University of Arkansas
Human Rights
What basic rights are guaranteed to all Americans? Do citizens, legal aliens, illegal aliens, and minors all have the same rights? Should individuals all over the world enjoy the same rights? Class members read the Declaration of...
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum
What Does It Mean to Be an American?
A series of four activities focuses young scholars' attention on what it means to be an American. They identify key qualities, values, and virtues they consider shared by Americans. Participants then pretend they have been selected to...
Carolina K-12
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission & the First Amendment
Should Congress limit how much a corporation spends to support a political candidate? Here is a fantastic lesson plan and activities to help young citizens approach this question.
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"Old Glory"
Youngsters study and discuss the history and importance of the American Flag. They explain the meaning of the Stars and Stripes, the name "Old Glory," and discover when and how the flag is displayed. This well-designed plan has many...
Curated OER
Be a Responsible Citizen: Vote!
Learners explore American citizens' rights and responsibilities through group research on the Internet and develop a presentation for the class.
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American Justice on Trial
Students role play a trial in which they consider if the United States government violated the rights of Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor.
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The War: Japanese Americans and Internment
High schoolers examine the experiences of Japanese-Americans at the beginning of World War II in America. After watching an excerpt from "The War", they answer reflection questions about the Japanese being put into internment camps. In...
Curated OER
13 American Colonies: Citizenship Question 64
Help English learners prepare for their citizenship test with this presentation. Based on question 64 about the thirteen American Colonies, the slides simply list all thirteen states and their flags. Augment this slideshow with a lesson...
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I Pledge Allegiance
What does showing respect look like? What behaviors show disrespect? After modeling such behaviors, primary graders create a flag that they hold up while demonstrating respectful behavior as they recite the Pledge of Allegiance. The...
Girl Scouts
Flag Protocol, Ceremonies and Activities
How can an American flag be displayed indoors vs. outdoors? What is proper etiquette for handling the flag? The Girls Scouts of the USA have put together a fantastic packet of information with everything you need to know about the...
Maryland Department of Education
Our Children Can Soar
Amazing efforts of African American leaders are celebrated in a lesson on civil participation. The engaging resource focuses on primary and secondary sources to analyze the impact of African American leaders such as Ella Fitzgerald....
Curated OER
Struggle for Equality
Students read and discuss a selection of news clippings, sermons, and narratives that depict the continued struggle for equality and mistreatment of African American citizens. They present a "60 Minutes"-style news program with the...
Curated OER
Active Citizens 101
Students explore and investigate multiple aspects of citizenship and democracy in a sequence of lessons that involve thoughtful discussin and participation to assist in gaining a better perspective of what citizenship and domocracy is,...
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An Issue of Loyalty: Exploring the Treatment of Japanese Americans During World War II
Learners consider the meaning of loyalty. They explore the history of Japanese in the United States. and consider the meaning of citizenship. They create a presentation for the class. It can be a poster, Power Point or other...
Curated OER
Being a Good Citizen
First graders discuss citizenship. For this being a good citizen lesson, 1st graders complete a worksheet identifying characteristics of a good citizen. Students draw a picture then use a flip camera to capture good classroom citizens.
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What Is an American?
Students explore different backgrounds of Americans. In this instructional activity, students discuss how people in the United States may come from a different background, yet have similar values and beliefs. After the class...
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Native Americans
Students choose two photographs and explain how they illustrate traditional Native American culture. They discuss how traditional Native American culture has been affected by two specific actions of the United States Government, (they...
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A Salute to American Symbols
Students research American symbols. In this American History lesson, students listen to the story The Wall and discuss the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. They also listen to One Nation and research an American Symbol to create a poster.
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What Was South Carolina's Role in the Spanish American War?
Seventh graders investigate the role of South Carolina in the Spanish American War. In this imperialism lesson, 7th graders analyze primary documents and photographs, in collaborative groups, to determine how the state was involved in...
Curated OER
Letters from the Japanese American Internment
Students explore the concept of Japanese internment. In this Japanese internment lesson, students examine primary sources that enable them to discover what internment camp life was like and its implications, Students write their own...
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A Look At An influential African American
Students research an influential African American. In this character education lesson, students use a variety of research materials and write a biographical report about a famous African American. Students identify the six pillars of...
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The American Flag and the Pledge of Allegiance
Students create an iMovie about what they have learned about the American flag as a conclusion to an eight-day unit.
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African American Women Trailblazers
Young scholars take a closer look at the accomplishments of African-American women. In this African-American history lesson, students explore the work of Bessie Coleman, Gwendolyn Bennett, Lulu Madison White, and Zelma Watson George as...
Curated OER
Models of American Citizenship
Third graders investigate the concept of American citizenship by pretending to time travel. They travel back in time to visit the eras of Thomas Jefferson, Hellen Keller, Harriet Tubman, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and community heroes....