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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The U.S. Constitution Power Grab Game

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students study the powers and limitations of the three branches of the American government. They explain how the system of "checks and balances" protects the individual citizens. They explain how the amendments to the Constitution...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How was the Constitution Used to Organize the New Government?

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
How did the United States Congress determine how the new president and vice president would be named when the nation was first established? Who would provide money for the government, and how would the executive branch be organized? 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

U.S. Constitution and Amendments

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students explore the framework of government and examine the Constitution to see its impact on their lives.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The President's Roles and Responsibilities: Communicating with the President

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students examine the roles and responsibilities of the U.S. president and their own roles as citizens of a democracy. They explore various websites, listen to a State of the Union address, and write a letter to the President of the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

New Supreme Court Justice Sworn In

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students react to a series of statements about the Supreme Court, then read a news article about the confirmation of Chief Justice John Roberts. In this current events lesson, the teacher introduces the article with a discussion and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

US Government: The Checks and Balances System of the US Constitution

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students examine the responsibilities of the 3 branches of U.S. government. In this checks and balances lesson, students identify the powers of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. Students share examples of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Constitution: What's in It...Exactly?

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders examine the U.S. Constitution. In this American government lesson plan, 7th graders listen to a SMART Board-supported lecture about the branches of the U.S. government. Students write responses based on the lecture. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Separation of Powers

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine the roles of each of the branches of U.S. government. In this checks and balances lesson, students watch Discovery video segments and discuss the concept of federalism as they create a school-wide policy for government...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Government: Balance of Power

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders conduct Internet research about the governmental balance of power. They create Kidspiration projects demonstrating the workings of the three branches of government. They compare U.S. democracy with other forms of government.
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Lesson Plan
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C-SPAN

Middle School Checks and Balances

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Seven video clips reveal how the checks and balances built into the constitutional framework of the United states' government are designed to keep any one branch from becoming too powerful. After watching each clip, groups identify the...
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Lesson Plan
Council for Economic Education

The Role of Government: The Federal Government and Fiscal Policy

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Give learners a crash course in balancing the books on the United States federal government level with an economics and government resource. Class members engage in a warm-up discussion and brainstorming session before answering...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Executive Branch of the U.S. Government

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders create a K-W-L chart of what they know about the executive branch of government. They access the Internet to research a specific level of government. They create a PowerPoint presentation with a minimum of eight slides.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Why Does Congress Work That Way?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students discover the powers of Congress. In this legislative branch lesson, students examine the legislative process as they analyze Article I of the U.S. Constitution. Students consider the powers of Congress as they define the role of...
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Lesson Plan
National Constitution Center

Separation of Powers

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Learners explore how the Constitution provides for separation of power and limited government, as evidenced by the three branches of government. They participate in role-playing situations, group discussions, and complete worksheets to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson 2: The Constitution: Our Guiding Document

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
Explore the structure and content of the US Constitution in the second lesson of this five-part social studies series. A collection of activities, games, and videos complement a class reading of a document summarizing the US...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ohio's U.S. Presidents

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate the state of Ohio's claim to be the "Mother of Presidents." Nine U.S. presidents were from the state and their contributions and terms of office are examined in this lesson.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The U.S. Constitution

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students explain the differences between the three branches of government. Using the structure of a democracy, they listen to text about the United States Constitution. They discover how their government affects their lives in negative...
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

For The President, All In A Day's Work

For Teachers 5th - 12th Standards
How does the president of the United States get the authority to exercise his/her duties? What responsibilities and tasks go into a hard day's work for the president? Here is a lesson plan that includes several instructional materials...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The President's Roles and Responsibilities: Understanding the President's Job

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students examine the roles and responsibilites of the president of the U.S. They identify and discuss the three branches of U.S. government, view and discuss a White House Photo essay online, and create a class book entitled, 'If I Were...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Congress Works

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students describe role of the U.S. Congress in American government as set forth in the Constitution, and explain why the Framers created a Congress with a House and a Senate and gave them different roles.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Follow the Leader

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students examine the roles of national leaders and the three branches of government and their duties. They view and discuss the images on the South Dakota Quarter Reverse transparency, complete a worksheet, and create a mobile of the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Documents and Symbols and American Freedom

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students complete a unit of lessons on the documents, symbols, and famous people involved in the founding of the U.S. government. They create a personal bill of rights, write a found poem, design a flag, conduct research, and role-play...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Teaching Six Big Ideas in the Constitution

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Young scholars debate the constitutional principles of the United States. In this U.S. government lesson, students examine the meaning of the text of the U.S. Constitution and analyze other primary documents of the era. Young scholars...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A More Perfect Union

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders complete a unit of lessons on the development of the U.S. government. They examine the main ideas of the Declaration of Independence, develop a class translation of the preamble to the Constitution, create a flow chart,...

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