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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Bill of Rights is for US Today

For Teachers 7th - 9th
The first ten Amendments of the U.S. Constitution are vital for young people to understand. Provide the foundation of the laws that govern our country with this junior high school instructional activity. Groups use the newspaper to...
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Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

Crime and Punishment

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
You wouldn't give someone a 10-day timeout for eating a piece of candy. The US government, too, does not believe in unreasonable punishment. A variety of exercises exploring the clauses of the US Constitution prompts class members to...
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Ratifying the Constitution

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Ratifying the Constitution was no simple task. Using primary sources, such as classic writings from the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, young scholars examine the arguments for and against the Constitution. They then decide: Would they...
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Lesson Plan
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School Improvement in Maryland

Immigration Legislation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
What is the purpose of immigration legislation? How has this legislation evolved over the years? What are the factors that caused these changes? Class members research immigration legislation to determine whose rights the laws are...
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Lesson Plan
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C-SPAN

Presidential Veto and Congressional Override

For Teachers 6th - 8th
One of the key powers of the executive branch is the president's ability to pass or veto legislation proposed by Congress. Congress, the legislative branch, on the other hand, can override a president's veto. Five film clips show how the...
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Lesson Plan
Teacher.org

Christmas Around the World Part 1

For Students 2nd - 5th Standards
A creative lesson shines a spotlight on Christmas celebrations throughout six different countries. Scholars read an informative text and share their new-found knowledge with their peers. After hearing about each country, pupils choose...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

We Must Not Be Enemies: Lincoln's First Inaugural Address

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students complete a unit of lessons on the historical context and significance of Lincoln's inaugural address. They analyze archival documents, campaign posters, historical photographs, and primary source documents, and listen to songs...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Iran Hostage Crisis: Reading Primary Documents

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Following brief instruction about the Iran Hostage Crisis during Jimmy Carter's presidency, small groups read three-page sections from the diary of hostage Robert C. Ode. They write editorials from the perspective of either U.S. citizens...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Sit back, relax, and transport to 1787! This activity on the Constitution begins with guided imagery of the Constitutional Convention. The class reads A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution in an interactive read-aloud...
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Lesson Plan
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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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Unit Plan
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Person to Person: Extra Support Lessons (Theme 4)

For Teachers 5th Standards
Authors use many strategies when writing stories. A series of extra support lessons breaks down those strategies, as well as key grammatical and phonics-based concepts to support struggling learners. The last of three lessons offers...
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

The 1828 Campaign of Andrew Jackson: Expansion of the Voting Base

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students give examples to indicate how the franchise was extended and limited in the first half of the 19th century, and cite some differences in the newly enfranchised population that could affect the way they would vote.
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Lesson Plan
Deliberating in a Democracy

Educating Non-Citizens

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers distinguish between the privileges of being a U.S. Citizen and privileges that are forfeited if not a U.S. Citizen.  For this history lesson, students analyze the rights of people in a democratic society through research,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring George Washington's Leadership

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students examine primary documents to determine whether or not George Washington was an honest leader. In this presidential history lesson, students evaluate Washington's leadership prior to and during his presidency. Guided reading...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Differing Federal Responses to the Great Depression: Letter Analysis

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Young analysts examine two letters, one written by President Hoover and one written by FDR. Each letter contains that president's response to the role of the Federal Government during times of crisis (The Great Depression). They analyze...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Places We Live

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
With a wonderful bibliography to support this lesson on Illinois, President Lincoln, and rural vs. urban settings, this activity is a motivating experience. The lesson begins with pupils exploring books, such as The Little House by...
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Lesson Plan
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C-SPAN

Presidential Candidate Research

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Don't let the young citizens in your social studies class get all their election information from inflammatory commercials and arguing pundits. Use a lesson plan from C-SPAN to guide class members through an election season with a...
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Lesson Plan
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C-SPAN

14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Two Supreme Court cases, Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education take center stage in a activity about the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Class members research both cases to compare and contrast the rulings.
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Lesson Plan
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C-SPAN

Primary and Secondary Sources: Trailblazers in Congress

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Trailblazers forge the path into uncharted territory, they establish a precedent for others to follow. Young historians research trailblazers in Congress using primary and secondary sources to profile outliers that changed the face of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Taxes in U.S. History: Tax Reform in the 1960s and 1980s

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explain the content, purpose, and impact of the Tax Reform Acts of 1969 and 1986.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Election Is in the House: 1824: The Candidates and the Issues

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students list some changes in presidential election laws and/or procedures since 1796, and cite examples from presidential campaign materials from 1824.
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

The 1828 Campaign of Andrew Jackson: Changes in Voting Participation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars give examples to indicate how voting participation changed in the first half of the 19th century, and make connections between changes in voting participation and the results of the election of 1828.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Weighing the War

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Study opposing viewpoints with this activity, which examines President Bush's September 2004 address at the United Nations. Middle schoolers study the text of the address, and then stage formal debates arguing for or against the reasons...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

An A-maze-ing Man

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
In this history related worksheet, learners read and discuss a short article on Abe Lincoln and then help Abe through a maze as well as create a poster reminding people that honesty is the best policy.