This lesson will have students critically explore and evaluate the controversial decision made by the United States’ President Harry S. Truman to use the atomic bomb to end the war with Japan. Charged with ‘Crimes Against Humanity’ Under Article 6 of the Nuremberg Charter, students will simulate a mock trial in a courtroom setting by taking on the roles of attorneys and witnesses who will work collaboratively in building a case that persuades jury members to render President Truman as ‘not guilty’ or ‘guilty’. This lesson is designed to equip students with the investigative tools necessary to be effective in a mock trial setting by providing students with A) the historical & primary based background information of this time period, and B) detailed description and guidance in performing their assigned role. Materials • One 32 PowerPoint Slide • Detailed Lesson Plan • STUDENT HANDOUTS: 1) Film Questions 'The Atomic Bomb– The End or the Beginning'? 2) Defense Role 2) Prosecutor Role 3) Juror Role 4) Witness Roles (16 individual significant historical figures) 5) Grading Rubrics

Aligned with the Common Core Standards, this lesson will encourage students to analyze fictitious scenarios based upon actual Supreme Court cases. This activity can be used in two ways; 1) An assessment- students will apply their prior knowledge concerning the United States’ Constitutional amendments, along with their own ethics and logic, to Supreme Court decisions, or 2) Using the provided cheat sheet, students will be introduced to the Bill of Rights, and its' application to Supreme Court cases. This PowerPoint presentation is full of interactive visuals, and chronologically aligns itself with the provided student handout. This lesson includes: - 1 26 slide Power-Point Presentation - 1 Power-Point Handout - 1 Cheat Sheet

Aligned with the Common Core Standards, this lesson plan will have students analyze and explore secondary and primary sources of information pertaining to the Japanese-American interment experience in the United States during WWII. Students will critically examine the way in which the internment camps were presented to the public through the perspective of the U.S. government and their use of propaganda, and from the Japanese-American internees who lived in the camps. The PowerPoint presentation is full of interactive visuals, discussion topics & hands-on activities that provoke critical thought & will encourage students to delve deeper into the ‘politics’ of how history is presented. Materials: • One 32 slide Power-Point Presentation • Printable Handouts: 1) Power-Point Guided Notes 2) Teacher Answer Key 3) Secondary Source: Textbook Version 4) Primary Source: Poem by Dwight Okit

This lesson will have students critically explore the period of the Reconstruction that took place in the deeply segregated southern states of the U.S. This highly engaging, primary based, interactive power-point will introduce students to the different levels at which discrimination & various forms of oppression existed; individual, institutional, and societal. Students will analyze different forms of control that the ex-Confederate leaders implemented, such as; the Black codes, literacy tests, poll tax, and the inequality of land and resources; all of which served to prevent newly freed blacks from exercising their constitutional rights. Students are to determine at which level these measures of control apply. Students will be vicariously drawn into this time period by taking two literacy tests (primary sourced based tests from this era). Class discussion, and critical thinking is promoted throughout the entire lesson. This Civil Rights unit can be downloaded in its entirety, or as individual lessons. Lesson One: Introduction to the Reconstruction Era This lesson includes: • One power-point presentation- 34 slide • One Power-Point Student handout • One primary source: Black Codes scenarios Lesson Two: Reconstruction Era and the Black Codes This lesson includes: • One presentation- 38 slide • One Power-Point Student handout • Two primary sources: State Literacy Tests and the answer k

This unit is composed of four highly engaging, primary based, interactive power- points that will have students critically explore the different levels at which discrimination & various forms of oppression existed in the era of the Reconstruction & the Jim Crow years. Students will analyze different forms of control that the ex-Confederate leaders implemented, such as; the Black Codes, literacy tests, poll taxes, Jim Crow laws, the formation of the Ku Klux Klan, and the inequality of land and resources, all of which served to prevent newly freed blacks from exercising their constitutional rights. Students are to determine at which level; individual, societal and institutional, do these measures of control apply. Monumental Supreme Court decisions of 'Plessy v. Ferguson' and 'Brown V. Board of Education' will be introduced. This unit is abundant with hands on, critical thinking activities that will engage students and provide a meaningful context from which to understand this era of time. This Reconstruction Unit can be downloaded in its entirety, or as individual lessons. A lesson plan is included for the entire unit. Lesson One: Introduction to the Reconstruction Era This lesson includes: • One power-point presentation- 34 slides • One Power-Point Student handout • One primary source: Black Codes scenarios Lesson Two: Reconstruction Era and the Black Codes This lesson includes: • One presentation- 38 slides • One Power-Point Student handout • Two primary sources: State Literacy Tests and the answer keys Lesson Three: The Ku Klux Klan This lesson includes: • One power-point presentation- 21 slides • One Power-Point Student handout • One Primary Source Reading CP. Ellis ‘Why I Quit the Klan’ • One Student Handout: Questions for the Reading C.P. Ellis Lesson Four: The Jim Crow Laws This lesson includes: • One power-point presentation- 20 slides • One Power-Point Student handout • Cause & Effect Chart handout • Supplementary materials: • 'A Tale of Two Schools' Reading, and 'Tale of Two Schools' Reading Questions • Movie Guide Questions-Freedom Song student handout

This lesson will have students critically explore the period of the Jim Crow era. This highly engaging, interactive, primary based power-point, will have students analyze and understand the implications of the Jim Crow laws, along with the monumental Supreme Court decisions of 'Plessy v. Ferguson', and 'Brown V. Board of Education'. Students will be introduced to the different levels at which discrimination & various forms of oppression existed during the Jim Crow years; individual, institutional, and societal. Students are to determine at which level these measures of control apply. Complete with colorful imagery, student analysis of political cartoons, and a comprehension primary based reading activity, this lesson will engage students and provide a critical context from which to understand this era of time. This Civil Rights unit can be downloaded in its entirety, or as individual lessons. This lesson includes: • Lesson Plan • One 24 Slide Power-Point presentation • One Power-Point student handout • 'A Tale of Two Schools' Reading • Handout: 'Tale of Two Schools' Reading Questions • Handout: Cause and Effect Chart- Obstacles to Voting • Student Examples of Cause and Effect Chart • Handout: Film- Freedom Song

Aligned with the Common Core Standards, this lesson plan will have students analyze and explore secondary and primary sources of information pertaining to the women suffrage movement in the United States. The PowerPoint presentation is full of interactive visuals, discussion topics & will encourage students to delve deeper into this historical period. Materials Include: • One 36 Slide Power-Point • One Power-point Handout #1, and answer sheet • 'Iron Jawed Angels' Film Handout #2 • Venn diagram Handout • Secondary Source from 'The American Nation' textbook I OFTEN PROVIDE FREEBIES TO MY FOLLOWERS AND ALL NEW PRODUCTS DEBUT AT 20% OFF: • Look for the green star next to my store logo at the top right corner of this page and click it to become a follower. This will allow you to be notified each time I debut a new product or freebie.

This lesson involves having students identify the basic principles and grievances of the Declaration of Independence, as well as exploring the conception of the 'Articles of Confederation' and the 'Constitution of the United States'. Students will demonstrate their interpretation of excerpts of the Declaration of Independence in a hands on activity.The provided Power-Point is a primary based resource that is designed to engage the students in the learning process. Full of colorful images, intertwined with problem posing questions, discussion and writing topics, and a variety of appealing video clips, students will be invited to closely examine and understand the historical interconnections between the 'Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the U.S. Constitution. A wrap-up, thought-provoking activity includes having students work in pairs and analyze a fictitious country and its' governing laws. This activity serves as a critical discussion piece in prompting students to understand the complexities and ethical considerations in creating laws that govern a country. Materials Include: • 36 Slide Power-Point • One Guided Power-Point Handout • Activity Handout: Interpreting the Declaration of Independence • Activity Handout: Examining 'Pelonia'

This Power-Point lesson will provide students with an introductory framework from which to understand the judiciary process. Students will delve into the fundamental aspects of a courtroom such as: the basic structure and lay-out of a courtroom, the function of different roles (judge, jury, defense, prosecutor), and the common procedures and language used in a courtroom environment. Students will also explore the importance of how to create an opening and closing statement, the legal grounds of when to object, and understand the dynamics of a direct and cross examination. This resource will be very useful for teachers who are searching for an engaging & informative way to introduce students to the concept of mock trials. Materials • Lesson Plan • 1 Power-point (35 Slides) & accompanying student handout • 1 Power-point (12 Slides) & accompanying student handout • Handouts ➢ Jury Role Play ➢ Opening Statement ➢ Closing Statement ➢ Objections ➢ Debriefing**

This lesson is based on my own personal experience as a participant on a USA-Mexico border tour project organized by Rethinking Schools & Global Exchange that provided first-hand experience and knowledge concerning the effects of U.S. foreign policy, such as NAFTA, on the lives of ordinary people who reside in the Tijuana area. Students will be prompted to delve far beyond the mainstream explanation that answers the critical question as to why people cross the U.S.-Mexico border. This lesson will have students examine the broader context, and underlying factors to this question, which intimately tie itself to Mexico's agricultural economy. Students will identify the causal puzzle pieces, and then create a ‘LOOP’ (web) diagram that will serve to demonstrate their understandings of how these underlying causes interconnect with one another. Materials • One 50 Slide PowerPoint • Grading Rubrics • Student Loop Diagram Examples • Printable Handouts: 1) Handout #1- Power-Point Guided Notes 2) Handout #2- The U.S.-Mexico Border Puzzle Pieces

This lesson is based on my own personal experience as a participant on a USA-Mexico border tour project organized by Rethinking Schools &Global Exchange that provided first-hand experience and knowledge concerning the effects of U.S. foreign policy, such as NAFTA, on the lives of ordinary people who reside in the Tijuana area. This lesson will invite students to critically explore the growing militarization of the U.S. -Mexico border and its' impacts since NAFTA's inception, with a specific focus on the controversial program called 'Operation Gatekeeper'. A 35-slide power-point complete with primary sources, intertwined with problem posing questions, debate topics, and an engaging 'loop diagram' activity, will likely prompt student's perception of the U.S- Mexico border to be challenged, transformed, or altered. **Note: Students should have some prior knowledge and understanding of NAFTA before they begin this lesson. If not, please refer to my product titled 'U.S.-Mexico Border: Effects of NAFTA'. Materials: • One 35-slide Power-Point • Detailed Lesson Plan • Printable Handouts: 1) Handout #1- Power-Point Questions 2) Handout #2- The U.S.-Mexico Border Puzzle Pieces

This resource will provide students with a unique, and engaging way to learn about the Bill of Rights. In a critical reading activity, students will explore and understand the historical background of which each constitutional right came to exist. The provided reading is an easy to read, attention-grabbing resource. The second part of this lesson involves having students delve deeper into their analysis of each constitutional right by doing the following: 1)defining each amendment in their own words, 2) summarizing the historical background of why /how each amendment came to exist, 3) creating an illustration that depicts the meaning of each constitutional right. Materials: • Bill of Rights Reading (6 pages) • Handout: Analyzing Bill of Rights (T chart) • Handout: The Value of Rights

This lesson will have students critically explore a contentious current event issue involving the cases of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. The lesson will invite students to examine the context and controversy that surrounds the two cases, although emphasis will be placed on the Eric Garner case. A thought-provoking power-point presentation & accompanying handouts will prompt students to analyze a variety of news resources; all of which frame the issue in a particular way, and offer different explanations as to the underlying causal factors in Garner’s death. This lesson includes: • One 21-slide Power-Point • Detailed Lesson Plan • Printable Handouts: 1) Handout #1- Analyzing Controversy & the Criminal Justice System 2) Handout #2- Analyzing Sources 3) Handout #3- Current Events: America’s Criminal Justice System