School Improvement in Maryland
Supreme Court Case Overview I
As part of a study of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, class members examine four Supreme Court decisions—Gitlow v. New York, Mapp v. Ohio, Gideon v. Wainwright, and Griswold v. Connecticut—that incorporated the due...
Curated OER
Teaching about Due Process of the Law
Young scholars explore the Due Process Clause in the United States Constitution.
Curated OER
Government Lesson Plan: Lesson Plan 8
Students analyze the Fourteenth Amendment. They discuss Reconstruction, read the provisions of the Fourteenth Amendment, define the provisions, and in small groups analyze a Supreme Court case that was impacted by the due process clause.
Curated OER
What Makes a Good Law?
Why were laws created? Spark a group discussion on why we need laws to co-exist. Should the sale of some things be outlawed on Sundays? Read a case summary between Target and the state of Minnesota that debated this issue. Ask your...
Heritage Foundation
Procedural Amendments: Amendments III, IV, and V
So many US Constitution clauses, so little time. The 17th installment in a 20-part series teaches pupils about the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments. Learning through activities such as group work, connecting to current events, and...
Heritage Foundation
The Constitution, Federalism, and the States
The divide between federal and state government is responsible for much of tension that continues to this day, partly because of the US Constitution. The activities in the 14th lesson in a series of 20 are designed to help learners...
Curated OER
Double Jeopardy Clause: A Fifth Amendment Constitution Trivia Game
Here is a wonderful way to introduce your learners to the Fifth Amendment of the Bill of Rights. There are 16 questions designed to generate thinking and discussion questions about the Fifth Amendment. This lesson is extremely...
Bill of Rights Institute
Preserving the Bill of Rights
Consider how America's founding fathers and their experiences contributed to the rights we all enjoy today. A collection of reading, writing, and collaborative exercises prompt high schoolers to think about the ways their current lives...
American Constitution Society
Constitution in the Classroom: The Right to Vote
The system of checks and balances is integral to the functionality of the United States government. Learn more about the ways the three branches of the government work together—and about the limitations of their power—with an informative...
K12 Reader
Slavery in the Constitution
Your young historians will read excerpts from three parts of the United States Constitution—Article One, the Thirteenth Amendment, and the Fourteenth Amendment—and discuss how they each address the issue of slavery.
Curated OER
Case Studies on the Sixth Amendment
Students trace the historical background of the sixth Amendment to the Constitution. They identify the legal issues and legal arguments in the cases studied, and evaluate the court's decisions.
Curated OER
Defining moments from the past with lessons for a post-9/11 world...
Students examine extension ideas concerning 9/11, Defining Moments. They analyze a variety of Supreme Court cases, the U.S. Constitution, Mass Media Interpretations, Racism, Immigrant groups and U.S. geography. Many questions are asked...
Curated OER
It's Your Right: A Civil Rights Brochure
Learners examine the US Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Supreme Court cases in order to broaden their understanding of the US Judicial System. They research a variety of textual and Internet resources to create a tri-fold brochure,...
Curated OER
Supreme Court June 2010 Decisions Wrap-Up
Students consider constitutional rights. For this Bill of Rights lesson, students complete an activity guide that requires students to examine Bill of Rights-related cases of 2010. Students respond to discussion questions pertaining to...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Magna Carta: Cornerstone of the U.S. Constitution
High schoolers use the Internet to read a brief description of Magna Carta (link provided). They "walk through" the document with the teacher, identifying four major themes. Students read and discuss "The Rhetoric of Rights: Americans...
Curated OER
Propaganda
How does word choice affect the reading of a text? Compare two headlines that were written about the same event. Is one biased? Discuss how word choice often reveals the author's feelings about a topic. Then look at different techniques...
Curated OER
Denying Civil Rights
Students continue their examination of the United States Constitution. Individually, they identify events in which the government has limited our civil rights and write an essay. In groups, they debate the issue and answer...
Curated OER
The U. S. Constitution (5)
In this online interactive American history worksheet, high schoolers answer 17 fill in the blank questions regarding the U. S. Constitution. Students may submit their answers to be scored.
Curated OER
Checks on Presidential Power
Students examine presidential powers. In this checks and balances lesson plan, students identify the constitutional and informal restraints of the president and consider the reasons for the limitations.
Lectric Law Library
Lectric Law: Due Process
This resource presents a detailed description of the legal term "due process" with court cases cited.
iCivics
I Civics: Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)
This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court's decision that extended marriage rights to same-sex couples. Young scholars learn about the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses, and how the Court's...
Cornell University
Cornell University: Law School: Jurisdiction Explained
Site provides an overview of jurisdiction with links to recent case law and constitutional references.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Classroom: Takings Clause
Check out this interactive timeline of the takings clause in the United States.
Cornell University
Cornell University: Law School: Equal Protection Overview
A brief overview of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Includes a link to the full text of the amendment. Discusses equal protection.