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Students learn the role of the executive branch in creating and carrying out laws. Through role-play, the class models the legislative and execution processes as they create a new…
Students find out how the checks and balances of the three branches of government work. Through the process of creating a healthy school lunch menu, students role-play each…
Students learn why there are two houses of Congress and discover how a bicameral legislature ensures that all states have a voice in bills. Together, the class creates a school…
Students learn what foreign policy means. First, they learn the distinction between foreign and domestic policy. Then they find out what role the executive branch plays in foreign…
How do members of Congress decide whether to vote yea or nay on a bill? In this lesson, students learn what factors members of Congress consider when deciding whether to vote for a…
Students learn the primary responsibilities of the president and how those duties connect to the powers the Constitution grants to the Executive Branch. Students also learn about…
Students learn the role of citizens and how they can influence the government.
(This lesson was formerly "Bill of Rights: You Mean I've Got Rights?") Students learn about the rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and other important constitutional…
In this lesson, students compare Ben Brewer’s fictional case in “Supreme Decision” with a real-life case involving a student. Got a 1:1 classroom? Download fillable PDF versions…
Need to teach the judicial branch in a hurry? In this lesson, students learn the basics of our judicial system, including the functions of the trial court, the Court of Appeals,…
Students discover that states have their own governments and powers separate from the federal government. They learn what those powers are, how they’re different from the federal…
Where do laws come from? This lesson teaches students about the sources, types, and unique systems of law that exist in the United States. Students learn about sources of law from…
In One Big Party, students learn about the role of political parties in the United States and the influence parties have in our political system, including the role of third…
Prepare students for persuasive writing by introducing them to the concept of making an argument. Students discover there’s a difference between “arguing” and making an argument in…
Students meet Ben Brewer and find out what happened the day he decided to wear his favorite band t-shirt to school in violation of a new dress code rule. Students read a summary of…
In order to build arguments for their essays, students examine evidence about whether band t-shirts were disruptive at Ben’s school. Students think critically to filter out…
Students begin to organize their arguments and evidence both for and against the rule banning band t-shirts. Students learn the necessity of clear organization, generate main and…
Students meet “Yabbut Rabbit” and learn how to flesh out the support for their arguments by developing counterargument. Using the technique they learn in this lesson, students add…
As a precursor to writing a rough draft, students learn that you can’t ignore evidence for the other side of an argument. Students learn how to use complex sentences to minimize…
Students make direct connections between the format of an outline and the organization in an essay. Using side-by-side examples, students see how the outline translates into a…
Lesson Plan
