Thomas Jefferson explains the importance of the Bill of Rights. Colonial Williamsburg's …
Thomas Jefferson explains the importance of the Bill of Rights. Colonial Williamsburg's Center for Teaching, Learning, and Leadership provides American history and civics materials nationwide. For more great videos, lesson plans, interactive games and more, create a free account on the Colonial Williamsburg Education Resource Library: resourcelibrary.history.org.
Citizens of the United States have celebrated Independence Day and Presidents' Day …
Citizens of the United States have celebrated Independence Day and Presidents' Day since the 1870s, and in 2005, the nation began to celebrate Constitution Day. Also know as Citizenship Day, Constitution Day is an American holiday honoring the day 39 delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the United States Constitution. This historic date was September 17, 1787.
Students will learn about Alexander Graham Bell and his invention of the …
Students will learn about Alexander Graham Bell and his invention of the telephone, understanding its impact on the U.S. population and the ways that phones have changed over time.
The three-fifths compromise was an agreement reached by the state delegates at …
The three-fifths compromise was an agreement reached by the state delegates at the 1787 Constitutional Convention. Under the compromise, every enslaved American would be counted as three-fifths of a person for taxation and representation purposes. This agreement gave the Southern states more electoral power than they would have had if the enslaved population had been ignored entirely.
Lesson plan created by the Washington Post (same page as A Taxing …
Lesson plan created by the Washington Post (same page as A Taxing Time? but different activities) Students need to see how taxes will influence budgeting on the personal and government levels. Holder of the Purse focuses on Congress' spending powers.
Home equity is the value of a home minus what is owed …
Home equity is the value of a home minus what is owed on the home. In some cases, homeowners can take out loans using that value as collateral. Explore how home equity loans work, and why someone might want one, in this video. Created by Sal Khan.
In these lessons, students play the role of a GIS specialist for …
In these lessons, students play the role of a GIS specialist for a North Dakota advocacy group. The group wants to alert state and federal officials to this negative effect of the oil boom in order to receive more resources for housing and shelters. Students first download tabular (table-based) data on homelessness. Then, they map the data in ArcMap by joining it to state geography. They publish their map layer to ArcGIS Online and make a set of online maps anyone can access. Finally, students present their maps in a single, easy-to-understand web app.
When the Founding Fathers weren't out fighting wars, drafting important documents like …
When the Founding Fathers weren't out fighting wars, drafting important documents like the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution, or helping to found a country, they were at home with their families and businesses. Here are the places the Founding Fathers called "home," and some interesting facts about each man's personal estate.
This video segment, adapted from NOVA, explores reasons why Homo sapiens had …
This video segment, adapted from NOVA, explores reasons why Homo sapiens had an advantage over Neanderthals in the pursuit of territory and natural resources.
Frances Gabe detested housework, so she invented a contraption to free herself …
Frances Gabe detested housework, so she invented a contraption to free herself from this tedious task forever: a self-cleaning house! Gabe's wacky, wonderful home included almost 70 new patented inventions, from a soap-spraying sprinkler in the ceiling to a kitchen cabinet that washed, dried, and stored dishes all in one place. Though Gabe's invention didn't catch on, her determination and clever thinking remind us that we don't have to accept the world as it is; we can improve it using our minds and our own two hands. The resource includes a lesson plan/book card, a design challenge, and copy of a design thinking journal that provide guidance on using the book to inspire students' curiosity for design thinking. Maker Challenge: Frances Gabe created over 70 inventions because she hated cleaning. What is one thing you hate doing for chores? Develop an invention to have it clean itself.
A document is included in the resources folder that lists the complete standards-alignment for this book activity.
Not only do revenue legislation and impeachment proceeding start in the House, …
Not only do revenue legislation and impeachment proceeding start in the House, but the House is also more more hierarchical and efficient than the Senate.
C3. Inquiry based lesson plan. Students explore the connection between the consumption …
C3. Inquiry based lesson plan. Students explore the connection between the consumption of sugar and the reliance of slave labor to cultivate sugar plantations. Includes multiple opportunities to explore the supporting questions and develop an argument with claims, including charts, graphs, illustrations, reading excerpts, and background information.
The Founders paid close attention to the rights of the accused because …
The Founders paid close attention to the rights of the accused because they realized that the government had the power both to prosecute and convict. Protections were needed to guard against the government's abuse of these powers. Understanding how the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Eighth Amendments operate to guarantee such protection and how they work to ensure both individual liberty and limit government is vital to maintaining free citizenship. This lesson explores these amendments and the protections they provide.
The Founders listed several rights guaranteed to the people in the first …
The Founders listed several rights guaranteed to the people in the first eight amendments of the Bill of Rights. They did not believe that this list was all encompassing, so they included the Ninth Amendment as a way to protect the rights of the people that were not listed in the first Eight. This lesson explores the nature of these unnamed rights and examines the arguments around who should interpret them, judges or the people.
The Founders believed that property is among the natural rights governments exist …
The Founders believed that property is among the natural rights governments exist to protect. One of the ways the Founders protected property rights was in the Fifth Amendment. This amendment restricts the government's ability to take property and ensures that when it does take property, it must pay for it. This lesson explores the Fifth Amendment and its applications.
The Founders meant for the First Amendment to protect a wide array …
The Founders meant for the First Amendment to protect a wide array of expressive activities. The Supreme Court, recognizing changes in society and technology, has applied the First Amendment's protections in some ways that are broader than ever. Student speech in public schools, however, poses unique questions. This lesson will help students to understand the operation of the First Amendment in both their school and in the wider context of society, and it will help foster students' appreciation of their rights, preparing them for responsible and effective participation in their school, community, and nation.
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