AP U.S. Government & Politics

This course contains five projects that are organized around the following question: “What is the proper role of government in a democracy?” Each project involves political simulations through which students take on roles that help contextualize the content required by the new College Board course framework. Founders' Intent Elections Supreme Court Congress Government in Action Openly licensed PDF unit plans of all the above units are available at this Sprocket Lucas Education Research Platform (scroll to bottom of web page). Alternately, educators may sign up for free access to the online AP U.S. Government and Politics course that includes additional instructional supports: https://sprocket.lucasedresearch.org/users/sprocket_access

Material Type: Full Course

Authors: Knowledge in Action, University of Washington

Civics Course Resources

In Washington, a stand-alone high school civics course is required by a new state law. A statewide sub-committee of OSPI's Social Studies Cadre and Walter Parker, Professor of Social Studies Education, University of Washington, drafted this list of resources in hopes that it will be useful to schools needing to create such a course or update an existing course. It is a work-in-progress.

Material Type: Teaching/Learning Strategy

Authors: Barbara Soots, Walter Parker, Jerry Price, Jerry Price, Washington OSPI OER Project

The State We're In: Washington - Eighth Edition

The State We’re In: Washington is a digital and printed educational publication written by Jill Severn for the League of Women Voters of Washington Education Fund. Part of a larger Civic Education Project, this instructional resource establishes the link between public participation and effective government. Colorful graphs, historical photos and thought-provoking illustrations help to describe the basics of government, and the connection between a governing authority and culture and economy. Young readers and adults alike will gain a robust sense of past and present tribal governance and their relationship to state and local government in Washington.Teacher guides to accompany this resource as well as translated versions are included.

Material Type: Reading, Textbook

Authors: Barbara Soots, Kari Tally, Jerry Price, Washington OSPI OER Project

State We're In: Washington - Teacher Guide

These Teacher Guides were created by Washington educators to accompany the League of Women Voters of Washington's book The State We're In: Washington - Your guide to state, tribal and local government.Each chapter guide is  aligned with Washington Social Studies Learning Standards and includes a launch activity, focused notes, text-dependent questions, and an inquiry lesson developed using the C3 Framework. 

Material Type: Lesson, Lesson Plan

Authors: Barbara Soots, Kari Tally, Jerry Price, Washington OSPI OER Project

State We're In: Washington (3-5 Edition) Teacher Guide

These Teacher Guides were developed by Washington educators to accompany the League of Women Voters of Washington's book The State We're In: Washington (Grade 3-5 Edition). Each chapter guide is  aligned with Washington Social Studies Learning Standards and includes a launch activity, focused notes, text-dependent questions, and an inquiry lesson developed using the C3 Framework. 

Material Type: Lesson, Lesson Plan, Unit of Study

Authors: Barbara Soots, OSPI Social Studies, Jerry Price, Washington OSPI OER Project

Women's Suffrage - A Seat at the Table

The Washington State Women's Commission is commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. These two videos are intended for educational purposes and to spark discussion about the importance of voting - "A Seat at the Table; Women's Sacred Right to Vote" and "The Untold Stories of Black Women in the Suffrage Movement"

Material Type: Primary Source

Authors: Barbara Soots, Jerry Price, Washington OSPI OER Project

Grade 6-8 Inquiry: Differentiate between Fact and Assumption

This inquiry by Cynthia Yurosko, Evergreen Public Schools, is based on the C3 Framework inquiry arc. The inquiry provides students with the opportunity to analyze, through the evaluation of words, how conflicts between the U.S. government and Native American tribes arose. Students will be asked to investigate federal reports, speeches, and news reports to discern U.S. leaders’ perspectives and compare these biases to the words of Native American leaders Chief Red Eagle and Chief Tecumseh.

Material Type: Lesson, Lesson Plan, Unit of Study

Authors: Barbara Soots, Cynthia Yurosko, Jerry Price, Washington OSPI OER Project

Grade 8 Inquiry: Road to Revolution

This inquiry by Amy Johnson, Longview Public Schools, is based on the C3 Framework inquiry arc. Students will look at multiple points of view on an assigned Intolerable Act. After researching primary sources, student will create a newspaper using BEST evidence from their sources that answers the question, "Why would this event the colonists to revolt?"

Material Type: Lesson, Lesson Plan, Teaching/Learning Strategy

Authors: Barbara Soots, Jerry Price, Washington OSPI OER Project

Capitol Video Tour for Middle School Students

This 3-room video tour of the U.S. Capitol, featuring the Crypt, Rotunda, and National Statuary Hall.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson

Author: OER LIBRARIAN

From Freedom’s Shadow

Freedom for some meant slavery for others. The cruel irony of this nation’s founding and its “Temple of Liberty”—the U.S. Capitol—is that both were made possible by the enslavement of African Americans. The labor of enslaved and free blacks helped build the Capitol. An enslaved African American man helped to cast the Statue of Freedom, which was placed atop the Dome during the Civil War. Since the end of the Civil War, African Americans have struggled to move out of the shadows and into the Temple of Liberty as full participants. This the online version of a traveling exhibit by the U.S. Capitol Historical Society that depicts the journey of African Americans from slavery to freedom and political representation in the U.S. Capitol. The exhibit opened February 2006 in Baltimore, Maryland at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture.

Material Type: Interactive

We the People: U.S. Capitol

Of the three branches of our government, many believe that the most important is the one directly elected by "We the People": the legislative branch, represented by the two houses of the U.S. Congress at the Capitol building. Join a group of middle schoolers on a tour of Washington, D.C. as they learn about the Constitution and what it means to be "We the People." The "We the People" videos are produced in collaboration with the U.S. Capitol Historical Society.

Material Type: Lesson

The Constitution in Action: Article II (Lab Team 3)

In this activity students will analyze the Senate Journal of the First Congress and identify how the document demonstrates content contained within Article II of the Constitution in action. This activity is designed to prepare students for the Constitution-in-Action Lab at the National Archives in Washington, DC. It is a part of a package of activities associated with the lab experience.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Primary Source

Inaugurations and the White House: Classroom Resource Packet

An inauguration is the act or ceremony of bringing someone into a position or an office. Every president of the United States has been inaugurated, dating back to the first executive, George Washington. These inaugurations symbolize a peaceful transition of power between administrations. Although the Constitution provides an oath for the new president to take, all other elements of the modern presidential inauguration grew from traditions, changes, and preferences that evolved over 200 years. As the president's residence, the White House plays an important role in inaugurations. Gain a deeper appreciation of presidential inaugurations and transitions at the White House by learning about the history behind the Oath of Office, inaugural parade, parties, and more.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson Plan

The Origin of the President's Cabinet

Learn about George Washington's creation of the cabinet, an advisory group for the President of the United States of America, and the cabinet's place in White House history. Featuring Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky, historian at the White House Historical Association and author of The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution (available April 2020).

Material Type: Lesson

The White House at Work: Classroom Resource Packet

Ever since John and Abigail Adams moved into the President's House in 1800, hundreds of individuals have worked behind the scenes to help the White House fulfill its roles as a home, office, and museum. White House staff serve the many needs of the first family in a variety of occupations. They prepare family meals, serve elaborate State Dinners, maintain the grounds, and much more. There is no such thing as a "typical" day in the White House. Explore the dedication and skills of the residence staff, their cohesion as a community, their special relationship with the first family, and their experiences as witnesses to the nation's history.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson Plan

The State We're In: Washington - Teacher Guide Ch. 9: What's Next

This is a Teacher's Guide for The State We're In Washington: Your guide to state, tribal and local government. These quides are developed by members of the Washington State Social Studies Cadre.Chapter 9 focuses on the future of the state of Washington including challenges its citizens will face and various ways the state and individuals can have an impact on that future.

Material Type: Lesson Plan, Unit of Study

Authors: Ryan Theodoriches, Jerry Price, Washington OSPI OER Project, Amy Ripley, Leslie Heffernan, Barbara Soots, Melissa Webster

Cultivating Washington: The History of Our State's Food, Land, and People

The Cultivating Washington curriculum is intended to be a go-to resource for Washington state middle school educators seeking student-centered instructional materials that make learning about the history of the Pacific Northwest more relevant and meaningful for students.In addition, it is a resource for agricultural education teachers, parents, and community members interested in helping students discover the history and development of agriculture in the state of Washington.

Material Type: Lesson, Lesson Plan, Module, Teaching/Learning Strategy, Unit of Study

Authors: Barbara Soots, Jerry Price, Washington OSPI OER Project

Washington State Social Studies Learning Standards

Social studies is a vital component of education in Washington state. The Office of Superintend¬ent of Public Instruction (OSPI) envisions “all students prepared for post-secondary pathways, careers, and civic engagement.” Additionally, the National Council for the Social Studies states, “The primary purpose of social studies is to help young people make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an inter¬dependent world.” Students who receive quality instruction in social studies are engaged in learning that promotes inquiry and thoughtful civic participation. With this in mind, we are pleased to introduce OSPI’s updated Washington State K–12 Learning Standards for Social Studies. Our hope is that you will find these standards to be rigorous, thoughtful, inquiry-driven, and organized for easy accessibility.

Material Type: Teaching/Learning Strategy

Author: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Conference for Social Studies 2020

In these short TED-style talks, Washington social studies educators share their thinking and experiences with colleagues in Washington state and around the world.

Material Type: Teaching/Learning Strategy

Authors: Barbara Soots, Washington OSPI OER Project, Kari Tally, Jerry Price

Primarily Washington: Washington's Gateway to Pacific Northwest Primary Source Materials for Teachers and Students

Primarily Washington is the Washington State Library, Washington State Archives, and Legacy Washington's way of bridging the gap between the primary sources in our collections and the classroom. The State Library's goals include actions to promote education and life-long learning, as well as connect Washingtonians to their history. This portal will contribute to these efforts by containing content that will consist of digitized primary sources that have been partnered with curriculm developed by Washington State teachers. There are also featured exhibits for further study by students and all others wishing to learn more about the history of the Pacific Northwest. Note: These primary sources include materials that reflect the attitudes, perspectives, and beliefs of different times. These materials are presented as part of the historical record. Inclusion of these materials does not mean endorsement of or agreement with any views expressed. But they provide opportunities for examining multiple perspectives, generating discussions and comparing and contrasting points of view over time.

Material Type: Diagram/Illustration, Primary Source

Authors: Washington State Archives, Washington State Library