Lesson Plan
Center For Civic Education

Center for Civic Education: The Federal System Created by the Constitution [Pdf]

For Teachers 7th - 8th
In this lesson, students will learn how the Constitution established a new way to organize a government, called the federal system. When finished this lesson, students should be able to explain what a federal system is and how it differs...
Primary
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Primary Source Set: Creating the Us Constitution

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
A collection which uses primary sources to explore the creation of the US Constitution.
Lesson Plan
Harry S. Truman Library and Museum

Harry S. Truman Library and Museum: Prohibition and the Constitution [Pdf]

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Offers a lesson plan through which students create cartoons illustrating the reasons behind Prohibition and the repeal of Prohibition. It provides links to sources, student handouts, and a scoring rubric.
Activity
Library of Congress

Loc: Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides a collection of material regarding the work of the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention. Content includes a focus on how the Revolutionary War was organized, fanning the flames of patriotism,...
Interactive
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Classroom: The Constitutional Convention

For Students 9th - 10th
Travel back to 1787 and become a delegate to the convention in Philadelphia. As the Founding Fathers struggle to decide how the young nation will be governed, explore how very different men representing their states' conflicting...
Unit Plan
Tom Richey

Tom Richey: The u.s. Constitution (1783 1789)

For Students 9th - 10th
A comprehensive unit of the colonies gaining their independence from and trying to create an effective constitution establishing a new government. Find lessons, videos, and primary sources.
Lesson Plan
Library of Virginia

Virginia Memory: Constitution Day Activities: Middle and High

For Teachers 9th - 10th
How was the Constitution created? What did the delegates contribute in creating the Constitution?
Primary
Bill of Rights Institute

Bill of Rights Institute: Constitution of the United States of America (1787)

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
Primary
University of Chicago

The Founders' Constitution: Constitutional Convention

For Students 9th - 10th
A list of links to texts of original documents written by participants in the Constitutional Conventions, relating to their attempts to create an acceptable national constitution. Organized in chronological order.
Lesson Plan
Center For Civic Education

Center for Civic Education: What Basic Ideas in the Preamble to the Const [Pdf]

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
This lesson explores some ideas in the Preamble to the Constitution. Students learn the importance of the words, We the People. The lesson emphasizes that the power to govern belongs to the people who have created the government to...
Unknown Type
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Creating a Nation

For Students 9th - 10th
Test your knowledge on the US Constitution.
Activity
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Constitutional Rights Foundation: Centralized vs. Decentralized Rule: The Articles of Confederation

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Activity comparing the Articles of Confederation to the Constitution. Using a variety of articles, students research and create a chart with explanations and critical comparisons of the two governing documents.
Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: Creating a Classroom Constitution

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
[Free Registration/Login Required] Using this flipchart, students will learn about the United States Constitution and how they can create a constitution for their classroom.
Lesson Plan
Other

Uss Constitution Museum: Constructing Constitution Activity

For Students 5th - 8th
This USS Constitution Museum resources allows students to become ship builder and create their own version of the USS Constitution.
Activity
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Constitutional Rights Foundation: St. Thomas Aquinas, Natural Law, and the Common Good

For Students 9th - 10th
Learning activity in which students survey the philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas and his ideas on government, natural law, and the common good to create policies or programs the U.S. government could enact. Questions for discussion and...
Website
Digital History

Digital History: Writing a Constitution [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
This site is from a unit called 'Writing the US Constitution.' It looks at the documents that preceded the Constitution, and the major issues that were debated while the Constitution was being created.
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: Constitution Lives

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
As part of the study of the Constitution, students will do research on and create a Constitutional scrapbook and multimedia presentation on the Bill of Rights. Students will use various media print resources as well as the Internet to...
Unit Plan
Scholastic

Scholastic: Iraq's New Beginning: Voting on a New Constitution

For Students 3rd - 8th
Lots of information and articles about the voting that occurred to create a new Iraqi constitution. Provides examples and information about the new Iraqi constitution that was formed in 2005. Includes teaching materials.
Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: Cause for Debate

For Students 9th - 10th
The Constitution creates separate institutions that must share power, there will always be disputes over the basic principles. Check out some of the hot issues (term limits, electoral college, judicial review) that are in dispute even to...
Lesson Plan
Other

Uss Constitution Museum: Design a Figurehead

For Students 5th - 8th
This USS Constitution Museum resource is a lesson plan that calls for students to work together in teams to create a new figurehead for the USS Constitution that was destroyed while on patrol.
Graphic
Curated OER

Web Gallery of Art: Long Live the Constitution, One and In(di)visible

For Students 11th - 12th
An image of "Long Live the Constitution, One and In(di)visible", created by James Gillray in 1800 (Etching, 270 x 170 mm).
Graphic
Curated OER

Web Gallery of Art: Louis Xvi Showing the Constitution to His Son, the Dauphin

For Students 11th - 12th
An image of "Louis XVI Showing the Constitution to his Son, the Dauphin", created by Jacques-Louis David in 1792 (Graphite, 180 x 110 mm).
Handout
Bill of Rights Institute

Bill of Rights Institute: Founding Principles

For Students 9th - 10th
Below, you will find suggested definitions of each principle. Click here to read the words of James Madison, a primary contributor to the Constitution, and other Founders on these principles.
Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: Us Constitution Bill of Rights

For Teachers 6th - 8th
[Free Registration/Login Required] In this lesson students explore Amendments 1-10 and discuss the impact of events that led to the ratification of the US Constitution and Bill of Rights. Complete credit page of websites used to create...