This lesson explores the challenges the United States faced as a result of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and examines the governmentâ"s response through the lens of protection and civil liberties. Students will consider the balance between security and liberty in the United States.

This lesson explores the challenges the United States faced as a result of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and examines the government's response through the lens of protection and civil liberties. Students will consider the long-term effects of the emergency measures, their consequences and constitutionality, and how they might inform the balance between security and liberty today.

The anniversaries of the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, and the signing of the Constitution on September 17, 1787, provide us an opportunity to reflect upon who we are as Americans, examine our most fundamental values and principles and affirm our commitment to them, and evaluate progress toward the realization of American ideals and propose actions that might narrow the gap between these ideals and reality. The following lessons are designed to accomplish these goals.

The anniversaries of the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, and the signing of the Constitution on September 17, 1787, provide us an opportunity to reflect upon who we are as Americans, examine our most fundamental values and principles and affirm our commitment to them, and evaluate progress toward the realization of American ideals and propose actions that might narrow the gap between these ideals and reality. These lessons are designed to accomplish these goals.

This lesson traces Lincoln's political life during a time of constitutional crisis. It examines Lincoln's ideas and decisions regarding slavery and the use of presidential power to preserve the Union.

This is an activity for exploring the resource document: Important Dates in the Voting History of the United States. The activity can be used at any grade level. The difficulty will be based on the expectations for the student groups.

In this lesson, students apply their state’s requirements for registering to vote. Students learn when and how to register, how to complete a voter registration form, and when and how to reregister.

This lesson focuses on a voter’s need to be fully informed prior to casting a vote on Election Day and how to acquire the necessary information. Students learn what a yes or no vote or a decision to abstain means on a ballot. Students learn the definitions of amendment, initiative, proposition, and referendum. By completing the handouts for school referendums, students are given the opportunity to think critically and to learn firsthand why voters need to be fully informed about ballot questions.

In this webinar by iCivics and the Center for Civic Education, Henry L. Chambers, Jr., Emma Humphries, and Mike Fassold explain the long and troubled history of voting rights in the United States and share tips for teaching representation and the expansion of suffrage.

Mike Fassold, an educator from Fishers Junior High School in Indiana, explains how he teaches the expansion of voting rights using the We the People middle school curriculum. Fassold is followed by Professor Henry Chambers, the Austin E. Owen Research Scholar & Professor of Law at the University of Richmond, who discusses the 2020 Census, apportionment, and gerrymandering. Finally, Emma Humphries, the Chief Education Officer at iCivics, explores compelling new infographics and Web activities on the census, gerrymandering, and voting that will engage your students.

In this lesson students will examine the concept of "citizen" from a definitional perspective of what a citizen is and from the perspective of how citizenship is conferred in the United States. Students will discuss the rights and responsibilities of citizens and non-citizens and review the changing history of citizenship from colonial times to the present.

This lesson introduces students to important facts about the Constitution and its history. Students create a thirteen-star flag and read or perform the Constitution Day Rap.

Fifty-five delegates were present at the Constitutional Convention, which was held in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787. Most students can identify George Washington, James Madison, and maybe even Alexander Hamilton. But what about the other fifty-two delegates? Who were they? How did they influence the convention? In this lesson students will familiarize themselves with the delegates by listening to a series of 60-Second Civics podcast episodes devoted to the Framers of the Constitution.

In this lesson, students develop an awareness of the Constitution by exploring what it is and why it is important. Students examine their classroom rules poster as an introduction to the concept of rules and learn that the Constitution is the law of the United States.

In this lesson, students examine one of six key amendments to the Constitution while considering their historical context. Students create timelines for each amendment that are later combined to fully evaluate and interpret how the Constitution has evolved within its historical context.

Students learn to identify the requirements of a position of authority and the qualifications a person should possess to fill that position. Students learn a set of intellectual tools designed to help them both analyze the duties of a position and to decide if an individual is qualified to serve in that particular position. In an excerpt from Theodore Rooseveltâ"s Winning of the West, students learn the characteristics that qualified Lewis and Clark to fulfill the responsibilities of leading an expedition to the West.

Students learn that under our system of government citizens have to choose people for positions of authority. It is important to know how to choose well. This lesson helps students to identify the requirements of a position of authority and the qualifications a person should possess to fill that position. Students learn a set of intellectual tools designed to help them both analyze the duties of the position and to decide if an individual is qualified to serve in that particular position. During the lesson students practice using the intellectual tools.

This lesson explains the five major accomplishments of the first Congress. Students learn how the Constitution provided a general framework for the government.

In this video from the Center for Civic Education, Maria Gallo explains the fundamentals of teaching the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution program to high school students. Maria is the director of professional development and special programs for the Center. She is joined by Mark Gage, director of publishing and digital content, who explains the wide variety online resources that support We the People. For more information about We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution, visit https://www.civiced.org/we-the-people.

The We the People curriculum is an innovative course of instruction on the history and principles of the United States constitutional democratic republic. The We the People programâ"s culminating activity is a simulated congressional hearing in which students "testify" before a panel of judges acting as members of Congress. Students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of constitutional principles and have opportunities to evaluate, take, and defend positions on relevant historical and contemporary issues. Teachers may engage their students in a noncompetitive simulated congressional hearing or a competitive hearing at some levels in certain states.

In this video from the Center for Civic Education, Maria Gallo and Patience LeBlanc explain the fundamentals of teaching the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution program to middle school students. Maria is the director of professional development and special programs for the Center. Patience is an instructional coach at Frisco High School near Dallas, Texas, and has been a We the People teacher for twenty years. Maria and Patience are joined by Mark Gage, director of publishing and digital content, who explains the wide variety online resources that support We the People. For more information about We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution, visit https://www.civiced.org/we-the-people.

The We the People curriculum is an innovative course of instruction on the history and principles of the United States constitutional democratic republic. The We the People programâ"s culminating activity is a simulated congressional hearing in which students "testify" before a panel of judges acting as members of Congress. Students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of constitutional principles and have opportunities to evaluate, take, and defend positions on relevant historical and contemporary issues. Teachers may engage their students in a noncompetitive simulated congressional hearing or a competitive hearing at some levels in certain states.

Independence Day, commonly referred to as the Fourth of July, is a time to remember and appreciate our heritage of a democratic form of government and to reflect on our country's fundamental principles. The following lesson for high school students and youth groups is designed to respond to Jefferson's call to "educate...the whole mass of the people" and Mason's call to refer to fundamental principles. It concludes with an opportunity to add one's signature to those of the Founders of this nation who signed the original documents. We hope you have a pleasant Fourth of July and find this lesson plan useful with your students.