Students complete a worksheet about the government and identify the characteristics of different governments. In this government lesson plan, students define representative democracy and complete a worksheet.

Middle schoolers discuss the components of a representative democracy. In groups, they create a t-shirt that shows the components and why it is "cool" to live in a democracy. As a class, they examine the concept of the common good and...

Students create dictionary of terms for citizens of a democracy, using events and biographies from both their state's history and U.S. history.

Students read excerpts of the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution. Using the documents, they identify the ideas of how the government should be run. In groups, they develop a skit that encourages people to be...

Twelfth graders represent a specific interest in the business community and must present a plan that benefit the community and present the least amount of danger to the community. They must convince the city fathers that their venture is...

Fifth graders explain the difference between democracy and monarchy. They see how the Queen Elizabeth and her Privy Council ran England. They explain the different terms involved in the Elizabethan government.

Young scholars research all of the candidates running in an upcoming election. They interview them if possible and state their platforms. They organize a forum for the candidates to come and speak at their school.

Students design historical quilts. In this presidential history activity, students research past presidents and landmarks named for them. Students create quilt squares to represent the landmarks and piece all of them together in a large...

Encourage pupils to design an election plan for the entire school. They participate in a Board of Elections, create polling rules, discuss election controversies, write questions about the issues, run the election through an online...

Middle and high schoolers are walking into a world rife with strong political viewpoints and vocal opinions. Help to prepare them for controversial discussions with a lesson plan in which they choose, research, and learn more about a...

Eleventh graders examine different forms of government.  In this American Government lesson, 11th graders research a different government.  Students create a poster board on the type of government. 

Students create an advertising campaign to persuade the Founding Fathers to adopt a particular political philosophy. Working in groups, they conduct research about a certain political philosophy. Students create a pitch to be made to...

Students recognize the states in the continental United States and find their state. In this patriotic symbols lesson, students explore unfair taxation practices. Students understand the benefits of democracy participate in activities...

Students construct a model of the Supreme Court's courtroom. They design the courtroom in such a way so that the architecture and furnishings in the courtroom represent the neutrality and power of the court.

Ninth graders explore the meaning of the term philanthropy.  In this Social Studies lesson plan, 9th graders research examples of people that represent good citizens.  Students create a skit that demonstrates a specific...

Students investigate the influence of the Enlightenment on American society and government. In this Enlightenment lesson plan, students work cooperatively in groups to define the principles of the Enlightenment,...

Students discover core democratic values. In this service learning lesson, students create posters in order to promote core democratic values.

Students use a database to conduct a schoolwide election. They discover the importance of voting and democracy. They incourage one another to vote.

Students discover the requirements they need to be able to vote in a democracy. Using that information, they discuss the importance of voting in an election. They use the Internet to analyze voter participation numbers in their county....

Students advertise for the perfect president. In this presidential duties lesson, students determine the attributes that the ideal president should have and then write job descriptions for the role.

The process of nominating and confirming federal judges can sound like a lot of bureaucratic hoops, but a resource breaks down the steps of the Supreme Court nominations in a simpler manner. Learners participate in four activities that...

Engage your class in a series of activities, each related to the use or analysis of symbols used to convey patriotic or national concepts. They identify different national symbols and explain their meanings, discussing the importance of...

Aspiring filmmakers and budding historians alike will love a storyboard project on the French Revolution. Learners plan a Hollywood blockbuster, complete with script and full storyboards, that cover important events of the French...

Explore poetry written by African-Americans before emancipation. 8th graders create collages, and explain why they chose specific stanzas. They display the collages on the class bulletin board that demonstrate an understanding of the...