Lesson Plans
Women’s Rights: Seneca Falls & Beyond
Students investigate a key event in the history of women's rights and the importance of commemorating the struggle for equal rights, then consider possible contributions to help ensure a future with greater equality.
The Brownies’ Book: I Am an American Citizen
Students analyze an issue of the Brownies' Book to investigate its historical significance and explore how the theme of American citizenship was presented to children back then and could be represented to youth of today.
Chinese Citizenship in Hawaii
Students analyze early 19th-century arguments against citizenship for Chinese immigrants to Hawaii and one journalist's rebuttal to that "defense", then investigate arguments for and against an immigrant group in America today and compare the historical and contemporary debates.
Why We Can’t . . .
Students investigate how a powerful slogan was used by civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and consider how it might be applicable to a contemporary issue.
Gun Violence and Next-Generation Coalitions
Students deepen understanding of civic action through a focus on the empowerment that citizens gain through building coalitions through an exploration of the accomplishments of young people to help bring about changes through civic action. Referencing Library of Congress resources and sources of the Columbine school shooting, students identify the potential of young people in creating positive change through civic action. Students then examine current problems or causes about which they are passionate and draft an action plan.
Securing Our Freedoms Beyond the Bill of Rights
Students analyze primary sources from the Library of Congress including Norman Rockwell’s “Four Freedoms” and “The Bill of Rights” to the U.S. Constitution. Students then identify amendments related to two of the four freedoms from the primary sources and then work in small groups to reach consensus and propose a new amendment to secure rights or freedoms not included in the Bill of Rights.
Freedom of the Press, Censorship, and Sedition
Students explore freedom of the press as they examine sources related to government censorship of the press. After reviewing the First Amendment and the Sedition Act of 1798, students examine a political cartoon to discuss the relevance of freedom of the press over time. Finally, students design and create their own poster promoting freedom of the press today.
The Scientific Method, School Shootings, and Civic Action
Students make connections between scientific method of thinking and the rights of the American democracy established by the Constitution regarding civic action. Integrating scientific thinking with civic content, students experience the connection between methods of scientific analysis and civic action. Next, students examine the history of school safety in this country, school related violence and death, and legislative efforts to improve school safety. Students then generate questions, draw conclusions and develop their own plan to use data for civic action.
Graphing Bullying Data to Create Change
Students define types of bullying through primary source analysis and use skills in of calculating percentage and graphing to examine data on bullying. Students then create a poll for the school community that would provide data on bullying in the school. As a follow up, students can implement the poll and create reports and solutions.
Dolores Huerta: Building Coalitions to Affect Change
Students explore the experiences of Mexican-American farmworkers in the United States and learn about how they – especially through the leadership of Dolores Huerta and the United Farm Workers – worked with others for improvements in pay and working conditions, as well as respect for their civil rights. Students analyze primary sources that document working and living conditions at different times in order to build context and then analyze additional sources that highlight the contributions of Dolores Huerta, including a poem written to celebrate her work. Finally, students write their own poem about a time they worked as part of a coalition to help solve a problem.