Delve into the responsibilities of the president by looking at President Hamilton's opinion of the presidential office in his own words. The second in a three-part series, the resource also offers an interesting compare-and-contrast...

How did Ku Klux Klan develop and flourish in the US? How did the government respond to acts of terrorism conducted by the KKK following the Civil War? How does the government respond to acts of terrorism today? This resource...

Who has the final say in matters dealing with the rules under the United States Constitution? The case Marbury v. Madison brings to light the issue of judicial review. Learners investigate the Supreme Court's opinion in the case with a...

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.....

Middle schoolers examine the Preamble to the Constitution. For this government lesson, students read the Preamble of the Constitution and define the meaning of unknown words. Middle schoolers write about examples of how the Constitution...

In this checks and balances chart worksheet, students use their textbooks and a copy of the U.S. Constitution to complete 10 items in the chart identifying the branches of government.

What would your class do if a police officer arrested a student in class? This is exactly the anticipatory set that gets students engaged in a unit on the legal system. The plan is to get the officer to simulate an arrest, and then guest...

Young scholars complete a unit of lessons on the documents, symbols, and famous people involved in the founding of the U.S. government. They create a personal bill of rights, write a found poem, design a flag, conduct research, and...

Students use the newspaper as a tool to make connections about what the five freedoms guarantee in the First Amendment. In this first amendment lesson plan, students analyze events in the newspaper to form conclusions about the freedoms...

To demonstrate their understanding of the steps Alabama took to become a state, groups create a poster that identifies what the United States Constitution and the Northwest Ordinance required of a territory to become a state.

Students are introduced to some basic ideas the Framers used in creating the kind of government they thought would best protect the natural rights of each individual and promote the good of all. At the conclusion of the lesson, they know...

Fifth graders discover how a bill becomes a law in America. After watching a video, they put the steps of a bill becoming a law into the correct order. They create their own bill that they believe needs to be passed out of construction...

Students analyze antitrust enforcement. In this American economics lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the details of the free market system and antitrust laws. Students respond to discussion questions...

Students investigate the free-market system and anti-trust laws. In this Bill of Rights lesson plan, students listen to their instructor present a lecture on the details of monopolies and the progressive reform movement to...

Young scholars examine the use of quotas and Jim Crow laws. They discuss discrimination against minority groups both historically and in contemporary society. Students examine an affirmative action case and discuss the controversies...

Students discuss the Bill of Rights. In this Bill of Rights lesson, students discuss laws and rights. Students read a textbook selection about the bill of Rights, complete a vocabulary word activity, and complete guided reading...

Students identify and describe the key terms as they relate to the Legislative Branch. Students describe how members of Congress are selected, how laws are created, and two of the limits on powers of Congress.

In this early American history worksheet, learners read noted pages in their textbooks and then respond to 7 short answer questions regarding the U.S. Constitution and its formation.

Students analyze the historical implications of the First Amendment of 1791 and the Fourteenth Amendment of 1868, upon American Indians and African Americans. They consider the applicability of the 14th Amendment to African Americans in...

Social media and United States history combine as your young historians design a Facebook page for two major defendants of landmark Supreme Court cases. The resource includes a detailed rubric for research and page design, as well as a...

Young scholars use the text of the Illinois Black Codes to examine the laws in place. Using this information, they draw their own conclusions about why the laws existed in a free state. They also identify the purpose of these laws and...

Learners learn basic facts about the Supreme Court by examining the United States Constitution and one of the landmark cases decided by that court.

Students pretend to be citizens of a new space colony and have been elected to the Intergalactic Senate to consider adding a Bill of Rights to the Constitution. They break into groups and discuss what seems unfair and fair about the...

Pupils research the laws and policies for school dress codes. They interview school employees to find out opinions of the policies. This they compare the findings with student interviews that are conducted.