Teachers | iCivics

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State Lawmaking (HS)

How do states make laws? Students track the state lawmaking process as they learn about the people, organizations, and official efforts that help a bill become a law.
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Lesson Plan

Power to the States! (HS)

States have their own governments, but what powers do they have, and where does that power come from? In this lesson, students will explore the nature of state power as pre-existing the Constitution…
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Lesson Plan

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

What States Do (HS)

State governments play many roles. Go beyond basic state government structure to examine how states use their police powers and taxation systems to further state goals, act as innovation incubators…
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Lesson Plan

2020 Candidate Bios

Our 2020 Candidate Bio election resource can be used in a variety of ways in your classroom: reference document, starting point for deeper research, a discussion starter, and beyond. You will find a…
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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

Constitutional Principles (HS)

View the Constitution from the perspective of its foundational principles. Consider the Founders' intentions and the Constitution itself as you discover how the constitutional principles are critical…
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Lesson Plan

Changing the Constitution (HS)

Learn how the Constitution has changed over time and what methods created those changes. Analyze specific examples of change including amendments, Supreme Court decisions, and legislation.Got a 1:1…
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Lesson Plan

No Bill of Rights, No Deal (HS)

Jump into the big debate over the Bill of Rights, and see how the Federalists and Anti-Federalists battled over the fate of the U.S. Constitution. Where did the idea come from? How did they decided…
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Lesson Plan

Comparing Constitutions: Ohio (HS)

Compare and contrast the U.S. and Ohio constitutions in this hands-on lesson using excerpts from both documents. Dig into how they structure the government, address individual rights, outline the…
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Lesson Plan

History of Ohio's Constitution (HS)

View excerpts from Ohio's original 1802 state constitution and the major changes made in the 1851 version as students learn about the history of Ohio's constitution in this unique before and after…
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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

Mini-Lesson: The Presidential Agenda

For the winning candidate, campaign promises evolve into an official presidential agenda. And despite the doubting general public, 75% of agenda goals since Woodrow Wilson have been delivered. This…
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Lesson Plan

Cabinet Building

The president isn’t alone when it comes to the day to day work of the Executive Branch. This lesson takes a look at the history of the presidential cabinet, how the cabinet is built through the…
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Lesson Plan

Six Roles of the President (Infographic)

From Commander-in-Chief to Chief Executive—keep track of the many roles of the president with this printable infographic for your classroom!Love this infographic? Explore all of our free election…
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Lesson Plan

Supreme Court Nominations

This lesson plan teaches the fundamentals of Supreme Court Justice nominations and helps students understand the politics behind the nominations. It challenges students to cut through the politics…
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Lesson Plan

County Government (HS)

The United States has 3,069 county governments acting as a bridge between state governments and the people. This lesson covers the diversity in county government structure, duties, services, and the…
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Lesson Plan

Municipal Government (HS)

What's the closest form of government to the American people? Why municipal government, of course! In this lesson, students will explore the varied functions and structures of local government as…
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Lesson Plan

Tribal Government (HS)

As sovereign nations, American Indian and Alaska Native tribes develop and manage their own governments. This lesson examines the varied structures and functions of tribal government as well as the…
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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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