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Presidency in Action - American Presidents - University of Virginia
Grades
6 to 12
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This is a thematic look at the conduct and evolution of the American presidency since the founding of the republic. It examines the executive structures that manage domestic, economic,...more
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This is a thematic look at the conduct and evolution of the American presidency since the founding of the republic. It examines the executive structures that manage domestic, economic, foreign, and legislative activities in more than enough detail for secondary students. Even a quick tour will demonstrate the current complexity of the executive branch. Be sure to check out Issues and Policy form the menu in the upper left corner.
In the Classroom
This site has a variety of uses within a US government or history classroom. To begin with, teachers can use this site as a resource for research projects; a source for speeches and writings, as well as a learning center during a unit on a particular president or time period. A very useful and flexible source that can easily be worked into your curriculum!You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Declare Yourself
Grades
9 to 12
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Founded by television producer Norman Lear, Declare Yourself is a non-profit, nonpartisan effort to register young adults to vote in the 2004 elections. The site offers a variety of...more
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Founded by television producer Norman Lear, Declare Yourself is a non-profit, nonpartisan effort to register young adults to vote in the 2004 elections. The site offers a variety of voter registration strategies, information, and schedules for a "Declaration of Independence" voting registration tour.
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Frontline Teachers Guides - PBS Frontline
Grades
8 to 12
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The PBS Frontline series regularly challenges viewers' assumptions about controversial issues. This teacher portal for the series offers direct access to supplementary materials for...more
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The PBS Frontline series regularly challenges viewers' assumptions about controversial issues. This teacher portal for the series offers direct access to supplementary materials for many current and past programs, all sorted by subject area. If your field is government or social studies and you enjoy letting students wrestle with ideas, you will find lots of possibilities in this one.
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans hosted on this site! Be sure to save this one as a favorite to allow for easy retrieval later on.
This resource requires Adobe Flash.
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Rulers
Grades
6 to 12
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Deceptively simple and not at all pretty, this site offers a wealth of information on the historical governance of scores of countries. (Where else could you find a chronological list...more
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Deceptively simple and not at all pretty, this site offers a wealth of information on the historical governance of scores of countries. (Where else could you find a chronological list of the prime ministers of Spain?) It doesn't offer complete histories, but secondary students studying the history of other countries may find its synopsis-by-ruler an interesting starting point.
In the Classroom
Save this site as a favorite on your class wiki or webpage and refer students to it for reference. It's best use would be to help students compile the executive history of a country and search that way, rather than searching for information on a specific ruler. This would be a great starting point for a student studying monarchy in a particular country such as Britain or Saudi Arabia.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Founders' Constitution - University of Chicago
Grades
9 to 12
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This site from the University of Chicago offers links to the philosophical and political source documents on which the Constitution is based. Click the Contents link in the upper right...more
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This site from the University of Chicago offers links to the philosophical and political source documents on which the Constitution is based. Click the Contents link in the upper right corner and find a wealth of content in this one. Faculty who want to explore the origins of American government will find this site useful both for its thematic organizational structure and its wealth of resources. Secondary students will likely need some guidance in working with these materials.
In the Classroom
Use this site as a resource for students preparing for a classroom debate based on one or more articles of the constitution. This site is more useful if the debate is set into the time period of the Revolution, allowing students to treat the primary sources as though they were writings from contemporary peers rather than distant founding fathers. A great resource for a US history or government class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Project Vote Smart
Grades
6 to 12
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One of the more complete election sites, Vote Smart offers a wide array of campaign information at federal, state, and local levels. There are also backgrounders on the election process,...more
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One of the more complete election sites, Vote Smart offers a wide array of campaign information at federal, state, and local levels. There are also backgrounders on the election process, the Electoral College, and election laws and voting.
In the Classroom
Use this site on a projector or interactive whiteboard to discuss and informally assess prior knowledge as you start your study of representative democracy. Select a few choice politicians from your state through the "Issue Positions" section. This activity would work even better if politicians selected were representative of your local area or hometown. Seperate students into groups and have them research the politicians based on certain issues. We recommend using issues such as crime, guns, and immigration. Have students compare and contrast the politicians stance to voting records in their area, or teachers can have students vote on the issues just in their classroom to determine their own "public opinions." Have the groups compare the public opinion to the voting record of the politician via venn diagram. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here. Have students use their results in a class discussion of the pros and cons of a representative government. Where are potential problems? What are the benefits? This would be extremely useful in a AP Government or Civics course.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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First Amendment Center - Vanderbilt University
Grades
9 to 12
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Whether as a comprehensive source for research or as a primer for studies on the first amendment's guaranteed freedoms of speech, press, religious liberty, assembly and petition, this...more
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Whether as a comprehensive source for research or as a primer for studies on the first amendment's guaranteed freedoms of speech, press, religious liberty, assembly and petition, this site has wonderful resources for civics and government courses. The site also has a variety of print and web-resources available for further study of first amendment issues, including links to a number of Supreme Court documents.
In the Classroom
Lesson plans are linked to NewseumEd, reviewed here, for teachers planning a basic look at first amendment issues.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Proceedings of the Old Bailey London
Grades
9 to 12
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This is an interesting collection of primary resources for those interested in British History ; the site has the texts of over 100,000 proceedings of London's Central Criminal Court....more
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This is an interesting collection of primary resources for those interested in British History ; the site has the texts of over 100,000 proceedings of London's Central Criminal Court. There is also a good introduction in the "For Schools" section on how to structure a legal and civic history lessons using the site. The teacher's page is geared towards British Curriculum standards, but it is still helpful in describing the site's application to British History.
In the Classroom
Beyond the free lesson plans, use this site to obtain plenty of primary resources from early to modern England. During a unit on the American Revolution, use this site as a way to address the treason of Benedict Arnold. Open the site on the interactive whiteboard or projector and search for crimes related to treason or espionage. Go through the cases with students, highlighting sentencing and judicial opinions related to the offense. Once you have gone through a few cases, use the results you found to discuss what British attitudes may have been towards their own "turncoat" and how this may have impacted Benedict Arnold's future working for the British Empire. This would also be a great activity to discuss how these same attitudes in combination with Arnold's actions impacted American legislation towards treason. This could be used in either a civics or American History course.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Debates in the Federal Convention
Grades
9 to 12
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Cmprising the period from May through October, 1787, this site contains the daily journals of James Madison in which he discusses the progress of the Constitutional Convention. Students...more
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Cmprising the period from May through October, 1787, this site contains the daily journals of James Madison in which he discusses the progress of the Constitutional Convention. Students interested in first-hand accounts of the forming of the American Government will find these journals great reading. High ideals notwithstanding, they show that the art of compromise was alive and well at the birth of the federal government.
In the Classroom
Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on a projector. Fit to compliment a lesson on the Continental Congress, select a few debates in the site to exhibit how detailed some of the issues faced were. Use the examples as a writing prompt - if in the Continental Congress, what would be the most important issues the Students would raise? If the federal government ceased to exist today, what laws would they create? Would they change anything? This is a great way for students to connect the past lessons of the Revolution to the present!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Supreme Court Historical Society
Grades
6 to 12
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This site offers one-stop shopping for a history of the Supreme Court and the ways in which it operates. There are additional links from this site to more complete anthologies ...more
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This site offers one-stop shopping for a history of the Supreme Court and the ways in which it operates. There are additional links from this site to more complete anthologies of court decisions and their interpretation. Middle schoolers could use elements of this one for basic research about the separation of powers and branches of government; high school students should find many uses for the additional materials.
In the Classroom
This would be a great resource in a civics or government class. Open the site on the interactive whiteboard and tour students through the make-up of the court today. Each Judge has his own separate biography that can also be explored to demonstrate the political alliances of the court. Assign cooperative learning groups different judges to research, with the intent of presenting the material to the class. Try something new, like a podcast! Use a site such as PodOmatic (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Landmark Supreme Court Cases
Grades
9 to 12
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Here's a site that offers the core body of essential Supreme Court decisions in a single presentation that includes lots of supporting context. In addition to the decisions themselves,...more
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Here's a site that offers the core body of essential Supreme Court decisions in a single presentation that includes lots of supporting context. In addition to the decisions themselves, there are supplementary resources, activities, and interpretive documents. There's also a thematic organization that makes identification of specific cases easier.
In the Classroom
Government teachers will love this one.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Chinese Exclusion Act - Separate Lives; Broken Dreams
Grades
6 to 12
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From the 1880s to the 1940s, the Chinese Exclusion act prevented immigrants of Chinese descent from gaining full citizenship. The site includes background information on how the act...more
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From the 1880s to the 1940s, the Chinese Exclusion act prevented immigrants of Chinese descent from gaining full citizenship. The site includes background information on how the act came to be, as well as a discussion of its repercussions.
In the Classroom
Consider using this one as part of a study of immigration in the late 19th century.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Folding the Flag
Grades
1 to 5
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This site offers instructions for proper flag folding, along with a discussion of the symbolism contained in the flag folding ceremony. ...more
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This site offers instructions for proper flag folding, along with a discussion of the symbolism contained in the flag folding ceremony.
In the Classroom
Use this site as a refresher course before a Labor day lesson or celebration, helping students understand the significance of the flag and the procedures that care for it. Teachers could even have students practice the flag-folding procedures with small classroom sized flags!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Military Fact Files from BBC - BBC
Grades
6 to 12
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Prepared as background material to the increasing tensions in Iraq and the rest of the mideast, this page offers summaries of military capabilities of the various nations that have...more
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Prepared as background material to the increasing tensions in Iraq and the rest of the mideast, this page offers summaries of military capabilities of the various nations that have troops in the area. These pages offer reams of information on capabilitivies, training, missions, etc. Though at the time of this update, the actual Fact File uses Flash, there is plenty of information on the rest of the site to make your visit worthwhile.
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Mideast Maps from BBC - BBC
Grades
6 to 12
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Prepared as background material to the increasing tensions in Iraq and the rest of the mideast, this BBC map collection offers surprisingly detailed information on force strengths in...more
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Prepared as background material to the increasing tensions in Iraq and the rest of the mideast, this BBC map collection offers surprisingly detailed information on force strengths in various mideastern nations. The page includes links to similarly detailed information on other aspects of this looming conflict.
In the Classroom
Use these maps on the interactive whiteboard or projector as a supplement to text for a discussion or lecture on the war in the Middle East. Because of the focus on the Iraq War, these maps do a great job of emphasizing the impact of the military in these regions. These would be a great addition to a World History or Cultural Geography class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Just War - The Carter Center's Case - The Carter Center
Grades
9 to 12
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The concept of "a just war" has been debated for decades as a logical way to establish whether the use of force in a specific situation carries any moral weight. ...more
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The concept of "a just war" has been debated for decades as a logical way to establish whether the use of force in a specific situation carries any moral weight. This page from the Carter Center reprints an Op-Ed article by former president Jimmy Carter in which he asserts that current operations in Iraq fail the "just war" test on several grounds. Lots of interesting discussion possibilities with this one.
In the Classroom
After explaining the concept of "a just war" have pairs read this article using a reading guide you created with Read Ahead, reviewed here. If students still have questions about the article they can annotate it with Kami, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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International Atomic Energy Agency - United Nations
Grades
9 to 12
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This news page from IAEA's web site includes both background and current information on the agencies efforts in Iraq and North Korea, as well as information on other activities designed...more
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This news page from IAEA's web site includes both background and current information on the agencies efforts in Iraq and North Korea, as well as information on other activities designed to halt the destructive proliferation of nuclear capabilities.
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Facing History
Grades
9 to 12
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This one is different; it's a site built around exposing students to issues in history that have tested ethical and behavioral boundaries. Focusing on topics like anti-Semitism, eugenics,...more
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This one is different; it's a site built around exposing students to issues in history that have tested ethical and behavioral boundaries. Focusing on topics like anti-Semitism, eugenics, and genocide, the content requires students to think about the moral, political, and practical effects of actions by individuals and nations. The structure varies by subject area, and there is a combination of free and "registration required" areas. Secondary history and social sciences teachers will want to browse this one thoroughly.
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson and plans and classroom activities offered on this web page. Simply go to the "educator resources" section and teachers can search for materials by theme, time period or sequence. Definitely save this one as a favorite and refer to it for new material or lesson plans!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Political Science - MIT Open Courseware - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Grades
9 to 12
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High school government and history teachers, especially those teaching AP students, may find MIT's online course materials useful. MIT has committed to putting its entire curriculum...more
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High school government and history teachers, especially those teaching AP students, may find MIT's online course materials useful. MIT has committed to putting its entire curriculum on the web, and these early offerings include syllabi, reading materials, and a variety of subject-specific class notes. Before using these pages, teachers, students, and parents should all be aware of what Open Courseware is and is not.
In the Classroom
AP history or government students may find MIT's online political science course materials useful. MIT has committed to putting its entire curriculum on the web, and these early offerings include syllabi, reading materials, and a variety of subject-specific class notes. Before using these pages, students and parents should all be aware of what Open Courseware is and is not.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Japanese American Internment Curriculum - National Japanese American Historical Society
Grades
6 to 12
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Developed by the National Japanese American Historical Society, this page is a well-organized meta-list of lessons relating to the internment of Japanese Americans during World War...more
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Developed by the National Japanese American Historical Society, this page is a well-organized meta-list of lessons relating to the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. The lessons include material for all grade levels, and they address the historical, literary, and constitutional aspects of these Americans' experiences. Today's students can learn much from this experience.
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plans and activities offered on this site! Save this site as a favorite for easy use and retrieval for future unit planning. Social studies teachers will love this one!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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