Some educators see the Common Core State Standards as reason for stress, most recognize the positive possibilities associated with them and are willing to make the professional commitment to implementing them so that academic rigor for all students will increase. But business leaders, parents, and the authors of the Common Core are not the only…

Activities in this elementary school unit about the 1980 presidential election can easily be adapted to any election. Fact sheets list the main functions of the president, 10 steps in becoming president, qualifications for the presidency, qualifications and duties of the vice president, election vocabulary, an explanation of the electoral college,…

A program, called "Decision Making in the Public Sector" that uses simulated internships, was designed to provide IBM participants with firsthand exposure to the government actors, institutions, and processes involved in the formation and implementation of public policy. (Author/ND)

Describes content and activities of a "student legislative practicum" designed to prepare students from North Carolina State University for participation in the annual legislative session of the North Carolina Student Legislature (NCSL). The practicum employed the NCSL experience as a vehicle for understanding the legislative process more fully.…

Notes that young children's involvement with the political system begins with a strong positive attachment to the country, and the president is prominent in children's minds when thinking of government. Suggests children's books; theme immersion; writing activities, such as research reports and interviews; and mock elections to enhance students'…

This article offers a class activity on separation of powers and checks and balances within the U.S. government. Based on Franklin Delano Roosevelt's attempt to push through legislation for the New Deal of the 1930s by "packing" the U.S. Supreme Court, the activity includes worksheets and teaching suggestions. (JDH)

Part of a course designed to acquaint high school students with basic information concerning careers in community service, this student guide is one of nine (each with accompanying teacher's manual) which constitute a course entitled "Orientation to Public Service." Focus in the units covered by the guide is on government agency…

A series of elementary and secondary school learning activities which correlate to citizenship education goals of the Maryland State Board of Education are presented. The five goals are to understand individual and group responsibilities in a democracy, know the functions of law and support a system of justice, value individual, societal, and…

Intermediate grade teachers are provided with 14 presidential election learning activities which introduce students to the different stages of the campaign process, past presidents, and the two-party system. Students participate in a presidential facts game, an election vocabulary game, a word search, and a matching game; create campaign slogans…

The Unites States Constitution and the Bill of Rights set forth the basic principles of the U.S. democratic constitutional order. It is from these documents that the fundamental political concepts of the United States are derived. The program presented here was developed for junior high school students and is intended to combat the apathy toward…

The materials in this resource handbook are for the use of Pennsylvania teachers in developing classroom activities during National Women's History Week. The focus is on women who were notably active in government and politics (primarily, but not necessarily in Pennsylvania). The following women are profiled: Hallie Quinn Brown; Mary Ann Shadd…

Part of a course designed to acquaint high school students with basic information concerning careers in community service, this teacher's manual is one of nine (each with accompanying student guide) which constitute a course entitled "Orientation to Public Service." Focus in the units covered by the manual is on government agency…

A strategy used to make a secondary Canadian civics course come alive is described. Students were given copies of "Hansard," each copy covering one day in the life of Canada's House of Commons. Each student selected four issues and explained how the federal government works with regard to the issues. (RM)

The article describes a multidisciplinary humanities program (HIP) for gifted and talented ninth graders in Houston County, Georgia. HIP is comprised of project- and activity-oriented units that lend themselves to the humanistic and thematic approach. (DLS)

Designed for use in secondary school government classes, this booklet describes Wisconsin's state and local governmental system. Chapter 1 identifies Wisconsin's governmental units as: (1) the nation; (2) state; (3) county; (4) municipal; (5) vocational, technical, adult education districts; and (6) school districts. Chapter 2 defines the term…