In this lesson, students learn about the Sixth Amendment's guarantee of the right to a trial by an impartial jury chosen from a cross-section of the community. Students explore how this right has not always been protected when potential jurors were excluded because of their race, ethnicity, and gender. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.

Phillis Wheatley was born around the year 1753 in West Africa before she was kidnapped and brought to the West Indies where she was enslaved. In 1773, the same year she became free from enslavement, she became the first African American and first enslaved person in American history to publish a book of poems. In this lesson, students imagine that a possible meeting between George Washington and Wheatley in 1776 actually occurred and compose questions for them both. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.

This article is an overview of the life of Marcus Garvey. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.

In McCulloch v. Maryland, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Congress had the authority to charter a national bank based on the “necessary and proper” clause of the Constitution. In later years, this “implied power” enabled Congress to pass laws in many different areas. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.

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.

Members of CRF’s Youth Board lead a lesson for elementary students as they learn about the three branches of government. Links to free, downloadable lesson materials included. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.

This resource includes a reading and discussion questions about the African-American experience in the United States of America. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.

Why are prayers at meetings of government bodies constitutional? Students learn why in this lesson on the Supreme Court's landmark 2014 decision of Town of Greece v. Galloway from Teach Democracy's BRIA curricular magazine. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.

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.

In this lesson, students will explore the First Amendment's freedom of the press as they examine sources related to government censorship of the press. They design and create their own poster promoting freedom of the press today. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.

This article is an overview of the life of Henry David Thoreau and his acts of civil disobedience. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.

This article is an overview of the life of Thurgood Marshall. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.

In this lesson, students are introduced to the three functions of government (legislative, judicial, and executive) through a story about an overworked king who must handle all the tasks of government. Next, students are given descriptions of the three functions of government and asked to match tasks to departments (lawmakers, executives, and judges). Finally, students create job descriptions for lawmakers, executives, and judges. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.

This trial in colonial times helped define freedom of press in America. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.

Drafted by Thomas Jefferson, this Virginia law served as the model for the religious clauses in the First Amendment. It established a clear separation of church and state and was one of Jefferson’s proudest accomplishments. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.

In this lesson, students decide which of the rights included in the Constitution’s Bill of Rights they value the most. First, students discuss the basic rights of all Americans. Next, they read a short story (or watch a video) about a hypothetical alien creature that takes over the world. The creature is not totally hostile and will allow humans to keep five rights. Finally, students work in small groups to prioritize the five basic rights they find important and report back their findings. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.

This article is an overview of the life of W.E.B Du Bois. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.

During World War II, the U.S. government ordered 120,000 persons of Japanese ancestry into prison camps. Fred Korematsu, an American citizen of Japanese descent, refused to go, and his case went before the Supreme Court. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.

In this activity, students make a poster illustrating their “best freedom.” They discuss individual freedoms they have at school and as Americans and then focus on the freedom they enjoy most. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.

This two-part lesson demonstrates natural and human impact on the environment by examining changes in a hypothetical river system over time. In part one, students worked in groups to solve a hypothetical problem about a river during one of these eras. In part two, students will present their problems and solutions in chronological order, thus revealing a story of one river over time. Finally, students will discuss issues around water pollution in their own community and consider possible ways of addressing pollution problems. Ideas for service projects are also included. Access to this resource requires a free educator login.