Student Handouts
Constitutional Principles
Keep track of constitutional principles with a graphic organizer. Pupils define, describe the origins of, and note down the location of the following terms: checks and balances, federalism, individual rights, limited government, popular...
Curated OER
After: A Study of Individual Rights
Use the dystopian novel After by Francine Prose to spark discussion about individual and student rights. Learners read the novel, evaluating how far a school can go to control its attendees. As they read, scholars...
Curated OER
Privacy and the Fourth Amendment
Young scholars examine the right of privacy for individuals in a society that is changing due to technology. They examine how courts have to change the idea of privacy.
Curated OER
"Whispering Wires": Public Law vs. Individual Civil Liberties
High school student love discussing controversial issues like those brought up in this fourth amendment case study. They examine the 1928 Olmstead vs. U.S. prohibition court case, applying the fourth amendment to determine whether...
Curated OER
Introduction to the Bill of Rights
Students evaluate what freedom means, how rules are important and the significance of individual rights. They find images that depict their interpretation of freedom and complete handouts.
Curated OER
Speaking Out Against War
Students discuss the affect the Iraq War has had on citizens taking advantage of their right to express themselves through non-violent protests and pledges of resistance. They research and discuss local community and school events and...
Curated OER
Individual Rights
Students study the individual rights enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. They determine where these rights come from, and why we value them as we do. They consider that our individual rights are not absolute, and may be limited by other...
Curated OER
Creating A Bill Of Rights In Space
Students define rights, analyze and apply the U.S. Bill of Rights to hypothetical situations, and create an Intergalactic Bill of Rights.
Curated OER
Case Study: Manzanar
Eleventh graders investigate Japanese-American internment. In this World War II lesson plan, 11th graders conduct research from the Manzanar National Historic Sites and then write essays based on their findings.
Curated OER
Magna Carta Student Worksheet
In this individual rights learning exercise, students read a 1-page selection as well as Internet articles about the Magna Carta and then respond to 8 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Inspiration for and Application of the Bill of Rights
Pupils examine individual rights. In this case law lesson, students discuss the from and function of the Bill of Rights prior to investigating several cases that deal with Constitutional rights. Pupils discuss the outcome of the cases...
Curated OER
Whose Business Is It Anyway? McCarthyism and Its Effect on Individual Rights
Students explore the concept of individual rights. In this McCarthyism lesson, students determine how government may affect the rights of individuals as they examine the Constitution, participate in class discussions, and research the...
Curated OER
To Vote or Not to Vote? that is the Question!
Students examine voting rights provided by the United States Constitution. In this voting lesson plan, students focus on 3 amendments that extended voting rights to all citizens. Students discuss the importance of expressing opinions...
Curated OER
Ex Parte Milligan
Learners reserach the case of Ex Parte Milligan. They explore the influence of the Supreme Court and the court decisions on the rights and responsibilities of citizens. They read Milligan's letter to Stanton and generate questions...
Curated OER
Common Good in Aztec Culture What Is Sacrifice?
Middle schoolers examine contemporary examples of sacrifice while listing the reasons and benefits of these acts. They discuss the idea of when a sacrifice is a violation of human rights. They write a personal goal to make a small...
Luminarium
Luminarium: Life of Thomas Hobbes (1588 1679)
This site provides a lengthy overview of the life and work of Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679 CE). Content includes a focus on Hobbes' "Leviathan" and the personal controversy that followed.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: Democracy in Amer.: Civil Liberties: Safeguarding Individual
Do you understand what happens when there are disputes over the interpretation and protection of civil liberties as defined in the Bill of Rights? When do the rights of the individual trump the perceived needs of society, and when do...
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: America's History in the Making: Global America
Comprehensive teaching unit on globalization's influences on the political and social structure of America at the turn of the twenty-first century. Includes a look at how immigration has affected a changing America. Contains video and...
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Freedom: A History of Us
Online home of the sixteen-part PBS series on American history, A History of US is a storehouse of information and resources to enrich any study of America. Includes an interactive timeline, an image browser, games, quizzes, first-person...
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: u.s. Supreme Court: Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
Detailed account of the Supreme Court case of Mapp v. Ohio with the ruling that states are required to exclude evidence seized by illegal search and seizure in violation of the 4th Amendment.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Brutus No. 1
This resource from Khan Academy provides the full text of Brutus I. This lesson is intended for students taking high school or college level American Government and Civics courses, including the AP Government course.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Constitutional Compromises: The Electoral College
This resource from Khan Academy provides a lesson about the Electoral College. This lesson is intended for students taking high school or college level American Government and Civics courses, including the AP Government course.
Library of Congress
Loc: Her Story
A rich Library of Congress resource page that is filled with links to historical and primary documents offering a female perspective throughout history. Lesson plan links are also given.
Social Studies Help Center
Social Studies Help Center:how Did the Warren Court Protect the Citizens' Rights
The Warren Court was a busy one. Read about the famous decisions made by that court in just a few years.