Develop a system of classroom rules created by the kids, for the kids with this three-part lesson series on the US Constitution. After learning about the structure of the Constitution and the government it established, young...

What was the main cause of European colonization in America? How did Thomas Paine's Common Sense play a role in the establishment of the United States? What was the trans-Atlantic slave trade? These are just a few of the many questions...

Discuss as a class some problems that you would like to see changed in your school or community, and then take action! After your young citizens determine the appropriate steps they should take to accomplish their objectives, they will...

Take time to remind your young learners of the valuable understanding that each branch of the United States government is really composed of other citizens. The reading material and worksheets of this resource cover the importance of...

How can we decide between candidates on election day? After contemplating various issues and qualities, your learners will go through a step-by-step process of researching and evaluating sample candidates and determining their...

Use the historical account of Claudette Colvin to study civil rights and connect past injustices to modern issues. As learners read, they examine chapter titles, record quotes, and participate in discussion. Next, they research...

From medical treatments to cooking, people have been using herbs and spices for thousands of years. Perform a blind smell test of household herbs and spices to engage students in learning about ancient spice trading. Research the history...

No unit on important women in history would be complete without a instructional activity on Sandra Day O'Connor. After reading background information about the first female Supreme Court justice, middle schoolers engage in several...

This series of web guides serves as a collection of resources for research into a variety of areas including the performing arts, sports, government, law, art, American history, Women's history, African American history, literature and...

Interactive website in which students build a bill and journey through the process of how a bill becomes law. With links to significant material, glossary, and resources for teachers.

At the start of each new Congress, certain members of Congress perform the constitutional rite of take the Oath of Office. Here is the history of this ritual.

This lesson engages students developing a newspaper. Students will demonstrate their understanding of the term "revolution" as they create their newspaper.

CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each story or article is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words to see...

This collection, which includes videos, blog articles, student handouts, lesson plans, and tip sheets for families, helps students identify, analyze, and investigate the news and information they get from online sources. Media literacy...

Students will analyze historical records of the House and Senate to understand the sequence of steps in the legislative process. The students will work collaboratively to study documents and identify the step in the process that each...

Interactive lesson explains the content and organization of newspaper articles. Includes self-scoring exercises for practicing identifying the five W's (who, what, when, where, and why) in a series of brief news articles and a...

Students click through a lesson about the parts of a newspaper and answer questions about the types of articles found in each section, headlines, and captions that would go with photographs. Links to related videos are also provided.

[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart covers how to read a historical text and convert information into visual representations by taking notes. This strategy helps students to read a passage and determine the author's purpose.