John C. Calhoun was a U.S. statesman and spokesman for the slave-plantation system of the South. He explains in this article that slavery gives people more serious opportunities to better themselves because of slaves. This source allows students to examine the supposed justifications for slavery and challenge the assumptions made by slaveowners.
Argument Wars (Game and Teacher Guide)
In Argument Wars, students will try out their persuasive abilities by arguing a real Supreme Court case. The other lawyer is their competition. Whoever uses the strongest arguments wins!
The Global You (Lesson Plan and Powerpoint)
Students play international detective as they read accounts of international pollution issues. Students also complete an activity tracing ocean currents and discussing the paths of pollution. These activities prepare students to identify the mindset of a global citizen and to define global citizenship.
Civic Action and Change (Lesson Plan and Powerpoint)
Students explore examples of civic action and change by looking at the efforts in four movements in the 20th century; women’s rights, disability awareness, Native American rights, and migrant worker rights. Through these examples, student will describe the process of civic action through the I AM chart (Inform, Act, Maintain).
ConSource U.S. Constitution for Kids
The U.S. Constitution for Kids offers educators and students the opportunity to read the original text of the Constitution alongside unbiased translations that are easy for students to understand. We have also included useful background information, which places each clause in historical context.
Grade 9-12 The Judiciary Act of 1789
The purpose of this lesson is to teach students about the significance of the Judiciary Act of 1789 in establishing a federal judiciary, and the power of judicial review as outlined by the landmark U.S. Supreme Court Case, Marbury v. Madison (1803). By the conclusion of this lesson, students will understand the key provisions of the Judiciary Act of 1789 and the structure of the federal judiciary, as well as the power of judicial review.
Grade 6-8 Give and Take to Create a Constitution
The purpose of this lesson is to engage students in a discussion of the Constitutional Convention. Students will explore the key disputes that arose during the Convention, including most prominently how power would be divided between the federal and state governments and the various branches of government. They will synthesize various sources explored debate and compromise and the Convention to understand the idea of civic discourse in the United States.
Grade 9-12 Methods of Interpreting the Constitution
The purpose of this lesson is to explain the two overarching modes of constitutional interpretation, strict and loose construction, and their use and application to particular Supreme Court cases. After an in-class investigation activity to explore the methods of interpretation, students will be given the opportunity to express their opinions of the merits and limitations of each method during a mock Supreme Court session where students will revisit two Supreme Court opinions.
Grade 9-12 The Bill of Rights 2.0
This lesson builds on prior knowledge of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights by asking students to think critically about the issues and philosophies central to both. Through investigation and debate, students are asked to question why certain rights were added to the Constitution and why others were not. The discussion will encourage students to synthesize historical and contemporary perspectives about their rights to decide if those rights are still relevant and comprehensive
Grade 6-8 The Bill of Rights & Me
The purpose of this lesson is to investigate the Bill of Rights through the perspective of someone living during the ratification period. After exploring the historical perspective of the Bill of Rights through study of the Dissent of the Minority in Pennsylvania, students will be asked to apply the rights they learned about to their lives today and assess, critique, and solve problems based on the modern meaning of these rights.