Constitution+Day

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Elementary (K-2)
[|The President's Roles and Responsibilities: Understanding the President's Job]  Identify and describe the various roles of the president of the United States  Understand how the president communicates with the public  Recognize ways that young citizens can actively participate in a democracy  Express their views in a letter to the president

[|The Constitution for Kids]  Nice explanation with clip art: Basics, History, Bill of Rights, Making Changes, How it All Works

[|Ben's Guide to Government For Kids (K-2)]  Interactive site that goes from nation to community, includes interactive and printable activities.

[|The Classroom Constitution] Building a classroom constitution (From Scholastic).

Intermediate (3-5)
[|The Preamble to the Constitution: How Do you Make a More Perfect Union?]  "How does the language of the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution reflect historical events and the goals the Founders had for the future? What does the Preamble mean"

[|Compromise to Create a Constitution] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Students will understand the concept of compromise. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Students will understand the Great Compromise during the Philadelphia Convention that almost led to failure to create a Constitution.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|The Preamble to the United States Constitution: A Dissection] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Students will understand the purpose of the Preamble to the Constitution and be able to explain the meaning of its key phrases. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Students will memorize the Preamble to the Constitution.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Ben's Guide to Government For Kids (3-5)] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Topics include citizenship, branches of government, electoral process, and more. Interactive and printable activities and games.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|The Constitution for Kids] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Nice explanation with illustrations: Basics, History, Bill of Rights, Making Changes, How it All Works

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Congress For Kids: Constitution] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Introduction, Delegates to the Constitutional Convention, The Work Begins, Writing the Constitution, The Great Compromise, Signing the Constitution, Ratifying The Constitution, Bill of Rights, Powers of the Federal Government, The Three Branches of Government, Checks and Balances, Amendments, Women - The Right to Vote

[|The Constitutional Convention Play]

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|A Roadmap to the US Constitution] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Discusses Constitution, Origins, Creation, Issues, Cases

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|A Living Document/Is it Constitutional] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lesson plans from Scholastic.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Middle (6-8)
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Constitution Costs] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> "This lesson helps students understand the basic services provided for Americans in the US Constitution and the necessity of a system of taxation to fund those services. Students will debate the pros and cons of having governments fund and provide particular services."

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|The Constitutional Convention: What the Founding Fathers Said] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">"What was the nature of the debates held during the Constitutional Convention? In what ways do the debates represent "a model of cooperative statesmanship and the art of compromise"?"

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|The Constitutional Convention: Four Founding Fathers You May Never Have Met] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">"What is the connection between regional politics and the positions of Ellsworth, Hamilton, Paterson, and Randolph during the drafting of the U.S. Constitution? What other factors motivated these four Founding Fathers as they developed their positions in the debate?"

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|The Complexity of Slavery and the Creation of the Constitution] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Define key vocabulary regarding the issues of slavery of the Founding Era, which resulted in the Three-Fifths, Fugitive Slave and Slave Importation clauses of the U.S. Constitution. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Analyze statements by the delegates of the Constitutional Convention to understand the motives behind slavery and the creation of the Constitution. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Analyze contemporary issues and the factors that influence a person’s stance on those issues. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Identify the perspectives that come into play in one’s own stance on a contemporary issue.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Ben's Guide to Government for Kids (6-8)] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Interactive site, topics include state vs. national government, how laws are made, branches of government, and more.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|The Constitution for Kids] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Basics, History, Bill of Rights, Making Changes, How it All Works

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|White House Kids: Constitution]

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|The U.S. Constitution Power Grab Game] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Balance of power (checks and balances) game.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">High (9-12)
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Constitution Costs] "This lesson helps students understand the basic services provided for Americans in the US Constitution and the necessity of a system of taxation to fund those services. Students will debate the pros and cons of having governments fund and provide particular services.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|James Madison: From Father of the Constitution to President] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> How was Madison involved in the creation and implementation of the Constitution? What events during Madison's presidency raised constitutional questions? What were the constitutional issues that arose during his presidency? What positions did Madison take on each of these issues? Did his thinking evolve and, if so, what factors influenced his thinking and actions?

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|The Constitutional Convention of 1787] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Was the Philadelphia Convention of 1787, called for by Congress to recommend amendments to the Articles of Confederation, necessary to preserve the Union? <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Why was the question of representation such an important issue to the delegates at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and what led them to eventually compromise on the question? <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Why was creating the office of the presidency such an important and difficult task for the delegates at the Constitutional Convention of 1787?

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|The Complexity of Slavery and the Creation of the Constitution] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Define key vocabulary regarding the issues of slavery of the Founding Era, which resulted in the Three-Fifths, Fugitive Slave and Slave Importation clauses of the U.S. Constitution. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Analyze statements by the delegates of the Constitutional Convention to understand the motives behind slavery and the creation of the Constitution. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Analyze contemporary issues and the factors that influence a person’s stance on those issues. <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Identify the perspectives that come into play in one’s own stance on a contemporary issue.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Why Celebrate Constitution Day?] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">"This lesson includes an editorial commemorating Constitution Day. The reading examines two competing schools of constitutional interpretation and explains the philosophical basis of the Constitution. Discussion questions follow the reading."

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Federal Resources for Educational Excellence] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Offers a variety of resources, from primary source documents to interactive timelines.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Ben's Guide to Government (9-12)] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Interactive site with historical documents, branches of government, how laws are made, and more.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">All Grade Levels
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|The Constitution of the United States of America] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> (from 2005)

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Constitution Day] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> (from 2007)

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|The Constitution of the United States of America] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> (from 2009)

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Center for Civic Education: Constitution Day] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> (Collection of resources arranged K-12 - Games and Activities)

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Crossword Puzzles] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Basic through advanced

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Test Your Knowledge] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Quizzes

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Treasure Hunts]

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Word Finds]

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Constitution Day Activities 2010] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> (Variety of quotes, facts, and activities.)

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Sunnylands Classroom]

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">"As you know, federal law requires that all high schools, colleges and universities that receive federal funds educate students about the Constitution on September 17. The Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands has created the Sunnylands Constitution Project, a collection of classroom-ready digital resources, to help schools celebrate Constitution Day."

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|Full Text of the Constitution]

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|BORDC Resources] <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Printable lesson plans.

<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">[|US Constitution Workshop (Grades 4-12)]