Teachers | iCivics

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Who Rules?

Students learn about the different forms of government that exist, including democracy, autocracy, oligarchy, and others. They compare and contrast these types of government, and they look at real-…
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Lesson Plan

Limiting Government

Explore the five basic limits on government through the true story of Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori, and other fictional cases of government power gone wild.
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Lesson Plan

Why Government?

Great question! We ask Thomas Hobbes and John Locke to help us find an answer. The thing is, they don't agree. Dig into the philosophers' ideas and see how they've influenced those that have followed…
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Lesson Plan

Oregon Treaty (1845)

With the Oregon Treaty, the United States added what today is the Pacific Northwest. In this mini-lesson, students learn how it happened, what tensions were involved, and how Native Americans were…
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Lesson Plan

Annexation of Texas (1845)

The United States annexed Texas after years of debate. In this mini-lesson, students learn about Texas’ independence from Mexico, the role of slavery in delaying Texas’ admission, and how President…
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Lesson Plan

Mexican Cession (1848)

The Mexican-American War ended with Mexico giving up a million acres of land to the United States. In this lesson, students learn about Americans’ drive to expand west, tensions between the U.S. and…
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Lesson Plan

Louisiana Purchase (1803)

In this map-based lesson, students learn the historic importance of the Mississippi River and why the U.S. was determined to maintain access. They find out how the United States acquired the land…
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Lesson Plan

Interest Groups

The role of interest groups in politics and government is a hot topic in the media today. This lesson uses the battle over school lunch ingredients to illustrate how interest groups and lobbying…
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Lesson Plan

Mini-Lesson: The First 100 Days

Even presidents have to worry about making the grade! Discover the history behind the “First 100 Days” and its impact on the American presidency with this new lesson plan that includes extension…
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Lesson Plan

You Be the Judge (Simulation)

What does a Supreme Court justice really do? How do they make their decisions? What better way to find out than by trying it yourself!Got a 1:1 classroom? Download fillable PDF versions of this…
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Lesson Plan

Judicial Review

If Marbury was right, then why didn't he get the writ? Find out how the Supreme Court got the power to decide what is constitutional, and what the Court can do with that power.
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Lesson Plan

Double Take: The Dual Court System

Does your state court system feel oddly similar to our federal one? Chances are it does, but there may still be some differences. In this lesson, students learn how our country came to have a dual…
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Lesson Plan

Crisis Collaboration: COVID-19 Mini Lesson

What do you know about the government's response to the coronavirus pandemic? Explore the actions and relationships between different levels of government as they figure out what to do in response to…
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Lesson Plan

Citizen Me

Students learn that they are citizens at many levels of society — home, school, city, state, and nation — and create a graphic organizer that diagrams citizen rights and responsibilities at these…
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Lesson Plan

The Electoral Process

Take a peek into the electoral process with this lesson - from party primaries to the general election. Students will learn the distinctions between the popular vote and the Electoral College, and…
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Lesson Plan

The Road to Civil Rights

Discover the people, groups, and events behind the Civil Rights Movement. Learn about means of non-violent protest, opposition to the movement, and identify how it took all three branches of the…
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Lesson Plan

Voting Rights

Explore the history of voting rights in the United States through an interactive PowerPoint presentation highlighting landmark changes. Following the presentation and class discussion, students apply…
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Lesson Plan

The Great State

What do state governments do? In this overview lesson, students learn about state government structure, functions, lawmaking, and relationship with local government.Got a 1:1 classroom? Download…
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Lesson Plan

Colonial Influences

Where did the American colonists get their ideas that lead to a revolution and a whole new kind of government? This foldable explores the Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, English Bill of Rights, Cato’…
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Lesson Plan

Anatomy of the Constitution

This lesson gives an article-by-article overview of the structure and function of the U.S. Constitution. Students learn about the duties and powers of the three branches, the amendment process, and…
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