Foundations of Government
PowerPoint Presentations
While these presentations will technically function in Google Slides, they won't work well. Download the file as a PowerPoint and run it from your Desktop for best results!
Causes of the Revolution - One simply cannot understand how our government was formed without understanding why it was formed.
Activities, Labs and Lessons
The Purpose of Government - Oh no! The world has fallen apart and the government has collapsed. Can your class create a set of governing rules to handle the challenges the come? (probably not, but it's fun to watch them try!)
What is Power? - What is power and why do we freely give it up? We'll find out with the help of some of Earth's mightiest heroes!
Enlightenment Influencers Speed Dating - A look at the ideas of 6 thinkers who influenced the founding documents of the United States. Are you compatible?
HA: The Prince - Machiavelli is just too interesting to ignore. Students read and respond to a chapter from The Prince then consider what Machiavelli's advice would look like if followed by children on the playground.
Government Types Simulation - students make a series of class decisions using different forms of government for each to experience how results can change even if they people and decisions don't.
Gummy Bear Governments - A short reading from iCivics about types of governments leads to small groups representing government types using gummy bears.
Time Warp VI: Governments Through Time - Experience living under different government structures though this point and click adventure game.
HA: Democracy in America - Before we dive into American Government, let's look at the ideal through the eyes of a French tourist in the early 1800s, Alexander de Tocqueville, with this close reading activity.
Of Parents and Children - a story of childhood that serves as an analogy for the causes of the Revolution. This is way more interesting if you use this Presentation File as students work through the hyperdoc. It is much more visually appealing!
The Settlers of America - an extremely fun game/simulation where students make a series of decisions to help build the most prosperous colony while maintaining positive relations with the British king.
Hamilton: Act 1 - A series of activities analyzing and responding to songs from Hamilton. This set focuses on Act 1 up through the end of the Revolutionary War.
Declaration Breakdown - a multi-day activity that looks deeply into the Declaration in multiple parts. The overall analogy is viewing it as a breakup letter.
WTE: Declaration - Evaluate the lasting and global impact of the Declaration of Independence featuring National Treasure!
Operation: AOC! - Our patient, Art O. Confederation, has come in with a series of maladies, can you cure him? Let's play Operation to see if we can save the Articles of Confederation from the Shays' Rebellion virus!
A New ASB: A Constitutional Convention Simulation (PearDeck) - students try to design a better, more representative ASB with questions modeled after those debated at the Constitutional Convention.
The Preamble - Before we dig into deep analysis of the Constitution we're going to look at the 6 major roles of the U.S. government as outlined in the Preamble.
CYOA: Foundations of Government - Learning menu with 10(ish) options for activities to demonstrate mastery of the unit.
Grid Game: Foundations of Government - a fun twist on Hexagonal thinking themed around Squid Game. Makes for a great final unit review or assessment. I highly recommend playing Pink Soldiers from the Squid Game soundtrack to set the mood in class!