TeachersFirst's Constitution Day Resources

This collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected to help teachers and students learn about the United States Constitution and to plan projects and classroom activities so students can experience the Constitution as a "living document." Whether you spend one class in celebration of Constitution Day or an entire unit on the Constitution, the ideas included in the "In the Classroom" portion of reviews will launch discussions and projects your students will not forget.

Other TeachersFirst Special Topics Collections

Teachers Guide

 

0-20 of 29    Next

29 Results | sort by:

Less
More

Today's Document - National Archives

Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites 0  Comments
Today's Document is an excellent daily history site based on an RSS feed from the National Archives Facebook page. Each entry features a historical document or image from the National...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Today's Document is an excellent daily history site based on an RSS feed from the National Archives Facebook page. Each entry features a historical document or image from the National Archives catalog. Open the entry to view the item shared and additional information, including a short description, record location, and a link to the original Facebook post. The original Facebook posts often include an extra link to a different area within the National Archives with supporting documents.

tag(s): american revolution (81), civil war (135), constitution (87), jefferson (18), lincoln (62), presidents (124), primary sources (118), segregation (18), washington (26)

In the Classroom

Today's Document would make a fantastic discussion starter in any classroom. It is an engaging, visual way for students to acquire background knowledge about American history, the Constitution, and government through primary source documents. Share this site with students as a springboard for American History research projects. Visit TeachersFirst Special Topics Page: Research Strategies, reviewed here to find additional resources to teach and develop research skills.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

C-Span Classroom - C-Span

Grades
6 to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
  
C-Span Classroom offers free, video-based classroom materials for teachers. Browse the links on the site to find Bell Ringers, Lesson Plans, and additional teaching resources. Other...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

C-Span Classroom offers free, video-based classroom materials for teachers. Browse the links on the site to find Bell Ringers, Lesson Plans, and additional teaching resources. Other tools include a Constitutional Clips video series, Classroom Deliberations based upon current issues, and On This Day in History featuring significant historical events using video clips.

tag(s): branches of government (63), civil rights (197), constitution (87), declaration of independence (15), elections (80), electoral college (22), environment (237), journalism (72), nasa (29), STEM (269), supreme court (27), video (260)

In the Classroom

Bookmark this site to access many video resources and lessons to teach social studies topics. Include lessons and activities as part of interactive lessons created with Microsoft PowerPoint Online, reviewed here. Include quizzes, videos, links to documents, and more to create flipped or blended learning lessons on Microsoft PowerPoint Online that differentiate student abilities and interests and a resource for students to complete lessons individually at their own pace. As a final learning activity and to enhance learning, ask students to share their understanding of the content by creating short video clips made with FlexClip, reviewed here. Modify templates provided by FlexClip to create a short but content-rich overview of the lesson that shares student understanding of the information.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

Civics Renewal Network - The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the Univ of Pennsylvania

Grades
1 to 12
1 Favorites 0  Comments
   
This site is provided by an alliance of thirty-seven non-profit, non-partisan organizations to offer free online civics resources to classrooms. Curated collections include voting and...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

This site is provided by an alliance of thirty-seven non-profit, non-partisan organizations to offer free online civics resources to classrooms. Curated collections include voting and elections, media literacy, subjects to learn at home, teaching the 19th Amendment, controversial topics, and a Constitution Day toolkit. In addition to selecting topics, you can view the information by choosing from narrower topics, including citizenship, history, branches of government, and more. Use the dropdown box for Collections at the top of the page to find resources correlated to Common Core, NCSS, and National Standards for Civics and Government. Links to resources include videos, free online courses, classroom presentations, and many other tools for classroom civics lessons. Note: the vast majority of items included are free; however, a few link to resources require payment.

tag(s): branches of government (63), constitution (87), democracy (19), elections (80), electoral college (22), media literacy (102), politics (111), supreme court (27)

In the Classroom

Include the Civics Renewal Network with your other resources for teaching civics content. Include activities on this site as part of self-guided lessons created using Microsoft PowerPoint Online, reviewed here, or add to classroom lessons created with NearPod, reviewed here. Extend student learning by asking them to become creators using a digital storytelling tool such as Elementari, reviewed here. Elementari includes features that bring students' stories to life, such as animations, font choices, and drag-and-drop text.
 This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

Votes for Women - The 19th Amendment - TeachersFirst

Grades
4 to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
 
Votes for Women - The 19th Amendment is part of the TeachersFirst Help! I lost my media/library specialist collection found here...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Votes for Women - The 19th Amendment is part of the TeachersFirst Help! I lost my media/library specialist collection found here that features topics and resources that focus on integrating research with technology. Information begins with a short introductory paragraph about the 19th Amendment and extensive background information. The Activities section shares suggested book lists, primary sources, and a WebQuest research project. Continue down the site to find Extension activities that incorporate research skills into additional classroom opportunities such as debates and documentary creation. Ideas found on this resource include correlation to ISTE and AASL National School Library Standards.

tag(s): 1900s (73), constitution (87), women (140), womens suffrage (44)

In the Classroom

Begin by browsing through the many suggested classroom activities found in this resource. Organize a suggested book list or research resources for students using a curation tool like Symbaloo, reviewed here, as means for organizing information into one place. Sort items in your Symbaloo by using the color-coding option for the icons. For example, make book suggestions blue, primary source links yellow, etc. As students prepare to share their research and final projects, provide options for sharing information. Suggest students make a presentation with Google Slides, reviewed here, a video using Adobe Creative Cloud Express Video Maker, reviewed here, or a multimedia presentation created with Sway, reviewed here.
 This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

60-Second Civics - Center for Civic Education

Grades
5 to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
 
Listen to daily 60-second podcasts to learn about the United States government. Themes explored include constitutional issues related to today's headlines, presidential powers, and...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Listen to daily 60-second podcasts to learn about the United States government. Themes explored include constitutional issues related to today's headlines, presidential powers, and more--most episodes pertain to current events topics. In addition to the podcast, there is a daily quiz to check your knowledge of civics-related issues. Scroll down the page to find archives of recent topics, or use the keyword search to find podcasts related to any subject.

tag(s): branches of government (63), constitution (87), democracy (19), elections (80), electoral college (22), house of representatives (8), politics (111), senate (10), supreme court (27)

In the Classroom

Bookmark and save this podcast to use as a quick class-starter to review and discuss civics topics. If you don't have time to listen daily, consider setting aside 15-20 minutes a week to listen to podcasts from the week and to discuss the daily questions. Engage students in any topic by creating a Google Jamboard, reviewed here, that contains any of the daily questions. Ask students to share their thoughts and response using the sticky note tool. Extend learning by asking students to choose a topic of interest to research. Ask them to share their findings using one of the multimedia tools found at Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here. Options found at Adobe Express include creating graphics, webpages, and more.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

We the Civics Kids - Constitution Center

Grades
3 to 6
0 Favorites 0  Comments
  
We the Civics Kids is an eight-lesson program created for fourth-grade learners to build basic civic knowledge. The program offers educators the opportunity to use lessons individually...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

We the Civics Kids is an eight-lesson program created for fourth-grade learners to build basic civic knowledge. The program offers educators the opportunity to use lessons individually or as a complete unit to integrate into your existing curriculum. Downloadable materials include lesson plans, student materials, bulletin board ideas, and more in a zip file. An additional zip file download includes a complete book list that aligns with the lessons.

tag(s): bill of rights (28), communities (36), constitution (87), courts (19), diversity (37), states (122), supreme court (27)

In the Classroom

Use the lessons from this site as an entire civics unit or integrate the materials into your current civics program. Although created for fourth grade, the materials are easily adaptable for students in other grades. As students learn about civics through problem-solving activities, incorporate online tools found at Class Tools, reviewed here, to enhance learning. For example, have students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a fake Fakebook profile of a historical character. Extend learning further by asking students to create and produce podcasts using Buzzsprout, reviewed here. Include topics found on the We the Civics Kids website such as diversity, school uniform discussions, and kid power.
 This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

Constitutional Rights - Constitution Center

Grades
7 to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
Explore the rights the United States shares with other countries around the world with this interactive from the Constitution Center. Begin by selecting a constitutional right from...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Explore the rights the United States shares with other countries around the world with this interactive from the Constitution Center. Begin by selecting a constitutional right from the list next to the globe to highlight the countries that also include that right for their citizens. Select any highlighted country to compare their version with the U.S. In addition to sharing the text from each country, this interactive includes the percentage of text with content that matches between the two chosen countries.

tag(s): bill of rights (28), constitution (87), countries (72), cross cultural understanding (160)

In the Classroom

Include this interactive with any lessons on constitutional rights or when studying different nations. Create a Padlet, reviewed here, for your class to add and comment on constitutional rights around the world. Create columns on your Padlet by country or specific rights, then enhance learning by asking students to share information and articles detailing information on that right. Use an online news site like World News, reviewed here, for students to find news from around the world and search by regions. Extend learning by challenging computer-savvy students to create a game using Scratch, reviewed here, that takes players around the world to learn about rights and freedoms found in different nations. Ask other students to create podcasts discussing current events and freedoms from around the world. Buzzsprout, reviewed here, is an excellent podcast creation tool and includes features for adding links and lists to shows, and allows users to schedule podcast releases for specific dates and times.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

Race to Ratify - iCivics

Grades
5 to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
   
Can you be a ratification #influencer? That is the goal of this game where players land back in time to the year 1787 and fight to ratify the newly proposed ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Can you be a ratification #influencer? That is the goal of this game where players land back in time to the year 1787 and fight to ratify the newly proposed Constitution using the social media of the time - pamphlets. Select from two different game modes - historical and free play. Talk with friends and dissenters as you travel across the 13 states to hear different opinions and attempt to influence others to your point of view. Earn tokens along the way to use in interviews and pamphlets. Although login and registration are available on the site, they aren't necessary to play the game. The educator login gives access to the extension pack that provides additional context and materials for using the game in classrooms.

tag(s): 1700s (36), american revolution (81), branches of government (63), colonial america (93), constitution (87), game based learning (179)

In the Classroom

Demonstrate the basic concepts of the challenge on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Then allow students to play on their own on the whiteboard or classroom computers, keeping a log of their actions and results. Enhance learning by having students share interactions from the game in comic form using ToonyTool, reviewed here. Ask students to use ToonyTool to create a conversation with the game's character trying to persuade an anti-Federalist or another opponent on the virtues of the Constitution. Use the game as inspiration for students to extend their learning by creating their own history game using Scratch, reviewed here. For ideas and inspiration, use the search feature in Scratch to find examples of history games created by other users.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

United States Courts Educational Resources - Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts

Grades
8 to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
  
Discover a wide variety of educational resources and interactive lessons teaching about the United States court system and Constitution. Choose the Educational Activities section to...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Discover a wide variety of educational resources and interactive lessons teaching about the United States court system and Constitution. Choose the Educational Activities section to find lessons based on Constitutional Amendments and the U.S. Court of Appeals. Within each of the different areas of this section are several activities that include a downloadable activity package for educators. Explore landmark Supreme Court cases and participate in interactive activities including a simulation of the Supreme Court decision making process.

tag(s): branches of government (63), constitution (87), supreme court (27)

In the Classroom

Include these free resources and activities to use in your social studies classroom when teaching about the U.S. Constitution. Instead of asking students to take individual notes throughout your lessons, use Google documents to create shared notes. Ask students to highlight and annotate important information shared. Use Wakelet, reviewed here, to create "wakes" for students to organize information. Add websites, documents, videos, and more to any wake for students to access information in one site. As a final project, enhance student learning by challenging them to use a video explanation tool like Clipchamp, reviewed here to share the background and information learned about Supreme Court cases and decisions.
 This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

That's Your Right - Annenberg Classroom

Grades
5 to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
 
Learn about the Bill of Rights by playing this challenging card game. Click start to view the tutorial and choose to play from the single or multiplayer options. Choose from ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Learn about the Bill of Rights by playing this challenging card game. Click start to view the tutorial and choose to play from the single or multiplayer options. Choose from three different levels of difficulty to begin play. Watch videos of Amendments 1-10 as you play. The goal of the game is to gain freedom by collecting and matching scenario cards to features of the Bill of Rights as you play. There is background music that can be turned off.

tag(s): bill of rights (28), branches of government (63), constitution (87), game based learning (179)

In the Classroom

Include this game with any lessons on the Bill of Rights. Challenge students to compete against each other and move up through the different levels of difficulty. Include the site with your other resources on a bookmarking site like Papaly, reviewed here. Papaly includes the option to add and share notes with bookmarks, add teaching notes for your future use or if sharing with students, ask them to add tips into the comments section. Upon completion of your unit, enhance learning by having students create animated videos using Powtoon, reviewed here, to share their understanding of the Bill of Rights.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

Case Maker - Bean Creative

Grades
6 to 8
2 Favorites 1  Comments
  
Case Maker is a collection of 20 civics challenges for middle school students. Share individual challenges with students using the provided Challenge Code. Once students access the...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Case Maker is a collection of 20 civics challenges for middle school students. Share individual challenges with students using the provided Challenge Code. Once students access the challenge, the site offers tools for adding annotations and creating case folders. Once complete, students use information as a reference for other assignments or share their work using the site's presentation mode feature. Use your free Case Maker account to modify text and associated primary sources within challenges and follow student progress. Be sure to watch the introductory videos for teachers and students.

tag(s): black history (128), civil rights (197), constitution (87), democracy (19), elections (80), freedom of speech (13), immigrants (33), immigration (65), inquiry (24), media literacy (102), politics (111), racism (78), Research (84), world war 2 (154)

In the Classroom

Take advantage of the free materials on this site to encourage debate and discussion within your current civics lessons and lessons on civil rights and racism. Introduce Case Maker by showing the class the student introductory video. Each lesson includes primary sources to use when responding to prompts; ask students to find and share additional primary sources to include in their response to each question. Instead of just creating a list of additional resources, engage students and augment classroom technology use by sharing additional resources using Padlet, reviewed here. Padlet offers features for adding comments; ask students to use this feature to indicate important information found on the document. Enhance learning by finding and sharing videos that support the topic being discussed. Use Edpuzzle, reviewed here, to add comments and question prompts for students. Upon completing student projects, extend learning by having stidents share their thoughts through a podcast featuring students' challenge solutions. Be sure to include a group of students in each podcast featuring various points of view and their backup documentation. Try using Acast, reviewed here, to create student podcasts.

Comments

Great variety of resources! Toni, , Grades: 5 - 8

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

Interactive Constitution - National Constitution Center

Grades
6 to 12
1 Favorites 0  Comments
Learn about the United States Constitution through discussions from constitutional experts and their thoughts on how the Constitution's history has implications for today. Begin by...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Learn about the United States Constitution through discussions from constitutional experts and their thoughts on how the Constitution's history has implications for today. Begin by selecting an article or amendment to view the wording contained in the Constitution, along with at least one feature discussing the specific impact of that piece. At the end of each article, go further in-depth with additional presentations titled Matters of Debate. These selections present two different interpretations about the legal applications of the specific portion of the Constitution within society.

tag(s): colonial america (93), constitution (87), philadelphia (10)

In the Classroom

Include this site with any lessons on the Constitution. Share on your interactive whiteboard to help students understand the meaning behind each article and amendment. Take your research into the Constitution a step further and have students compile bookmarks containing videos and online articles to use for research. Wakelet, reviewed here, is a bookmarking tool that allows students to collaborate through annotations and highlighting of text. Extend student learning by having students or student groups create explainer videos to tell the history of the Constitution or explain articles or amendments. Modify classroom technology use by using a tool like Adobe Express Video Maker, reviewed here, to create animated short videos.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

America Goes to War: an Infographic - New England College

Grades
8 to 12
1 Favorites 0  Comments
What does it mean to go to war? This simple infographic shows the Constitutional process by which the United States declares war, traces the history of each of the U.S. ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

What does it mean to go to war? This simple infographic shows the Constitutional process by which the United States declares war, traces the history of each of the U.S. declarations of war, and differentiates among formal declarations, military actions, and Presidential or Congressional authorizations of force.

tag(s): civil war (135), congress (39), constitution (87), presidents (124), war of 1812 (14), world war 1 (74), world war 2 (154)

In the Classroom

Was the U.S. at war? What powers does the U.S. President have to declare war, and how have Presidents used those powers historically? A powerful, but simple infographic delineates the legal and Constitutional differences among U.S. wars historically. Share the infographic on an interactive whiteboard, or embed on your classroom website for reference.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

60-Second Civics - The Center for Civic Education

Grades
7 to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
  
60 Second Civics offers podcasts covering one important concept at a time in 60-second narratives. They are updated daily. Short Attention Span? This site is perfect for you! There...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

60 Second Civics offers podcasts covering one important concept at a time in 60-second narratives. They are updated daily. Short Attention Span? This site is perfect for you! There are nearly 2000 podcasts to explore. You can subscribe to the podcast series through an RSS feed, on iTunes, or access them directly through the website. Unfortunately, they do not seem to be searchable by theme or content, so you'll just need to scroll through them if you're looking for a specific topic or issue. Tip: when you hover your cursor over the word PLAY, it doesn't change to a pointing hand. Click on the word anyway to start the podcast. 60-Second Civics is part of a larger site that contains lesson plans, teacher resources, video clips, and a photo gallery on all aspects of citizenship.

tag(s): bill of rights (28), branches of government (63), constitution (87)

In the Classroom

Need a quick lesson starter or attention grabber at the beginning or end of each class? Try a 60-second Civics lesson. If you access the day's podcast via the website, you'll also find a one-question multiple choice quiz that relates to the podcast so you can check for content acquisition. These podcasts are perfect for a civics or government class! Share the podcasts on your projector (or interactive whiteboard) so the entire class can hear the podcast and see the quiz at the end. If you are the adviser for the school news program, these would be a terrific addition, ready to go for you every day. During the run-up to Consitution Day in September, include these in the morning PA announcements. Load the podcast on iTouches or other mobile devices in the media center for students to browse and learn. Encourage students to create their own "stump the teacher" or "stump the student citizen" quizzes based on these podcasts. Use one of the many poll/quiz tools in the TeachersFirst Edge.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

CurriConnects Booklist: By the People - TeachersFirst

Grades
K to 12
1 Favorites 0  Comments
This CurriConnects booklist collection is about how our U.S. government works and how to take part in that process. These books include topics such as what it means to be ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

This CurriConnects booklist collection is about how our U.S. government works and how to take part in that process. These books include topics such as what it means to be a citizen, how our government works, and the tough decisions that people make -- both citizens and those who work in government. Discover civics-related topics such as voting, creating laws, enforcing laws, and the underlying principles of democracy. The collection includes both true and fictional tales about communities and government and books for all grade levels. CurriConnects thematic book lists include ISBN numbers for ordering or searching, interest grade levels, and ESL levels to match student independent reading levels to challenge, not frustrate. Don't miss other CurriConnects themes being added regularly. If your library does not have the books, try interlibrary loan!

tag(s): book lists (161), branches of government (63), congress (39), constitution (87), presidents (124)

In the Classroom

Encourage students to select independent reading from this list as part of a citizenship unit, as a focus for Constitution Day, or in a civics/government class.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

Constitution Day - ConstitutionDay.com

Grades
5 to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
Learn about the U.S. Constitution and the amendments. See the documents and short biographies of each of the founding fathers. Click links to images of the Constitution on the right...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Learn about the U.S. Constitution and the amendments. See the documents and short biographies of each of the founding fathers. Click links to images of the Constitution on the right side of the home page. Although this site is short on original content, the founding father biographies make it a worthwhile visit when studying the Constitution and figures in American History.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): bill of rights (28), biographies (95), colonial america (93), constitution (87), history day (39), philadelphia (10)

In the Classroom

Share this site with students as a resource for reading and viewing the Constitution. Use Read Ahead, reviewed here with these articles as a guided reading activity for younger students. Read Ahead is perfect for introducing any reading passage to struggling readers, special education students, and ENL/ESL learners. Along with Read Ahead you may want to use Wordsift, reviewed here to help students identify the most important words used in the text. Challenge students to develop a fake social media presence about one of the founding fathers using Fakebook, reviewed here. This is a great resource for Constitution Day!

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States - Teaching American History

Grades
6 to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
Students are ordinarily much more familiar with the signing of the Declaration of Independence than the signing of the Constitution, even though the signing of the Constitution may...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Students are ordinarily much more familiar with the signing of the Declaration of Independence than the signing of the Constitution, even though the signing of the Constitution may arguably be the more important event. A painting by Howard Chandler Christy documents the event, and this site provides an interactive look at the characters depicted in the painting. There is also a link to more information about the painting, which is one of the most historically accurate paintings of the founding of our country, despite the fact that it does not actually depict all of the signers. A number of other resource links may be worth pursuing for further information.

tag(s): constitution (87)

In the Classroom

A great resource for the interactive whiteboard or projector, although be aware that you may need to disable your pop-up blocker to get the information to display properly. Challenge students to find other paintings depicting famous events in United States (or another country). Have cooperative learning groups create multimedia presentation about the paintings. Create fictitious blog entries from one character in a painting to another character within another painting at another famous event. What would John F. Kennedy write to Benjamin Franklin?

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

Annenberg Classroom - NPR/NY Times

Grades
6 to 12
8 Favorites 1  Comments
    
This collaborative website focuses on controversial contemporary issues, including juvenile justice, eco-topics, gun control, women's rights, voting rights, civil liberties in war,...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

This collaborative website focuses on controversial contemporary issues, including juvenile justice, eco-topics, gun control, women's rights, voting rights, civil liberties in war, and affirmative action (go to Browse Topics from the Home page to find these). Help students understand the role of the news media in a democracy. This website combines the radio broadcast resources of Justice Talking and written articles and features from the NY Times Learning Network. Lesson plans corresponding to each "hot topic" offer social studies, language arts, and science teachers opportunities to connect the real news with topics in their curricula. A glossary of words important to the democratic process and a link to the Constitution with a "what it says, what it means" feature allow students to understand authentic sources as well as historical references. "In Their Own Words" (accessible from the Site Guide) provides primary source documents and statements from each of the three branches of government, from the press, and from schools.

tag(s): character education (76), civil rights (197), ecology (98), radio (20), women (140)

In the Classroom

Use this site to help students explore the branches of government in action as they address a "hot topic." Have groups of students listen to real broadcasts and analyze the issues as examples of the constitutional concepts you are studying. Make this link available from your teacher web page while studying the Constitution, the branches of government, and many other social studies topics. Use your interactive whiteboard or projection screen to share a video or audio clip to spark discussion on an issue or activate your lesson. Then, divide your class into teams and have a class debate about the issue. Have students prepare a pro/con wiki using links to the primary sources to support their position or create their own podcast commentaries with support for their opinions.

Comments

Too many resources to even summarize. I can't wait to share this resource. CONSTITUTION ON SEPT. 17. Patricia, NJ, Grades: 6 - 12

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

Teacher's Portal - American Bar Association

Grades
6 to 12
0 Favorites 0  Comments
 
Each year, teachers are asked to observe Constitution Day with special instruction on one of the United States' founding documents. This site provides sample lesson plans and resources,...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Each year, teachers are asked to observe Constitution Day with special instruction on one of the United States' founding documents. This site provides sample lesson plans and resources, for all grade levels, including some flash-enabled interactive lessons and activities on specific aspects of the application of the Constitution.

tag(s): bill of rights (28), constitution (87)

In the Classroom

Use the lesson plan suggestions to meet the mandate for instruction on Constitution Day, but be sure and check out the other resources for lessons on civics, government, current events and the Constitution itself. The section called "Dialogues" provides resources to engage students and community members in discussion of fundamental American legal principles and civic traditions.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

Less
More

The Supreme Court: Games - PBS

Grades
9 to 12
6 Favorites 0  Comments
 
Although this site is no longer maintained, most links are working. As a supplement to their series on The Supreme Court, PBS has prepared nine interactive modules on various aspects...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:

 Close Link

Although this site is no longer maintained, most links are working. As a supplement to their series on The Supreme Court, PBS has prepared nine interactive modules on various aspects of the high court. Although they are called "games" most are simply interactive lessons on topics including a quiz on the constitution, information on the symbols used by the court to illustrate its importance to the US system of government, civil rights rulings, specific justices of note, and landmark cases. For reasons not immediately apparent, one of the interactives requires registration with an email address and password. Rather than using your personal or work email, create a free Gmail account to use for memberships. If you plan to have students register individually, you may want to create your own Gmail account with up to 20 subaccounts for each group of students (by code name or number) within your classes. Here is a blog post that tells how to set up GMail subaccounts to use for any online membership service. There are also links to educator resources and lesson plans.

tag(s): civil rights (197), constitution (87), supreme court (27)

In the Classroom

These lessons would be useful on an interactive whiteboard or projector along with a unit on the Supreme Court or the US judicial system. Students might also use them to to extend or enrich the topic on their own time, or when they have completed other classwork. They are well researched and informative, however, most students won't view them as "games" as they are labeled. Have cooperative learning groups investigate one specific topic and share their discoveries with the class. Challenge students to create a video using Powtoon, reviewed here, and it share using a site such as SchoolTube, reviewed here.

Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member

Rating (click star to set rating):

Close comment form

You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).

Close

0-20 of 29    Next