Albert Shanker Institute
Dream Under Development
As part of their study of the 1963 March on Washington, class members do a side-by-side comparison of the original text of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream Speech" with a transcript of the speech he delivered. The take away from the...
Curated OER
We Must Not Be Enemies: Lincoln's First Inaugural Address
Learners 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...
West Contra Costa Unified School District
Conics Introduction and Parabolas
Where did conic sections get their name? The equation and graph of a parabola are developed from the definition of the conic section. Teacher examples on graphing the equation and writing an equation from the graph round out the plan.
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Abolish the Office of Governor
Students explore the history of the Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776. In this historical analysis lesson, students analyze the constitution of the state and determine how citizens benefited (or didn't benefit) from the document....
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First Amendment Guarantee of Free Speech (Senior, Social Studies)
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...
Curated OER
Arrests and Investigatory Stops
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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Expansion and Reform: Applying the Declaration of Independence
Students conduct inquiries and research-acquiring, organizing, analyzing, interpreting, evaluating, and communicating facts, themes, and general principles operating in American history. They use the Declaration of Independence to...
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Deserts: How Do You Define One?
Second graders identify what constitutes as a desert by reading a habitat checklist. In this environment lesson plan, 2nd graders read a nature website to discover facts about the desert and where they are located. Students utilize art...
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President Who? Forgotten Founders and Their Capitols
Young scholars explore the beginning of the United Colonies that were formed in 1774. In this history lesson, students discuss the Articles of Confederation and then answer questions about the events surrounding the development of the...
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Researching American Democracy
Students compare Watergate and the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal. In this U.S. Constitution lesson, students define vocabulary terms and read articles regarding the impeachment process. Students respond to questions that require them to...
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Weather Lesson 1
Students describe and compare the layers of the atmosphere. They explain how to measure the temperature of the atmosphere. They also explain what causes the atmosphere to heat up in some places more than in others.
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What is Due Process Anyway?
Students examine the term due process and its historical origins. They compare and constrast the requirements of due process in the United States Constitution and the Indiana Constitution. They also discuss the difference between...
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Bill of Rights
Students work in collaborative groups to research an amendment of the Bill of Rights. They then design and present a skit that demonstrates and communicates the core values and concepts of the amendment to the class.
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The Changing Meaning of "Due Process"
Students examine the United States Constitution and how the application for due process differs in two amendments. They research the changing definition of the term since the Civil War. They use the internet to research press coverage of...
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Political Asylum Talk Show
Learners view videos, visit websites, and read about the nature and changes made to the idea of political asylum. Beginning with Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany, they will explore policy change throughout the years. The lesson...
Facing History and Ourselves
The Importance of a Free Press
"Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press;. . ." Why is this guarantee of free speech and a free press the First Amendment to the US Constitution? Why are these rights so essential to a democracy?...
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Dr. Fix-It Subjects: Health, Government
Help your students undertand the critical problems around healthcare. By focusing on the political and private process of healthcare, students will watch a video, analyze issues, and write an essay on their findings. Additionally, they...
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The Federalist Papers
Students identify the Articles of Confederation and explain why it failed. They explain the argument over the need for a bill of rights in the Constitution and James Madison's role in securing its adoption by first Congress. Finally,...
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Launching Your Ship with Citizenship Lesson 4: Hoisting the Flag
Students discuss the U.S. electoral process and brainstorm solutions to increase voter turnout in their community. In this democratic citizenship lesson, students identify keywords in speech and video related to freedom of speech and...
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Citizens Together
Students examine the bill of rights as it relates to founding documents and their significance today. In this bill of rights lesson plan, students use newspapers as sources to answer critical questions regarding democratic citizenship....
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Legislation: Passing a Bill in the Senate
Students debate a bill. In this Senate lesson plan, students investigate the steps of the House of Representatives when amending a bill that has passed. Students role-play law-making.
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Teaching With Documents Lesson Plan: Sioux Treaty of 1868
Students study the Sioux and their lives in the Black Hills before 1868. They engage in a wide variety of cross-curricular activities which give them a good understanding of the Sioux culture.
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Respecting Freedom of Speech
Learners analyze the First Amendment. In this Bill of Rights lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the facets of the First Amendment. Learners examine cases which pertain to the freedoms that the...
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American Studies
Entitled American Studies, this small unit covers various topics related to the study of the United States. Learners warm up by creating a dictionary of democracy, then dive into three different lessons focused on government, famous...