United States Government

Supreme Law, The Constitution

• United States Constitution:

  • Constitution at Archives.Org, Charters of Freedom: http://archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution.html

    • Transcript of the United States Constitution:

      •  http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html

  • Online, You can find many copies of the United States Constitution:

    • Here is a link to a PDF copy at the ConstitutionCenter.Org.  A readable PDF can be found here: http://www.constitutioncenter.org/633876696043236250.pdf

      • http://www.constitutioncenter.org/

    • Study the Constitution: http://www.constitutioncenter.org/ncc_edu_Studying_the_Constitution.aspx

  • Rights, Bill of Rights Links

     

• Washington State Constitution:

  • Secretary of State: http://www.sos.wa.gov/history/constitution.aspx

  • Washington State Legislature: (PDF Copy available Here)

    • http://www.leg.wa.gov/LawsAndAgencyRules/Pages/constitution.aspx

Three Branches of Government

• Legislature

  • Congressman Doc Hastings: http://hastings.house.gov/ (Washington's 4th Congressional District)

  • Congress for Kids: http://www.congressforkids.net/

  • C-Span Live: http://www.c-span.org/Live-Video/C-SPAN/

  • Dirksen Congressional Center: http://www.congresslink.org/

  • House of Representatives: http://www.house.gov/

    • Education: http://www.house.gov/house/Educate.shtml

  • Representatives:

    • Contacting the Congress: http://www.contactingthecongress.org/

    • Washington State: Find your legislator: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/

    • Write your US Representative: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

  • Senate: http://www.senate.gov/

    • Senator Patty Murray, Senior Senator From Washington: http://murray.senate.gov/public/

    • Senator Maria Cantwell, Junior Senator from Washington: http://cantwell.senate.gov/

• Executive

  • Barack H. Obama is the 44th President of the United States:

    • http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/president-obama

  • Cabinet: http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/cabinet

  • Executive Branch, Loc.Gov, Reading Room: http://www.loc.gov/rr/news/fedgov.html

  • Presidential Libraries (C-Span:) http://presidentiallibraries.c-span.org/

  • USA Gov: Executive Branch: http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/Federal/Executive.shtml

    • All Agencies: http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/Federal/All_Agencies/index.shtml

  • White House: http://www.whitehouse.gov/

    • White House Blog: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog

• Judicial, Supreme Court:

  • Court Cases, Famous: http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/ftrials.htm

  • C-Span (Supreme Court:) http://supremecourt.c-span.org/

  • Historical Society: http://www.supremecourthistory.org/

  • Landmark Supreme Court cases about students: At: http://www.uscourts.gov/

  • Opinions, Supreme Court: http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/opinions.aspx

  • PBS Supreme Court: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/index.html:

    • http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/educators/lp1.html

  • Thurgood Marshall Instructional Unit:

    • http://www.savannahtah.com/resources/marshall/thurgood-marshall-instr-unit.pdf

  • United States Courts, Classroom activities: www.uscourts.gov

    •  Activities http://www.uscourts.gov/EducationalResources/ClassroomActivities.aspx

    • Comparing State and Federal Courts

    • Dissents

    • Understanding the Federal Courts

    • Videos, Supreme Court Dialogs

   

  • United States Supreme Court: http://www.supremecourt.gov/

    • About: http://www.supremecourt.gov/about/about.aspx

   

• Three Branches of Government:

  • Worksheets and Graphic Organizers

    • Congress for Kids: http://www.congressforkids.net/games/threebranches/2_threebranches.htm

    • CPSB.ORG: http://www.cpsb.org/regionv/sample_projects/webquests/projects/julie_turnage/worksheet%20about%20each%20branch.htm

    • Truman Library http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/teacher_lessons/3branches/2.htm

    • US Mint: http://www.usmint.gov/kids/teachers/lessonplans/presidential/2007/0406.pdf

  • Michigan Courts: http://www.courts.michigan.gov/lc-gallery/3-branches-govt.htm

• Federalism

Bill of Rights

• Transcripts: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html

  • Information: http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/

    • Marbury V Madison Lesson: http://billofrightsinstitute.org/document.doc?id=23

• 1st Amendment:

  • "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."  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

    • Cornell University, Law School: http://topics.law.cornell.edu/wex/First_amendment

    • Establishment Clause: http://topics.law.cornell.edu/wex/establishment_clause

    • Notable First Amendment court cases, from American Library Association:  http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/firstamendment/courtcases/courtcases.cfm

• 4th Amendment:

  • "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution

  • Flying McCoys: http://www.gocomics.com/theflyingmccoys/2011/04/06

  • Summaries:
    • http://www.fourthamendmentsummaries.com/

Instructional Links

• American History/Govt: http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/History_American.shtml

• California Judicial Education for Youth Project:

  • Packet PDF

• Canada:

  • Three Branches of Government, Canada / British Columbia:

    • http://qp.gov.bc.ca/info/bcti/2010/spring/lp1-English.htm

• Constitutional Issues:

  • Teacher Resource: http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/home.html

  • Constitutional Timeline: http://www.constitutioncenter.org/timeline/

   

• Constitution Day:

  • Constitution Day Workshops: http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/constitution-workshop/

  • Kentucky Department of Education: http://www.education.ky.gov/kde/instructional+resources/high+school/social+studies/constitution+day.htm

  • Loc.Gov: http://www.loc.gov/law/help/commemorative-observations/constitution-day.php

  • Maryland Courts: http://www.courts.state.md.us/education/constitution_day.html

  • Needham K12 Constitution Day Curriculum

  • NEH Edsite: http://161.58.89.189/ConstitutionDay/default.asp

  • Our Archives: http://www.ourarchives.wikispaces.net/Constitution+of+the+United+States

  • SELU: http://www.selu.edu/library/news/articles/constitutionday.html

  • Teaching with Documents: http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/constitution-day/

  • US Courts: http://www.uscourts.gov/EducationalResources/ConstitutionResources/ConstitutionDay.aspx

• CSpan Resource Center: http://www.c-spanclassroom.org/

• Electoral College (Archives:) http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/about.html

• Federalism: (Definition WikiPedia)

  • About.Com Definition: http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/rightsandfreedoms/a/federalism.htm

  • Ben's Guide: http://bensguide.gpo.gov/9-12/government/federalism.html

  • Federalism at America.Gov: http://www.america.gov/st/usg-english/2007/January/20071128094357abretnuH0.8318903.html

  • Federalism (Significant Events) at InfoUSA: http://infousa.state.gov/government/overview/federal.html

  • Federalist Papers (Loc.Gov:) http://thomas.loc.gov/home/histdox/fedpapers.html

    • Lessons:

      • Eric Digest: http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-1/usa.htm

      • Federalism Debates (EdSitement:) http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/federalist-debates-balancing-power-between-state-and-federal-governments

      • SSCDE: http://www.sscde.org/lessons/files/C_68_LES_WhatisFederalism.pdf

  • State / Local Resources:

    • http://www.c-span.org/Resources/State-Local/

      • Washington State: http://www.leg.wa.gov/legislature/Pages/visitingthelegislature.aspx

• Founding Documents (Constitution Center:)

  •  http://www.constitutioncenter.org/ncc_edu_Founding_Documents.aspx

• Goals for Civics:

  • Union County Public Schools: http://seced.ucps.k12.nc.us/social_studies/Goal%20Assignments%20for%20Civics.php (Very well put together list)

• Lesson Plans:

  • Constitution Center Lesson Plans:

    • http://www.constitutioncenter.org/ncc_edu_Lesson_Plans.aspx

  • Edsite:

    •  Balancing the branches

    • Presidential Responsibilities:

  • Maryland Judiciary / Education (Separation of Powers:) http://www.courts.state.md.us/education/sop/lesson_activities_middle.pdf

  • Out with Old, In with the New: http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/ntti/resources/lessons/h_oldnew/index.html

  • Supreme Court Rulings lesson: http://www.historyofsupremecourt.org/resources/lp_youngpeople_CourtRuling.htm

  • Utah Ed Network (Checks and Balances:) http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview?LPid=108

• Kids.Gov: http://www.kids.gov/educators/ed_government.shtml

• Ratification: http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/constitution-day/ratification.html

• Voting

  • Right not to vote: http://www.deliberating.org/Lessons_Voting.pdf

  WebQuests:

  • Congress: http://www.nclack.k12.or.us/1824201917192650/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=59287

  • Government: http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=56175

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