Civics Lessons

Teaching Strategy: Discussion

Juvenile Justice

Deliberating in Democracy lesson which gets students to deliberate the question-Should violent juvenile offenders be punished as adults?

In this lesson, students apply what they learn about their state’s requirements for registering to vote. Students learn when and how to register, how to complete a voter registration form, and when and how to re-register.

Mindwalk: The Law is Everywhere

Students learn the Importance and Reason for Rules and Laws

Voting and the Constitution

Students will learn about the Constitution’s many provisions for voting, including how votes affect the makeup of the government and its branches. The lesson and lesson extensions will have students engage in activities and participate in discussions about how officials are chosen in the three branches of government and how the election process includes the Electoral College.

Cyberbullying

Deliberating in Democracy Lesson which gets students to deliberate whether schools should punish students for off campus cyber bullying

Participating in the Jury System

Students participate in activities and discussions about the relationship of a democratic society to its legal institutions, and the issues of fairness and equality under the law and legal system. They learn how constitutional amendments such as the Fourteenth Amendment influence lawsuits, and they will apply concepts within the Bill of Rights to jury trials. Students conduct research to compare the U.S. jury trial system to trial systems in other countries.

People in the Courtroom

In this lesson, students analyze a photograph of a trial. They identify the people in the courtroom, learn about the roles that they play in the legal process, and discuss how each is essential to ensuring access to justice.

What Makes an Amendment?

Students will learn about the process of amending the Constitution. They will review the details of the amendment process and discuss its pros and cons. In class activities, assignments, and the Lesson Extensions, student partners and groups will create persuasive presentations that they will share with the class to gain support for an amendment.

We the Students: Writing a Class Constitution

The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution sets out the purposes or functions of American government as envisioned by the framers. Using the Preamble as a guide, students will identify the purposes of their own classroom and create a class “constitution.”

Interpreting the Law

Students learn why laws need to be interpreted by discussing laws/constitutional provisions. They present their findings to the class.