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.

Canning for country and community

In this lesson plan, students will use primary source documents to evaluate the technological challenges of food preservation in the 30s and 40s, compare food preservation in the first half of the twentieth century with today, and consider the political role of food in the community.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

By Melissa Thibault.

The Declaration of Independence

In Where English and history meet: A collaboration guide, page 5

In this interdisciplinary lesson, students will examine the role of the Declaration of Independence in the development of the American Revolution and as part of the American identity. They will also analyze the argumentative structure and write their own declaration.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–10 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

By Karen Cobb Carroll, Ph.D., NBCT.

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.

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

Balancing three branches at once: Our system of checks and balances

This page contains four EDSITEment lessons in which students use primary source documents to investigate how the three branches of the American government can check each other. By the end of these lessons, not only will students be able to name the three... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 Social Studies)

Provided by: EDSITEment

Children's BBC Newsround

A United Kingdom news website with articles about events, arts and science that will be useful to anyone interested in what's happening in the world. Browse thematic picturecollections, play a game, participate in an online opinion poll, or just catch up... (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan

Provided by: BBC News

Freedom of speech and automatic language: Examining the Pledge of Allegiance

This ReadWriteThink lesson is based on a study of the Pledge of Allegiance. This lesson plan asks students to explore rote learning and their own right to freedom of speech by examining the Pledge of Allegiance from a historical and personal perspective... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

What's it like to live along a national boundary?

In this lesson, students will discuss the concept of boundaries and borders and will investigate the characteristics of the United States-Mexico border. They'll pretend to live on the U.S. side of the border and will write dialogues between themselves and... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

Provided by: Xpeditions