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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Newspaper Stories

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the structure of the newspaper. In this newspaper lesson, students look at the different types of articles about giving, sharing, and acts for the common good. They realize the types of voice that are used in the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The First Amendment: What's Fair in a Free Country

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students describe the contents of the First Amendment while telling about an example of speech that is protected by the Constitution and that which is not. They attempt to apply the First Amendment to situations that could occur in their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Iraq anniversary: No celebration

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students read news articles/television reports about the D.C. protests and other similar war protests. They investigate the laws that relate to such protests. Students present their findings to the class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

One Man's Freedom Fighter is Another Man's Terrorist

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Pupils role play as advisors to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence to study all aspects or terrorism. They decide where the next terrorist attack come from and when it occur.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Alien and Sedition Acts: Defining American Freedom

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore the purpose of the Alien and Sedition Acts.  In this US History lesson, 11th graders analyze primary source documents.  Students write an essay using writing prompts. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Scrapbook of Freedom

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders create a scrapbook using personal narratives and samples of artifacts to connect to maps of geographical locations of the Underground Rail Road. they describe at least one of the feelings a child slave might have had...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Study of the First Amendment Rights in the Bill of Rights

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students become aware of the basic liberties of speech, press, religion, assembly and petition through study of Supreme Court cases. Student groups analyae some cases heard by the Supreme Court to further their understanding of the First...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Underground Railroad- People Get Ready...There's a Train a Comin'

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students learn about the Underground Railroad. In this Civil War and slavery lesson, students discuss how successful slaves would be moving around at night, learn the secret vocabulary used for escape routes and review background about...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Church and State Separation: The Challenge and the Debate

For Teachers All
Students describe the basic elements of the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment as it relates to the separation of church and state and freedom of religion.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Facing War

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students visit two sites about World War II. These sites show how war can impact a nation and how people have coped with life during years of war. Particular attention is paid to how the media covers the current war in Iraq.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Follow the Drinking Gourd

For Teachers K - 12th
Students, after assessing a valuable history lesson, create an amazing and very personalized quilt. They explore how individuals helping the slaves escape to freedom, hung a quilt on their front porch to let the slaves know that the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

CIVICS/CURRENT EVENTS

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students choose to either make an exhibit of posters of pictures about Darfur, or write a letter to the local newspaper regarding Darfur, or plan a concert, party, or bake sale to raise money for refugees. They write a poem defining...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Here’s the overview for a series of lessons about the Japanese American internment introduced by the resource entitled “A Fence Away From Freedom.” Included are the link to the Smithsonian website on which the lessons are based, a list...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

First Amendment and the Future

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students read the Knight report and discuss key findings before deciding what aspects of the findings students can replicate in their own school and conduct a survey. They write survey questions and test them on sample group before...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

First Amendment and the Future

For Teachers 8th - 12th
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...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The First Amendment

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders examine the First Amendment.  In this US Government lesson, 11th graders analyze the scope and meaning of the first amendment.  Students conduct a survey on First Amendment freedoms.  Student evaluate the First Amendment. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Public Schools and Prayer - Do They Mix?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss and research different Supreme Court cases and examine religious freedom and prayer in public schools.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Honoring the Past

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students explore the beginnings of the United States and the freedoms we enjoy. They discover important events, people, monuments in Washington, D.C., and its history. Students investigate ways to honor and remember important people and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Border Art: the Study of Artworks Responding To the Border Between the United States And Mexico

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discuss the concepts of immigration and migration and explore their own family's history. They examine the media's presentation of the Border Art Project and then incorporate their own views into what they have studied through...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introductory lesson for the beginning of each new year

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students explore, analyze and discuss the human values of truth, love, peace, righteousness, and responsibility. They discover that these values help everyone live more happily and in greater harmony with other people. Valuing others...
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Lesson Plan
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Curated OER

Rights And Responsibilities: Debating Free Speech, Responsibility And Censorship on Campus

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students weigh rights of students and others to free speech versus the responsibilities that come with those rights.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fluency is Freedom!

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students read orally in groups of two to increase reading speed and fluency in this lesson. They read provided books which emphasize the short vowel sounds. The pairs time each others reading and offer encouragement and support as they...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Scrapbook of Freedom

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders examine what it was like for a child traveling in the Underground Railroad.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

VS.6b

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders explore, analyze and identify the ideas of George Mason and Thomas Jefferson as expressed in the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Virginia Statue for Religious Freedom. They list and declare the responses stated in...