Lesson Plans Archives – Page 2 of 3

51 resources available

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Judicial Independence: Essential, Limited, Controversial

In this lesson, students learn about the role of an independent judiciary in the United States. Through a cooperative learning jigsaw activity, they focus on operational differences, essential functions, limited powers, and controversial issues.

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A Conversation on the Fourteenth Amendment

Three key components of the Fourteenth Amendment – due process, equal protection, and privileges and immunities – are explored in this lesson.

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Freedom of Speech: Finding the Limits

In this lesson students gain insight into the many challenges involved in defining and protecting free speech. They also learn about principles that come from U.S. Supreme Court decisions, such as Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District and Morse v. Frederick, and case law that are applied to define the limits for us today.

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Equal Justice Under Law: Yick Wo v. Hopkins

This lesson teaches about the cause-and-effect relationships between historical events and the development of constitutional principles that protect the rights of all people in America today.

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A Conversation on Judicial Interpretation

This lesson plan focuses on the essential question: How does philosophy affect the way a judge reads the Constitution and what is the effect of that?

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The Power of One Decision: Brown v. Board of Education

Through the lesson, students gain insight into decision-making at the Supreme Court, learn about the people behind the case, construct a persuasive argument, and evaluate the significance of Brown v. Board of Education.

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Our Heritage of Liberty: The Bill of Rights

This lesson explores one of the toughest political fights in American history – over a bill of rights for individuals – and the outcome that became a symbol of liberty and freedom in America.

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Actions That Changed the Law: Ledbetter v. Goodyear

This lesson tells the law-changing story behind the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. Students gain insight into law-making process and consider how statutory decisions made by the U.S. Supreme Court can prompt better laws.

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A Conversation on the Nature, Origin and Importance of the Supreme Court

This lesson explains the structure and function of the judicial branch. Students will learn how the Supreme Court originated, how cases are selected, and why it is an important institution.

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One School’s Fight: The Making of a Law

Through this lesson, students will learn about the dynamic interconnections of people, principles, and process that are involved in making federal laws.

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U.S. Generals…Support the Draft

Critical Thinking
This lesson examines an anti-war advertisement sponsored by Americans Against Escalation in Iraq asserting that military officials plan to continue the war in Iraq for an additional 10 years and that that plan will require reinstating the draft.

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The Credibility Challenge

Critical Thinking
This lesson offers students background and practice in determining authority on the Internet – how to tell whether an author has expertise or not, and whether you’re getting the straight story.

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The Battle of the Experts

Critical Thinking
In their effort to get to facts that are as objective as possible, students will examine the differences between primary and secondary sources, check the track records of different sources, and practice looking for broad consensus from a range of disinterested experts.

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Pump It

Critical Thinking
In this lesson, students will: Examine an ad from John McCain claiming that ending a ban on offshore drilling would have an effect on current gasoline prices. Research the offshore drilling process and explore the connections between drilling for oil and current gasoline prices. Assess whether McCain is correct to link the ban on offshore drilling with high gas prices.

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PETA Pressure

Critical Thinking
Some manipulators focus their attentions on teenagers. In this lesson, students will learn to spot their tactics and why they should be skeptical about them.

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Olly Olly Oxen Free!

Critical Thinking
Students will explore the meaning of the term “sanctuary city” and determine for themselves whether New York City ought to be designated a sanctuary city.

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Oil Exaggerations

Critical Thinking
President Barack Obama has said that “we import more oil today than ever before” – but do we? How can you find out? In this lesson, students will weigh Obama’s superlative claim against the facts.

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Monty Python and the Quest for the Perfect Fallacy

Critical Thinking
This lesson will focus on 10 fallacies that represent the most common types of mistakes in reasoning, using Monty Python and popular culture to make the lesson relatable.

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Made in the U.S.A.

Critical Thinking
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards wanted to stop U.S. companies from moving jobs offshore, and a group called Working 4 Working Americans ran an ad in support of his plan. But the story the ad tells doesn’t quite give the whole picture. In this lesson, students will examine the facts behind this potentially misleading ad.

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Health Care Hooey

Critical Thinking
This lesson comes in a basic version, for classrooms without internet access and/or students at the 8th-9th grade level, and a more advanced version, which does require internet access and is aimed at students at higher grade levels.

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Everything You Know is Wrong 2: Beliefs and Behavior

Critical Thinking
This is the second of two lessons focusing on the instincts and habits of mind that keep us from thinking logically. This time around, we will focus on how people reconcile their beliefs with the world around them, even when the evidence doesn’t seem to agree with those beliefs.

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Everything You Know Is Wrong 1: Us and Them

Critical Thinking
In this lesson, students explore some of the irrational ways in which humans think, and learn to recognize and overcome the habits of mind that can get in the way of good reasoning.

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Combating the Culture of Corruption

Critical Thinking
In this lesson, students will: Examine an e-mail from the Democratic National Committee that attacks John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, for looking the other way during a bribery and corruption scandal. Research McCain’s role as head of the Indian Affairs Committee and explore the history of the investigation into the scandal. Assess whether or not the DNC’s e-mail accurately describes McCain’s actions regarding the scandal.

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Building a Better Argument

Critical Thinking
In this lesson, students will learn to create good arguments by getting a handle on the basic structure. The lesson will provide useful tips for picking out premises and conclusions and for analyzing the effectiveness of arguments.

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Background Beliefs

Critical Thinking
In this lesson, students will learn to distinguish between the two different types of background beliefs: beliefs about matters of fact and about values.