Lesson Plans
Find Your Freedom Beyond the Bill of Rights
Students analyze primary sources from the Library of Congress to identify freedoms, then review background information about the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution. Next, students match the amendments related to some of the freedoms they identified through analyzing sources and then work in small groups to reach consensus and propose a new amendment…
Espionage, Sedition, Censorship, and Speaking Up
Students analyze a political cartoon created by William Allen Rogers during World War I to give context to press censorship during that war. Next, students explore additional sources from the Library of Congress to analyze how censorship worked both before and after the passage of the Espionage and Sedition Acts of 1917-18. Finally, students compose…
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…
Journalists and a Free Press
Students learn about the crucial role journalists and reporters play in keeping the citizens in a democratic society informed about their community, the nation, and the world. First, students are introduced to the notion of “freedom of the press” from the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and discuss the role of journalists in reporting…
Carbon Footprints, Climate, and Civic Causes
Students make connections between environmental science and civics as a means to impact the environment and the quality of life using sources from the Library of Congress and science concepts to consider the role as civic environmentalists. Students identify how humans have influenced climate change since the Industrial Revolution and a variety of methods that…
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…
Electromagnetism, Electric Communication, and Community
Students examine the science of communication and its role in building community in our country. Using the invention of the telegraph and what it meant for the unification of our nation, students look at the scientific elements of communication and the impact on people, then explore electromagnetism and electric communication by doing a hands-on activity…
Data Analysis to Drive Civic Action
Students apply skills in statistical analysis (categorizing data, creating and reading graphs) to examine concepts of impact of civic engagement. Using data regarding school-associated violent deaths, students examine and interpret data and use knowledge of civic life, politics, and government to discuss potential civic engagement.
Graphing Bullying Data to Create Change
Students use skills in of calculating percentage and graphing to examine data on bullying while building civic skills of examining issues about bullying. Students define types of bullying using inquiry and a primary source from the Library of Congress and look at current data of bullying from the Center of Disease Control (CDC). Students then…
Stop Bullying with Data Percentages
Students use percentages to examine data on bullying while building civic skills of explaining and analyzing information and arguments. Using previous knowledge of fractions and percentages, students examine current data about bullying from the CDC. Students then create a campaign for the school community that would provide data on bullying in the school. As a…