Back to Standards Index: National Council for the Social Studies C3 Framework

Standards Index: D2.Civ.4.9-12.

Find lessons and videos that align with standards

Explain how the U.S. Constitution establishes a system of government that has powers, responsibilities, and limits that have changed over time and that are still contested.

Image from Why the Supreme Court Endorsed, Then Limited Affirmative Action
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Why the Supreme Court Endorsed, Then Limited Affirmative Action

Students will examine contemporary and historical Supreme Court cases dealing with affirmative action.
Image from Why Supreme Court Confirmations Have Become So Bitter
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Why Supreme Court Confirmations Have Become So Bitter

Students will examine the nomination and confirmation process for Supreme Court Justices and learn why the judges often reveal so little.
Image from The Battle for Votes: Gerrymandering
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The Battle for Votes: Gerrymandering

Students will learn the causes and effects of gerrymandering, and how court decisions authorizing race-based gerrymandering have reshaped American politics and created complex legacies.
Image from Stealing J. Edgar Hoover's Secrets – Mini Lesson
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Stealing J. Edgar Hoover's Secrets – Mini Lesson

Students will analyze the significance of the break-in at the Media, Pennsylvania FBI office and the subsequent exposure of the COINTELPRO program.
Image from ‘No’ on Impeachment Unites Today's GOP. In the 1950s, a Renegade Dared to Break Ranks – Mini Lesson
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‘No’ on Impeachment Unites Today's GOP. In the 1950s, a Renegade Dared to Break Ranks – Mini Lesson

Students will learn about how Margaret Chase Smith broke ranks with her fellow Republicans in condemning McCarthyism, and also evaluate the potential consequences of politicians who choose not to align with their affiliated party.
Image from How a 1944 Supreme Court Ruling on Internment Camps Led to a Reckoning
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How a 1944 Supreme Court Ruling on Internment Camps Led to a Reckoning

Students will learn how the U.S. government imprisoned 120,000 people of Japanese descent, most American citizens, during World War II and the lasting impact of a related Supreme Court ruling.
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The Indian Child Welfare Act

Students will learn about how for generations, Native American children were removed from their homes and placed with white families. A recent Supreme Court ruling affirms the rights of Native families and tribes, giving them preference in adoption and foster care.
Image from Presidents v. Press: How the Pentagon Papers Leak Set Up First Amendment Showdowns
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Presidents v. Press: How the Pentagon Papers Leak Set Up First Amendment Showdowns

Students will learn about the Pentagon Papers during Nixon’s presidency, the long history of U.S. presidents battling national security leaks and the role of a free press in America’s democracy.