You walk each day over 20 blocks to school as a 9-year old because the color of your skin does not allow you to attend a school in your own neighborhood. Scholars use the 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education to investigate...

How would you use census data from 1880-1900? Here are a set of ways you can incorporate the book Little House on the Prairie and US census data from that time period. Learners will research the validity or the book based on factual...

Arranged in facing concentric circles, half the class discusses an issue. The other half of the class takes notes which are then used to fuel a class discussion and to prepare editorial opinions on the topic at hand. So much emphasis is...

You arrive at school only to be told you have no place there. Scholars research the Supreme Court cases Mendez v. Westminster and Delgado v. Bastrop ISD, both dealing with school segregation. Two short video clips as well as small group...

Students analyze the decision-making skills. In this character education lesson, students read a comic book and identify the superhero. Students then analyze the types of decisions the character makes throughout the story and if the...

After the events on 9/11 many Muslim-Americans experienced discrimination because of their ethnicity and faith. Help break the cycle of ignorance by educating your students on the history, religion, and beliefs of a different culture....

How does a trial begin without a lawyer for the defendant? The 1963 Supreme Court case Gideon v. Wainwright serves as the backdrop for the study of the rights of the accused. Scholars use a short video along with paired discussion and...

Students watch a video that focuses on the alarming rise of violent crimes committed by juveniles. They see how the American justice system dealsl with these youthful offenders. They examine racial imbalance and color-blind justice.

Your learners will take a trip through history as they peruse through historic digitalized newspapers, reading real articles from such historical periods in the United States as the Temperance movement...

Students discover the vocabulary of the Six Pillars of Character and their relation to the school environment. In this character education lesson, students discuss the character pillars and brainstorm about their use in the classroom....

Students use fables to learn about trustworthiness and character education. In this trust lesson, students discuss the fable of the boy who cried 'Wolf' and discuss the importance of telling the truth. Students answer the discussion...

Students research the life of Ella Baker and examine the importance of Civil Rights through citizen mobilization. For this rights lesson, students read the biography of Ella Baker and make suggestions of things to change in their own...

Students research the role that education, family values, and respect for civic duty played in forming the leadership skills of the Taft family. They list and examine jobs held by William Howard Taft before he became president.

Students complete activities to learn about International Women's Day. In this women's importance lesson, students discuss the roles women play in students' lives. Students create a collage of special women in their lives and give a...

Synthesizing information from a PBS documentary Ralph Bunche: An American Odyssey, its companion website, and several other resources (links to which are provided), high schoolers evaluate whether Bunche did all he could to advance the...

Have you ever wondered where the money comes from to pay for your school, teachers, supplies, and building? The 1989 Supreme Court case Edgewood ISD v. Kirby lays a framework for open discussion on the funding of public schools. Using a...

Develop an understanding of point of view in your young learners. Read narrative stories to your class and discuss who the storyteller is. Point out different points of view and discuss new vocabulary in order to introduce this concept....

Have a class discussion on diversity. With your class, explore the ideas of prejudice, fear, suspicion and individual rights. Discuss the benefits of uniqueness and how diversity contributes to strength and unity.

Does a public school have the right to restrict what t-shirts students wear? Discover what happened when this question was brought to the Supreme Court, and review other major cases in United States history involving judicial review....

Young scholars explore civil liberties. They identify the major provisions of the Canadian Constitution. Students describe fundamental principals of federal and provincial legal systems. They distinguish between individual and group...

Students work in groups to draw a map of their town or neighborhood. They include their homes, major public buildings and places. Students analyze their maps from a human rights perspective.

Twelfth graders create a museum of Patriotism and Foreign Policy. They participate in discussions and work in committee's to determine which objects shall be displayed in the museum. They present visual and performing arts along with...

Students discuss being a responsible student by helping to protect the rainforest. In this citizenship instructional activity, students brainstorm ideas to help global warming, warfare, human-rights abuses and acid rain. Students write...

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...