This lesson explores the challenges the United States faced as a result of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and examines the governmentâ"s response through the lens of protection and civil liberties. Students will consider the balance between security and liberty in the United States.

This is an optional program for use by Utah LEAs, schools, and teachers to observe Founders Month and Consitution Day. It aligns with and supports mastery of many Utah Core Social Studies Standards in grade K-5. Standards alignment is provided, along with resources for possible use.

Students will investigate one of the amendments to the Constitution to find out how it was important for the time, how it protects citizens and how it applies to our current needs.Enduring Understanding:The U.S. Constitution reflects our national beliefs about people, rights, and government.

In this activity students will connect primary sources with specific sections of the Constitution.

This webpage explains the basics of the U.S. Constitution at an upper elementary and middle school level. It includes the following sections: Basics, History, Amendments, Slavery, Women, Bill of Rights, How it all Works. The page does have advertisements as well, so it is best used as a teacher resource.

Since 2005, the "Past and Present" podcast from Colonial Williamsburg has taken you behind the scenes to meet interpreters, chefs, tradesmen, musicians, historians, curators, and more. We offer two versions of our podcast: one that's audio-only and one that includes a slideshow. In this episode: Hear the Declaration of Independence read in its entirety by renowned Thomas Jefferson interpreter Bill Barker.

What would it be like to create a statue? Today you are going to be an artist creating a statue for the National Statuary Hall Collection!

With engaging activities related to locations in the Capitol as well as American history in general, Discover the U.S. Capitol is intended for upper-level elementary-school-aged students who can use it before or after they visit the Capitol.

A Short Activity for Fourth Grade
Question: How does the Florida Constitution organize the government?
Note: The "Guidance on Government: State Edition" Powerpoint, also available in eMedia, was created to accompany this lesson plan.

A Short Activity for Fourth Grade
Question: How does the Florida Constitution organize the government?
Note: The "Guidance on Government: State Edition" lesson plan, also available in eMedia, was created to accompany this PowerPoint.

In this lesson, students meet James Madison as he is working on the Bill of Rights and assist him in deciding the most important rights to include. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.

This lesson on the Bill of Rights is part of Gilder Lehrman’s series of Common Core–based units. These units were written to enable students to understand, summarize, and analyze original texts of historical significance. Students will demonstrate this knowledge by writing summaries of selections from the original document and, by the end of the unit, demonstrating their understanding through visual and oral presentations. Through this step-by-step process, students will acquire the skills to analyze any primary or secondary source material.

The purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to the ratification period that followed the Federal Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Through various activities to understand the what, why, who, where, and when of state ratification debates, students will see that state ratification of the Constitution was a critical element of establishing the new government’s legitimacy. Student activities throughout the day will help to build a State Ratification Bulletin Board that highlights the students’ views and acquired knowledge.

This unit is part of Gilder Lehrman’s series of Common Core State Standards–based teaching resources. These units were developed to enable students to understand, summarize, and analyze original texts of historical significance. Through a step-by-step process, students will acquire the skills to analyze any primary or secondary source material.

Since 2005, the "Past and Present" podcast from Colonial Williamsburg has taken you behind the scenes to meet interpreters, chefs, tradesmen, musicians, historians, curators, and more. We offer two versions of our podcast: one that's audio-only and one that includes a slideshow. In this episode: The piercing fife, the thundering drum: both can be heard over the din of battle, making them a crucial means of communication for commands like parley, cease fire, and retreat. How does this combination work?

In this lesson, students examine key events from the life of former President Barack Obama in order to understand the "stepping stones" that led him to become the first Black president of the United States. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.

The purpose of this lesson is to help students understand the original purpose and powers of the Supreme Court according to the Constitution. Students will learn the Supreme Court’s role in preserving the U.S. Constitution and the balance of power it creates. In this lesson, students will learn about the powers of the Supreme Court according to the Constitution through a guided hidden message activity and vocabulary lesson. An extension activity links this understanding of the Court to the development of judicial review in Marbury v. Madison.

The coloring book pages below highlight aspects of Court history and tradition along with some of the notable artworks and architectural features of the interior and exterior of the Supreme Court Building. We hope you have fun coloring while learning about the Court!

Test your detection skills and learn about Chief Justice John Marshall. See if you can find 9 differences between Rembrandt Peale’s portrait of Chief Justice John Marshall and a modified version.