SS.912.CG.3.3

In this lesson students will examine the history of the Federal Communications Commission to include when the FCC was created, the legislation passed to create the agency, its purpose, how it has changed over the years and expanded as technology has advanced, and how it continues to be used today. Students will also create a billboard demonstrating their understanding of the F.C.C. and their role in society since its creation.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will learn basic information about impeachment as it is established in the U.S. Constitution.  Students learn what impeachment is, why it is included in the Constitution, who is subject to impeachment, why someone may be impeached,  who has been impeached, and how impeachment works.  Students will complete a graphic organizer, create a timeline, and complete an assessment quiz.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will learn about the causes and consequences of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. This lesson will trace the failures of the Treaty of Versailles, its effect on international relations, the motives behind the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and how the United States responded through legislative action. The lesson includes a guided presentation, guided notes for students, built-in review questions to determine comprehension, and a formative assessment utilizing a primary source text.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will identify how income and changes in spending and taxes affect budgets and spending in the government and in individual households and identify and describe the enumerated powers delegates to Congress to create a federal budget. Students will also identify an amendment related to the federal budget and create a personal one-year budget plan for a specific career path.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will become familiar with James Madison's influence on the creation of a three-branch government system in the United States. 

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will develop an understanding of the implied, express, enumerated, concurrent, and reserved powers of Congress. Students will spend time analyzing parts of the U.S. Constitution in order to identify the powers of Congress, where they came from, and the impact structural decisions had on the practice of Congressional power. 

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students take on the responsibility of determining how people should be represented. After working collaboratively to determine representation based on a fictional scenario, students learn about the structure of the legislative branch as defined by Article I of the Constitution. Finally, students respond to synthesis questions regarding the legislative structure, the Founders’ motives, and their own perspective on representation.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students are exposed to the presidential impeachment process. After reviewing Section 4 of Article II of the United States Constitution, students analyze historic impeachment trials in a jigsaw format. In groups of four, each student takes on one of the impeachment scenarios and responds to the prompts. Groups reconvene to review the scenarios and reach a consensus when responding to the synthesis prompts.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will work collaboratively to make arguments for and against a proposed piece of legislation: A Bill to Eliminate Bot Social Media Accounts to Stifle Misinformation.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan intended for a debate class, students will create Congressional arguments based on proposed legislation randomly assigned to them at different stations.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will be introduced to the terms federalism, expressed, implied, concurrent, and reserved powers. Then, they will break into small groups to examine text from the U.S. Constitution and apply their learning to differentiate expressed, implied, concurrent, and reserved powers.

Type: Lesson Plan

Explore the office of the president, to include its creation, requirements to be president, responsibilities of the president while in office, amendments that have changed the role over the years, and other important information about the position in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Learn about the history, purpose, and impact of the National Labor Relations Board with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Explore the purpose, role, and impact of the Federal Communications Commission (F.C.C.) with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

This Grades 9-12 Civics Family Guide provides some ideas and activities to support civics education when at home, out and about, and in the community. The activities provided align to the civics learning benchmarks within Standard 3 at these grade levels.

Type: Teaching Idea

This activity, intended to span an entire unit but also able to be implemented daily and weekly, helps students process and apply Congressional Debate techniques. Drawing new cards weekly adds new rules and procedures to class routines. Students will hone debate skills while learning about the proccesses of the legislative branch.

Type: Teaching Idea