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Constitutional Acts (Chapter 3)
Help your students review constitutional acts in this review worksheet, which could also be used as a class quiz. Five matching questions and five multiple choice questions address checks and balances, the powers of the Senate and House,...
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Creating the Constitution
Useful as a review assignment or as a quiz, these ten questions on the U.S. Constitution address its creation. Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Ben Franklin are the main topics of the questions, as well as The Three-Fifths Compromise.
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Write a Constitution
Fourth graders examine the United states Constitution and discuss the difficulties the framers faced in writing it. They explore ideas about the division of power, rights, and other topics contained in it.
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Elections for Elementary Students
Students explore various websites that explain how primaries, caucuses, and general elections function. They view sample ballots, and analyze the executive branch, U.S. presidents, and citizenship.
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Issues Close to Home
Students discuss their role in their local government. Individually, they use various types of media to examine and take a position on a topic important to them. To introduce their position, they write a letter to the Board of...
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Are We the People?
Students investigate their elected officials and their roles. For this governmental leadership lesson, students discuss the Constitution and research their elected officials. They also organize the information they find regarding the...
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Graphically Speaking
Students discover the links between population and Congressional representation. In this government lesson, students research population statistics and create spreadsheets that compare population to the number of Congress members per state.
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Civil Rights
Twelfth graders survey how controversial court cases have changed the viewpoints of civil rights. In this U.S. Government lesson, 12th graders work in small groups to prepare summaries of specific court cases, then present their...
National First Ladies' Library
Secretary of Commerce
Middle schoolers gain understanding of economic history of United States in twentieth century by examining role of Department of Commerce. Student groups each analyze one quarter of twentieth century by researching role of Department of...
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Portraits Of Power: American Presidents
Students discover the responsibilities of the presidency. In this U.S. government lesson, students watch "Portraits Of Power: American Presidents," and then compose essays regarding the citizens' relationship to the presidency.
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The Supremes
Students discuss steps cases go through to reach Supreme Court, examine Bill of Rights, and rank rights in order of importance to them. Students then research Supreme Court case dealing with one of first ten amendments, and write about...
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Understanding The Work Of The Legislature
Students participate in a lesson plan that is about the operations of the legislature and how it operates on a daily basis. They conduct research using a variety of resources and use focus questions to help create the context for the...
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Michigan Judicial System Conclusion
Students identify the courts that make up Michigan's judicial system. They state the responsibilities of each court and diagram a flow chart of how a case moves to the Michigan Supreme Court. They participate in a quiz about the current...
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Life before Congress
Students name some interesting backgrounds of Members of Congress, identify their current representatives in the legislative branch of the national government, and describe the background of one local representative or senator.
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US Constitution And Amendments
Pupils become familiar with the US Constitution and consider how it affects their lives. They research the Preamble to articulate the purposes of government, compile collages, and research the separation of powers within each branch of...
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A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION: A SIMULATION
Pupils discuss two computerized options to change the current U.S. government. In this Constitutional Convention lesson plan, students write a statement advocating for one of the choices and participate in a mock modern Constitutional...
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History of the Michigan Supreme Court from the Territorial Court and the founding of the Michigan Supreme Court in 1836 to Justice Mary S. Coleman and her interpretation of "One Court of Justice"
Students trace the history of the Michigan Supreme Court from when the state was still a territory. They define procedures as they relate to the Court. They compare and contrast the territorial court to the new Court.
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Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka
Twelfth graders explore desegregation as it occurred at various stages in United States history. They specifically chronicle the role of South Carolina in the desegregation case of Brown v. Board of Education.
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I 695 (The 30$ License Tabs Initiative)
Students research the bill I 695 issue. They discuss the topic before they research the issue of I 695. Students discuss how new laws are always being created and the differences in opinion about these laws. They see how this initiative...
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How Michigan Law Affects You
Students examine how the laws in Michigan affect their lives. They use primary source documents to analyze the state's history. They discuss laws pertaining to women as well.
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You and the U.S. Constitution
Fourth graders explore the U.S. Constitution and how is protects the rights and freedoms of American citizens. They run through various circumstances and decide whether a person's rights have been violated.
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Legislation
Young scholars rank the legislation of disabilities since World War I and write their rationale for the ranking. For this legislation of disabilities lesson plan, students do this for 5 legislations that have been passed.
National Endowment for the Humanities
The President Under the Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation sounds like one big, fancy title to middle schoolers. Here, scaffolded steps help to ease novices into understanding this all-important American document. Discussion questions, lesson activities, and ideas...
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How A Bill Becomes Law
Students gain an understanding of how a bill becomes law. They access websites imbedded in this plan. They create a bill of their own, and share it with the class. They compare their simulated bills with real legislation.