This document focuses on the requirements of the immigrant amnesty process, which were established by the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986. Sections focus on the following questions: (1) How can eligible legalized aliens (ELA) fulfill the IRCA educational requirements? (2) What issues are considered in designing and offering an…

The 200th anniversary of the United States Constitution offers an excellent opportunity for encouraging renewed study of the principles and foundations of constitutional government. This resource packet provides a listing of current materials and resources to aid teachers in planning lesson units. The listings include: (1) professional…

Political tolerance is the willingness to extend basic rights and civil liberties to persons and groups whose viewpoints differ from one's own. It is a central tenet of a liberal democracy. The individual rights and freedoms that U.S. citizens value encourage a wide array of ideas and beliefs, some of which may offend segments of the population.…

Intended for use by high school U.S. history and government teachers and students, these scripted trials and related materials are designed to help students develop an understanding about important ideas in the U.S. Constitution. The document focuses on three fundamental issues of the Bill of Rights: search and seizure, freedom of expression, and…

During 1990, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reported findings about elementary and secondary school students' knowledge of U.S. history, geography, and civics. In 1988, the Joint Council on Economic Education reported findings from its national study of high school students' knowledge of economics. The designers and…

Since 1789, the Supreme Court has been making decisions that affect all U.S. citizens. The study of Supreme Court cases, therefore, should be an integral part of civic education. This ERIC Digest discusses: (1) constitutional issues and Supreme Court cases that should be taught; and (2) effective strategies for teaching them. It also includes a…

Ideas and information that can enhance education about the constitutional rights of individuals in U.S. history and the current system of government in the United States are included in this book. The resource guide contains nine distinct parts dealing with aspects of learning and teaching about the Bill of Rights in both elementary and secondary…

"CIVITAS" is a curriculum framework that specifies core ideas for civic education in the U.S. constitutional democracy. It reviews what adults should know and be able to do to as effective citizens. CIVITAS was developed by the Center for Civic Education in cooperation with the Council for the Advancement of Citizenship and with support…

Studying ideas from the Federalist papers provides high school students with an opportunity to examine the first principles of U.S. civic culture. By increasing their knowledge and appreciation of the basic ideas in the Federalist papers, students develop civic literacy that is likely to enhance their participation in a free society. This volume…

This publication was prepared as a resource guide to teaching strategies that help students understand the background, nature, and pervasive influence of the U.S. Constitution in the lives of every citizen. As the Constitutional Bicentennial approaches, the focus in many social studies classes increasingly will be on teaching about this most…