Change and Process
Title: Change / Process
Author: Sarah White
Grade Level: 10 -12
Subject/Content: Social Studies (US History, Civics, American Legal or Government)
Summary of Lesson: Students will examine how amendments added to the US Constitution have both reflected and changed our beliefs and values. Research will be presented in a student-constructed bulletin board.
Focus Question: How are changing social attitudes reflected in the US Constitution and how have amendments changes society’s beliefs and attitudes?
Databases(s): Student Resource Center
Procedures:
Steps/Activities by teacher:
- Arrange student access to Gale Student Resource Center database
- Instruct students in the methods by which new amendments may be added to the US Constitution.
- Put students into pairs and assign each pair one amendment to research and present (use amendments added after the Bill of Rights).
- Prepare a bulletin board with a blank timeline.
- Have markers and construction paper for timeline construction.
Steps/Activities by student(s):
- Research assigned amendment using the Student Resource Center with partner.
- Find the following information for each amendment:
- Year passed?
- Summary of amendment.
- How was the amendment ratified?
- What factors in society helped this amendment to be ratified?
- What was the long-term impact of the amendment? How did people’s lives change because of it?
- Prepare a piece of construction paper summarizing this information. Summaries should be neat, include a graphic to represent the amendment, and use bullets in your own words to summarize the information.
- Prepare to share your research with the class.
- Arrange amendment summary chronologically on the bulletin board.
Outcome: Students will gain insight into the impact of constitutional amendments on people’s lives.
Related Activities: Students may write up an amendment they wish to be added to the constitution. Students should use formal language to construct their amendment and then write a one-paragraph summary of why they believe in this amendment. A second paragraph will summarize the impact the student believes this amendment would have.
Standard Date:July 10, 2006
Content Standard(s):
- Apply key concepts such as time, chronology, causality, change, conflict and complexity to explain, analyze and show connections among patterns of historical change and continuity.
- Analyze group and institutional influences on people, events and elements of culture in both historical and contemporary settings.
- Describe the various forms institutions take, and explain how they develop and change over time.
Performance Indicators:
- At Level 1, the student is able to:
- Identify the constitutional amendments and the method used to ratify each.
- At Level 2, the student is able to:
- Identify factors that helped each amendment to be ratified.
- At Level 3, the student is able to:
- Evaluate the long-term impact of constitutional amendments on society.
Computer Literacy and Usage Standards 9-12:
- The student will develop skills using a variety of computer resources to increase productivity, support creativity, conduct and evaluate research and improve communications.
- The student will use technology resources to improve problem solving and decision making skills and apply these skills to real world situations.
ISTE NETS for Students
- Routinely and efficiently use online information resources to meet needs for collaboration, research, publication, communication and productivity.
Information Power; Information Literacy Standards:
- 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.
- Standard 7: The student who contributes positively to the learning community and to society is information literate and recognizes the importance of information to a democratic society.