Travel back to 1787 as young scholars investigate the creation of the US Constitution. After first working in small groups to create sets of classroom rules, young scholars go on to read a summary of the Constitution and watch a short...

Students explore the Constitutional Convention of 1787. In this U.S. Constitution lesson, students role play the parts of delegates in a simulation of the convention.

Why did the Founders make it so challenging to amend the US Constitution? To gain an understanding of why the process is so difficult, class members engage in a Constitutional Convention simulation. Groups draft, propose, and debate...

Sit back, relax, and transport to 1787! This lesson on the Constitution begins with guided imagery of the Constitutional Convention. The class reads A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution in an...

Should representation in the new United States government be based on population? This activity illustrates the details of this important quandary through an adaptation of speeches on the topic given at the Constitutional Convention....

Using the Constitutional Convention as a model, learners create their own governments. Other activities to explore the American Constitution include creating posters to help explain the Bill of Rights. 

How do new amendments become part of the US Constitution? AP government students explore, analyze, and use the US Constitution to develop a deep understanding of the interworkings of law and government while practicing synthesis and...

Students engage in a role-playing situation to illustrate the kinds of compromised that were made a teh Constitutional Convention. They write three short 1-2 paragraph arguments and then present their arguments to the class at the...

What would it have been like to have heard the debate on the issue of slavery at the Constitutional Convention of 1787? With this resource, you are given the opportunity to read through a reconstruction of speeches on the topic with your...

After defeating the most powerful nation in the world, the United States had to deal with its own weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation. Activities in the lesson include analyzing primary sources from the Founding Fathers to...

Eighth graders gain a greater understanding of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and the issues surrounding the development of our Constitution. They participate in an activity and listen to lecture on the Convention, then search...

While the Constitution is considered enshrined today, its current form is the result of haggling at a secret convention in 1787. Using transcripts from the meetings and various plans as drafted by the delegates, class members unpack the...

Students simulate the Constitutional Convention. They describe how the members of the Constitutional Convention might have felt as they gathered and began the arduous and memorable task of writing the United States Constitution .

Students examine the ratification process. In this U.S. Constitution lesson plan, students discuss the ratification process and read a play based on the process. Students debate the ratification process and determine whether they...

Students discuss two computerized options to change the current U.S. government. In this Constitutional Convention lesson, students write a statement advocating for one of the choices and participate in a mock modern Constitutional...

Different currencies, multiple armies, unreliable protection from thieves: class members experience these challenges playing a game that demonstrates life under the Articles of Confederation. After playing the game—which takes them on a...

Eighth graders, after working with the software Decisions, Decisions: The Constitution, become face to face with the dilemmas, compromises, and struggles of writing the American Constitution. Each student is evaluated on how well they...

Students analyze the adaptive nature of the U.S. Constiution. For this Amendments lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the amendment process. Students respond to question regarding...

While the Constitutional Convention lay the foundation of the new government for the United States, the protections given under the Bill of Rights were controversial. Using documents, such as James Madison's and Thomas Jefferson's...

Students investigate amendments to the Constitution. In this government lesson, students research how an amendment is made and amendments that have both passed and failed. They write their own amendment and attempt to have it pass by the...

Students define federalism, Federalist, and Anti-Federalist, debate issue of ratification in classroom convention, and take vote on whether to add bill of rights. Three lessons on one page.

Students participate in a classroom simulation to discover the issues facing those who formed the new U.S. government. They compare and contrast the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. Using resource sheets and working in...

Students identify the principles of democracy when framing the United States Constitution. In groups, they analyze the differences that were settled before anyone signed the document. They role play their own activity in which they...

High schoolers 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.