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This lesson guides volunteers through a great class activity for Constitution Day. Enjoyed this activity? Find more Constitution Day resources in this collection. *Note: One or…
This mini-lesson takes a look at the role of fair and impartial courts in American life. Students learn about how judges are selected and held accountable. It also looks at how…
Discover the debate that surrounded the Constitution before it became the law of the land. Excerpts from Federalist 84 and Anti-Federalist 46 offer insight into both sides of the…
View the Constitution from the perspective of its foundational principles. Consider the Founders' intentions and the Constitution itself as you discover how the constitutional…
Learn how the Constitution has changed over time and what methods created those changes. Analyze specific examples of change including amendments, Supreme Court decisions, and…
Jump into the big debate over the Bill of Rights, and see how the Federalists and Anti-Federalists battled over the fate of the U.S. Constitution. Where did the idea come from? How…
Compare and contrast the U.S. and Ohio constitutions in this hands-on lesson using excerpts from both documents. Dig into how they structure the government, address individual…
This lesson plan teaches the fundamentals of Supreme Court Justice nominations and helps students understand the politics behind the nominations. It challenges students to cut…
This mini-lesson highlights some of the most critical additions to our Constitution and how those additions guarantee students' rights.
How does Washington’s state constitution compare and contrast with the U.S. Constitution? Look no further for the answer! Guide your class through some basic similarities and…
Learn about the judicial philosophies of activism and restraint. In the second half of the lesson, students learn about opinion journalsim and explore criteria through which they…
Opinions, opinions, opinions! Learn about the types of Supreme Court opinions and the influence of legal precedent. In the accompanying news literacy-related activity, students are…
What does a Supreme Court justice really do? How do they make their decisions? What better way to find out than by trying it yourself! Got a 1:1 classroom? Download fillable PDF…
If Marbury was right, then why didn't he get the writ? Find out how the Supreme Court got the power to decide what is constitutional, and what the Court can do with that power.
Did Cellar breach the contract? Or was there no contract to begin with? Let students decide in this scripted trial simulation. Got a 1:1 classroom?
Does your state court system feel oddly similar to our federal one? Chances are it does, but there may still be some differences. In this lesson, students learn how our…
Most cases start and end in trial court, but what if there's an error? Show students how a case works its way up in this printable poster for your classroom! iCivics en español! A…
What does the phrase “freedom of speech” really mean? This lesson outlines the types of speech the First Amendment does and does not protect. Students also examine the Supreme…
Searching online? Wikipedia is often a top result, but should you trust it? In this lesson, students learn about how Wikipedia works and the site’s processes for preventing…
Give students a snapshot of the Constitution, the purpose of each article, the powers of the three branches, how a bill becomes a law, and more.
Lesson Plan
