Students will engage in a study of the Constitution to learn about the nature and structure of the United States. The Constitution will be analyzed and discussed as a primary source to understand the form of government and principles of the U.S. This lesson provides students an opportunity to explore how the government works and what the Constitution means to them today. Students will create a song to demonstrate understanding of the Constitution and nature of the U.S. government. Constituting America has a song contest teachers may want to integrate with this lesson plan.
Government Questioning Lesson
The objective of this lesson is to help students realize that the Constitution does affect them and have them come to the conclusion that they have to be an informed citizen and be careful of the sources they use to do the research.
Celebrating the U.S. Constitution
Students develop an understanding and appreciation of the importance of the U.S. Constitution. This lesson plan is a winner of the We the Future contest.
Amendment Worth A Thousand Words
With many pictures posted all over every social media platform, the #amendmentworthathousandwords’ overall mission will be to enlighten many of the rights promised to people by the Constitution. Through this challenge, many will become aware of their rights and what the Constitution does not only for them, but for all Americans as well! Lesson plan by Eboni Jenerette
Women’s Suffrage and the 19th Amendment
This lesson looks at the historical context of women’s suffrage, tactics used in the movement and different perspectives of the suffrage movement. Students will view C-SPAN video clips to learn about the suffrage movement and evaluate the tactics used.
Civic Art Projects: Seat at the Table Lesson Plan
This collaborative art project was inspired by Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm’s story and considers the importance of diverse representation in public discourse. This lesson plan is designed to help you facilitate the design and creation of your class’s chairs — your “seats at the table” of representative democracy.
Civics on Call: Classroom-Ready Lessons on Issues of the Day
Civics on Call provides lessons on current news events. The latest lesson is on Containing the Coronavirus. All the lessons contain a fact-based article on the news event, then pose questions for writing and discussion.
Native American Cultures Across the U.S.
Teaching children about the First Americans in an accurate historical context while emphasizing their continuing presence and influence within the United States is important for developing a national and individual respect for the diverse American Indian peoples, and is necessary to understanding the history of this country.
Anishnabe/Ojibwe/Chippewa: Culture of an Indian Nation
This lesson provides information and activities about one American Indian Nation, the Anishinabe, called Ojibwe in Canada and Chippewa in the U.S., and engages students in research on its history, location, and past and present culture.
Indian Boarding Schools Primary Source Set
Through photographs, letters, reports, interviews, and other primary documents, students explore the forced acculturation of American Indians through government-run boarding schools.