Standard 2: Evaluate the roles, rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens, and determine methods of active participation in society, government and the political system.

Students will create an awareness poster, speech, or letter addressed to their elected officials to advocate for continued protection of a natural area for the next 10 years. Students will apply knowledge of biodiversity, ecological interactions, and limiting factors in emphasizing why these lands should continue to be protected.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will explore and research populations living within a Florida ecosystem. Students will identify limiting factors that may pose a threat to native populations. Students will examine the goals of the Florida Forever Act, recognizing the government’s role in protecting lands, and relating the goals to limiting factors affecting wildlife populations in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will explore the importance and use of state-owned lands, and human influence on native habitats. Appropriate Florida government agencies will be identified to address environmental concerns. Students will analyze Florida ecosystems and native wildlife populations, as well as their environmental needs, in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will extend their understanding of percentages to problem solve with taxes, in context, while exploring how taxes impact local communities.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this integrated civics and visual art lesson, students will review the Bill of Rights, and the historical background to its creation. Students will choose one of the five freedoms from the First Amendment. They will plan and sketch a historical work of art depicting one aspect of the events that inspired the inclusion of that freedom within the Bill of Rights.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will calculate sales tax to plan a family vacation budget. Through collaborative learning activities and discussions, students will understand the concept of sales tax as a civic responsibility and recognize the importance of considering sales tax in their financial planning to contribute to their community’s public service and infrastructure in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will explore the impact of elections and voting on citizens at the local and state levels. They will also learn to identify the appropriate level of government and government agencies to address specific state or local problems and analyze public policy options for solving these issues.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will read two poems on the subject of women’s suffrage but from opposing viewpoints. They will identify and explain how the rhetorical devices in the texts support the authors' perspectives.

There are three lessons that can be used to complement a study of Women's Suffrage texts and help students take a new perspective by merging ELA skills with civics knowledge.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is the final lesson of 3 within an integrated civics unit. In this lesson, students will create a simulation program in Scratch in which they walk through the steps to address an environmental issue either at the local or state level.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will organize their research and ideas on water conservation or consumption from lesson 1 of this unit. They will transform their research into a flow chart that will become their digital plan for communicating or engaging with government officials.  This is lesson 2 of a 3-part integrated civics and computer science mini-unit.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will use Scratch to create an artifact that encourages government officials and the public to protect water consumption and conservation at the local, state, or federal levels in the State of Florida. This is lesson 3 of 3 which integrates civics and coding.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will understand the value of civic responsibility and the impact of civic engagement on society. The civic responsibility this lesson will focus on is water conservation and/or water consumption issues. Ultimately, the students will focus on one type of responsibility that encourages citizens to communicate with government officials and/or the public. This is lesson 1 of 3 which integrates civics and coding.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will learn about electing officials (President, U.S. Senators & Representatives), their roles, equal/proportional representation in Congress, and the purpose and function of the Electoral College.

Type: Lesson Plan

After rereading chapters 4-6 of The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, students will determine the meaning of the term citizen based on their background knowledge and the 14^th Amendment. Students will read and annotate the 14^th Amendment text. Students will then compare how the U.S. Constitution defined citizenship to the way enslaved people were treated by analyzing Frederick Douglass’ words and phrases in chapters 4-6 of his narrative.

There are lessons that can be used to complement a study of The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and help students take a new perspective by merging ELA skills with civics knowledge.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will examine examples of propaganda from the Holocaust and discuss how it may have shaped public opinion and played a role in antisemitism and the complacency of some people through systematic state-sponsored persecution and murder of European Jews by Nazi Germany.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will explore how an individual’s personal experience may impact their interpretation of the likelihood of a specific event by comparing theoretical and experimental probabilities in the context of being summoned for jury duty in this integrated lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will compare experimental and theoretical probability using a standard deck of cards. Then, given fictional data from the population of 3 counties in Florida, they will compare the theoretical probability of an individual being summoned for jury service in each county to the experimental probability based on individual experiences. Finally, students will evaluate the impact of sample size on this comparison and explore the importance of a random jury summons process in our judicial system in this integrated lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will be doing a close read of Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s speech, "The Destructive Male." Students will be annotating the text along with answering questions that will lead them to a deeper understanding of women’s suffrage and the importance of the 19^th Amendment.

There are three lessons that can be used to complement a study of Women's Suffrage texts and help students take a new perspective by merging ELA skills with civics knowledge.

This resource uses a text that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will be introduced to examples of symbolism, bias, and propaganda. Then, in groups, they will analyze the symbolism and message of propaganda posters from World War I and II.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will read the 19^th Amendment and vocabulary associated with the era and subject. Students will be provided with a passage containing vocabulary and embedded context clues. After, students will complete a graphic organizer predicting definitions, examples and non-examples, visual mnemonics, etc.

There are three lessons that can be used to complement a study of Women's Suffrage Texts and help students take a new perspective by merging ELA skills with civics knowledge.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson 2 in a 3-lesson unit plan. In this integrated civics lesson, students will choose an environmental issue, determine whether it should be addressed locally or by the state, research public policy alternatives, identify an appropriate government agency and/or representative to address the issue and determine a course of action. Additionally, students will learn how computer technology can be used to aid in civic action.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will create a scratch program about a volunteering opportunity using the planning sheet they created in lesson 2. Students will participate in a gallery walk and then adjust their animations according to suggestions gleaned from the gallery walk. This is lesson 3 of a three-part integrated computer science and civics mini-unit.  

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will plan their Scratch code for a volunteer interest area of their choice using a graphic organizer. This is lesson 2 in a three-part integrated computer science and civics mini-unit.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will develop an understanding of likelihood based on calculated probabilities and relate these concepts to being called for jury duty in this integrated lesson.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson 3 of 3 in a mini-unit integrating civics and 7^th Grade ELA. In this lesson, students will be continuing to review 9 Landmark Supreme Court cases with an opening activity requiring the students to examine the court cases and pick out key academic vocabulary. At this point, students should be ready for a final review which is a matching game. Students will match the court cases, amendments, and key academic vocabulary terms to their descriptions or definitions. This activity can be played multiple times to ensure mastery of the standards.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will review geography terms and locations on a map while learning about the Constitutional definition of citizenship and the two ways to be a natural born citizen.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will explore volunteerism as a civic responsibility that benefits the community. They will research and select a volunteer opportunity to use as the focus of their Scratch program in lessons 2 and 3 of this integrated computer science and civics mini-unit. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will research the Electoral College and learn about elections where a candidate who won the popular vote did not win the presidential election. Students will examine the value of the Electoral College and its history. This is the first lesson in a 3-part integrated civics and computer science mini-unit.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson 2 of 3 in a mini-unit integrating civics and 7^th Grade ELA. In this lesson students will be continuing to review 9 Landmark Supreme Court cases with an interactive PowerPoint with primary source quotes that allow students to determine the cases discussed in each of the quotes. Students will then work through an activity (Think, Write, Pair, Share) to compare and contrast two court cases that they think had the most significant impact on society.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is the first lesson in a 3-lesson unit plan. In this lesson, students will learn to identify when an issue should be solved at the local or state level and how to find a government agency or representative to help resolve the issue. Additionally, students will learn how to use computer technology to aid in civic action in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson 1 of 3 in a mini-unit integrating civics and 7^th Grade ELA. In this lesson, students will be reviewing 9 Landmark Supreme Court cases with an interactive PowerPoint. Students will take guided notes while recognizing the constitutional principles and individual rights in these cases and how they have impacted society. Academic vocabulary will be integrated into the lesson with a culminating key academic vocab activity.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will use their knowledge of percentages to calculate federal income tax and local sales tax. They will explore the obligation of citizens to pay taxes and how taxes fund public services. Students will evaluate different tax models by comparing percentages of income taxed at different income levels.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson covers the historical context of the Sunset Strip curfew riots and the song, "For What It's Worth," that was created in response to the events of November 12th leading this song to be the anthem of this movement. This lesson covers genres and styles in relation to how they can impact the meaning of the music created.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will create a public service announcement in Scratch about our civic responsibility to protect the habitat of a chosen endangered species. Students will use research from lesson 2 on this final part of a 3-lesson unit integrating computer science with civics.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will learn about the origins of democratic institutions in the United States and how voting and elections play a crucial role in supporting a constitutional republic and affecting the lives of citizens.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this integrated lesson plan, students will reflect on their observations of weathering and erosion of Castillo de San Marco National Monument (from lesson 2) and the roles and responsibilities of those involved in its preservation. As a final product, they will draft a letter to the government official/agency responsible for the monument, detailing what they have learned about the Castillo monument, how the science of weathering and erosion apply, why it is important to prioritize restoration/preservation of the monument, and their ideas for better maintenance based on their research. As a culminating activity, students will peer review each others’ letters for improvement.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will work collaboratively to rank civic duties and responsibilities needed to keep a constitutional republic. They will utilize mathematical strategies to convert measurements of time as they calculate costs using the four operations with decimals and create an effective schedule for the ads within a budget in this model eliciting activity.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will practice their skills in interpreting data and creating graphical representations in this integrated civics lesson. Students will apply graphing skills to analyze government spending data and reflect on the importance of mathematics in communicating complex numerical information visually so the public can better stay informed.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will discuss the consequences of human impacts on Earth and then teach a topic to other classmates in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson 3 in a mini unit of 3 lessons. Students will analyze voting data from a Florida county. Students will use the given data to choose and create an appropriate graphical representation. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will debate the environmental and human impacts associated with building a cruise ship port in their county, exploring the roles and responsibilities that the scientific community, individuals, and interest groups play in influencing government policy with this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will use Scratch to create a political ad to promote themselves for class president.  They will use their knowledge from lesson 1 and 2 to include bias and symbolism in their ad and attempt to sway the audience in their favor. This is Part 3 of an intergrated civics and coding unit on bias, symbolism and propaganda. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will jigsaw two reading passages about the Sherman’s Fox Squirrel. Students will make a list of limiting factors and what impacts them. After analyzing the text in expert groups they will partner up and determine what government agency is responsible for helping the Sherman’s Fox Squirrel, and rationalize their answers using evidence from the text.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will evaluate whether various human activities impact the Earth and then discuss our civic duties and obligations to our Earth. They will also use scenarios to examine whose responsibility it is to protect the Earth from human impact in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students are given a list of Florida animals to research on the Florida State Parks website. Students identify the limiting factors of the population and the government agency responsible for helping this population. Students create a call-to-action social media post including the animal, it’s limiting factors, and the government agency.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson 2 in a mini unit of 3 lessons. Students will analyze data collected from students, teachers, and principals to decide whether cell phone usage should be allowed in the classroom. They will be receiving data from fictional surveys of teachers and principals. Students will use the given data to choose and create an appropriate graphical representation. 

Type: Lesson Plan

Students use a graphic organizer to guide the research of an endangered species/subspecies and evaluate the responsibility of citizens to protect their ecosystem. This is part 2 of a 3-part unit.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is Part II of III in a civics and computer science series on bias, propaganda and symbolism. In this lesson, students will be shown primary source political ads (both print and video) and will evaluate them for bias, symbolism, and propaganda. The students will then be asked to research past political ads themselves and find two examples of each (bias, symbolism, and propaganda).

Type: Lesson Plan

In this integrated lesson plan, students will investigate the weathering and erosion of coquina rock in the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument via Google Earth and will research the history of the monument and the government agency responsible for its preservation.

Type: Lesson Plan

After being presented with a definition students will brainstorm limiting factors within ecosystems. Teacher will present students with a list of government agencies that can impact ecosystems and limiting factors. Students sort brainstormed limiting factors into a provided chart of government agencies and their roles in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is Part 1 of an intergrated civics and coding unit on bias, symbolism and propaganda. In this lesson, students will participate in a discussion about political communication and how they use bias, symbolism, and propaganda. They will also participate in a “put a finger down” activity and use logic to declare themselves fans of a rival school in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will analyze the mathematical accuracy of fictitious political messages to explain bias in media.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will identify rhetorical questioning and imagery in “Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death,” then analyze the effect of those devices on the meaning of the text.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will review and apply their knowledge of the Bill of Rights as well as the limitations of these liberties. Working in pairs, students will be presented with a scenario in which they must determine if the individual is protected by an amendment in the Bill of Rights. During the activity, the teacher will facilitate the learning process by moving around the room and offering assistance and clarification as needed. At the conclusion of the activity, the teacher will lead a class discussion on the activity, and students will complete an exit ticket.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will read “The Spirit of Liberty” delivered by Learned Hand in 1944 to a crowd of more than a million people in New York's Central Park for an event billed as "I Am an American Day." Students will analyze the two distinct central ideas that emerge in the speech. They will identify the textual evidence within the speech that supports each central idea. Students will also complete text-dependent questions to further analyze the speech. Students will also make connections with civics content by analyzing Hand’s speech to examine how he emphasizes the common good as a responsibility of citizenship.

Type: Lesson Plan

President Ronald Reagan's Inaugural Address

In this lesson, students will read former President Ronald Reagan’s Inaugural Address to identify two rhetorical devices, imagery and rhetorical question. Students will explain how these rhetorical devices are used strategically to support and achieve the purpose of his speech.

Type: Lesson Plan

The students will vote on whether cell phones should be allowed in the classroom or not. They will use this data to select the appropriate way of graphing the results. The teacher will give sample data from other teachers and principals for students to review. The correlation will be relating students to local voting in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will learn about America’s two major political parties while completing guided notes that accompany a teacher-presented slideshow. Students will then respond in writing.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson 1 of a 3-part lesson unit.

Students will watch a sample public service announcement created on Scratch about ways to protect the endangered state saltwater reptile, the loggerhead sea turtle. Students will evaluate the civic duties of citizens to protect endangered species in Florida in this integrated lesson plan and discuss how well our citizens are currently fulfilling their civic responsibilities.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will brainstorm and share knowledge about human impacts on Earth and their civic duty to protect the Earth through anchor charts (round robin style), discussion, and a worksheet in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will identify signs of weathering and erosion on their school campus in a fieldwork investigation. They will then identify the appropriate school/district official to contact about their concerns, and create a professional email to that official advocating for the maintenance and repair of their school.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will learn about the voting process, elections, and evaluating candidates for office while completing guided notes that accompany a teacher-presented slideshow. Students will then apply what they know by evaluating a fictional candidate for office.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will learn about the function of the U.S. Senate and the qualifications and responsibilities of senators, while completing guided notes that accompany a teacher-presented slideshow. Students will then show what they know by completing and submitting a short written response to a provided prompt.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will learn about the structures, functions, and processes of the executive branch while completing guided notes that accompany a teacher-presented slideshow. Students will then show what they know by researching executive branch departments.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will learn about the federal legislative branch while completing guided notes that accompany a teacher-presented slideshow. Students will then apply what they know by completing an exit ticket.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will learn about the impact of media, individuals, and interest groups on government while completing guided notes that accompany a teacher-presented slideshow. Students will then apply what they know by researching interest groups.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will analyze media and political communications and analyze examples of bias, symbolism, and propaganda while completing guided notes that accompany a teacher-presented slideshow. Students will then apply what they know by creating their own political propaganda.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will identify the constitutional qualifications for holding state and national office while completing guided notes that accompany a teacher-presented slideshow. Students will then show what they know by completing and submitting a short written response to a provided prompt.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will learn about the Bill of Rights while completing guided notes that accompany a teacher-presented slideshow. Students will then show what they know by debating which amendment in the Bill of Rights is most important.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson is part of a text unit for A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park. Students will examine the meaning of citizenship, using the text and research. Students will examine the 14th Amendment and citizenship in Sudan and the 14th Amendment’s influence on individual actions and social interactions.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will write an expository text in the style of newspaper reporting. Students will write to discuss the role of the first amendment for each of the historical figures in the text, Freedom Walkers. This is the final lesson within a unit using this text.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson is part of a text unit for A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park. Students will be introduced to the concept of common good. They will be given the opportunity to acknowledge what they do as individuals for the common good of their family, friends, and community. Then they will connect the common good of their personal lives with Salva and Nya’s actions for the common good regarding their personal situations in A Long Walk to Water.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

As part of a unit for Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, students will analyze the photographic text features in the text and write about how they represent the Jim Crow laws passed by some state and local governments in this integrated lesson plan.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will learn about the obligations and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship while completing guided notes that accompany a teacher-presented slideshow.  Students will then show what they know by completing and submitting a one-pager assignment.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will define the term “citizen” and explain the constitutional means of becoming a U.S. citizen. Students will analyze the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. 

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will engage in a gallery walk of state ID laws in stations around the room and try to predict the voter turnout percentage based on a number of social, geographic, and political factors.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will trace the principles underlying America’s founding ideas on laws and government while completing guided notes that accompany a teacher-presented slideshow. Students will then show what they know by completing and submitting a short written response to a provided prompt.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will begin by comparing and contrasting the trial process for civil and criminal court case.  Students will then take a deeper dive into how a jury is chosen for the processes by reviewing online information provided by the state of Florida.  Ultimately, students will view an information video about juries and participate in a voir dire simulation.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will describe the trial process and role of juries in the administration of justice at both state and federal levels. Students will act out a Mock Trial and answer questions based on the process shown during the play.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson is for Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. As part of this lesson, students will consider constitutionally guaranteed individual rights, compare direct quotations demonstrating the perspective of major figures that were part of the Montgomery Bus Boycotts to quotations from the author regarding the same event, and wrap up by analyzing/ discussing whether the events were or were not part of the individual’s protected rights based on both perspectives.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

After close readings of Douglass’ speech from Chapter 10 and the 13th-15th amendments, students will respond to text dependent questions and consider how the changes brought by the amendments impacted Douglass’ life in this integrated lesson plan.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will take notes on the history, changes, pros, and cons of the Electoral College while being guided through an interactive PowerPoint. Following reading and notetaking, students will be introduced to an activity with movement, discussion, and debate called Hop the Line. Students will engage in respectful, evidence-based dialogue to share their evidence-based views on the following topic: The Electoral College should remain the process of electing the U.S. President.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will study four landmark Supreme Court cases all dealing with First Amendment free speech issues. Students will analyze all four cases using a graphic organizer. Then students will complete a short writing assignment in which they make and support a claim about one case and the Court's decision regarding free speech.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will observe a teacher demonstration of a simple stream table that illustrates the results of damming the flow of a river.  Next students will read position statements of stakeholders concerning a newly proposed dam of a local river. Given a list of government agencies, students will work in a group to determine which agency can best address their concerns about the potential dam.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students learn the definitions of symbolism, bias, propaganda. Students then evaluate propaganda posters for symbolism, bias, and propaganda and share their analysis with the class.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will begin by brainstorming qualifications they feel elected officials should have. Students will then read excerpts from both the U.S. and Florida Constitutions in order to fill out a graphic organizer about qualifications. To review, the students will play a game of Classroom Feud.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will identify the qualifications required to hold state and national office in order to seek election.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students begin this lesson by brainstorming and creating a mindmap about the word citizen. Students will then fill out a notetaking guide as the teacher presents information about citizenship and the naturalization process. Ultimately, students will look at the impact of citizenship as they fill out a sensory figure worksheet.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will identify which level of government would be responsible for addressing a number of concerns.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will learn about different international organizations in which the United States plays a role. Students will use different methods of media and communication to investigate benefits and drawbacks of international participation and persuade their classmates about impacts on the United States gained from participation in these international organizations.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will be tasked with analyzing various methods of protecting coasts from erosion. Students will review a dataset with logistics about each type of coastal structure. Students will rank which structures they feel should be utilized to best protect a local beachfront town. The students will write a letter to the local government to persuade them on which structure should be used. Students will be challenged to think critically, analyze information, and work collaboratively in this model eliciting activity.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will explain the purpose and function of the Electoral College in electing the President of the United States.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will identify permanent residency and explain the naturalization process for becoming a U.S. citizen. Students will read about the naturalization process, complete an analysis of the reading, and finish with scenarios, identifying whether or not someone can become a citizen.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will identify the three ways of becoming a citizen, law of blood, law of soil, and the naturalization process. Students will then use their knowledge to analyze the 14th Amendment and identify that the 14th Amendment protects all citizens, no matter if they are natural born or naturalized.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will explain the difference between the law of blood and law of soil with respect to U.S. citizenship. Students will then practice their understanding with scenarios to identify the law of blood or law of soil.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will begin this lesson by reviewing the Bill of Rights and discussing the need for additional amendments.  Students will then collaborate to read the 13th, 14th, 15th, 19th, 24th, and 26th amendments in order to complete a graphic organizer.  Ultimately, students will test their knowledge of the new amendments, as well as the Bill of Rights, in a game of GO FISH!

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson explores the individual rights provided in the Bill of Rights and has students study those ten amendments in order to identify these rights.  Students will then evaluate four historical examples of government-imposed limitations in order to determine if each limitation is justified.  Ultimately, students will have a discussion about individual rights and try to persuade others to change their minds.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will read Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s speech “The Destructive Male,” delivered at the Women’s Suffrage Convention in 1868. Students will analyze the two distinct central ideas that emerge in the speech. They will also examine the textual evidence within the speech that supports each central idea. This ELA lesson will also make connections to civics by exploring an example of citizen activism: When Stanton delivered this speech, she was an individual who was speaking/petitioning in an effort to influence her government’s policy, specifically regarding suffrage and a new amendment.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson will teach students about the duties and responsibilites of American citizenship.  Students will read the definitions and then identify differing examples.  Afterwards, students will create a mnemonic device to assist them in remembering key examples for both.  Ultimately, students will predict what a society would look like if citizens do not fulfill their obligations and responsibilities.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will examine the impact humans can have on the water quality at a popular public fishing pier and ways that citizens can interact with the government to address cleaning the pier in this integrated MEA. Students will analyze the revenue from the fishing pier, peak visiting times, and amounts of marine debris accumulated to determine the pros/cons of closing the fishing pier more frequently to clean the marine debris. Students will research which government agency must be contacted with a proposal.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will learn about U.S. citizenship and the constitutional means of becoming an American citizen while completing guided notes that accompany a teacher-presented slideshow. Students will then test their own civics knowledge by trying a sample U.S. citizenship test and completing an exit ticket.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will help a volunteer coordinator choose cleanup projects that will have the greatest positive impact on the environment and the community.  They will apply their knowledge of how litter can impact ecosystems along with some math skills to make recommendations for cleanup zones to prioritize.  Students will explore the responsibilities of citizens to maintain a clean environment and the impact that litter can have on society in this integrated Model Eliciting Activity.  

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations.  Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will distinguish and evaluate obligations and responsibilities of U.S. citizens and identify the consequences if citizens do not fulfill them. Students will also recognize the concept of the common good as a reason for fulfilling obligations and responsibilities.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will assume the role of the prosecution team or the defense team during jury selection of a case where a Florida panther is charged with the predation of a deer.  Teams will learn about the jury selection process in criminal trials and apply their knowledge of the roles and relationships between species in an ecosystem to develop a method for selecting a fair jury in this model eliciting activity.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations.  Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will examine poll results from three cities to predict a voting outcome on a local level. They will make inferences about a population based on the poll results and develop a written statement to present their findings to the board of county election commissions. Students will then use the peojected election results to determine the impact of citizens in the community.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will read a speech by civil rights advocate Florence Kelley (1905) addressing child labor laws. They will analyze how Kelley achieves her purpose through the use of two specific rhetorical devices—rhetorical questioning and imagery. Students will learn about each of these devices, in addition to background information on Florence Kelley, women's suffrage, and the child labor laws of the early 1900s. Students will read the text and identify Kelley's use of both imagery and rhetorical questions. Lastly, students will answer text-depenent questions to demonstrate their comprehension and analysis. 

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will analyze Susan B. Anthony’s speech “On Women’s Right to Vote.” Students will analyze Anthony’s use of deductive reasoning to develop her argument that she committed no crime in casting a vote for president in the election of 1872. Students will also complete text-dependent questions to further analyze the speech. As part of their analysis, students will examine Anthony’s use of the Preamble of the Constitution to support her argument and consider how Anthony’s actions are a means of influencing the government and holding it accountable.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, student groups analyze and interpret the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution and create skits to explain rights and liberties protected in the Bill of Rights.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will apply knowledge of roles and relationships in an ecosystem to develop a defense strategy in an imaginary trial where a panther is being prosecuted for predation of deer. They will explore the roles of various consumers in an ecosystem, their places in a food web, and the impact of limiting factors on populations (and vice-versa). Along the way, students will compare the rule of nature to the rule of law that people live by and consider the importance of the 6th Amendment in protecting the rights of citizens in the United States.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will learn what an Impromptu Speech is and how to present one. Students will be given prompts focused on U.S. citizenship to create their own speeches and present them in class.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will identify the differences between obligations or responsibilities of citizenship. Students will use scenarios to identify specific obligations and responsibilities of citizens.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson plan, students will learn about the purpose and the function of the Electoral College.  Students will complete a graphic organizer as a notetaking strategy while learning via a slideshow.  Students will then learn about the tie during the election of 1800 to determine how the 12^th Amendment rectified the situation for the future.  Lastly, students will grapple with an electoral map to strategize which states they would focus on in order to reach 270 votes.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this MEA, students will take on the role as a member of the Sunshine County Budget Committee. Members will collaborate to determine the optimal sales tax rate, use that rate to calculate how much money can be used for special projects, then decide which special projects to include in the budget proposal. Students will use percentages to problem-solve in context while considering citizen input and constraints on spending.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will extend their understanding of percentages to problem solve with taxes, in context, while learning about some of the different types of taxes.

Type: Lesson Plan

Learn more about the protected rights of those who are accused of a crime as outlined in the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution in this student tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Learn about the background of the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution with this interactive tutorial. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Learn about the individual rights protected by the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights and U.S. Constitution with this interactive tutorial. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Learn more about how the President of the United States is elected, and what the Electoral College is, in this two-part interactive tutorial.

This is part 2 in a two-part series. Click HERE to open Part 1.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Discover and explain the individual protections of the 2nd, 3rd, 9th, and 10th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Learn more about the individual rights protected in the 4th and 5th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Learn more about how the President of the United States is elected, and what the Electoral College is, in this two-part interactive tutorial.

This is part 1 in a two-part series. Click HERE to open Part 2.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this interactive tutorial, unlock the language of propaganda and learn about bias and symbolism in political propaganda.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this interactive tutorial, explore several landmark cases of the Supreme Court to see how the Court's decisions have impacted the rights of individuals and society throughout American history.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this interactive tutorial hosted by "Bill" O. Rights, learn in great detail about the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment: religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this interactive tutorial, you'll identify the impacts of individuals, interest groups, and the media on monitoring and influencing the government of the United States.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this interactive tutorial, learn about six important amendments to the U.S. Constitution. These amendments ended slavery, ensured equal rights for all citizens, and guaranteed voting rights to women, African Americans, and other minority groups.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Learn about the election process, register to vote, and participate in a mock election to pick the mayor of Tutorial Town in this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this interactive tutorial, learn how to evaluate candidates running for political office. You'll play the role of a voter choosing between two candidates running for mayor of your town!

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this interactive tutorial, learn about the rights, obligations, and responsibilities of American citizenship.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Simulate the experience of serving on a jury and deciding a case in this interactive tutorial. Learn all about trial by jury and why it's such an important part of our society, as well as an obligation of citizenship.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this interactive tutorial, analyze all 10 Amendments that make up the Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution. You'll learn not only about the rights and freedoms guaranteed by each, but also the limits of those rights.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

This interactive tutorial will help you answer the questions: What can individuals do on their own to make change? When can your government help you? To which government can you turn? Learn about responsible citizenship and how you might make positive changes in your own community.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Learn all about citizenship in the United States of America: what citizenship is, why some Americans have citizenship from birth, and how others became U.S. citizens through a process called naturalization with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Learn about the different levels of our federal judicial system, from federal district courts all the way up to the one and only Supreme Court. In this interactive tutorial, you'll also learn about the landmark Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines, which set an important precedent for students' right to free speech in schools.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Learn how to identify the three branches of the federal government as established by the Constitution of the United States. In this interactive tutorial, you will also learn to identify the structure and function of each branch of government.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

This Grade 7 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 2 at this grade level.

Type: Teaching Idea

In this source analysis activity, students will recognize and examine the Bill of Rights. They will conduct a close read of each amendment, establish the rights and freedoms provided for in each amendment, and answer analysis questions to support their learning.

Type: Teaching Idea

This Tic Tac Toe activity is intended to allow students the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of the rights contained in the Bill of Rights. 

Type: Teaching Idea

In this activity intended for the debate classroom, students will break up into groups of four and select a stance for debate from the list provided. They will be arguing that the group/individual they selected has the most influence over the government.

Type: Teaching Idea

Students will work in pairs to give an Impromptu Speech given the same topic. One student starts, and the second student finishes.

Type: Teaching Idea

In this activity intended for the debate classroom, students will examine the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights to determine if an assigned fairy tale character is innocent or guilty according to their rights in a simulated court of law.

Type: Teaching Idea

This teaching resource provides teachers with the tools to help students analyze the connotation of specific words and phrases within Susan B. Anthony’s speech, “On Women’s Right to Vote.” The speech includes examples of language with positive, negative, and neutral connotations to help the author establish and achieve purpose. This resource will help teachers explain the concept of connotative meaning and make connections to individuals and interest groups that influence our government through the use of this historic speech.

Type: Text Resource

Alejandro Brice and his family immigrated from Cuba at the beginning of the Cuban Revolution. His father was jailed as a counter-revolutionary sympathizer and upon release, the family fled the country. Dr. Brice shares his memories of his “freedom wings”, the culture shock of growing up in Ohio as immigrants, learning English in elementary school, watching his family start over, and becoming a U.S. Citizen. Dr. Brice is a college professor specializing in the education of immigrant children and English language learners.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Ivonne Blank immigrated to the United States in 1961 as part of Operation Pedro Pan, the largest exodus on unaccompanied minors in the Western Hemisphere. Ms. Blank talks about how difficult it was waiting for her parents and living in an orphanage in Denver, CO. Her parents later left the island by boat, were rescued by the Coast Guard, and resettled in the United States. After the family was reunited, they were able to rebuild their lives with support from their community. Ms. Blank went on to become a lifelong educator and U.S. citizen.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Idelia Viera shares the experience of being exiled from Cuba as a young woman, with special focus on the Cuban Missile Crisis. Ms. Viera describes the difficulties her immigrant family faced and overcame in their new home, providing educational opportunities for their children she and her husband never had. Her daughter, Dr. Cristina Viera, shares her experiences growing up as the child of political refugees and talks about how her career path stems from the dreams her father had before he left Cuba.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Luis Martínez-Fernández was born at the beginning of the Cuban Revolution. Dr. Martínez-Fernández immigrated to the United States with his family when he was 2 years old after the Bay of Pigs Invasion. His family moved to Lima, Peru after his father was offered employment there. Dr. Martínez-Fernández’s family left Peru after the President of Peru was ousted from power. The new government in Peru concerned Dr. Martínez-Fernández’s father and the family moved to Puerto Rico where they become U.S. Citizens. Dr. Martínez-Fernández moved to the U.S. after graduation from The University of Puerto Rico. He is a Professor of History, an author, and is civically engaged through his nationally syndicated column.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation