Curated OER
Ratification of the Constitution
Eighth graders view two resources from the ratification debates and infer the motives and concerns of people in the two states involved. They write a newspaper editorial in favor or opposed to ratifying the Constitution.
Curated OER
The U.S. Constitution: Practical Application of the Amendments
Pupils create their own HyperStudio cards which include scanned images of at least one member (designated reader) of each group. They add the text of a predetermined amendment. The designated reader then reads the selected amendment.
Curated OER
Constitution Week
Students prepare one-minute broadcasts about events leading to the writing of the Constitution and current issues in the next election. Students read their broadcasts on the school P.A. system each morning during Constitution Week.
Curated OER
Supreme Court Rulings
Become familiar with the constitution and amendments with an in depth opportunity to utilize media center resources. Groups of students focus on an amendment then make a presentation to the class.
Curated OER
Reorganizing the Bill of Rights
Eighth graders look critically at the 26 amendments to the United States Constitution.
Curated OER
The Constitution: Our Plan for Government
Students investigate the importance of separation of powers, checks, balances, and judicial review. They also investigate how national and state governments are linked.
Curated OER
Justice
Young scholars consider the role of justice in the formation of the United States and in the operation of today's criminal justice system. They investigate symbols associated with justice and references to justice in the Constitution.
Curated OER
US Constitution And Amendments
Students become familiar with the US Constitution and consider how it affects their lives. They research the Preamble to articulate the purposes of government, compile collages, and research the separation of powers within each branch of...
Curated OER
Paving the Road to the Constitution
Eighth graders assess the strengths and weaknessess of the Articles of Confederation as related to the United States and North Carolina. They demonstrate an argument for or against ratification of the United States Constitution.
Curated OER
Citizenship Day
Students examine the events which led to the observance of Citizenship Day, and analyze the role of the media in influencing public opinion on citizenship. They research the concept of citizenship through debate, and various creative...
Curated OER
The Bill of Rights
Ninth graders research the Bill of Rights and consider which freedoms are the most important for them. They consider the Bill in detail and then write to their Congressperson about something they would like to see done or changed.
Curated OER
We the People... What Conflicting Opinions Did the Framers Have about the Completed Constitution?
Students study some of the disagreements about the Constitution which set the stage for the debates over its ratification. These are significant because many have to do with issues that are still discussed and debated today.
Curated OER
The Bill of Rights and the News
Students examine current news stories and from them develop "BIG" questions related to individual and group rights. They then relate their questions to the U.S. Constitution and supreme court decisions.
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation: The United States Constitution
Take a close look at this document that was written in Philadelphia in 1787. It gives us the rights that we still have today. Select a thumbnail, and then roll over the picture to zoom in.
Quia
Quia: The Articles of Confederation and the Writing of the Constitution
Take a quiz on the Articles of Confederation and the writing of the Constitution.
Quia
Quia: Building of the Constitution
Quiz yourself on how well you know the events leading up to writing the United States Constitution.
Bill of Rights Institute
Bill of Rights Institute: Additional Amendments
The Constitution contains within itself the process of changing it. The amendment process is described in Article 5. Amendments can be proposed in Congress when 2/3rd of both Houses agree. The states can play a role in proposing changes...
Bill of Rights Institute
Bill of Rights Institute: James Madison
James Madison's slight stature and reserved personality gave little indication of his keen intellect and shrewd nature. No other Founder had as much influence in crafting, ratifying, and interpreting the United States Constitution and...
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Classroom: The Bill of Rights Interactive Quiz
Many Americans take for granted the freedoms contained in the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. As students play this game, they will discover surprising facts about the story behind the Bill of Rights and gain a clearer...
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Classroom: Our Constitution
This book takes an in-depth look at the Constitution, annotated with detailed explanations of its terms and contents. Included are texts of primary source materials, sidebar material on each article and amendment, profiles of Supreme...
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Classroom: The Illuminated Our Constitution
Check out this ibook on the United States Constitution.
Bill of Rights Institute
Bill of Rights Institute: Constitution of the United States of America (1787)
The Constitution was written in the summer of 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by delegates from 12 states, in order to replace the Articles of Confederation with a new form of government. It created a federal system with a national...
Read Works
Read Works: The United States Constitution
[Free Registration/Login Required] Intended for early elementary students, ReadWorks provides a brief history of The United States Constitution. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Classroom: The Preamble
The preamble is the introduction to the Constitution. It outlines the general goals of the framers: to create a just government and to ensure peace, adequate national defense, and a healthy, free nation. With its first three words, "We...