Lesson Plans
Civics Lesson Plans and Toolkits
Illinois Civics has created the following lesson plans to support the teaching of the required high school civics course in Illinois. Check back often, as more lesson plans will be added.
Separation of Powers
- Executive Orders– To what extent should executive orders be used to create public policy?
- State of the Union– How does data guide a President’s perspective and decisions?
Federalism
Judicial Review
- Are the Branches Balanced? Does the Judicial Branch equal or outweigh the other branches?
- Is Justice Blind? – Flowers v. Mississippi High School
- Was Justice Blind? – Flowers. v. Mississippi Middle School
- How do we balance some people’s rights with other people’s protections?: Jack Daniels Properties v. VIP Products, LLC
Limited Government
- First Amendment: Cyberbullying
- First Amendment: Flag Burning
- Second Amendment: Concealed Weapons in Schools
- Fourth Amendment: Surveillance
- Sixth Amendment: Right to Counsel
- Eighth Amendment: Juvenile Justice
Teaching Civics Through History
- Holocaust: What role do individuals and institutions play in confronting injustice?
- Japanese-American Internment: To what extent has America lived up to its democratic ideals in times of crisis?
- LGBTQ+ History Toolkit
- Little Rock: What choices can individuals and institutions make to combat injustice?
- The Fate of Confederate Monuments in New Orleans: How do we reckon with our past?