This collection of videos developed by the National Constitution Center and featuring distinguished scholars and museum experts focus on a wide variety of concepts related to the US Constitution and government. Videos could easily be utilized for a short "Constitution Day Lesson" or a more in-depth look at our founding documents. Topics include: the Constitutional Convention and ratification; separation of powers; federalism; each of the 3 branches; amending the Constitution; landmark court cases; significant in-depth looks at individual amendments; and much more.

Use the following NewsHour Classroom resources to examine King’s impact on civil rights and his ongoing legacy. Lessons include a deep dive anayisis of the “I have a dream” speech and the impact of Dr, King’s work on current evens

In 1967, riots triggered by episodes of police brutality and harassment of African Americans erupted in over 150 U.S. cities. President Johnson asked Congress to investigate, and the result was the Kerner Commission report, which stated: “Our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white, separate and unequal.” The report highlighted shortages of jobs, inadequate education, discrimination, and harsh police tactics. In this lesson students will look at the report’s findings, and how ignoring them had an impact that continues today.

Content Advisory:
This video includes footage of police violence.

How did we go from thirteen British colonies to the United States of America? Explore the major hardships of life under British rule, why some colonists decided to break away, and how they set a path for a new and independent government.

This is a short and fun mock trial to try with kids (and adults!) of any age. It is a criminal case that revolves around the testimony of the witnesses on each side. Concepts involved inculde:
• Criminal v. Civil Law
• Prosecution & Prosecutors
• Defense and Defendants
• Witnesses
• Telling the truth
• Understanding different perspectives
• Responsibility for actions
• Questioning (including direct and cross examination)
• Developing a theory or explanation of a case
• The roles of people in the courts

This lesson, which includes a pre-lesson and post-lesson, provides students with first-hand experience about how the three branches of the United States government work together through separation of powers and a system of checks and balances.

Website Description:
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 government’s powers, and that state governments also give power to smaller, local governments. Students critique a set of fictional state laws, create a story involving state powers, and look at some differences between state and local power.
We recommend teaching our lesson The "Federal" in Federalism right before this lesson.
(Please note: This lesson replaces our old "On the Level" lesson plan. The Venn diagram activity from On the Level can be found in The "Federal" in Federalism.)

Student Learning Objectives:
Students will be able to…
*Explain the source and nature of state and local governmental power.
*Distinguish reserved powers from federal powers.
*Identify types of powers that are held at the state or local level.
*Examine the differences between statewide laws and local ordinances/laws.
*Explain the duties of various local officials.

Overview: This simulation game has students follow a bill through the three branches of government. It begins with the Executive Branch creating an agenda and then proposing a bill based on that agenda. The bill then goes to the Legislative Branch where hearings are held, deliberation about the bill occurs, and then a vote occurs. If passed, the Bill goes back to the Executive Branch for review. Finally, the Judicial Branch will determine if the law is constitutional.

Instructor Notes: Teachers can assign this content to their students through their iCivics account and then Clicking the Assign button on this activity. Teachers will then have the option to add a Class into iCivics OR Sync a roster from Google Classroom. This will allow teachers to see student's responses. There are also Downloadable Resources available to support this learning activity.

This WebQuest has students explore the three branches of the United States government and how they provide a system of checks and balances in decision making. Students will learn about the state of the union address, how bills become law, the President's power to veto, and the Supreme Court's role in the law process.

Instructor Notes: Teachers can assign this content to their students through their iCivics account and then Clicking the Assign button on this activity. Teachers will then have the option to add a Class into iCivics OR Sync a roster from Google Classroom. This will allow teachers to see student's responses. There are also Downloadable Resources available to support this learning activity.

On Constitution Day, students will examine the role of the people in shaping the United States Constitution. First, students will respond to a provocative statement posted in the room. They will then watch a video that gives a brief explanation of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, or listen as the video transcript is read aloud. A Constitution poster is provided so students can examine Article VII and discuss it as a class.
The elementary and middle school educator will then
guide students through a read-aloud play depicting two Constitutional Convention delegates who disagreed about ratifying the Constitution.

Important information about how to honor Veterans in school and classroom settings. The activities in this 2021 guide can be applied to any year. The VA publishes a new guide every year.

This lesson introduces students to the concepts of natural rights and the social contract as they act like Enlightenment thinkers discussing the origins and necessity of governments.

In this lesson, students will address misconceptions they likely have about Christopher Columbus and the colonization of what is now the United States. Students will watch a video to dispel some of the myths associated with Columbus and gain a better understanding of how Columbus Day became a national holiday. Students will then read interviews with Indigenous youth and identify the reasons that celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead of Columbus Day matters to them. This lesson can be taught on Columbus Day or leading up to it.

The goal of this module is to provide resources and information about the history of women’s vote in the U.S. Looking at the women’s suffrage movement provides a framework for exploring the changing role of women in politics and society in the 19th and 20th centuries. The history of suffrage offers an opportunity to examine women’s roles at critical points in the nation’s history, and to think about the impact of women’s voting behavior on politics in our time.
Activities and discussion questions are designed to explore the changing role of women in society and in politics. The module includes ideas for developing lessons on women’s suffrage and integrating the issue of suffrage into lessons on US history and politics, and to consider the impact of full suffrage on politics and society today.