High School Government and Civics:

RESOURCES:

German Basic Law
Constitution of the United States
Dictionary of Terms
Images and Graphics Archive
Archive of Background Readings
Race4TheFuture Game

Links to US State Social Studies Curriculums

German Constitution “The Basic Law” (Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland)

The German Parliamentary and American Presidential Systems

- Histories:

• Brief History of Justice
  • Teaching Notes: Brief History of Justice
  • Activity: Define Justice

• Brief History of Government in 19^th century
• • Interpreting Primary Resources: Slave Labor, Anti-Capital Cartoon, Labor Versus Capital
  • Teaching Notes: Political Transitions in Europe
  • Activity: Economic Comparisons

• The Parliamentary System in Europe and Germany
  • Teaching Notes: Parliamentary System in Europe and Germany
  • Activity: Was Germany a Democracy under Bismarck?

- Differing Democracies

• What is a Constitution?
  • Teaching Notes: Constitutions and Amending Constitutions
  • Activity: Amending Constitutions

• Germany’s Parliamentary Government
  • Teaching Notes: Germany's Parliamentary System
  • Activity: Compare German & US Systems
  • Activity/Assessment: Features of Parliamentary Systems and the US Presidential System

• Separation of Powers
  • Teaching Notes: Separation of Powers & Assignment
  • Activity: How Two Governments Separate Powers

• Balancing Power to Achieve Justice
  • Teaching Notes: How Governments Balance Power
  • Activity: How Germany Balances the Power of Government

• Electing German Officials
  • Teaching Notes: Comparison of Government Structures
  • Activity: Create a Comparitive Graphic

• "Competition" in Parliamentary & Presidential Systems
  • Teaching Notes: Competition in Democratic Governments
  • Visual: Competition in Parliamentary & Presidential Systems Chart
  • Activity: Removal from Office

• Background Reading: The Role of Political Parties
  • Activity: Conflict in Political Parties
  • Teaching Notes: Competition in Democracies
  • Assignment: Political Conflict and the Citizen

• Activity: Electoral Systems Used by Democracies Worksheet
• Teaching Notes: Electoral Systems
• Teaching Notes: Electoral Systems Chart
• Reading and Response Essay: Electing Representatives
• Reading and Response Essay: Germany’s Mixed-Member Proportional Representation

• Activity: Germany's Mixed Member Ballot
• Teaching Notes: Mixed Member Ballots
• Assessment: Comparing Voting Systems

• Holocaust Memorial Discussion Resources:
  • Teaching Notes: What is Moral Authority?
  • Borneman - Events of Closure
  • Eisenman Article

• Components of a Liberal Democracy
  • Teaching Notes: Voting Rights in the US and Germany
  • Activity: Voting in a Democracy
  • Activity: Constitutionalism as an Expression of Culture

• Constitutions and Change
  • Teaching Notes: Protecting Minorities - Brown vs. Board of Ed
  • Activity: Protecting Minorities in a Democracy

• American Rugged Individualism
  • Teaching Notes: American Values - Rugged Individualism
  • Activity: Take a Stand on Free College

• Capitalism and Market Economics
  • Teaching Notes: Capitalism and a Market Economy
  • Activity: A Managed Economy

>>> MISC. TOPICS                      

Understanding the Parliamentary System of Government:

• Reading: Germany’s Parliamentary Government
• Power Point: Presidential and Parliamentary Systems
• Reading: Comparative Overview
• Activity: Similarities and Differences
• Activity: “Knee to Knee”  Debate
• Activity: Balance of Power in a Parliamentary System
• Assessment: Take a Stand (Extended Response)