Teachers | iCivics

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State-Federal Tug-of-War (HS)

Even before the Constitution was ratified, the relationship between state and federal power was unclear. Students will learn the source of that tension and why this tug-of-war has continued through…
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Lesson Plan

The Federalist Debate (HS)

Discover the debate that surrounded the Constitution before it became the law of the land. Excerpts from Federalist 84 and Anti-Federalist 46 offer insight into both sides of the debate while…
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Lesson Plan

Step 1: Change the World?

Kick off this project-based unit by asking students to examine what it means to make change in the world. Students think about why people are motivated to advocate for change, what kinds of issues…
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Lesson Plan

Step 2: Find What You Need

Do your students breeze through internet search results, easily weeding out irrelevant results and finding exactly what they need? No? This step offers a detailed look at how to search for and find…
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Lesson Plan

Step 3: Become an Expert

In this step, students read and annotate the sources they identified in Step 2. The lesson discusses investigative reading and offers strategies for staying organized when faced with a large amount…
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Lesson Plan

Step 4: Consider the Context

No issue exists in a vacuum, so in this step, students examine the factors that contribute to the circumstances surrounding their issue to gain a deeper understanding of the issue and its interplay…
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Lesson Plan

Step 5: Identify Your Stakeholders

In this step, students figure out who’s got a stake in their issue. They learn what stakeholders are and how to identify them, as well as why the power of numbers is important and how to leverage…
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Step 6: Plan Your Attack

Armed with information and a deep understanding of their issue, students shift into action mode in this step by writing an action plan for “moving the needle” on their issue.
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Lesson Plan

Step 7: Fill the Holes

Students take a “step” back in Step 7 and identify gaps in their information: What pieces of the puzzle are still missing? What information is important to have before going on? To fill those holes,…
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Lesson Plan

Step 8: Talk It Up

To get support for an issue, you have to be able to talk about it—and in this step, students learn how to do that effectively. By developing and practicing both an elevator speech and a set of…
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Lesson Plan

Step 9: Grab People’s Attention

In this step, students get creative by developing “swag” to promote their cause. They learn principles of effective attention-grabbing that they apply to their own swag designs, including how to…
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Step 10: Make Your Pitch

In the culminating lesson, students learn how to design and deliver an effective slide presentation to gather support for their issue, create a 5-minute presentation targeted to a specific…
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Lesson Plan

Immigration: Pathway to Citizenship - HS

America is often described as a 'land of immigrants'. So how do they get here? In this lesson, students learn about the U.S. process of immigration, including requirements for legal permanent…
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Lesson Plan

Immigration Nation Extension Pack

Make your students’ gameplay more meaningful by using our immigration lesson plan designed specifically for Immigration Nation. This easy-to-use Extension Pack helps you give context and purpose to…
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Lesson Plan

Foundation Basics

Meet your PALS—Power, Authority, Legitimacy, and Sovereignty! In this lesson, students are introduced to these characteristics of government and consider how governments establish and maintain these…
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Lesson Plan

Rule by One

What is a monarchy and why has it been one of the most common forms of government throughout history? In this lesson, students explore the advantages and disadvantages of monarchial rule and consider…
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Lesson Plan

Lessons from Antiquity

Where did democracy get its start? In this lesson, students learn about direct democracy in Athen's and Rome's republic, how each took shape, and the ideas our Founders borrowed from these great…
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Lesson Plan

Trial Court (Simulation)

Did Cellar breach the contract? Or was there no contract to begin with? Let students decide in this scripted trial simulation.Got a 1:1 classroom? Download fillable PDF versions of this lesson's…
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Lesson Plan

Branches of Power Extension Pack

Make your students’ game play more meaningful by using our activity and assessment set designed specifically for Branches of Power. This easy-to-use Extension Pack helps you give context and purpose…
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Lesson Plan

Foreign Policy

Many pieces play a part in carrying out our nation’s foreign policy—and they don’t always get along. In this lesson, students learn what foreign policy is, discover the agencies who execute it, and…
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