Curated OER
Child Abuse and the Trial Process
High schoolers identify the elements of child abuse and neglect. Using this information, they relate it to the laws in their home state. They read scenerios and ask questions to determine if child abuse is present. They review the trial...
Curated OER
Search and Seizure in Utah
Students identify legal requirements of searches conducted with and without a warrant. They identify the legal standard for conducting searches in public schools. Students discuss the permit of search and seizure and have a search...
Curated OER
Civil Rights and the ADA
Middle schoolers examine and discuss the 14th and 15th amentments, and evaluate the agendas of Americans from underrepresented groups in the quest for civil rights. They conduct Internet research and create essays or posters regarding...
Curated OER
First Amendment and the Future
Students develop a strategy for furthering the First Amendment interest and knowledge in the school through posters, school-wide announcements, speakers, contests and more during the rest of the school year. Student research about free...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Driver’s Licenses And Unauthorized Immigrants
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...
Administrative Office of the US Courts
Elonis v. U.S.
With the explosion of social media sites, with online threats and cyber bullying, issues of freedom of speech have taken on a whole new aspect. Elonis v. U.S. represents the first time the Supreme Court has considered whether or not...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Conservation, Preservation, and the National Parks
Going green? Scholars investigate the creation of the US National Park program. Through diary entries as well as expert testimony, they synthesize information and analyze the need for conservation and preservation. Finally, they display...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
the Impact of the U.s. Supreme Court on High School Journalism.
Young scholars study of the First Amendment, Tinker, Hazelwood and the Colorado Student Free Expression Law. They discuss the ramifications on the student press and recite their memorized First Amendment rights. They discover what...
Curated OER
State v. Hershberger
Young scholars examine citizen rights and protections. In this Minnesota courts lesson plan, students examine primary documents from State v. Hershberger and discuss the implications of the decision.
Curated OER
3 Branches of State Government
Fourth graders discuss what they think of when they hear the word government and write their suggestions on the board. They discuss what the state government is and what it does. They then discover the three separate branches of...
Curated OER
It's a Grand Ol' Government!
Students discuss the three branches of government and the different levels. They talk about the purpose of laws and use the Internet to locate information about governments. They watch the video, "United States Constitution" and look up...
Curated OER
Fairness: Incarceration of Japanese Americans During World War II
Young scholars examine fairness in relation to the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII. In this equality instructional activity, students watch a video "Rabbit in the Moon" and discuss what happened to the Japanese Americans...
Curated OER
The Voter
High schoolers identify the constitutional amendments and major federal laws that have shaped suffrage in the United States.
Curated OER
Fugitive from Labor Cases: Henry Garnett (1850) and Moses Honner (1860)
Students engage in the comparison of cases which demonstrate the increasingly volatile political crisis in the 1850s arising over the issue of slavery and the necessity for the enactment of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the U.S....
Curated OER
I Didn't Do It! (Is Anyone guilty Anymore?)
Students explore the concept of "reasonable doubt" in our criminal court system and compare it to "preponderance of the evidence" in the civil court system. They discuss the trials of OJ Simpson and other historical criminal defendants.
Curated OER
Another King George?
Students study the differences between presidents and kings, and constitutional monarchs and despots. They examine why the US has a president instead of a king.
Curated OER
Selecting a Chief Justice For The United States Supreme Court: The Senate Confirmation Hearings of Judge John Roberts, Jr.
Students review the procedures for selecting a new Supreme Court Justice. In groups, they determine which questions the nominee should be asked and practice asking the questions with a classmate. They watch the confirmation hearings...
Curated OER
The Palmer "Red Raids"
Students explore how Americans reacted to communism. In this Red Scare instructional activity, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the details of the Palmer "Red Raids" and its implications. Students respond...
Curated OER
Local Governments Don't Do Much ... Or Do They?
Students study and explore their local government. They role play members of their City Council and various constituents as they discuss a variety of subjects typical of a city council meeting.
Curated OER
The State of the Union Address
Students discuss and fill out a worksheet after viewing the State of the Union Address that the president makes every year.
Curated OER
State v. Russell, Minnesota Supreme Court
Students examine the impact of court decisions. In this Minnesota Supreme Court lesson, students read the State v. Russell case study regarding cocaine drug use. Students take notes on the case and respond to discussion questions...
Curated OER
The Volstead Act and Related Prohibition Documents
Students listen to the 18th Amendment. After a discussion on Prohibition, the groups determine if it was a success or a failure and present their findings to the class. They view political cartoons of the day and analyze their meaning.
Curated OER
Comparative Government: Japan & the United States
Learners compare the governmental systems of Japan and the United States. As a class, they discuss the differences between the parliamentary system and the presidential system. Pupils read provided handouts about the duties of a a...