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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Supremes

For Teachers 9th - 12th
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

First Amendment Guarantee of Free Speech (Senior, Social Studies)

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students receive a list of banned books from which they choose one to read. They read their chosen book and write a paper that includes a discussion of the First Amendment and its guarantees and the reason(s) why they believe their book...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Arrests and Investigatory Stops

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students define arrest and detainment, examine hypothetical situations to determine if warrantless arrest/detainment is reasonable based on information available to police, discuss differences between hunch, suspicion, reasonable...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

You and the Law -- Beating the Odds

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the rate of institutional racism in the United States. Individually, they write in their journals about how they can make better choices and increase their self-esteem. Using historical documents, they identify the...
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Lesson Plan
City University of New York

Electoral College

For Teachers 7th - 8th Standards
A presidential election is a lot like the 2004 World Series, and it's also a lot like choosing an orange in a paper bag. Apply the process of the electoral college to these two analogies with a set of lessons about government...
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Interactive
2
2
Judicial Learning Center

Levels of the Federal Courts

For Students 6th - 12th
The Supreme Court gets all the glory, but very few federal cases make it to the highest court. An interesting lesson explores the structure of the lower levels of the federal court system. In addition to outlining the organization of...
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Interactive
2
2
Judicial Learning Center

The U.S. Supreme Court

For Students 6th - 12th
How do Supreme Court justices determine which cases to consider? What happens when the Supreme Court decides not to take a case?  The lesson explores important questions and others in the field of criminology. It focuses on the appeals...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jefferson vs. Franklin: Revolutionary Philosophers

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the contributions of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson to American Independence. In small groups, they conduct Internet research, read and discuss primary source documents, and complete a chart.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Powers of Congress: The Scope of Congressional Powers

For Students 11th - 12th
Use this as a quiz or to guide reading. There are five true/false and five multiple choice questions for the class to answer. Topics covered relate to the type of power Congress has and the constructionists movement.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

George Washington: The Precedent President

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate precedents set during George Washington's term in office. They conduct Internet research, develop a list of the responsibilities of the President, match Washington's accomplishments with the list, and play a game.
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Theodore Roosevelt Association

Interpreting the Past; Assessing Its Impact on the Present

For Teachers 5th - 12th Standards
Even though the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt ended over 100 years ago, we can still learn something from his stances and policies that is applicable today. Class members first look over a list of prevalent political issues from the...
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Lesson Plan
Bill of Rights Institute

The Declaration of Independence

For Teachers 8th - 10th Standards
Take classes on an in-depth tour of the Declaration of Independence. An informative resource effectively scaffolds learning by providing warm-up and wrap-up activities. It also includes a variety of handouts for individuals to complete,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Constitution/Impeachment/Reconstruction

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders analyze a chart comparing U.S. census data from 1850, 1880, 1900, and 1920. They read a handout summarizing immigration legislation from 1882-1996 and create a graph charting how open / closed U.S. immigration is over time.
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Unauthorized Immigration and the US Economy

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
As part of a study of immigration and the U.S. economy, class members assume the role of newspaper editors to determine which submitted letters to print on their paper's editorial page to present a balanced view of the debate.
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Lesson Plan
Constitutional Rights Foundation

History of Immigration From the 1850s to the Present

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
The Statue of Liberty may embrace the huddled masses of the world, but has American society always joined in? After young historians read a passage about the history of American immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries, focusing on...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons for the Classroom: The Bush and Clinton Years

For Students 10th - 12th
Examine how the Bush and Clinton years are an example of political dynasties. This cartoon provides a way to explore the concept and activate critical thinking skills in order to better grasp U.S. Politics. A fun and educational way to...
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Assessment
New York State Education Department

US History and Government Examination: January 2018

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
It's time to test those skills! Assess pupils' knowledge of US history and government with short answer questions, multiple-choice items, and essays. The resource serves as a standardized test that functions well for a final exam....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Federalist Defense of Diversity: Extending the Sphere

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
How did early Americans ensure expansion while also securing the rights of citizens? Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, two of our early leaders, considered the problem of faction to be the "mortal disease" that created unstable...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Driver’s Licenses And Unauthorized Immigrants

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Should driver's licenses be granted to unauthorized immigrants? That is the question class members grapple with in a lesson that asks them to first read a fact sheet that details the arguments for and against licensing unauthorized...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Guest-Worker Program

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The U.S. Guest-Worker Program and the H-2A visa are the focus of a social studies activity. First, class members assume the role of advisors who must present the president with four proposals that would amend the visas given to...
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Lesson Plan
Anti-Defamation League

Harriet Tubman on the $20 Bill: The Power of Symbols

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
How important are symbols and symbolic gestures in society? Middle schoolers have an opportunity to analyze the importance of symbols on American currency with a lesson plan that investigates the controversies surrounding redesigning the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Perfect President

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Young scholars advertise for the perfect president. In this presidential duties lesson, students determine the attributes that the ideal president should have and then write job descriptions for the role.
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Lesson Plan
1
1
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Immigration Enforcement Raids

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Class groups take on the role of advisors to the Assistant Secretary of the Office of Policy & Planning of ICE. Their charge is to prepare a report for the secretary on the effectiveness of enforcement actions of the ICE in stemming...
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Lesson Plan
1
1
National Park Service

Civil War to Civil Rights: From Pea Ridge to Central High

For Teachers 4th - 12th Standards
Explore how the Civil War impacted the Civil Rights Movement. Class members complete a series of projects for a unit that uses a layered curriculum approach to learning. 

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