Browse lesson plans

The Bill of Rights and the U.S. Supreme Court

In this lesson, students work in groups and individually to understand how the Constitution/Bill of Rights is a living document and how Supreme Court decisions protect the rights of all Americans.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–10 Social Studies)

By Grace Wasserman.

Does my vote count? Teaching the electoral college

In Election 2008, page 4.4

Students will learn about the electoral process and its history through reading, research, and discussion. They will then convene a constitutional convention to debate altering this process.

Format: lesson plan (grade 10 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

By David Walbert.

The five parts of the Fifth

This lesson will focus on the Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution and its intent to provide due process to citizens. Students will engage in writing, discussion, cooperative learning, art, and theatrical activities in gaining an understanding of the Amendment and its concepts.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8–10 Social Studies)

By Keith Leary.

Goodbye, Bill Of Rights!

Students will enact a scene demonstrating life without one of the first ten amendments. Students will be put into groups of three or four and assigned a specific amendment to research.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8–10 Social Studies)

By Greg Simmons.

"I Declare, I believe this document May Flower!"

The learner will apply ideas of self-government as expressed in America's founding documents. To be used with/for SLD and other exceptional students.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8–10 English Language Arts)

By Gary Peterson.

Safeguarding the Bill of Rights

In CareerStart lessons: Grade eight, page 6.5

In this lesson plan for grade eight, students read about the Bill of Rights and assess how people in various professions work to maintain those rights.

Format: lesson plan

By Andrea Stewart, Keisha Gabriel, and Patty Grant.

Send me to Congress

Students learn about the qualifications for and job descriptions of members of the U.S.Senate or the U.S.House of Representatives by designing and creating a campaign brochure. Students apply their knowledge of these requirements by "selling" their candidate to the general public.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–10 Social Studies)

By Tim Raines.

Resources on the web

The Digital Classroom

Resources and guides to using the primary history materials of the United States in research and teaching. Links to the wealth of materials held in the National Archives and Records Administration collection. (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan

Provided by: The National Archives and Records Administration

The First Amendment: What's fair in a free country?

Balancing rights and responsibilities is difficult, even for the Supreme Court. This lesson demonstrates to students that freedom of speech is an ongoing process. After completing the lessons in this unit from the National Endowment for the Humanities... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 Social Studies)

Provided by: EDSITEment