ALEX Resources

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

This lesson is designed to inform students about the organization of our nation's government. Students will be introduced to the three branches of American government and the responsibilities of each. They will discuss the requirements for becoming President and take a "virtual tour" of the White House. All of this is done through the use of a digital slideshow, which includes a direct link to the Internet for further study.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

In this learning activity, students will collaboratively compare and contrast the New Jersey Plan and the Virginia Plan using a Venn Diagram.  The students will discuss the similarities and differences between the two plans.  The students will also look for characteristics in our current government.  Finally, students will discuss the results of the debate over both plans.

This activity was created as a result of the ALEX Resource Development Summit. 

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] GHS (3) 10 :

10 ) Recognize functions of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing the process by which a bill becomes law

•  Explaining the relationship between the federal government and state governments, including the three branches of government (Alabama)

•  Defining governmental systems, including democracy, monarchy, and dictatorship

[SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

[SS2010] CIV (7) 5 :

5 ) Compare duties and functions of members of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Alabama's local and state governments and of the national government. (Alabama)

•  Locating political and geographic districts of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Alabama's local and state governments and of the national government (Alabama)

•  Describing the organization and jurisdiction of courts at the local, state, and national levels within the judicial system of the United States (Alabama)

•  Explaining concepts of separation of powers and checks and balances among the three branches of state and national governments (Alabama)

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

Students will love rapping along with this video. This video sets the principles of the Bill of Rights to music to help students remember them. 

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

Students will enjoy learning about the three branches of government with this video! This video describes the functions of the three branches of government and the concept of checks and balances through rap. 

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

The rights protected by the First Amendment are important. However, there are limits to these rights. Who decides these limits? The Supreme Court does. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. It makes decisions about what is or is not allowed, based on the Constitution. Sometimes, the Court’s decisions create limits on certain rights. In 1983, a group of high school students tested these limits. They thought their school principal had denied their right to freedom of expression.

Note: You will need to create a free account to access this resource.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] GHS (3) 10 :

10 ) Recognize functions of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing the process by which a bill becomes law

•  Explaining the relationship between the federal government and state governments, including the three branches of government (Alabama)

•  Defining governmental systems, including democracy, monarchy, and dictatorship

[SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

In this online interactive game, Ms. Information is traveling the country trying to re-write history with her false information! Can you stop her? She has traveled to the National Archives in Washington D.C. to change the history of the Constitution. Use your knowledge of this great document to foil her plan once and for all!

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] USS5 (5) 8 :

8 ) Identify major events of the American Revolution, including the battles of Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill, Saratoga, and Yorktown.

•  Describing principles contained in the Declaration of Independence

•  Explaining contributions of Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, Patrick Henry, Thomas Paine, George Washington, Haym Solomon, and supporters from other countries to the American Revolution

•  Explaining contributions of ordinary citizens, including African Americans and women, to the American Revolution

•  Describing efforts to mobilize support for the American Revolution by the Minutemen, Committees of Correspondence, First Continental Congress, Sons of Liberty, boycotts, and the Second Continental Congress

•  Locating on a map major battle sites of the American Revolution, including the battles of Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill, Saratoga, and Yorktown

•  Recognizing reasons for colonial victory in the American Revolution

•  Explaining the effect of the Treaty of Paris of 1783 on the development of the United States

[SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

[SS2010] USS5 (5) 11 :

11 ) Identify causes of the Civil War, including states' rights and the issue of slavery.

•  Describing the importance of the Missouri Compromise, Nat Turner's insurrection, the Compromise of 1850, the Dred Scott decision, John Brown's rebellion, and the election of 1860

•  Recognizing key Northern and Southern personalities, including Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson, William Tecumseh Sherman, and Joseph Wheeler (Alabama)

•  Describing social, economic, and political conditions that affected citizens during the Civil War

•  Identifying Alabama's role in the Civil War (Alabama)

Examples: Montgomery as the first capital of the Confederacy, Winston County's opposition to Alabama's secession (Alabama)

•  Locating on a map sites important to the Civil War

Examples: Mason-Dixon Line, Fort Sumter, Appomattox, Gettysburg, Confederate states, Union states (Alabama)

•  Explaining events that led to the conclusion of the Civil War

This is a Jeopardy-style game on United States Founding Fathers. It's super fun for classrooms, individuals, or small teams, and is totally customizable. Uncheck "teams take turns" to make it more exciting for kids.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] GHS (3) 10 :

10 ) Recognize functions of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing the process by which a bill becomes law

•  Explaining the relationship between the federal government and state governments, including the three branches of government (Alabama)

•  Defining governmental systems, including democracy, monarchy, and dictatorship

[SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

The president of the United States is among the most powerful political figures in the world. In the international realm, the president speaks for the country and is the symbol of America. At home, the president suggests the policy agenda for Congress and is the leader of his or her political party. Americans look to the president for leadership, while at the same time fearing the concentration of political power in the executive branch. Each of these activities introduces students to the executive branch and explores the ways that checks and balances limit presidential power.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] GHS (3) 10 :

10 ) Recognize functions of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing the process by which a bill becomes law

•  Explaining the relationship between the federal government and state governments, including the three branches of government (Alabama)

•  Defining governmental systems, including democracy, monarchy, and dictatorship

[SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

[SS2010] CIV (7) 5 :

5 ) Compare duties and functions of members of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Alabama's local and state governments and of the national government. (Alabama)

•  Locating political and geographic districts of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Alabama's local and state governments and of the national government (Alabama)

•  Describing the organization and jurisdiction of courts at the local, state, and national levels within the judicial system of the United States (Alabama)

•  Explaining concepts of separation of powers and checks and balances among the three branches of state and national governments (Alabama)

In this video from PBSLearningMedia, students learn the peaceful transfer of power from one U.S. president to the next takes place during their inauguration ceremony. Nick walks us through traditions surrounding the big day, including the new president's address and ball.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] GHS (3) 10 :

10 ) Recognize functions of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing the process by which a bill becomes law

•  Explaining the relationship between the federal government and state governments, including the three branches of government (Alabama)

•  Defining governmental systems, including democracy, monarchy, and dictatorship

[SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

In this video from PBSLearningMedia, students learn the Electoral College is the process by which we elect the President of the United States. When a voter casts his/her vote for President, they’re not actually voting for them directly. Instead, they are telling the state which party’s designees should serve as the state’s electors.

More About This Resource:

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

In this video from PBSLearningMedia, students learn how a bill becomes a law. It’s tough! First, there is an idea. Someone in Congress writes it up as a bill and introduces it. But, most bills don't stop right there. A Bill becomes a law if the bill has passed in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate and has then approved by the President, or if a presidential veto has been overridden, the bill becomes a law and is enforced by the government.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

[SS2010] CIV (7) 5 :

5 ) Compare duties and functions of members of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Alabama's local and state governments and of the national government. (Alabama)

•  Locating political and geographic districts of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Alabama's local and state governments and of the national government (Alabama)

•  Describing the organization and jurisdiction of courts at the local, state, and national levels within the judicial system of the United States (Alabama)

•  Explaining concepts of separation of powers and checks and balances among the three branches of state and national governments (Alabama)

In this video from PBSLearningMedia, students learn once every 10 years, the government sends workers all over the country to knock on our doors for the U.S. Census mandated by Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. The census provides critical data that lawmakers, business owners, teachers, and many others use to provide daily services, products, and support to local communities. Census data provides billions of dollars in federal funding that goes to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and other essential services.

The census also determines the number of seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives and is used to draw congressional and state legislative districts

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] GHS (3) 10 :

10 ) Recognize functions of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing the process by which a bill becomes law

•  Explaining the relationship between the federal government and state governments, including the three branches of government (Alabama)

•  Defining governmental systems, including democracy, monarchy, and dictatorship

[SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

[SS2010] CIV (7) 5 :

5 ) Compare duties and functions of members of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Alabama's local and state governments and of the national government. (Alabama)

•  Locating political and geographic districts of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of Alabama's local and state governments and of the national government (Alabama)

•  Describing the organization and jurisdiction of courts at the local, state, and national levels within the judicial system of the United States (Alabama)

•  Explaining concepts of separation of powers and checks and balances among the three branches of state and national governments (Alabama)

In this video from PBSLearningMedia, students learn about the constitution. To protect the rights of the people—the Constitution says it takes three parts of the government to make or change a law or make other important decisions. This separation of powers is the process by which states govern. The state's government is divided into branches, each with separate, independent powers and responsibilities so that the powers of one branch are not in conflict with other branches. They serve as checks and balances to each other.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

[SS2010] CIV (7) 6 :

6 ) Explain the importance of juvenile, adult, civil, and criminal laws within the judicial system of the United States.

•  Explaining rights of citizens as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights under the Constitution of the United States

•  Explaining what is meant by the term rule of law

•  Justifying consequences of committing a civil or criminal offense

•  Contrasting juvenile and adult laws at local, state, and federal levels (Alabama)

In this video from PBSLearningMedia, students learn the US Constitution has a Bill of Rights that was created to provide protection for individual freedoms. It starts with the First Amendment. The First Amendment protects five freedoms: speech, religion, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government. Together, these five guaranteed freedoms make the people of the United States of America the freest in the world.

The First Amendment states: “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.”

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

[SS2010] CIV (7) 6 :

6 ) Explain the importance of juvenile, adult, civil, and criminal laws within the judicial system of the United States.

•  Explaining rights of citizens as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights under the Constitution of the United States

•  Explaining what is meant by the term rule of law

•  Justifying consequences of committing a civil or criminal offense

•  Contrasting juvenile and adult laws at local, state, and federal levels (Alabama)

In this video from PBSLearningMedia, students learn the constitution’s Second Amendment says that individuals do have the right to keep and bear arms, for the purpose of personal defense in the home. "A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

The Second Amendment was part of the Bill of Rights that was added to the Constitution on December 15, 1791.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

In this interactive game from iCivics, students will learn about all three branches of government by controlling them in this game.  They will have the power to write any laws they want about the issues they choose. If they can keep their government working for thirty minutes to complete the game, they win!  This game can be played while teaching about the three branches of government or after as an assessment.  

You will need to create a free account in order to access some of the content on this site.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

[SS2010] CIV (7) 6 :

6 ) Explain the importance of juvenile, adult, civil, and criminal laws within the judicial system of the United States.

•  Explaining rights of citizens as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights under the Constitution of the United States

•  Explaining what is meant by the term rule of law

•  Justifying consequences of committing a civil or criminal offense

•  Contrasting juvenile and adult laws at local, state, and federal levels (Alabama)

[SS2010] US10 (10) 4 :

4 ) Describe the political system of the United States based on the Constitution of the United States. [A.1.a., A.1.b., A.1.d., A.1.g., A.1.i.]

•  Interpreting the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States; separation of powers; federal system; elastic clause; the Bill of Rights; and the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Nineteenth Amendments as key elements of the Constitution of the United States

•  Describing inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation

•  Distinguishing personalities, issues, ideologies, and compromises related to the Constitutional Convention and the ratification of the Constitution of the United States, including the role of the Federalist papers

•  Identifying factors leading to the development and establishment of political parties, including Alexander Hamilton's economic policies, conflicting views of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, George Washington's Farewell Address, and the election of 1800

[SS2010] USG (12) 2 :

2 ) Summarize the significance of the First and Second Continental Congresses, the Declaration of Independence, Shays' Rebellion, and the Articles of Confederation of 1781 on the writing and ratification of the Constitution of the United States of 1787 and the Bill of Rights of 1791.

[SS2010] USG (12) 3 :

3 ) Analyze major features of the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights for purposes, organization, functions, and principles, including rule of law, federalism, limited government, popular sovereignty, judicial review, separation of powers, and checks and balances.

•  Explaining main ideas of the debate over ratification that included the Federalist papers

•  Analyzing the Bill of Rights for its application to historical and current issues

•  Outlining the formal process of amending the Constitution of the United States

This is an interactive game from iCivics. The game is set in 1787, where the ink is still drying on the new Constitution. Will it become the law of the land or will it fall into the dustbin of history? The fate of the young nation is in their hands! Use this game to teach the big ideas at the core of the ratification debate between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists. Students will identify the main stances of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists between 1787 and 1789, understand the key debates surrounding the ratification of the constitution, including an extended republic, the House of Representatives, the Senate, executive power, the judiciary, and a bill of rights. Students will interact with the ideas, perspectives, and arguments that defined the ratification debate. They will explore the many different viewpoints, which spanned geographic regions, populations, and socio-economic class. Students will identify the building blocks of the proposed Constitution. They will engage with competing ideas in order to form an effective and cohesive set of arguments for, or against, ratification within a state. This game can be used during a lesson on the constitution to reinforce concepts or after the lesson as an assessment. This game can be played in a whole group or individually.

You will need to create a free account in order to access some of the content on this site.

   View Standards     Standard(s): [SS2010] USS5 (5) 9 :

9 ) Explain how inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation led to the creation and eventual ratification of the Constitution of the United States.

•  Describing major ideas, concepts, and limitations of the Constitution of the United States, including duties and powers of the three branches of government

•  Identifying factions in favor of and opposed to ratification of the Constitution of the United States

Example: Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions

•  Identifying main principles in the Bill of Rights

•  Analyzing the election of George Washington as President of the United States for its impact on the role of president in a republic

[SS2010] CIV (7) 6 :

6 ) Explain the importance of juvenile, adult, civil, and criminal laws within the judicial system of the United States.

•  Explaining rights of citizens as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights under the Constitution of the United States

•  Explaining what is meant by the term rule of law

•  Justifying consequences of committing a civil or criminal offense

•  Contrasting juvenile and adult laws at local, state, and federal levels (Alabama)

[SS2010] CIV (7) 10 :

10 ) Describe individual and civic responsibilities of citizens of the United States.

Examples: individual—respect for rights of others, self-discipline, negotiation, compromise, fiscal responsibility

civic—respect for law, patriotism, participation in political process, fiscal responsibility

•  Differentiating rights, privileges, duties, and responsibilities between citizens and noncitizens

•  Explaining how United States' citizenship is acquired by immigrants

•  Explaining character traits that are beneficial to individuals and society

Examples: honesty, courage, compassion, civility, loyalty

[SS2010] CIV (7) 12 :

12 ) Describe how the United States can be improved by individual and group participation in civic and community activities.

•  Identifying options for civic and community action

Examples: investigating the feasibility of a specific solution to a traffic problem, developing a plan for construction of a subdivision, using maps to make and justify decisions about best locations for public facilities

•  Determining ways to participate in the political process

Examples: voting, running for office, serving on a jury, writing letters, being involved in political parties and political campaigns

This interactive game from iCivics will allow students to become experts in U.S. citizenship. Students will recognize and recall rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens, identify active ways in which citizens can participate in government and contribute to the common good, and relate like terms and concepts by deducing shared relationships. This game can be played during a lesson on citizenship for reinforcement or after a lesson as an assessment. It can be played in a whole group or individually.