StevenE.

Sannella
CELEBRATETHECONSTITUTIONANDTHEBILLOFRIGHTS
I.

LessonPlanOverviewandDescription
A)Approximately50minutesor1classperiod
B)SocialSciencesAddressedCivicsandHistory,Government

C)ThislessonplanismeanttoteachstudentsabouttheConstitutionandBillofRights
andtoencouragetothinkaboutvaluessuchasequityandfreedomastheydesigntheirown
Constitution.
D)KeyVocabularyIncludes
1)TheU.S.Constitutionthehighestsetoflawsoftheland.
2)TheBillofRightsthefirst10amendmentstotheConstitution.
3)PreambleIntroductiontotheConstitutionsideasandphilosophy
4)ArticlesthevariouspassagesorsectionsoftheConstitution
E)SkillsChildrenwillneedtohavebasiccomputerskillstocompletethislessonplan
includingloggingintoaspecificwebpageandfollowinghyperlinkstotheConstitutionactivity.
Studentswillneedtobeabletoworkindependentlyandcooperativelyinsmallgroupsto
generatetheir sampleconstitution.
F)StudentswillexplorevariousaspectsoftheU.S.Constitutionandthenapplythis
knowledgetogeneratingtheirownclassroomConstitutionandBillofRights.
II.

ContentOutline
A) TheConstitutionThedocumentthatembodiesthefundamentallawsandprinciplesby
whichtheUnitedStatesisgoverned.ItwasdraftedbytheConstitutionalConventionand
latersupplementedbytheBillofRightsandotheramendments(dictionary.com)
1) Thehighestlawoftheland
2) Anexplanationofhowourgovernmentworks
3) Responsibleforthe3branchesofgovernmentExecutive,Legislative,andJudicial
4) SpecifiesthatonlyCongresscanmakelaws
5) Specificsthatthepresidentenforcesfederallaws
6) SpecificsthattheSupremeCourtarbitrateslaws
B) PartsoftheConstitutionTheConstitutionismadeupofthreebasicparts,eachofwhich
hasvarioussubcategories.

1) ThepreambleAnintroductionthatspellsoutthegoverningphilosophyoftheUS
Government
2) ArticlesthevariouspassagesoftheConstitutionthatspecifyalloftherulesbywhich
ourcountryisgoverned.
3) AmendmentsLawspassedbyCongressasaddendumstotheConstitution
C) TheBillofRightsThefirst10amendmentstotheConstitution
1) Amendment1FreedomofSpeechandReligionandtherighttoassemble
2) Amendment2Therighttokeepandbeararms
3) Amendment3Prohibitsquarteringofsoldiersincitizenshomesduringpeacetime
4) Amendment4Protectsagainstunlawfulsearchandseizures
5) Amendment5protectsagainstdoublejeopardyandprotectscitizensfromself
incrimination
6) Amendment6Protectstherighttoaspeedytrialandretaincounsel
7) Amendment7providesrighttotrialbyjury
8) Amendment8prohibitscruelandunusualpunishment
9) Amendment9protectsrightsnotexplainedintheConstitution
10) Amendment10Saysfederalgovernmentonlyhaspowergiventoitbystatesor
people.
D) AmendingtheConstitutionHowmanytimeshasitbeendoneandwhatdoesittaketodo
it?
1) TheConstitutionhas27amendments.26areactive.The21stamendmentrepealedthe
18thamendment.
2) AmendingtheConstitutionrequireseitheratwothirdsmajorityinboththeSenate
andtheHouseofRepresentativesorbyaconstitutionalconventionwhichrequiresa
twothirdsmajorityofallthestateslegislatures.
III.
PDESASStandardscivics/government,history,economics,geography;NCSS
ThematicStrands
1) PDESAS5CivicsandGovernment,1PrinciplesandDocumentsofGovernment.3rd
Grade.BExplainRulesandLawsforClassroom,SchoolandLocalCommunity
2) PDESAS5CivicsandGovernment,1PrinciplesandDocumentsofGovernment.3rd
Grade.DIdentifykeyideasaboutgovernmentfoundinspecificdocumentsThe
ConstitutionandtheBill ofRights.
3) PDESAS5CivicsandGovernment,3HowGovernmentWorks.3rdGrade.A
Identifytherolesofthethreebranchesofgovernment.
4) NCSSThematicStrandVIndividuals,GroupsandInstitutionsItisimportantfor
studentstolearnhowinstitutionsareformedandpeoplesroleininstitutionalchange
5) NCSSThematicStrandVIPower,AuthorityandGovernanceUnderstandingthe
historicaldevelopmentofstructuresofpower,authority,andgovernanceandtheir
evolvingfunctionsincontemporaryU.S.societyandotherpartsoftheworldis
essentialfordevelopingciviccompetence

6) NCSSThematicStrandXCivicIdealsandPracticesanunderstandingofcivic
idealsandpracticesofcitizenshipiscriticaltofullparticipationinsocietyandisa
centralpurposeofthesocialstudies
IV.

LessonObjectives
1) Studentswillbeabletocorrectlydefineviafillintheblanks,keywordsrelatedtothe
Constitutionsuchaspreamble,articles,andamendments
2) Studentswillbeabletounderstandthepurposeandcontentofeachsectionofthe
Constitutionbywritingtheirown
3) Studentswillbeabletodefinethethreebranchesofgovernmentandwriteaboutwhat
eachbranchdoes.
4) StudentswillsuccessfullynavigateacomputerprogramabouttheConstitution
5) Studentswillworkeffectivelyinsmallgroupstolistrightsandresponsibilitiesfora
classroomconstitution
6) StudentswillsummarizethebasicfreedomsgruntedbytheBillofRightsorallyina
classroomdiscussion

V.

TeachingProcedures
A) AnticipatorySet
1) BeforetheLessonbeginsaskstudentstonamesomeimportantlawsinageneralclass
discussion.Listtheirexamplesontheboard.Afterseveralexampleshavebeen
collectedexplainthatonelawwhichisthefoundationforalltherestoftheonesthey
listedistheU.S.Constitution.Explainfurtherthatmanylawstheynamedcomefrom
theBillofRights.
2) AskiftheyknowwhattheConstitutionisandwhytheythinkitmaybeimportant.
3) ExplainthattheConstitutionwaswrittenover200yearsagobutisstillrelevant
today.
B) Input
1) HandoutcopiesoftheConstitutionandtheBillofRightstoeachstudenttokeep.
2) BeginthelessonplanbyabriefdescriptionofhowtheConstitutionisdividedinto
sections:
1) PreambleDefineandhavestudentsHighlightandreadoutloud.
2) ArticlesDefinethe7articlesandhavestudentsplaceasterisksnexttoeacharticle
3) AmendmentsdefineamendmentsandhavestudentsturntotheBillofRights.
HavethemtaketurnsreadingeachBillofRightoutloudandallowforquestions
tobeasked
3) GivestudentscopiesoftheConstitutionarticlefoundat
http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=7466
AndtheBillofRightsarticlefoundathttp://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?
id=7467

C)

D)

E)

F)

VI.

Thesearticleswillfacilitateeaseofunderstandingoftheofficialdocuments.Students
willbeexpectedtoreadbotharticlesinfullpriortothestartofthelesson
GuidedPractice
1) Havestudentslogintocomputersindividuallyifableorpairsorsmallgroupsif
computersarelimitedandgototheConstitutiongameat
http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/constitution_day/constitution.as
p
2) Havestudentsplaythegamefor10minutes.Theyaregivenphrasesthattheymust
thenassigntoeitherPreamble,ArticlesIVII,BillofRights,orAdditional
Amendments.
3) AfterwardshavethemformsmallgroupsandfillouttheConstitutionworksheet(see
attached).
4) Then,onceeverygroupsworksheetisfilledout,holdaclasswidevoteonthebest
ideasgeneratedandcreateaclassroomConstitution.
5) Throughouttheactivitytheteacherwillroamaroundtheroomtoanswerany
individualquestionsstudentsmayhave.Whenreadingtheirarticles,theteacherwill
clarifyanyissues
6) Duringthecomputergame,theteacherwillvisiteachgrouporindividualstudentto
seehowoftentheyusethehintsfunctionofthecomputergame
7) WhenstudentsformsmallgroupstofillouttheirConstitutionworksheet,theteacher
willsitinoneachgroupdiscussiontoassessgroupcohesion,participation,andto
addressquestionsorconcerns
IndependentPractices
1) StudentswillbeaskedtowritedowntheirnewclassroomConstitutionandshareit
withtheirparentsforfurtherinsight
2) Studentswillalsobeaskedtotakenotesofanyissuestheyhavewiththenew
Constitution.AfteroneweektheirissueswillberevisitedtoseeiftheConstitution
needstobeamended.AtwothirdsvotewillbeneededtoamendtheConstitution
3) Attachedtothislessonplanarecopiesofthehandoutsstudentswillbegiventhe
readingsummarymaterialsandtheConstitutionworksheet.TheactualBillofRights
andConstitutionwillbereferencedfromtheirtextbook
Differentiation
1) Studentswithgreaterneedswillbegivenmoreteacherattentionduringthecomputer
andgroupphasesoftheproject
2) ELLswillbegivenaSpanishlanguagesummaryoftheBillofRightsand
Constitutionandarticles
Closure
1) ThestudentsoftheclasswillbeheldaccountabletothenewConstitutiontheyhave
createdandwillnotbeallowedtochangeitexceptviaanamendmentprocess.This
classroomConstitutionwillbeusedtoguidefuturerulesfortheclass
TeacherandStudentResourcesandEvaluationofResources

1) StudentReadingResources
a) BillofRights
b) Constitution
c) ScholasticarticleonBillofRights
d) ScholasticarticleonConstitution
e) ScholasticclassroomConstitutiontemplate
2) TeacherResourcesforLessonDesign
a) Allofthereadingmaterialslistedabove
b) ComputersfortheConstitutionGame
c) Chalkboard/DryEraseBoard/OverheadprojectortoNotatestudentideasatthe
beginningandtheendofthelessonplan
3) EvaluationofTeacherResourcesUsedforLessonPlanningDesign
ResourceTitle

Influence

Characteristics

Accessibility

OverallRating

BillofRights
article
Constitution
article
Constitution
Game
Constitution
worksheet

MI

Greatsummary,
wellworded
Greatsummary,
wellworded
Decentgame

Very

4outof5

Very

4outof5

Very

3outof5

Fairlywell
inclusive

Very

5outof5

VII.

MI
MI
SI

FormativeandSummativeAssessmentsofStudents

1) Studentswillbeassessedbytheteacherformativelyduringthegroupworktodetermine
theirlevelofparticipationandunderstandingofthematerials
2) Thenextdayafterthelessonplanthestudentswillbegivenasummativeassessmentin
theformofatestonthematerial.Thewillbeaskedtoidentifyclausesasbeingeither
partofthepreamble,thearticlesoftheConstitution,ortheBillofRights.Studentswill
beaskedtodefinethekeyvocabularyofConstitution,BillofRights,Preamble,Articles
andAmendments
VIII. Technology/Materials/Equipment
1) Accesstoacomputer
IX.

ReflectiononPlanning

ThiswillactuallybythesecondoftwolessonplansthatIamdesigningforourUnitPlan.
Itisa longer,moreinvolvedlessonplanthanmyfirstlessonwhichisprimarilygoingtobe
usedtointroducetheConstitutionandBillofRights.Thatlessonplanwillalsobeusedasa
diagnostictooltoseewherestudentsarewiththeirknowledgeoftheConstitutionandBillof

Rights.Thislessonplansintentistoensurethatallstudentsunderstandtheconceptsofthe
ConstitutionandBillofRightsandareabletoputthemintopracticethroughdesigninga
classroomConstitution.TheselessonplanswillbetheinitialtwoofourUnitPlanascivicsand
responsiblecitizenrywillfollow.Iamsubstantiallysupplementingthetextbookmaterialfor
thesetwoplans,drawingfromoutsidesources.