Grade 9-12 Civilian Leadership & the Military: The history and importance of a civilian-led military in America

The purpose of this lesson to assist student understanding of why the American Constitution places ultimate authority of the military in the hands of civilians rather than military leaders. Students should appreciate the historical uniqueness of the American military as an extension of constitutional principles in which the people always have the last word.

Grades 9-12
Executive Branch/Presidency
Lesson Plans

Cold War Document Based Question

Utilizing primary source documents from the archives of Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon, and Reagan, this piece of curriculum is modeled after the Advanced Placement Document Based Questions. This question invites students to explore U.S. Cold War foreign policy through the lens the office of the presidency, and to develop crucial critical thinking and writing skills.

Memorial Day Lesson Plans & Resources

Free PreK-12 Lessons for Memorial Day.

Find new ways to discover the meaning of Memorial Day with students using the free K-12 resources in this curated collection from Share My Lesson. The lessons and activities honor military men and women who died while on duty and explore the wars they served in, as well as the impact on their families and our country.

Grades 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, K, 11, 1, 12
Federal Government
Lesson Plans

You Can’t Say That: Right to Know vs. Security Risk

Explain to students that tensions between the press and the military have always existed, as the goals of each group are often in conflict. Reporters want information to flow freely, while the military guards national security interests. The debate over how to balance these competing interests continues today.

Grades 8, 9-12, 6, 7
Rights and Responsibilities
Lesson Plans

Ethics in America

Build moral reasoning by examining ethical dilemmas in this video series, which uses the Socratic method to build analytical skills and examine ethical questions. The programs aim to sharpen moral reasoning without favoring a particular position by exploring ethical dilemmas in legal, political, medical, corporate, and military arenas. Panelists include Antonin Scalia, Faye Wattleton, and Peter Jennings.

Grades 11, 12, 9, 10
Rights and Responsibilities
Video

Women in the Military

American women have gone to war in various roles throughout U. S. history. Only since 1948, however, have women been slowly integrated into the armed services. Today, a debate centers on whether women should be in direct ground combat. The debate question is: Should Women Be in Direct Ground Combat?

Grades 11, 12, 9, 10
Federal Government
Lesson Plans