Objectives

• Students will understand that a constitution contains basic laws that govern people.
• Students will understand the United States Constitution contains rules that govern our country and protects the rights and freedoms of America's citizens.
• Students will develop an awareness of the necessity for rules.
• Students will use logic to decide whether things are right or wrong.
• Students will understand why people who work and play together need to follow rules and how these rules are developed.

 Materials

• Copy of the United States Constitution
• Video School House Rock, "America Rock" (I'm Just a Bill segment)
• Construction paper
• Markers
• Bulletin board for display

 Procedure

1. As an introduction, ask the students what they celebrate on their birthday. (the anniversary of their birth). Ask what other kinds of anniversaries call for celebrations
2. Ask the students why our country celebrates the Fourth of July (it is the birthday or anniversary of the founding of the United States). Explain that the country is over 200 years old and once it became a country, it needed rules to follow.
3. Display a copy of the United States Constitution and explain that it established the laws of the country. It lists the country's rules and rights of its citizens.
4. Explain that the US Constitution contains the Bill of Rights, which is ten amendments that protect the rights of people. Changes in the Bill of Rights must be made through the amendment process.
5. Divide the students into cooperative groups of 4 or 5. Assign each group a place in which certain rules must be followed (library, school, playground, mall or store, zoo, museum). Have each group write down all of the rules they can think of that are important in their assigned place. Have the students keep the following in mind when writing the rules:
• Are there rules involved in these places?
• What are the rules?
• How did they come about or who made these rules?
• Are they good or bad rules?
• What or whom do they protect?
• Why do you think we have rules?
6. Have one spokesman from each group explain their results to the class.
7. Explain that rules give order, ensure fairness and protect people's rights and welfare.
8. Show the short video, "I'm Just a Bill." After the video, encourage a class discussion.
9. Spend a few minutes explaining the three branches of government. Also,, discuss the system of checks and balances.
10. Tell the students they are going to help make a bulletin board that illustrates specific classroom procedures or rules. Title the board Classroom Constitution.
11. Encourage students to suggest rules that will help make our classroom run smoothly. As each rule is proposed, have the students vote on whether or not it should be included on our bulletin board. If two-thirds or more vote yes, then the rule becomes part of the constitution. If no, then the rule cannot be passed. Explain this to be majority rules and that is the process in which amendments are made into rules, laws, and constitutions.
12. Have the students write each rule passed on a piece of construction paper and post it on the bulletin board.

 Evaluation

Each student will receive a crossword puzzle that incorporates the major ideas of the classroom activity, discussion, and of the video. By successfully completing this crossword puzzle, students will demonstrate an understanding of constitutions, laws, and the law making processes.
 

 Selected Literature List

Historical Literature

Chute, Margaret. The Green Tree of Democracy. Dutton, 1971.

Coman, Warren.The Bill of Rights. Children's Press, 1987.

Fisher, Aileen and Oliver Rabe. Human Rights Day. Thomas Y. Crowell, 1966.

Fisher, Dorothy Canfiled. Our Independence and the Constitution. Random House, 1964.

Fritz, Jean. Shh! We're Writing the Constitution. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1987.

Levy, Elizabeth. If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution. Scholastic, 1987.

Mabie, Margot. The Constitution. Henry Holt and Company, 1987.

Meltzer, Milton. The Bill of Rights. Thomas Y. Crowell, 1990.

Morris, Richard. The Constitution. Lerner Publications, 1985.

Spier, Peter. We the People: The Constitution of the United States of America. Doubleday, 1987.

Periodicals

Cobblestone.

"Our Bill of Rights" , September, 1991.

"The Constitution of the United States", September, 1982

The United States Constitution Then and Now. Scholastic Software, Scholastic, Inc.,
2931 E. McCarty Street
P.O. Box 7502
Jefferson City, MO 65102-9968 (Apple Works Activity Package)
 
 

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