the Powers of Government
Who does what? To develop an understanding of the balance of power between the US federal and state governments, class members research responsibilities in terms of legal systems, security issues, economic activities, lawmaking, and...
Stanford University
Lesson Plan: Montgomery Bus Boycott
Most of us have heard of Rosa Parks, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and Martin Luther King, Jr. But what about Claudette Colvin, Virginia Durr, Freedom Summer, or the Birmingham Children's Crusade? A five-lesson unit prompts class members...
Curated OER
Myth and Truth: The First Thanksgiving
Encourage learners to think critically about common myths regarding the Wampanoag Indians in Colonial America. They discover that behind every myth are many possible explanations—and that learning more about American history helps them...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Suppressing the Vote
Voting rights have expanded over time, but some voters are still being suppressed. A thought-provoking resource explores the history of voter suppression in the US and efforts to remove roadblocks to voting. Young historians learn about...
Curated OER
The Evolution of the Preamble
Reading and comprehending informational text is vital in all subject areas. Upper graders use primary sources and worksheets to better comprehend the historical importance of the Preamble of the US Constitution. Web links, handouts, and...
Curated OER
United States History Pretest
Have your U.S. history class engage in pre-assessment activities at the beginning of the school year. They activate prior knowledge to answer questions. They also use information about particular topics to fill in a graphic organizer....