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
James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation

A Deliberate, Palpable and Dangerous Exercise of Other Powers: James Madison & Homeland Security

For Teachers 6th - 12th
This resource uses primary source documents to explore the First Amendment. After reviewing key events of the 1790s, government or US history classes explore Madison's letter to Jefferson regarding the Alien and Sedition Acts. They then...
Lesson Plan
Internal Revenue Service

Fairness in Taxes: How Taxes Affect Us

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are able to compare the effects of the following, using income as a measure of ability to pay: a progressive tax, a regressive tas, and a proportional tax. They explain how a mixture of regressive and progressive taxes could...
Lesson Plan
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School Improvement in Maryland

United States Foreign Policy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Policies of United States government which promote or fail to promote relationships with other countries—national defense, arms control, security of other nations, trade, human rights, economic sanctions, foreign aid, etc.—come under...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Hard Times Come Again No More" : Letters From Arkansas Families in the Great Depression

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Through this series of terrific lesson plans, pupils learn about the extent of poverty in the state of Arkansas during the Great Depression. They read documents from the period which describe how hard times were, view an online photo...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Thinking About Hate

For Teachers 8th - 10th
This lesson starts out with a guided discussion about the statement "Birds fly in the sky; airplanes fly in the sky; therefore, airplanes are birds" and goes on to cover logical fallacies and reliable sources, relating these to the topic...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

It's About You

For Teachers K - 4th
Learners explore the U.S. Census and come to understand more about it. For this census lesson, students build reading confidence, explain who is counted in the census, and recognize the connection between census information and community...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Steps In Selecting A President

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students follow a flowchart that describes the process of electing the American president and vice-president. They create a flowchart that explains some aspect of the US government.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore the life of Chief Joseph and Nez Perce.  In this US History lesson, 11th graders analyze paintings and photos detailing the flight of Nez Perce.  Students create a narrative newspaper article based on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Press Freedom Versus Military Censorship

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore the term terrorism.  In this US History lesson plan, 11th graders participate in a press release on terrorism. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

President for a Day

For Teachers 3rd - 7th
Students explore the duties of the US President. In this history lesson plan, students use research to gain information about presidents. Students utilize various forms of research, pictures, library books, textbooks, newspaper,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Alien and Sedition Acts: Defining American Freedom

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore the purpose of the Alien and Sedition Acts.  For this US History lesson, 11th graders analyze primary source documents.  Students write an essay using writing prompts. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Nez Perce and the Dawes Act

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore westward expansion in the United States. In this US History lesson, 11th graders watch the epic struggle of the Nez Perce. Students evaluate how a variety of Americans viewed Nez Perce through a role play. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

State Government Debt in Utah: Rapid Growth in Recent Years

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students examine growth of debt in Utah state government from 1991 to present, compare general obligation debt and revenue debt incurred by state, identify four primary methods used by governments to finance projects, and complete...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

ESOL Government and Community Resources

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students view pictures of government official and identify each by name and title. They compare these U. S. officials with those in the students' native countries then write a sentence about each of the officials.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

ADULT ESOL LESSON PLAN--Level 5--Telephone Communication

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students, after reviewing/defining an extensive list of vocabulary terms on the board, examine/identify a variety of resources found in telephone directories (maps, government agencies, coupons, customer guide section, emergency numbers,...
Lesson Plan
PBS

President Theodore Roosevelt: Foreign Policy Statesman or Bully?

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Can a negative perception of a president's foreign policy harm his or her historical legacy? A project that winds the clock back to the date of Theodore Roosevelt's death puts students at the editorial desk of a fictional newspaper....
Lesson Plan
PBS

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
What rights are guaranteed to students? Do they align with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was approved by the United Nations in 1948? Middle and high schoolers present persuasive arguments about the rights they believe...
Lesson Plan
Bill of Rights Institute

The Declaration of Independence

For Teachers 8th - 10th Standards
Take classes on an in-depth tour of the Declaration of Independence. An informative resource effectively scaffolds learning by providing warm-up and wrap-up activities. It also includes a variety of handouts for individuals to complete,...
Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Sandra Day O'Connor: Always Supreme

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Demystify America's governing system through a legendary role model and a fabulous website.
Lesson Plan
Carolina K-12

Who the People? Representative Democracy in North Carolina and Congress

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Our elected officials are supposed to represent us, but what does it mean when they aren't like us? Budding citizens explore the demographic makeup of the US Congress, the role of money in political elections, and the Citizens United...
Lesson Plan
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Bill of Rights Institute

Celebrate Constitution Day

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
September 17 is a great day to focus on the US Constitution for on this day in 1787, the Constitution was signed. Through a series of activities, high schoolers get a chance to look closely at this famous document and the rights and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Death Sentence Remains A Question

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Examine the results of recent opinion polls on where people stand on the issue of the death penalty. In groups, middle schoolers examine various cases dealing with this issue and discuss the judgments. They write their own argument for...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Goal Setting

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students understand how they can incorporate dietary guidelines in their daily life.  For this investigative lesson students set dietary goals and incorporate an activity to learn how to create a new seed variety while studying...