Lesson Plan

Welcome to C-SPAN Classroom's Lesson Plans!

This section of the website is designed to enhance social studies curriculums by providing teachers with structured lesson plans that examine a variety of topics and are supplemented with video clips of related C-SPAN programming. Our lessons are separated into categories commonly studied in social studies curriculums. Our lessons contain an overview, vocab words, suggested procedure and activities, as well as potential follow up assignments to reinforce student's learning.

Table of Contents

  • AP U.S. Government Key Terms

    • Book That Shaped America - "The Federalist"
      In September 1787, the newly drafted Constitution of the United States was sent to the states for ratification. Responding to initial public criticism of the document, Alexander Hamilton, James Madiso…
      1 minute
    • Letter from a Birmingham Jail for AP U.S. Government
      Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" is one of the nine required, foundational documents for AP U.S. Government. This lesson includes a guided reading of the Letter, supported …
      23 minutes
    • Line-Item Veto
      The line-item veto provides a president or governor with the power to reject specific provisions in a bill. In this lesson, students will watch a short video clip and examine the rationale and existen…
      5 minutes
    • AP Government: Quantitative Analysis Question Practice
      This is intended as an end-of-course review activity for practice with the Quantitative Analysis Question format included on the AP United States Government and Politics exam since the 2018 redesign. …
      31 seconds
    • AP Government: SCOTUS Comparison Question Practice
      This is intended as an end-of-course review activity for practice with the SCOTUS Comparison Question format included on the AP United States Government and Politics exam since the 2018 redesign. Eigh…
      1 minute
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  • Bureaucracy & Regulation

    • Native American Art and Museum Collections
      This lesson provides an overview of the history of the collection and repatriation of Native American art and remains. The lesson, which features University of California, Davis, art history professor…
      4 minutes
    • Competition, Ticketing, and Antitrust Issues in Live Entertainment
      This lesson provides students with a variety of viewpoints related to concerns in the live entertainment industry. Students will view video clips from a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in which lea…
      3 hours
    • Parking in the United States
      This lesson provides an overview of the history of parking in the United States and its connection to many aspects of our lives today. The lesson, which features Slate magazine staff writer and author…
      2 minutes
    • Presidential Records Act (1978)
      This lesson explores the Presidential Records Act (1978), its provisions, related complications, and impacts on the United States. The lesson, which features several experts speaking as part of a virt…
      4 minutes
    • U.S. Government Secrecy
      This lesson focuses on the history of U.S. government secrecy and related modern issues. The lesson, which features Columbia University history professor and author of "The Declassification Engine," M…
      2 minutes
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  • Campaigns & Elections

    • Modern-Day Evolution of the First Lady
      This lesson highlights the modern-day evolution of the First Lady of the United States. The lesson, which features "New York Times" White House correspondent and author of "American Woman" Katie Roger…
      5 minutes
    • Historic Campaign Speeches
      This lesson features several notable examples of historic presidential campaign speeches, based on C-SPAN's 2024 television series of the same name. The lesson opens with an introductory video clip in…
      2 minutes
    • Teaching the Republican Iowa Caucus
      This lesson brings students into the Iowa caucus in Boone County where they see the process unfold. The lesson begins with students reflecting on the primary and caucus process, how and why individual…
      2 minutes
    • Politics and Wealth
      This lesson provides an overview of how American politics is fueled by wealth. The lesson, which features "Daily Beast" writer and author of "Filthy Rich Politicians" Matt Lewis being interviewed by "…
      4 minutes
    • Legacy of President Jimmy Carter
      This lesson explores the legacy of President Jimmy Carter. The lesson, which features Marquette University (Milwaukee, WI) political science professor Julia Azari, opens with reflective questions that…
      2 minutes
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  • Civil Rights & Civil Liberties

    • Charlie Chaplin and the Red Scare
      This lesson highlights the life and career of film star Charlie Chaplin and how his life was affected by the Red Scare. The lesson, which features Hollywood biographer Scott Eyman, opens with two refl…
      3 minutes
    • African American Letters to Abraham Lincoln
      This lesson highlights over 15 letters sent from African Americans to President Abraham Lincoln. The lesson features Howard University Playwriting & Scriptwriting Professor Denise Hart, author and Lin…
      2 minutes
    • Author and Abolitionist Lydia Maria Child
      This lesson highlights the life and work of author and abolitionist Lydia Maria Child. The lesson, which features author Lydia Moland speaking at an event hosted by the Medford Historical Society in M…
      3 minutes
    • 1892 Lynching of Robert Lewis in Port Jervis, NY
      This lesson details the history of the 1892 lynching of Robert Lewis, an African American man hanged on accusation of assaulting a white woman in Port Jervis, New York. The lesson, which features auth…
      2 minutes
    • Racial Integration in Shaker Heights, Ohio
      This lesson provides an overview of the racial integration of Shaker Heights, Ohio and its school system. The lesson, which features "Washington Post" education reporter and author of "Dream Town: Sha…
      4 minutes
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  • Comparative Government

    • China’s Cultural Revolution (1966-76)
      What was the Chinese Cultural Revolution of 1966-76? This lesson, which features "The Guardian" newspaper editorial writer and former China correspondent Tania Branigan, author of "Red Memory," guides…
      5 minutes
    • The War in Ukraine
      This lesson focusing on the War in Ukraine (2022-present) opens with two reflective questions that ask students to consider the motivations for and effects of war. Students then view an introductory v…
      1 minute
    • Cold War Anti-Communist Trading Cards
      This lesson plan about the Bowman Bubblegum Anti-Communism Cold War Trading Cards opens with two reflective question that ask students to reflect on the Cold War and teaching the concepts of patriotis…
      1 minute
    • Hong Kong: British to Chinese Rule
      This lesson plan opens with reflective questions that ask students to consider their prior knowledge their guaranteed rights in the United States. Students then watch, analyze, and respond to an intro…
      3 minutes
    • Models of Democracy
      In this lesson students will view video clips that are examples of the three models of democracy: Participatory, Pluralist, and Elite. For each video clip, students will need to identify each type of …
      51 seconds
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  • Constitutional Foundation

    • Founding Father John Hancock
      This lesson provides an overview of how the life and leadership of Founding Father John Hancock. The lesson, which features author Brooke Barbier speaking at an event hosted by the American Revolution…
      1 minute
    • Student Journalism and the 1st Amendment
      In this lesson, students will explore the intersection of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and student journalism. Through a choice-based activity, students will become an expert in one of…
      2 minutes
    • The Story of the AR-15
      This lesson provides an overview of the history and impact of the AR-15 firearm and features Zusha Elinson, "Wall Street Journal" reporter, and Cameron McWhirter, "Wall Street Journal" correspondent, …
      4 minutes
    • Book That Shaped America - "The Common Law"
      After serving in the Civil War, during which he was wounded, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. became a scholar and jurist, eventually rising to the U.S. Supreme Court after being nominated by President Theo…
      55 seconds
    • Book That Shaped America - "The Federalist"
      In September 1787, the newly drafted Constitution of the United States was sent to the states for ratification. Responding to initial public criticism of the document, Alexander Hamilton, James Madiso…
      1 minute
    • View All
  • Criminal Law & Justice

    • Extension - Thomas Paine and "Common Sense"
      In 1774, Englishman Thomas Paine arrived in America as the conflict between the colonies and Great Britain was reaching its peak. Up to that point, the colonies were said to have been considering nego…
      2 minutes
    • 1892 Lynching of Robert Lewis in Port Jervis, NY
      This lesson details the history of the 1892 lynching of Robert Lewis, an African American man hanged on accusation of assaulting a white woman in Port Jervis, New York. The lesson, which features auth…
      2 minutes
    • Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Paul Schoeppe (1869)
      This lesson provides an overview of the 1869 state-level case Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Paul Schoeppe, which determined the way medical evidence was presented and appeals were conducted in crimi…
      2 minutes
    • Book That Shaped America - "Common Sense"
      In 1774, Englishman Thomas Paine arrived in America as the conflict between the colonies and Great Britain was reaching its peak. Up to that point, the colonies were said to have been considering nego…
      3 minutes
    • J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI
      This lesson provides an overview of the life and work of former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director J. Edgar Hoover. The lesson, which features Yale University professor Beverly Gage, opens…
      1 minute
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  • Economics & Financial Literacy

    • Gilded Age Architecture in New York City
      This lesson provides an overview of American Beaux-Arts Architecture associated with the opulence of the Gilded Age (1877-1920) and the stories of those who commissioned, designed, and built them. The…
      2 minutes
    • Book That Shaped America - “Free to Choose”
      Milton Friedman was a 1976 Nobel Prize-winning American economist and advisor to President Ronald Reagan and conservative British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, among others. In 1980, Friedman part…
      1 minute
    • Decline in Two-Parent Married Households
      This lesson, which features economist Melissa Kearney in conversation with the American Enterprise Institute’s Center on Opportunity and Social Mobility director Scott Winship, provides an overview of…
      5 minutes
    • Politics and Wealth
      This lesson provides an overview of how American politics is fueled by wealth. The lesson, which features "Daily Beast" writer and author of "Filthy Rich Politicians" Matt Lewis being interviewed by "…
      4 minutes
    • Parking in the United States
      This lesson provides an overview of the history of parking in the United States and its connection to many aspects of our lives today. The lesson, which features Slate magazine staff writer and author…
      2 minutes
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  • Education

    • Extension - Thomas Paine and "Common Sense"
      In 1774, Englishman Thomas Paine arrived in America as the conflict between the colonies and Great Britain was reaching its peak. Up to that point, the colonies were said to have been considering nego…
      2 minutes
    • Racial Integration in Shaker Heights, Ohio
      This lesson provides an overview of the racial integration of Shaker Heights, Ohio and its school system. The lesson, which features "Washington Post" education reporter and author of "Dream Town: Sha…
      4 minutes
    • Student Journalism and the 1st Amendment
      In this lesson, students will explore the intersection of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and student journalism. Through a choice-based activity, students will become an expert in one of…
      2 minutes
    • Book That Shaped America - “The Words of César Chávez"
      Born in Yuma, Arizona, César Chávez began his working life as a manual laborer. After serving in the U.S. Navy, Chávez moved to California to join an organization which helped laborers register to vot…
      57 seconds
    • Book That Shaped America - “Free to Choose”
      Milton Friedman was a 1976 Nobel Prize-winning American economist and advisor to President Ronald Reagan and conservative British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, among others. In 1980, Friedman part…
      1 minute
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  • English & Literature

    • Extension - Thomas Paine and "Common Sense"
      In 1774, Englishman Thomas Paine arrived in America as the conflict between the colonies and Great Britain was reaching its peak. Up to that point, the colonies were said to have been considering nego…
      2 minutes
    • African American Letters to Abraham Lincoln
      This lesson highlights over 15 letters sent from African Americans to President Abraham Lincoln. The lesson features Howard University Playwriting & Scriptwriting Professor Denise Hart, author and Lin…
      2 minutes
    • Author and Abolitionist Lydia Maria Child
      This lesson highlights the life and work of author and abolitionist Lydia Maria Child. The lesson, which features author Lydia Moland speaking at an event hosted by the Medford Historical Society in M…
      3 minutes
    • Extension - "Their Eyes Were Watching God” and the Harlem Renaissance
      In her novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God," Zora Neale Hurston brings to life a southern love story that explores race, gender roles, and identity which were influential on both African American lite…
      1 minute
    • The Cold War and Global Literature
      This lesson provides an overview of how the United States and the Soviet Union both shaped literature from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean during the Cold War. The lesson, which features University of…
      9 minutes
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  • Environmental Policy & Land Use

    • Gilded Age Architecture in New York City
      This lesson provides an overview of American Beaux-Arts Architecture associated with the opulence of the Gilded Age (1877-1920) and the stories of those who commissioned, designed, and built them. The…
      2 minutes
    • Camp Mohican and the CCC
      This lesson provides an overview of the impact of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), with a focus on the CCC's efforts in Ohio's Mohican forest. The lesson, which features Cleo Redd Fisher Museum …
      3 minutes
    • Julius Robert Oppenheimer - The Manhattan Project
      As the United States became embroiled in World War 2, there was concern that Germany was going to develop an atomic bomb. Scientific and military experts in the United States began researching atomic …
      3 minutes
    • Weather and the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg
      This lesson highlights the work of battlefield guide Jeffrey Harding and Penn State University professor Jon Nese in determining the heat index during the three days of the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. …
      5 minutes
    • Parking in the United States
      This lesson provides an overview of the history of parking in the United States and its connection to many aspects of our lives today. The lesson, which features Slate magazine staff writer and author…
      2 minutes
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  • Executive Branch

    • Modern-Day Evolution of the First Lady
      This lesson highlights the modern-day evolution of the First Lady of the United States. The lesson, which features "New York Times" White House correspondent and author of "American Woman" Katie Roger…
      5 minutes
    • Historic Campaign Speeches
      This lesson features several notable examples of historic presidential campaign speeches, based on C-SPAN's 2024 television series of the same name. The lesson opens with an introductory video clip in…
      2 minutes
    • Teaching the Republican Iowa Caucus
      This lesson brings students into the Iowa caucus in Boone County where they see the process unfold. The lesson begins with students reflecting on the primary and caucus process, how and why individual…
      2 minutes
    • Life and Legacy of Dolley Madison
      Dolley Madison was influential during her time in Washington, D.C. She helped shape the political and social roles of the first lady and was instrumental in preserving historical artifacts. In this le…
      2 minutes
    • Speeches Undelivered
      Throughout history, leaders have had to make decisions that have impacted our communities, nation, and the world, and delivered remarks to the public to keep them informed. In this lesson, students wi…
      2 minutes
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  • Federalism and State Issues

    • Thomas Dorr's Rebellion
      In the 1840s, Rhode Island was still being governed by the Royal Charter of 1663, and some residents felt this was restricting the rights of individuals, particularly the disfranchisement of groups. I…
      5 minutes
    • Book That Shaped America - "The Federalist"
      In September 1787, the newly drafted Constitution of the United States was sent to the states for ratification. Responding to initial public criticism of the document, Alexander Hamilton, James Madiso…
      1 minute
    • Choice Board - Compensating College Athletes for their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL)
      The issue of student athletes having the right to be compensated for use of their name, image and likeness (NIL) has been growing across the country. In addition, access to health care and equity are …
      3 minutes
    • Increasing Civic Education
      Education is a part of our lives and has always been left to the states to decide what is covered, when it is covered, and how it is covered. Currently ten out of the fifty states do not require any c…
      4 minutes
    • The Role of the Federal Government in Education
      In this lesson students will view clips on some educational policies over the past thirty years and work to identify intended and unintended outcomes of these policies. Through these clips, students w…
      53 seconds
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  • Foreign Policy

    • The Cold War and Global Literature
      This lesson provides an overview of how the United States and the Soviet Union both shaped literature from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean during the Cold War. The lesson, which features University of…
      9 minutes
    • U.S. Agency for Global Media
      Seeking to "inform, engage, and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy," the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) oversees six entities, including the Voice of America, th…
      2 minutes
    • Choice Board: Virtual Field Trip to the CIA Museum
      This lesson features a virtual tour of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Museum, a location not normally open to the public. The lesson, which features the museum's director and curator Robert Bye…
      3 minutes
    • The Red Scare of the 1940s and 1950s
      This lesson focuses on the American 'Red Scare' of the 1940s and 50s. The lesson, which features University of California, Davis, history Professor Kathryn Olmsted, opens with reflective questions tha…
      4 minutes
    • Ana Montes - Cuban Spy
      This lesson focuses on the life and career of Defense Intelligence Agency analyst Ana Montes, who was a spy for Cuba for nearly 17 years. The lesson, which features investigative journalist and author…
      4 minutes
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  • Geography

    • World War II Battle of the Atlantic
      This lesson provides an overview of the World War Two Battle of the Atlantic (1939-45). The lesson, which features University of Notre Dame military history professor Ian Ona Johnson, opens with refle…
      56 seconds
    • Lake Erie Shipwreck - Case Study of Missing Marquette & Bessemer No. 2
      This lesson provides an overview of the disappearance of the Marquette and Bessemer No. 2 ship on Lake Erie on December 7th, 1909. The lesson, which features historian Carrie Sowden speaking at an eve…
      56 seconds
    • Camp Mohican and the CCC
      This lesson provides an overview of the impact of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), with a focus on the CCC's efforts in Ohio's Mohican forest. The lesson, which features Cleo Redd Fisher Museum …
      3 minutes
    • Book That Shaped America - "Lewis and Clark"
      Shortly after the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, President Thomas Jefferson commissioned Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to explore and map the newly acquired territory and to seek a water route to the P…
      52 seconds
    • Weather and the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg
      This lesson highlights the work of battlefield guide Jeffrey Harding and Penn State University professor Jon Nese in determining the heat index during the three days of the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. …
      5 minutes
    • View All
  • Gun Rights & Firearm Legislation

    • The Story of the AR-15
      This lesson provides an overview of the history and impact of the AR-15 firearm and features Zusha Elinson, "Wall Street Journal" reporter, and Cameron McWhirter, "Wall Street Journal" correspondent, …
      4 minutes
    • Weapon Makers That Transformed America
      This lesson plan opens with reflective question that asks students to reflect on the role that guns play in American society. Students then watch, analyze, and respond to two introductory video clips …
      5 minutes
    • Should the federal government enact "red flag" laws to prevent gun violence?
      This lesson looks at legislation that would provide federal grants for states to enact red flag laws. Red flag laws, also known as extreme risk protection orders, allow law enforcement to remove firea…
      4 minutes
    • Second Amendment Supreme Court Cases: DC v Heller and McDonald v Chicago
      The D.C. v. Heller and McDonald v. Chicago Supreme Court cases addressed issues relating to an individual's right to bear arms and the incorporation of the Second Amendment to the Constitution. This l…
      3 minutes
    • AP Government Landmark Supreme Court Cases Review
      This lesson provides students with an opportunity to review the facts and holdings of, and connections between, the fourteen landmark Supreme Court cases selected for inclusion in the redesigned AP Go…
      2 minutes
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  • Health

    • Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Paul Schoeppe (1869)
      This lesson provides an overview of the 1869 state-level case Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Paul Schoeppe, which determined the way medical evidence was presented and appeals were conducted in crimi…
      2 minutes
    • Decline in Two-Parent Married Households
      This lesson, which features economist Melissa Kearney in conversation with the American Enterprise Institute’s Center on Opportunity and Social Mobility director Scott Winship, provides an overview of…
      5 minutes
    • Smallpox, Inoculation, and the American Revolution
      This lesson provides an overview of George Washington's decision to mandate smallpox inoculation for the Continental Army in 1777. The lesson, which features author Andrew Wehrman speaking at an event…
      4 minutes
    • Dinner with the President
      This lesson focuses on the relationship between food, culture, and politics in the American Presidency. The lesson, which features journalist Alex Prud’homme, opens with reflective questions that ask …
      3 minutes
    • Lincoln and the Evolution of the American Funeral
      This lesson focuses on the funeral of Abraham Lincoln and its impact on American funeral practices. The lesson, which features mortician and author Todd Harra speaking at an event hosted by the Lincol…
      4 minutes
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  • Immigration

    • Life During the American Industrial Age
      This lesson focuses on daily life during the American industrial age of the late 19th century and early 20th century, using the life of Bartolomeo Vanzetti as a case study. The lesson, which features …
      5 minutes
    • Irish Catholics and Tammany Hall
      This lesson focusing on the role of Tammany Hall in 19th century New York City and its impact on Irish Catholics and other immigrants opens with two reflective questions that ask students to consider …
      3 minutes
    • Rural America after the Civil War
      This lesson plan about the history of rural America after the Civil War opens with reflective questions that ask students to consider differences between rural and urban areas. Students then watch, an…
      2 minutes
    • Changing American Demographics
      This lesson plan opens with reflective questions that ask students to reflect on the people who live in their local communities. Students then watch, analyze, and respond to three introductory videos …
      2 minutes
    • Ellis Island - Island of Hope, Island of Tears
      In this lesson, students will explore immigration through the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration 1989 documentary "Island of Hope, Island of Tears." Students will hear some of the reasons why…
      4 minutes
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  • Interest Groups & Lobbying

    • Congressional Committees
      This lesson provides an overview of the United States' congressional committee system. The lesson opens with reflective questions that ask students to consider how large groups of people build consens…
      3 minutes
    • The Bald Eagle
      This lesson focuses on the history of the bald eagle, particularly its evolving status as an American symbol. The lesson, which features Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jack Davis, opens with reflect…
      1 minute
    • Campaign Fundraising: An Investigation
      This lesson features an investigation of a selected member of Congress to determine whether they may have been influenced by campaign contributions. The lesson opens with reflective questions that ask…
      3 minutes
    • Walmart’s “Transformation”
      This lesson focuses on the growth of Walmart and its recent transformation. The lesson, which features journalist Rick Wartzman, author of "Still Broke: Walmart’s Remarkable Transformation and the Lim…
      2 minutes
    • Choice Board - Labor Movement in the U.S.
      Labor or Trade Unions represent thousands of workers in a variety of industries in the United States who seek improvements in working conditions and wages, among other rights. These organizations are …
      21 seconds
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  • Journalism

    • Student Journalism and the 1st Amendment
      In this lesson, students will explore the intersection of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and student journalism. Through a choice-based activity, students will become an expert in one of…
      2 minutes
    • U.S. Agency for Global Media
      Seeking to "inform, engage, and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy," the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) oversees six entities, including the Voice of America, th…
      2 minutes
    • Female Journalists During the Vietnam War
      This lesson plan about three key female journalists during the Vietnam War era opens with reflective questions that ask students to consider their prior knowledge of the Vietnam War and the role of jo…
      3 minutes
    • Female Reporters in the 19th Century
      Author and journalist Kim Todd recounted the efforts of ‘girl stunt reporters’ of the late 19th century who assumed false identities to expose political impropriety and poor workplace conditions. In t…
      2 minutes
    • Libel Laws and the Press: New York Times v Sullivan
      This lesson has students explore the impact of the New York Times v. Sullivan Supreme Court case and how it impacts libel laws and the press. Students will view videos of legal and journalism experts …
      2 minutes
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  • Judicial Branch

    • Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Paul Schoeppe (1869)
      This lesson provides an overview of the 1869 state-level case Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Paul Schoeppe, which determined the way medical evidence was presented and appeals were conducted in crimi…
      2 minutes
    • U.S. Supreme Court During WWII
      This lesson provides an overview of the U.S. Supreme Court during World War Two. The lesson, which features Georgetown University law professor and author of "The Court at War" Cliff Sloan, opens with…
      4 minutes
    • Book That Shaped America - "The Common Law"
      After serving in the Civil War, during which he was wounded, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. became a scholar and jurist, eventually rising to the U.S. Supreme Court after being nominated by President Theo…
      55 seconds
    • Book That Shaped America - "The Federalist"
      In September 1787, the newly drafted Constitution of the United States was sent to the states for ratification. Responding to initial public criticism of the document, Alexander Hamilton, James Madiso…
      1 minute
    • 2023-2024 Supreme Court Term Preview
      This lesson plan offers a preview of cases in the 2023-2024 Supreme Court term. The lesson opens with reflective questions that ask students to consider their knowledge of famous Supreme Court cases a…
      6 minutes
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  • Legislative Branch

    • Speeches Undelivered
      Throughout history, leaders have had to make decisions that have impacted our communities, nation, and the world, and delivered remarks to the public to keep them informed. In this lesson, students wi…
      2 minutes
    • Book That Shaped America - "The Federalist"
      In September 1787, the newly drafted Constitution of the United States was sent to the states for ratification. Responding to initial public criticism of the document, Alexander Hamilton, James Madiso…
      1 minute
    • Competition, Ticketing, and Antitrust Issues in Live Entertainment
      This lesson provides students with a variety of viewpoints related to concerns in the live entertainment industry. Students will view video clips from a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in which lea…
      3 hours
    • Congressional Committees
      This lesson provides an overview of the United States' congressional committee system. The lesson opens with reflective questions that ask students to consider how large groups of people build consens…
      3 minutes
    • Presidential Records Act (1978)
      This lesson explores the Presidential Records Act (1978), its provisions, related complications, and impacts on the United States. The lesson, which features several experts speaking as part of a virt…
      4 minutes
    • View All
  • Media

    • Charlie Chaplin and the Red Scare
      This lesson highlights the life and career of film star Charlie Chaplin and how his life was affected by the Red Scare. The lesson, which features Hollywood biographer Scott Eyman, opens with two refl…
      3 minutes
    • Modern-Day Evolution of the First Lady
      This lesson highlights the modern-day evolution of the First Lady of the United States. The lesson, which features "New York Times" White House correspondent and author of "American Woman" Katie Roger…
      5 minutes
    • Civil War Portrait Photography
      This lesson highlights the role and impact of portrait photography during and after the American Civil War. The lesson, which features the American Battlefield Trust's Melissa Winn speaking at a confe…
      2 minutes
    • Student Journalism and the 1st Amendment
      In this lesson, students will explore the intersection of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and student journalism. Through a choice-based activity, students will become an expert in one of…
      2 minutes
    • Jacqueline Kennedy's 1962 Televised White House Tour
      This lesson provides an overview of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy's White House restoration and her Valentine’s Day 1962 televised tour of the White House, considered to be the first televised tour of…
      2 minutes
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  • Political Parties

    • Modern-Day Evolution of the First Lady
      This lesson highlights the modern-day evolution of the First Lady of the United States. The lesson, which features "New York Times" White House correspondent and author of "American Woman" Katie Roger…
      5 minutes
    • Historic Campaign Speeches
      This lesson features several notable examples of historic presidential campaign speeches, based on C-SPAN's 2024 television series of the same name. The lesson opens with an introductory video clip in…
      2 minutes
    • Book That Shaped America - "The Federalist"
      In September 1787, the newly drafted Constitution of the United States was sent to the states for ratification. Responding to initial public criticism of the document, Alexander Hamilton, James Madiso…
      1 minute
    • Politics and Wealth
      This lesson provides an overview of how American politics is fueled by wealth. The lesson, which features "Daily Beast" writer and author of "Filthy Rich Politicians" Matt Lewis being interviewed by "…
      4 minutes
    • Congressional Committees
      This lesson provides an overview of the United States' congressional committee system. The lesson opens with reflective questions that ask students to consider how large groups of people build consens…
      3 minutes
    • View All
  • Science & Technology

    • Civil War Portrait Photography
      This lesson highlights the role and impact of portrait photography during and after the American Civil War. The lesson, which features the American Battlefield Trust's Melissa Winn speaking at a confe…
      2 minutes
    • NASA's Project Apollo (1961-75)
      Using a collection of artifacts from the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum's collection, this lesson provides an overview of NASA's Project Apollo, which set man on the lunar surface for the first time…
      2 minutes
    • World War II Battle of the Atlantic
      This lesson provides an overview of the World War Two Battle of the Atlantic (1939-45). The lesson, which features University of Notre Dame military history professor Ian Ona Johnson, opens with refle…
      56 seconds
    • The Story of the AR-15
      This lesson provides an overview of the history and impact of the AR-15 firearm and features Zusha Elinson, "Wall Street Journal" reporter, and Cameron McWhirter, "Wall Street Journal" correspondent, …
      4 minutes
    • Smallpox, Inoculation, and the American Revolution
      This lesson provides an overview of George Washington's decision to mandate smallpox inoculation for the Continental Army in 1777. The lesson, which features author Andrew Wehrman speaking at an event…
      4 minutes
    • View All
  • Social Services

    • Decline in Two-Parent Married Households
      This lesson, which features economist Melissa Kearney in conversation with the American Enterprise Institute’s Center on Opportunity and Social Mobility director Scott Winship, provides an overview of…
      5 minutes
    • Walmart’s “Transformation”
      This lesson focuses on the growth of Walmart and its recent transformation. The lesson, which features journalist Rick Wartzman, author of "Still Broke: Walmart’s Remarkable Transformation and the Lim…
      2 minutes
    • The New Deal Subsistence Homesteads Program
      This lesson plan opens with a reflective question that asks students to consider the role of government of supporting those in need. Students then watch, analyze, and respond to two introductory video…
      3 minutes
    • President Lyndon Johnson's Great Society Initiatives
      In his 1965 State of the Union address, President Johnson called on Americans to continue on the “road to the great society,” proposing a sweeping national agenda from education reforms to a war on de…
      5 minutes
    • Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
      The LIHEAP Program assists low income households with energy costs. LIHEAP offers programs that keep people cool during the summer and warm during the winter, help with energy bills, repairs and crise…
      53 seconds
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  • State History

    • Author and Abolitionist Lydia Maria Child
      This lesson highlights the life and work of author and abolitionist Lydia Maria Child. The lesson, which features author Lydia Moland speaking at an event hosted by the Medford Historical Society in M…
      3 minutes
    • 1892 Lynching of Robert Lewis in Port Jervis, NY
      This lesson details the history of the 1892 lynching of Robert Lewis, an African American man hanged on accusation of assaulting a white woman in Port Jervis, New York. The lesson, which features auth…
      2 minutes
    • Gilded Age Architecture in New York City
      This lesson provides an overview of American Beaux-Arts Architecture associated with the opulence of the Gilded Age (1877-1920) and the stories of those who commissioned, designed, and built them. The…
      2 minutes
    • Extension - "Their Eyes Were Watching God” and the Harlem Renaissance
      In her novel "Their Eyes Were Watching God," Zora Neale Hurston brings to life a southern love story that explores race, gender roles, and identity which were influential on both African American lite…
      1 minute
    • Racial Integration in Shaker Heights, Ohio
      This lesson provides an overview of the racial integration of Shaker Heights, Ohio and its school system. The lesson, which features "Washington Post" education reporter and author of "Dream Town: Sha…
      4 minutes
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  • StudentCam

    • StudentCam Documentary Competition Step-by-Step Guide
      Looking for a project-based learning experience? StudentCam challenges middle and high school students to think critically about issues that affect them, their communities, and our country. Throughout…
      3 minutes
    • An Introduction to the C-SPAN Video Library
      This activity is a way to introduce your students to C-SPAN's extensive Video Library. This will help students gain an understanding of what content C-SPAN covers. It can also help prepare students …
      3 minutes
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  • Supreme Court Cases

    • Student Journalism and the 1st Amendment
      In this lesson, students will explore the intersection of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and student journalism. Through a choice-based activity, students will become an expert in one of…
      2 minutes
    • U.S. Supreme Court During WWII
      This lesson provides an overview of the U.S. Supreme Court during World War Two. The lesson, which features Georgetown University law professor and author of "The Court at War" Cliff Sloan, opens with…
      4 minutes
    • 2023-2024 Supreme Court Term Preview
      This lesson plan offers a preview of cases in the 2023-2024 Supreme Court term. The lesson opens with reflective questions that ask students to consider their knowledge of famous Supreme Court cases a…
      6 minutes
    • 2023-2024 Supreme Court Oral Arguments
      The Supreme Court has the power to interpret the Constitution. Its rulings on cases determine the meaning of laws and acts of Congress and the president. During oral arguments, attorneys for each side…
      8 minutes
    • Justice Clarence Thomas and Originalism
      This lesson provides an overview of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his judicial philosophy. The lesson, which features U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Amul Thapar being interviewed by "USA Toda…
      2 minutes
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  • U.S. History

    • Charlie Chaplin and the Red Scare
      This lesson highlights the life and career of film star Charlie Chaplin and how his life was affected by the Red Scare. The lesson, which features Hollywood biographer Scott Eyman, opens with two refl…
      3 minutes
    • Extension - Thomas Paine and "Common Sense"
      In 1774, Englishman Thomas Paine arrived in America as the conflict between the colonies and Great Britain was reaching its peak. Up to that point, the colonies were said to have been considering nego…
      2 minutes
    • Modern-Day Evolution of the First Lady
      This lesson highlights the modern-day evolution of the First Lady of the United States. The lesson, which features "New York Times" White House correspondent and author of "American Woman" Katie Roger…
      5 minutes
    • Historic Campaign Speeches
      This lesson features several notable examples of historic presidential campaign speeches, based on C-SPAN's 2024 television series of the same name. The lesson opens with an introductory video clip in…
      2 minutes
    • African American Letters to Abraham Lincoln
      This lesson highlights over 15 letters sent from African Americans to President Abraham Lincoln. The lesson features Howard University Playwriting & Scriptwriting Professor Denise Hart, author and Lin…
      2 minutes
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  • World History

    • Charlie Chaplin and the Red Scare
      This lesson highlights the life and career of film star Charlie Chaplin and how his life was affected by the Red Scare. The lesson, which features Hollywood biographer Scott Eyman, opens with two refl…
      3 minutes
    • War Football - World War I and the Birth of the NFL
      In this lesson, students will view videos of author Chris Serb discussing the development of professional football from the Army, Navy, and Marine teams that competed against each other during World W…
      2 minutes
    • The Cold War and Global Literature
      This lesson provides an overview of how the United States and the Soviet Union both shaped literature from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean during the Cold War. The lesson, which features University of…
      9 minutes
    • NASA's Project Apollo (1961-75)
      Using a collection of artifacts from the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum's collection, this lesson provides an overview of NASA's Project Apollo, which set man on the lunar surface for the first time…
      2 minutes
    • Speeches Undelivered
      Throughout history, leaders have had to make decisions that have impacted our communities, nation, and the world, and delivered remarks to the public to keep them informed. In this lesson, students wi…
      2 minutes
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