Social Studies Lessons for High School is designed for social studies teachers to use with their government and history courses. It was developed in response to a shift in education throughout our country: a move away from rote memorization and toward the critical thinking skills necessary for many of the new performance assessment programs.

Each lesson will enable teachers to teach seven specific critical thinking skills in a step-by-step process. The information has been adapted for old media and new media formats. Web sites will be provided that will allow teachers to choose the most appropriate resource for the selected activity. All selections can be copied for classroom use. Teachers may adapt activities to allow students to complete assignments via the web.

Bob Black is former Teachers Network web mentor. He is a social studies teacher at the Harbor City Learning Center, located across the street from the historic Edgar Allen Poe House  in Baltimore, MD.

Lesson Plan Standard
Students will analyze historic documents to determine the basic principles of United States government and apply them to real-world situations.

Indicator 
Students will use reading skills and strategies to gather information and interpret written messages.

Lesson Objectives 
Students will be able to:

• Analyze the major parts of the First Amendment to the Constitution.
  
• Explain the importance of First Amendment rights.
  

• Primary Document Analysis Introduction
• Template
• Sample Student Template