Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Classroom Constitutional Convention
Students investigate the eight phrases that comprise the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution to determine its principles and purpose. Their own Constitutional Convention is convened to craft a preamble for their school's governance.
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Voting
High schoolers investigate voter participation in the U.S. They watch and discuss a Bill Moyers video, complete a handout, and develop a plan to help a community overcome obstacles to voter participation.
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The California Recall Election
Learners identify facts about the structure of the California recall election. They research the history of recall elections throughout the United States. They analyze the positives and negatives of a governor recall election.
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Structure of Congress
Students examine the structure of Congress. They identify the roles of the Democratic and Republician parties and their leaders. They role play the role of congressmen and pretend to pass new legislation.
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Negro Leagues Baseball Card Project
Students discuss impact of Negro Leagues on society, research Negro Leagues baseball players, paraphrase and summarize information, and present pertinent information in baseball card format.
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What is Diabetes?
Students examine basic information about diabetes and related vocabulary words. They explore various health websites, complete a worksheet, discuss the worksheet answers and discuss diabetes myths vs. facts.
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President's Day
Young scholars access prior knowledge about the branches of government to explore foreign policy. In this conflict resolution lesson, students reflect on foreign policy decisions and participate in scenarios based on foreign policy events.
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Respect for Non-Native Students
Students develop and understanding that people born in other countries deserve respect and appreciation. In this ethnic background appreciation lesson, students discuss the different countries that classmates are born in. Students then...
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The Chinese Expulsion Act of 1880
Students examine the Chinese Expulsion Act of 1880. For this History lesson, students explore the issues of immigration and exclusion surrounding the Chinese Expulsion Act. Students will use a variety of primary sources to write an essay...
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ON BECOMING A NONVIOLENT WARRIOR
Students examine the concept of non-violent social change. In this lesson on social change, students research and role play to demonstrate ways in which this might be accomplished while making connections to various events in history.
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The 7 "Hats" of the President
Learners explore the responsibilities of the President. In this U.S. government lesson, students examine the provided sources related to the President' s roles as Chief of State, Chief Executive, Chief Jurist, Chief Diplomat, Chief...
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Declarations of Independence
Learners examine what they know about American Indians past and present, then research key issues facing American Indian tribes today. To synthesize their learning, students write letters taking the perspective of an American Indian.
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Meting Out Justice
Students investigate the murder case of Emmett Till and identify the missing pieces from the case. Through research, they then work to fill in the gaps to create a basis for examining how justice might be served anew in this...
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Part-Time Protectors
Students research the roles of the reserve armed forces in a variety of United States military conflicts, then create a documentary that illustrates the contributions of part-time soldiers.
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Trying Teens
Students explore the court cases and legal organizations that were instrumental in creating a system of juvenile justice in the United States, then present their findings in a composite timeline.
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Decisions, Decisions...
Young scholars explore some of the top Supreme Court cases of the 1998-1999 term, assessing the issues behind these cases and the potential impact of the decisions made by the Court. Small groups closely examine one of this term's...
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Follow the Marx
Students explore communism from historical and theoretical perspectives to present to fellow classmates at a teach-in. Each team of students be responsible for researching and presenting on one of the suggested topics in the lesson.
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Is All Well in Welfare?
Students explore current welfare reform issues and create plans of action to improve welfare reform laws in the United States. They predict what President Bush's "Working Towards Independence" welfare reform program might entail and...
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Power to the People
Students explore the pros and cons of government structures, then decide whether or not African countries accept the new African Union based on a variety of categories.
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The U.S. Trade Embargo on Cuba
Students examine perspectives for and against the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba, develop a position on the embargo and articulate viewpoints in a public forum.
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Presidential Places
Students investigate American presidential landmarks throughout the continental United States. They research and analyze American presidential landmarks to determine their value to American history and how they have been preserved over...
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The Row Behind Death Row
Students investigate several controversial issues in the criminal justice system relating to death row and give oral reports explaining how their issues safeguard or contaminate the issue of fairness in capital punishment. They offer...
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Executive Decisions
Students examine the reasons behind key presidential decisions throughout American history and, by debating the pros and cons of these decisions in retrospect, students consider how these decisions affect us still today.
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Delegating Authorities
Students compare and contrast democracies around the world after reading a New York Times article. They create posters and participate in a "democracy roundtable" in which they discuss two democracies.