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.

Robert O. Black is a social studies teacher at the Harbor City Learning Center, and former Teachers Network web mentor.

Introduction

This lesson is included to help students analyze and understand the historic documents examined in a government course. Have students practice frequently with the template using excerpts from the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, Supreme Court cases, or other historical  writings.

Sample Web Sites:

Articles of Confederation

The Constitution


Supreme Court Cases


National Archives and Records Administration


The lesson plan and sample student response sheet were developed to match:

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

Below is the First Amendment from the Bill of Rights which students will use in this lesson. Make an overhead transparency or individual student copies.

Amendment 1, U.S. Constitution

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.