A new lesson, appropriate for 8th grade civics and adaptable for other grades, asks: What impact did the Magna Carta have on the U.S. Constitution and the shaping of the 14th Amendment? With a particular emphasis placed on the due process of law, students analyze and organize primary source documents ranging from a British Court of Common Pleas from 1610 to Chief Justice Warren’s notes on Miranda v. Arizona in 1966.

“...establish justice…” “...promote the general welfare….” “...secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity…”   Just in time for election day, here is a simple lesson on the founding goals for the government of the United States, adaptable for all grade levels.

Who gets accepted as a citizen or as an immigrant?  Who is considered a desirable immigrant? This lesson plan examines the arrival of newcomers and the history of the entry process. Students use primary source images and texts to investigate the answer to this question for Ellis Island in the 1900s and then present evidence with supported claims.