Lesson Plans
The Meaning of the Federalist Papers
This lesson explores the Federalist Papers. In Part I, students engage in a discussion about how they get information about current issues. Next, they read a short background of the Federalist Papers and work individually or in pairs to closely examine the text. In Part II, student pairs analyze excerpts from the Federalist Papers and…
Mandatory Vaccinations: Yea or Nay?
In this three-part lesson students discuss the proper role of government in making public health decisions. In Part I, students discuss their prior knowledge of vaccinations and the purpose of vaccinations. In Part II, students assume the roles of members of Congress to determine if they will vote on a bill to require parents to…
Vaccinations, Science, and the Law
In this two-part lesson students explain the role of science in informing public policy. In Part I, students discuss their prior knowledge of vaccinations and the purpose of vaccinations. In Part II, students assume the roles of members of Congress to determine if they will support a bill to require the federal government to compare…
TB or Not TB: Disease Prevention
In this lesson, students use the example of tuberculosis to learn how scientists, the government, and public-interest organizations work together to ensure that the public has equal access to disease-prevention information and support. In Part I, students discuss the role of science in public health and play the role of “Disease Detectives” to learn more…
Gerrymandering: Voting by Numbers
Students learn about the application of ratios and proportions to the real political issue of gerrymandering. In Part I, students conduct a primary-source analysis of the original 1812 political cartoon about Elbridge Gerry’s redistricting in Massachusetts to build background knowledge. In Part II, students analyze a historical map of Massachusetts’s gerrymandered voting districts in 1812…
Electoral College: Are All Votes Equal?
Students examine the process of voting and the Electoral College. Applying mathematical percentages, students experience how population and voting impact elections in this country and consider if everyone’s vote matters. Then students consider the use of the Electoral College and how it aligns with the popular vote.
Race, the 14th Amendment, and Equal Protection
Students engages in inquiry and analysis using primary sources, role play, and discussions of racial discrimination. Students then use evidence-based claims to examine the 14th Amendment and university admissions procedures.
Voting: Rights and Responsibilities
In this three-part lesson students use primary sources to explore voting rights in the United States. In Part I, students analyze two sets of documents to gain a deeper understanding of how suffrage has been both expanded and suppressed, developing claims about how voting rights impact equality. In Part II, students further analyze one of…
Education and Equality in the Courts
Students analyze primary sources related to equality in education in the United States. In Part I, students analyze two sets of primary sources that illustrate major transformations in American public education following both the Mendez v. Westminster (1947) federal case and the Brown v. Board of Education (1954) Supreme Court case. In Part II, students participate in…
Does Every Vote Count?
Students analyze primary sources to examine examples of voting, then discuss who votes and how ballots have changed to make voting equitable for all eligible voters.