The language of the Constitution can feel quite ominous to young learners, but there are a variety of strategies you can utilize to help your class grasp the important concepts and ideals in our nation's founding document. This lesson plan takes you and your readers step-by-step through a close reading of a secondary source analyzing the phrase "We the People" in the Constitution's Preamble.

Concepts

close reading, the preamble to the united states constitution, the united states constitution

Show More Show Less

Additional Tags

preamble, close reading, annotation strategies, english language arts

Show More Show Less

Pros

• Very detailed instructional procedures, guiding questions, and explanations 
• Hook your readers by examining the photographs provided of Supreme Court justices throughout US history, noting how the governmental body's demographic makeup has changed over time. 

Cons

• May need to incorporate other resources/strategies to keep learners motivated and engaged in lesson
• This is a close reading of a secondary source regarding the Preamble and not an analysis of the Constitution itself

Common Core

RI.8.1 RI.8.2 RI.8.3 RI.8.5 RI.8.6 W.8.2.a W.8.4 W.8.9.a