Provides a lesson plan designed to help students better understand the concept of a constitution, distinguish constitutional law from statutory law, and recognize examples of constitutional government. (BSR)

Provides background on the historical connections between India and the United States and compares their political systems. Offers a number of learning activities designed to promote better understanding between India and the United States. (BSR)

The three chapters in Unit 2 of a six-unit series on Indiana state history designed to be taught in Indiana secondary schools chronicle the need for rewriting the Constitution of 1816, the events of the Constitutional Convention of 1850-51, and the details of the new constitution. Chapter 1 explains the reasons that Hoosiers wanted a new…

Describes a five-day instructional unit designed for seventh and eighth graders about the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Points out that the individual rights in the First Amendment often conflict with the rights of the majority. Provides student questions and suggestions for resources and activities. (CFR)

This document is intended as a resource guide for teachers to use in helping students to understand how the United States system of government operates. It examines the background, historical application, and current debate concerning the principle of checks and balances. Ten study sheets feature various figures and episodes prominently associated…

Outlines an upper elementary lesson in which students examine the judicial branch and the power of judicial review. Uses an actual case, "Torcaso v. Watkins," to demonstrate how the U.S. Supreme Court used its power of judicial review to strike down an unconstitutional state law. Provides discussion questions and optional activities. (LS)

Presents a lesson plan which analyzes and discusses the U.S. Constitution in relation to the constitutions of other countries. States that this international approach offers a deeper understanding of the document and promotes a greater appreciation of it as students examine the values that underlie their rights and responsibilities. (GEA)

Presents a teaching unit which will enable secondary students to differentiate between unitary, federal, and confederate forms of government; list factors leading to the formation of the U.S. federal system of government; and understand how different structures of government result in different degrees of freedom, responsibilities, and…

This guide is designed for those who participate in North Dakota's Close Up program, a program that provides the state's young people with the opportunity to experience government firsthand in an innovative and participatory setting. The state's 1991 legislative program offers a broad range of activities for student participants, including:…

This guide presents learning objectives, background information, activities, vocabulary, and word-search puzzles on local government and politics for junior high and high school. Although it is intended for use in New York schools, much of the material should be adaptable to any state. Topics covered are: (1) types and functions of government; (2)…

Using a simulation of the constitutional procedures on appointment of U.S. Supreme Court justices, illustrates how the separation of powers established by the Constitution affects all three branches of government. Provides an outline of the simulation procedure, a lesson plan, and a brief bibliography. (LS)

A discussion guide, one in a series on constitutional reform issues developed by The Jefferson Foundation as part of The Jefferson Meeting on the Constitution project, examines electoral college reform. The first section discusses how the electoral college functions and presents a brief history since 1787. The second section outlines four…

A discussion guide, one in a series on constitutional reform issues developed by The Jefferson Foundation as part of the Jefferson Meeting on the Constitution project, examines proposals to limit the President to a single 6-year term. The first section discusses the formative debate involved in the framing of the executive branch. The Presidential…

This curriculum project was designed to familiarize high school students with their own constitutional roots while gaining a better understanding of governmental systems developed by other nations. The project uses the U.S. Constitution as a baseline for analyzing the constitutions of other nations, and is intended to supplement courses in such…

A discussion guide, one in a series on constitutional reform issues developed by The Jefferson Foundation as part of The Jefferson Meeting on the Constitution project, examines the implications for calling a National Constitutional Convention. The controversy over the power of the amending convention is explained through tracing its development in…