Primary: Constitution Day
Title: Constitution Day
Grade Level: K-5
Subject/Content: Social Studies (U.S. History or Civics)
Summary of Lesson: Students will use picture books to take part in a Constitution Scavenger Hunt. Students will then speculate on how their lives might be different without the Constitution.
Focus Question: What is the U.S. Constitution about and how does it affect our daily lives?
Database(s): Kids InfoBits
Picture Books:
- One Nation by Devin Scillian, Illustrated by Pam Carroll
- N is for Our Nation's Capital by Marie and Roland Smith, Illustrated by Barbara Leonard
- D is for Democracy by Elissa Grodin, Illustrated by Victor Juhaasz
Procedures:
- Teachers have several options in this lesson depending on their age group, classroom set-up and time available. Start by choosing which lesson format from the options below:
- For younger grades the class may complete the scavenger hunt as a group with the teacher reading the picture book aloud and the class finding the answers to the questions as the book is read. For this option the Scavenger Hunt worksheet has been divided into sections by book so the teacher may choose to use one or all three books.
- For older students the teacher may choose to assign students to groups of two and have these pairs use classroom resources (the three picture books named and classroom computers with access to Gale Kids Infobits database). For this lesson a second worksheet is available with the questions from all resources mixed together. Answers keys are available for both Scavenger Hunt sheets.
- Once the lesson format has been decided make copies of the worksheets if needed and be sure you have access to the books and database if used.
- For older students working in pairs the teacher may choose to provide a small prize for the first team to find all of the correct answers.
Steps/Activities by student(s):
For younger grades (K-2), lesson option #1:
- Students, with the help of the teacher, will read through the Scavenger Hunt questions. [doc, 24 KB]
- As the teacher reads through the book students will try to find the correct answers as a group. [doc, 27 KB]
- Students will draw a picture showing one way their life might be different if the Constitution had not been written.
For older students (3-5), lesson option #2:
- Students will be placed in pairs.
- Students will use classroom resources to try to answer all questions on the Scavenger Hunt Worksheet. [doc, 26 KB]
- Students will bring their answers to the teacher to be checked as they finish. [doc, 26 KB]
- As a follow up activity, students will write a paragraph explaining two ways their life would be different if the U.S. Constitution had not been written.
Outcome: Students will understand what the Constitution is and how it impacts our daily lives.
Related Activities: have students work together to write a classroom Constitution that all can agree on.
Standard Date: August 28, 2006
Content Standard(s):
- Where do people in government get the authority to make, apply, and enforce rules and laws and manage disputes about them?
- What are the differences between limited and unlimited governments?
- Why is it important to limit the power of government?
- What are the most important values and principles of American democracy?
- What are some important beliefs Americans have about themselves and their government?
- What is the United States Constitution and why is it important?
- What does the national government do and how does it protect individual rights and promote the common good?
Performance Indicators:
- At Level 1, the student is able to:
- Identify at least 3 facts about the U.S. Constitution
- At Level 2, the student is able to:
- Explain the type of government set-up by the Constitution
- At Level 3, the student is able to:
- Evaluate the impact of the Constitution on our daily lives
Information Power; Information Literacy Standards 1-4:
- Standard 1: The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively
- Standard 2: The student who is information literate evaluates information critically and competently
- Standard 3: The student who is information literate uses information accurately and creatively