A collection of lesson plans from the American Bar Association that teach voting requirements, voter ID laws, and vote counting laws.
What Does the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution Mean?
September 3, 2011 – 1:32 pm
Students analyze the preambles to at least two state constitutions in order to identify common themes, differences and underlying values in the preambles. Then, they compare the state preambles with the preamble of the U.S. Constitution; draft a new preamble for the U.S. Constitution, and provide rationales for the ideas, rights, and values it espouses. Finally, students discuss the process of amending the U.S. Constitution.
City Government: Omaha, Nebraska
July 25, 2011 – 9:59 pm
After viewing a 7:13 minute video and completing a background reading, students describe the responsibilities of local government to provide services for its citizens and how their local government carries out these duties. Students compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of the three models of city government. Then, through role-play, students formulate arguments for supporting various services provided by local government and evaluate the value of these services when balancing a budget. Assessment rubric and graphic organizers are included.
Deliberating in a Democracy Judicial Elections
March 2, 2011 – 4:00 pm
By Jennifer Bloom and Kate McBride Engage students in a Structured Academic Controversy in this lesson that focuses on developing deliberation skills using a proposed Read More
Deliberating in a Democracy Voter Identification
March 2, 2011 – 3:35 pm
Engage students in a Structured Academic Controversy in this lesson that focuses on developing deliberation skills using a proposed Minnesota Law that would require all Minnesota voters to have photo identification.
Deliberating in a Democracy Ethanol
March 2, 2011 – 3:26 am
Engage students in a Structured Academic Controversy in this lesson that focuses on developing deliberation skills using the issue of ethanol (a critical question for Minnesota and the nation and world).
Deliberating in a Democracy Farm Subsidies
March 1, 2011 – 5:29 pm
This lesson from Deliberating in a Democracy Minnesota (DIDMN) project teaches deliberation skills that ensure that conflicting views can be heard, understood, and valued, and students will develop the ability to find solutions to important issues. Lesson includes a student reading on farm subsidies which is used by small groups as they increase their understanding of the issue.
Do I have a right?
February 27, 2011 – 6:32 pm
In Do I Have A Right?, students run their own firm of lawyers who specialize in constitutional law. students need to decide whether potential clients “have a right,” and if so, match them with the right lawyer. The more clients they serve and the more cases they win, the faster their law firms will grow.