In this lesson, students will learn about the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution through a documentary about Romer v. Evans. Students will consider the constitutionality of special legal protections that are afforded members of some minority groups in an effort to achieve equality. They will also learn about the mechanics of state politics, including the interactions between governors, special interest groups, state citizens, and the judiciary.

In this lesson, students will consider the implications of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment by learning about the landmark Supreme Court case Van Orden v. Perry. Through the documentary of Van Orden v. Perry, students will begin to examine whether or not a Ten Commandments monument on government property violates the US Constitution. Students will continue their exploration of the issue by creating and administering a poll to gauge the school community’s opinions on the issue. Using information gathered from the poll, students will create a mock editorial page that displays their findings. The lesson culminates in a class discussion of the Supreme Court of the United States' ruling.

Students will read A Raisin in the Sun as they discuss and analyze the "American Dream." In this lesson, students discuss the concept of the "American Dream" and using poetry by Langston Hughes compare the "dream" to the reality experienced by particular groups who have historically struggled for access and equality. Students then further this exploration by reading and discussing Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, using the play as a basis to examine the way 1950s American society particularly restricted African American access to the "American Dream." Through their reading of the play, interactive class discussion, group work, art activities and creative writing activities, students gain an understanding that the concept of the "American Dream" has been and continues to be multidimensional and complicated, particularly in terms of the historical struggles groups of people have faced in attaining equal rights, access, acceptance, etc.

Narrated by Bowdoin College Government Professor Andrew Rudalevige, "Founding Principles" provides an introductory overview and basic understanding to American government, but one that is crucial to building citizen-leaders, promoting civic engagement, and working toward the common good.
Chapter Fifteen reviews the important aspects of the American system of government and encourages viewers to use their knowledge to get involved in their own political world.

Narrated by Bowdoin College Government Professor Andrew Rudalevige, "Founding Principles" provides an introductory overview and basic understanding to American government, but one that is crucial to building citizen-leaders, promoting civic engagement, and working toward the common good.
Chapter Seven discusses how the media has evolved throughout history and politics.

Narrated by Bowdoin College Government Professor Andrew Rudalevige, "Founding Principles" provides an introductory overview and basic understanding to American government, but one that is crucial to building citizen-leaders, promoting civic engagement, and working toward the common good.
Chapter Six discusses public opinion and how it affects politics and governmental policy, as well as how data is gathered.

Narrated by Bowdoin College Government Professor Andrew Rudalevige, "Founding Principles" provides an introductory overview and basic understanding to American government, but one that is crucial to building citizen-leaders, promoting civic engagement, and working toward the common good.
Chapter Twelve discusses the governmental bureaucracy, social policy, and regulation.

In this lesson, students explore the free exercise clause in the first amendment by reading about various court cases throughout history. Discussion questions are provided. In an associated close-reading activity, students will review the two tests used by the Supreme Court in the Sherbert and Smith cases and apply the tests to the 1972 case of Wisconsin v. Yoder.

In addition to regular course work in Civics & Economics, students will be required to complete a Civics Participation Project. This information lists options and instructions for students to get involved in different opportunities of interest. Students will complete a minimum of six hours of civic participation, obtain documentation of their participation, and reflect upon their experiences in writing.

In this lesson, students review the history of turmoil in Haiti and the issue the U.S. faced in how to assist Haitian refugees during the 1990s. A set of discussion questions is provided. In an associated activity, students will write down their opinion on the issue and then work with a small group to brainstorm possible actions the UN and the U.S. could take regarding the Haitian refugees.

Students will utilize the interactive tool "Balancing Act" to create an outline of federal spending, participate in a simulation activity attempting to balance the federal budget and complete a written reflection and justification of their proposed changes. Once finalized, students capture their thinking in a political speech (which may be written or orated), persuading their audience (citizens, voters, etc.) to agree with their ideas.

This resource informs consumers about the dangers of identity theft and ways which consumers can protect themselves before and after it happens.

The goal of this inquiry is to help students develop their thinking in terms of continuity and change through learning about US immigration policy actions and their effects over time. By examining whether there is anything new about current immigration policy debates, students compare and contrast the discourse around immigration at three key moments in US history—the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the Immigration Act of 1924, and the Immigration Act of 1965—with the current immigration policy. Students need to develop a deep understanding of each of the three policies in order to write a thoughtful argument that analyzes continuities and changes in perceptions of and policies regarding immigration throughout the post–Civil War period of US history.

ELL students will read an article about a proposed soda tax and identify key vocabulary and discuss the issue with a partner. Students will speak, listen, and read in this lesson.

In this lesson plan, students examine the evolution of Latino electoral participation with specific reference to the growth of voter participation in South Texas and New York in the 1950s – 70s, as well as the impact of Latino voters in major elections of the early 2000s. Students will explore early efforts to mobilize disenfranchised voters, examine watershed campaigns and elections and consider major issues – including the politics of immigration. They will reflect on the major paradigm shifts that have occurred within the last 60 years. Teachers can complete the entire sequence of activities or choose just one of the activities as a stand-alone lesson.

Students learn the basics about the federal budget-what services the federal government provides and how it collects money for those services, various types of fiscal policy and other information through a short PowerPoint discussion. Next, students are appointed to a special Presidential commission to "tackle the deficit," deciding whether to raise taxes, cut spending, or a combination of both. Finally, students defend their commission's plans at a mock press conference.

This project is designed to take 1-2 days on a block schedule.Students will examine articles and charts that illustrate the different types of NC taxes.Students will evaluate and then prioritize the consequences of increasing and decreasing the different types of taxes in terms of fairness to taxpayers and in terms of revenue collected to pay for NC state government services.

In this lesson, students discuss the meaning of “A More Perfect Union,” a speech about race made by then-Senator Barack Obama, during the 2008 Democratic primary campaign. Students will also examine and assess how textbooks position groups differently in our national historical narrative — and how this positioning affects our understanding of ourselves.

Students will begin this unit by building background knowledge in the government’s role in healthcare in the United States, specifically as it pertains to pregnant women. Students will conduct research efforts to learn more about global efforts to improve maternal health policies. Finally, they will become advocates themselves and will write letters to local officials. In these letters, they will outline issues they see with maternal healthcare and recommend action steps to counteract these issues.

In this activity, students read an article and answer a series of questions. The article weighs the costs and benefits of immigration and discusses the concept of immigrant workers as substitutes for and complements to native-born workers.