This curriculum, intended to be used in the middle school grades, introduces students to the study of constitutional government in the United States. It is designed to help students understand the most important ideas of the constitutional system and how they were developed and to provide students with a knowledge of how the Constitution came into…

Directed to secondary school teachers of history, government, and civics, this book is designed to fit common educational objectives in secondary school curriculum guides that call for teaching and learning about the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights. The volume is intended to encourage careful reading, analysis, and classroom…

Ten essays discuss federal democracy, the form of government of the United States. The first essay discusses the origins of American federalism. The second examines why we have a federal system, the functions federalism serves, and the consequences of federalism for the American political system. Federalism in the Constitution and constitutional…

Focusing on the theme of conflict resolution, this booklet contains 22 lessons developed and used by classroom teachers at all grade levels. The lessons generally contain a brief overview, goals and objectives, student activities, and corresponding handouts or materials useful in implementing the lessons. Each lesson contains insights into methods…

Discusses the constitutional protection of individual rights, particularly how they relate to the conduct of law enforcement. Summarizes a number of Supreme Court decisions and the legal precedents they established. Considers the various jurisdictions and duties of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. (MJP)

Argues that law-related education should move beyond teaching the mechanics and issues of government and include those concepts of civic virtue incorporated within democracy. Notes that students need philosophical and moral content as well as experiential learning. (MJP)

This teacher's guide is designed to accompany the two-part videotape "One Nation Under God? School Prayer and the First Amendment." The videotape and teacher's guide should help students to: (1) understand the history of freedom of religion and the First Amendment; (2) examine the controversy surrounding school prayer; (3) compare and…

The "Focus on Government" video series consist of four parts: (1) "Congress and the Legislative Branch"; (2) "The Presidency and the Executive Branch"; (3) "The Supreme Court and the Constitution"; and (4) "The Media and Public Policy." Each of these parts is approximately twelve minutes long and…

The purpose of this book is to revitalize teaching and learning about the U.S. Constitution for elementary and secondary school students. Fifty-one classroom teachers participated in the Special Programs in Citizenship Education (SPICE II), a project that focused on the development of new lesson plans and activities on the Constitution. These…

A compilation of student impressions of legal systems and constitutions in different countries, this booklet contains examples of student work completed at a 5-day law related education institute in Washington, D.C. in 1990. The institute brought together students representing seven different countries (China, France, United Kingdom, the…

This document consists of 3 volumes of a serial devoted to law-related education (LRE) offering background information on a wide range of legal issues and teaching strategies for LRE. The title themes for the three volumes include "International Law,""Crime and Freedom," and "Civil Law". Background articles are…

This document consists of three issues of a serial devoted to law-related education (LRE) that offers background information on a wide range of legal issues and teaching strategies for LRE. The title themes for the three issues include: (1) "Speech, Press, Religion, Assembly, Petition"; (2) "Law in the New Information Age"; and…

Dissects features of the First Amendment, concentrating on freedom of religion, speech, and press clauses. Highlights the Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier case and its reverberations. Argues that, when school officials censor, students learn that government may censor. Suggests censorship is counterproductive to schools' mission to promote…

Explores the constitutional amendments and federal laws that extended the right to vote to most citizens. Discusses the historical circumstances and social issues that surrounded passage of the 15th Amendment (elimination of racial barriers), 19th Amendment (women's right to vote), and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. (MJP)

This teaching guide accompanies a curriculum, intended to be used in the middle school grades, that introduces students to the study of constitutional government in the United States. It is designed to help students understand the most important ideas of the constitutional system and how they were developed, and to provide students with a…