*(Easy)

Fritz, Jean; Shhhhh! We're Writing the Constitution

*(Average)

Fincher, E.B.; The American Legal System
Prohlman, Marilyn; The Story of the Constitution
Richards, Kenneth; The Story of the Supreme Court

*(Challenging)

Commager, Henry Steele; The Great Constitution

Houghton Mifflin Textbook; Oh California; Minipedia - pages 315-319; CA state government flowchart, State Constitution excerpts, an inaugural speech, and Supreme Court Cases.

*(Read-Alouds)

none

*(Resource)

Houghton Mifflin Textbook; Oh California; Minipedia - pages 315-319; CA state government flowchart, State Constitution excerpts, an inaugural speech, and Supreme Court Cases.
 

Video:

Becoming an Active Citizen  No EMC#  Sunburst Communic. 1994  16 mins 
California Lawmakers  EMC#880130 advanced
Exploring California's State Capital  EMC#880049  16 mins
For California: A Capitol Restoration  EMC#881239  29 mins
How Our Laws are Made  No EMC#  Sunburst Communic. 1994  21 mins
Neighborhood and Community  No EMC#  Sunburst Communic. 1994  20 mins
Rights and Responsibilities  No EMC#  Sunburst Communic. 1994  17 mins
Sketches from the Capitol  EMC#881871  20 mins

Internet:

http://www.assembly.ca.gov/
kids/kids1/kids1.htm  *students create a law

http://www.learner.org/
exhibits/statistics/
*students vote in mock election- advanced

http://www.kidsvista.com/
SocialStudies/government.html

http://fermi.jhuapl.edu/States/
maps1/ca_c.gif

http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/
*White House- general

http://www.whitehouse.gov
/WH/html/home.html 
*White House tour

http://www.assembly.ca.gov/
kids1/kids1.htm

http://www.assembly.ca.gov/
acs/acsframeset15.htm
*CA Assembly, Governor, etc

http://kweb.loc.gov/exhibits/
treasures/trt001.html 
*Decl. of Independence

http://tqd.advanced.org/2813/ 
*tour of nation's capital

http://www.webslingerz.com/
jhoffman/congress-email.html
*Congressional email addresses 

http://www.senate.gov
*U.S. Senate

http://www.house.gov 
*House of Reps

Welcome to the White House
http://www.whitehouse.gov
/WH/kids/html/home.html
Description: Socks, the First Cat, helps children understand the importance of the White House to their country's history.
Comments: Socks the First Cat, takes the young student on a tour of the White House giving children a sense of its importance in their lives.
Resource Type: True
Graphics Content: True
 

How Ideas Become Laws
http://www.assembly.ca.gov/
kids/kids1/kids1.htm
Description: Students learn the steps in turning ideas into laws as they as they become active participants in the process. This site is brought to you by the California Assembly.
Resource Type: Mix of Text and Graphics
Graphics Content: High
 

White House for Kids
http://www.whitehouse.gov/
WH/kids/html/kidshome.html
Description: Take a tour of the White House with Socks and Buddy! A fun site with fun facts for kids.
Comments: Not appropriate for use in serious research.
Resource Type: Mix of Text and Graphics
Graphics Content: High
 

City Services: Modesto
http://www.ci.modesto.ca.us/
Description: Here is a list of the types of services provided by cities. Click on the topic to find a brief description of what is done by each department of city government. Though the city is Modesto, many of the same services are provided by local government everywhere.
Resource Type: Mix of Text and Graphics
Graphics Content: High
 

Declaration of Independence
http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/
treasures/trt001.html
Description: View photos of the original rough draft of the Declaration of Independence.
Resource Type: Photos or Pictures
Graphics Content: High
 

White House
http://www.whitehouse.gov/
WH/
Description: This the official home page for the White House with links to the federal government, elected officials, and historical information.
Comments: Students may need teacher assistance when dealing with the detailed information.
Resource Type: Mix of Text and Graphics
Graphics Content: High
 

Your Government
http://www.ca.gov/s/govt/
Description: This site connects to all levels of government of California;state legislators, local governments, the courts and more.
Comments: This site appeals to general researchers as well as those who are searching for detailed information about CA government.
Resource Type: Mix of Text and Graphics
Graphics Content: High

2.) Research may include the selection of a government representative, either local, state, or federal, followed by a formal letter of inquiry. Instruction in writing formal letters may usefully be integrated at this point.

3.) Oral interviews of officials are recommended, if feasible. 

4.) Numerous official internet sites are listed for appropriate informational contacts and email addresses.

5.) Reports should address the following aspects of the position researched: responsibilities, influence, limitations, and relationship to other governmental branches. 

6.) Reports might include a typical day in the life of a position holder.
 

The following sites provide an abundance of other lesson plans:

http://www.ofcn.org/cyber.serv/
academy/ace/soc/elem.html

gopher://bvsd.k12.co.us:70/11/
Educational_Resources/
Lesson_Plans/Big%20Sky/
social_studies

http://www.col-ed.org/cur/

http://www.mcrel.org/connect/plus

http://www.trinity.edu/departments/
education/core/newplans.htm

http://ericir.syr.edu/Virtual/Lessons/
crossroads

http://talk.startribune.com/cgi-bin/
WebX.cgi?homework-14@@.ee6b2b9
homework help

http://www.hmco.com/hmco
/school/search/activity.html
*Houghton Mifflin

http://www.mcrel.org/connect
/lesson.html#social

http://www.nwrel.org/sky/Classroom/
Social_Studies/Social_Studies.html

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
resources/ngo/education/ideas.html

http://www.rims.k12.ca.us/SCORE/

http://www.eduplace.com/ss/ 
*Houghton Mifflin supplemental games, quizes maps

http://www.socialstudies.com/
index.html

http://www.mmhschool.com
/teach/socialstud/socstu1.html

Uniform Blues
http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/
activity/uniform_blues/
Many parents in your community have requested that the school district require students in grades K-6 to wear uniforms to school. A school board meeting has been arranged to discuss the matter, and to make a decision. The school board has promised a fair meeting with equal time for all groups concerned. Your job is to role-play a character in one of the 7 groups in this lesson and create a presentation for the school board. The school board has promised a fair meeting with equal time for each the group. You need to do research on how school uniforms affect grades and behavior in school. You may also want to talk about how being forced to wear uniforms affects your rights an American citizen. 
Author: Kim Page

Assembly Kids' Stuff - Your Idea Becomes a Law
http://www.assembly.ca.gov/
acs/acsframeset16text.asp
In California, anyone of any age may suggest an idea for a new state law. Maybe your ideas could make good state laws. Play this game to design your own bill and watch it become law.
Author: California State Assembly

Students will research political positions within local, state, and federal government agencies. This research might be conducted through the following possible venues:

*Inquiries by US mail or internet links to agencies

*Interviews of government officials & public servants (either in person or by letters, email, etc.)

*Job shadowing a government positon

*Researching encyclopedias, resource books, periodicals, newspapers

*Contacting political campaign organizations

*Contacting local voting pollsters

*Notetaking while watching political programs on television (CSPAN, Meet the Press, etc.)
 

Reports include both a written and an oral commponent:

*Written reports will be graded on an individual basis, with attention given to conventions of writing and content. Reports should be accompanied by an outline.

Sample Rubric:
4 Points: *Gathers relevant,      accurate information
         *Shows thorough understanding of content
         *Exhibits outstanding insight and creativity
         *Communicates ideas clearly and effectively
         *Presentation is clear and highly informative

3 Points:  *Gathers sufficient, accurate information
         *Shows adequate understanding of content
         *Exhibits moderate insight and creativity
         *Communicates most ideas clearly and effectively
         *Presentation is understandable and provides sufficient information

2 Points:  *Gathers limited, accurate information
         *Shows partial understanding of content
         *Exhibits limited insight and creativity
         *Communicates a few ideas clearly
         *Provides very limited information

1 Point:   *Fails to gather accurate information
         *Shows little or no understanding of content
         *Does not exhibit insight or creativity
         *Does not inform the reader at all

*Oral reports receive a common score based upon the following criteria:
   
Quality of information and research  50 pts.
   
Group organization and cooperation  25 pts.
   
Oral language skills   15 pts.
Visual supplements   10 pts.

Alternative oral assessment:
Students participate in a class mock election. Each student is a member of a legislative body and is expected to state a position,  be ready to defend it,  and lobby for support. See the following website for helpful ideas or a parallel activity:

http://www.assembly.ca.gov/
kids/kids1/kids1.htm

Students collaborate to produce a class newspaper, written as if it were published at the time of the Gold Rush.  Each student writes an article that is written from the viewpoint of a particular individual or group regarding the dramatic changes taking place in California.  The article reflects facts known about the period and contains descriptive accounts based on the literature, texts, and primary sources studied.