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Local government has lots of layers, and Washington's is no different. In this lesson, students learn the structure and function of local government in Washington and how they can…
Washington’s initiative and referendum powers let regular people participate directly in lawmaking! This lesson presents the initiative and referendum powers as tools and shows…
Water rights are a big deal for many reasons. In this lesson, students learn where water comes from, what water rights are, and how a variety of competing interests factor into…
Review the official presidential line of succession and read about its origins. Students also learn how to detect satire in a news literacy-related activity.
Discover the different types of congressional committees and their responsibilities. What's more, teach students about bias and balanced reporting. In the closing activity,…
First, teach students about filibusters and how and why senators use them. Next, help students develop their news literacy skills by taking a look at how news coverage of a…
Learn about the electoral advantage that favors incumbents and the benefits and drawbacks of reelecting members of Congress. Then, put students' news literacy skills to work as…
Students try their hand at a simplified districting exercise and learn about the common gerrymandering practices of packing and cracking districts. Students then explore the…
Students learn about midterm elections, their role as a referendum on the presidency, and how a shift in party control impacts the legislative and executive branches. Page two of…
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…
America is often described as a 'land of immigrants'. So how do they get here? In this lesson, students learn about the U.S. process of immigration, including requirements for…
How does the Massachusetts Constitution compare and contrast with the U.S. Constitution? Look no further for the answer! Guide your class through some basic similarities and…
Meet your PALS—Power, Authority, Legitimacy, and Sovereignty! In this lesson, students are introduced to these characteristics of government and consider how…
What is a monarchy and why has it been one of the most common forms of government throughout history? In this lesson, students explore the advantages and disadvantages of…
Do algorithms impact you? Do you even know what they are? Algorithms help bring us many of the functional products and tools we use today. This mini-lesson offers students an…
Do you casually bypass website privacy policies? In this mini-lesson, students review key aspects of website privacy policies and learn about options they have in keeping their…
From the first settlers in Jamestown to the first shots at Lexington, American colonists set up their own governments. How did colonial government take shape and what exactly did…
What was the new nation's first stab at a written constitution? Why the Articles of Confederation, of course! Find out about America's first written rules and how they eventually…
Welcome to the Constitutional Convention! In this lesson, students learn how delegates met at the Convention with different ideas and came out of the Convention with a compromise…
Lesson Plan