Civics & Government · 9th Grade

Active learning ideas

Impeachment and Removal

Active learning works for impeachment and removal because the topic blends constitutional text, historical precedent, and political consequences. Students need to practice separating legal from political claims and to test abstract phrases like 'high crimes and misdemeanors' against real cases.

• Common Core State Standards
• C3: D2.Civ.4.9-12
• C3: D2.His.3.9-12

• 30–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Mock Trial
• 50 min · Small Groups

Case Study Comparison: Four Impeachments

Small groups each analyze one presidential impeachment or near-impeachment (Johnson, Nixon, Clinton, Trump 2019 or 2021). Each group maps the charges, the constitutional argument for and against impeachability, the Senate outcome, and the political context. Groups report out and the class builds a comparison matrix to identify patterns across cases.

Analyze what constitutes an 'impeachable offense'.

Facilitation Tip

During the Case Study Comparison, assign each group one impeachment and require them to map the action, the articles, and the Senate outcome on a shared timeline before presenting to the class.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Is impeachment a legal process or a political one?' Ask students to support their initial stance with one piece of evidence from the Constitution or a historical impeachment case, then listen to classmates' arguments before revising their position.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Formal Debate
• 40 min · Whole Class

Formal Debate: Legal Process or Political One?

Students argue the claim: "Impeachment is primarily a political tool, not a legal one." Half argue that this is true and appropriate because it keeps accountability democratic; the other half argues it is true and dangerous because it makes impeachment a partisan weapon. After the formal exchange, students write individual position papers that account for the strongest counterarguments.

Differentiate whether impeachment is a legal process or a political one.

Facilitation Tip

In the Structured Debate, give students two minutes to prepare rebuttals using only the constitutional text and historical record before opening the floor for cross-examination.

What to look for

Present students with three hypothetical scenarios involving a president's actions. Ask them to write a brief paragraph for each scenario explaining whether the action might constitute 'treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors,' justifying their conclusion based on the constitutional definition.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Mock Trial
• 30 min · Pairs

Document Analysis: High Crimes and Misdemeanors

Students read three brief primary sources: the relevant Constitutional Convention notes, an excerpt from Hamilton's Federalist No. 65, and a summary of the standard as applied in two real impeachment cases. In pairs, students develop their own working definition of the phrase and compare definitions across the class, noting where interpretations diverge.

Explain how the threat of impeachment influences presidential behavior.

Facilitation Tip

For the Document Analysis, project the Constitution’s language alongside the House Judiciary Committee’s impeachment reports so students see how the phrase 'high crimes and misdemeanors' is interpreted in practice.

What to look for

Students write two sentences: one explaining the distinct roles of the House of Representatives and the Senate in the impeachment process, and one sentence describing a potential consequence of impeachment beyond removal from office.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Mock Trial
• 50 min · Whole Class

Mock Impeachment Hearing

Students conduct a condensed mock hearing. Half play House Judiciary Committee members; half play witnesses (White House counsel, independent scholars, historical advisors). The "committee" questions witnesses about a constructed scenario, then votes on articles of impeachment with written constitutional justification for each vote.

Analyze what constitutes an 'impeachable offense'.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Is impeachment a legal process or a political one?' Ask students to support their initial stance with one piece of evidence from the Constitution or a historical impeachment case, then listen to classmates' arguments before revising their position.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Decision-Making
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers often start by clarifying the distinction between impeachment and removal using a simple two-column chart. Avoid framing impeachment as solely partisan or legal; instead, emphasize its hybrid nature through guided comparisons. Research shows that when students role-play roles in a mock hearing, their understanding of constitutional roles deepens more than with lecture alone.

By the end of the activities, students will be able to trace the impeachment process from House vote to Senate trial, evaluate whether specific conduct meets constitutional grounds, and articulate why the process is both legal and political at once.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Case Study Comparison, watch for students who conflate impeachment with removal when they present their timelines.

  Remind groups to label two distinct events on their timelines: the House impeachment vote and the Senate trial outcome, and to discuss the different thresholds required for each step.

• During the Document Analysis, students may assume 'high crimes and misdemeanors' must be a crime found in the criminal code.

  Direct students to compare the constitutional phrase with the House Judiciary Committee reports for each impeachment, highlighting examples of abuses of power that were not criminal acts.

• During the Mock Impeachment Hearing, students might argue that impeachment votes are always partisan and therefore meaningless.

  Have senators in the mock hearing cite constitutional language or historical consequences before casting their votes and require them to explain how their decision was shaped by evidence rather than party alone.

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Methods used in this brief

• Mock Trial
• Formal Debate