Resources

This site offers extensive lessons on a variety of immigration-related historical topics. It includes full lesson plans, worksheets, and links to articles and videos. While designed for grades 6-12, it could be used in an advanced English or GED class.

This site offers extensive lessons on a variety of immigration-related historical topics. It includes full lesson plans, worksheets, and links to articles and videos. While designed for grades 6-12, it could be used in an advanced English or GED class.

Part of the Annenberg Classroom website, this resource displays each section of the Constitution, followed by an explanation of the meaning in modern (though still advanced-level) English. It may be beneficial for an advanced English or GED class, or teachers can simplify further for other levels. The site also includes other civics and political science lesson plans.

This reading/writing lesson plan was created by Pennsylvania Adult Education Resources for intermediate or advanced students based around a NewsELA article about the Bill of Rights. The difficulty of the article can be adjusted based on class level. NOTE: Requires NewsELA account to view the article.

This GED Science lesson explores data interpretation and DNA through the lens of biological sex. Students will read about 6 genetic combinations beyond XX and XY and discover what characteristics scientists consider when defining sex. This lesson could be taught over 1-2 class periods, depending on length of class time and whether the teacher assigns work for students to do ahead (watching videos to discuss). If everything is done in class, 3-4 hours.

Students will read and summarize some of the amendments to the Constitution, focusing especially on the 14th Amendment. This will be used as an opportunity to discuss, model, and practice strategies for making sense of unfamiliar challenging text. Students’ work is self-paced; they work on this assignment for about an hour a day over two weeks.

When it comes to the information that we are reading, hearing, and passing along, it is no wonder that it is becoming increasingly difficult to determine its validity. To this end, it is more important than ever to incorporate information/media literacy instructional strategies and activities into the ABE classroom. Moreover, these strategies and activities are beneficial for all levels of students and can be delivered within all types of instruction. This adaptable lesson will help students become more critical readers and listeners in this age of mass information and, depending on class time, can be taught during one or multiple sessions. To be most effective, it should be taught after lessons/discussions about the First Amendment (especially freedom of speech and freedom of the press) and the role(s) of media in society.

This reading lesson centers around a news article about how the 2025 U.S. federal layoffs impacted the National Park Service, the parks, and their employees.

This lesson teaches students how the Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution to establish the U.S. government. Students will learn about the three main Articles of the Constitution and how each one establishes the three branches of government. They will then learn the role of each branch of government and the significance of “Checks and Balances.”

In this module, students will read about exercising their 4th, 5th and 6th amendment rights during an encounter with ICE. Students will practice listening for specific phrases they can apply to interactions with ICE and practice using those phrases in role plays.

A 2-3 hour long lesson (extensions built in) for beginning ESL students on differentiating types of law enforcement and understanding their rights in those interactions with an emphasis on Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Description of this lesson: Executive orders can be one of those “mysteries” of the U.S. government. Every president has the power to issue these types of orders but what exactly are they? Are they like a law? Do they have an expiration date? These are just a few of the many questions that will be answered in this lesson. While it can be a complex topic, this adaptable lesson provides the “5Ws” of executive orders and also puts them into historical context. 

A history lesson about a movement that brought change in accessibility law. This lesson can be split into two days, with day one being vocabulary, scaffolding, reading, and comprehension. Day two could be vocabulary extension, grammar, text review, and application to present day. 

Part of a series of lesson plans from the ACLU of Maine, intended for high school students, about constitutional rights. After a teacher explains the 4th amendment (searches and seizures), students form a "Supreme Court" and debate an actual past SCOTUS case. The case deals with searching students' belongings, but could be used to explain protection against unlawful search more generally (i.e., stopped by officers on the street).

Activity where students refer to "The Constitution and Rights" section of the Judicial Learning Center's website, which explains the amendments in the Bill of Rights, and fill in a handout with key vocabulary. A good intro to constitutional rights; could be used as a vocabulary activity for high-level ELL or GED students, or a digital literacy activity. Note: This website also has an Educator Center with a variety of additional podcast and video activities, online learning modules, lesson plans, and other resources.

Collection of lesson plans from The Advocates for Human Rights for various ages of K-12 students, intended to teach about human rights generally and specifically (e.g., rights of migrants, racial discrimination, etc.). Some lessons may not be ideal for all ABE classes, since they were created for children; teachers should use best judgment.