Enduring Understandings - important ideas that students should carry with them years beyond the instruction received this year.

• Beliefs of individuals and groups have powerful effects on societies.

• Government involves people acquiring and using power and authority.

• Individuals and groups make, enforce and apply rules and laws (government).

• Rules, laws and governments develop and change over time.

• Citizens have rights, roles, and responsibilities.

Essential Questions - most important “big picture” questions students should be able to answer after completing learning activities.

• Who were the key players in the founding of the United States government?

• Under Articles of Confederation, how was power acquired and used by people and by the states? 

• How did this change under the Constitution?

• What are the main components of the Constitution?

• How are laws made?

• What rights and responsibilities are associated with the Bill of Rights?

Constitution Day Links

• http://www.whitehouse.gov/kids/constitution/ - contains links to Constitution facts and quizzes
• http://www.usconstitution.net/constkidsK.html - History, How it All Works, with a link for pictures of the Constitution
• http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/constitution_q_and_a.html
  National Archives - Question and Answers about the Constitution of the United States
• http://www.archives.gov/espanol/ - National Archives in Spanish (Constitution, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence)
• http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/index.html - Ben's Guide to U.S. Government
• http://www.ourdocuments.gov/content.php?page=milestone - PDF files of 100 milestone documents, chronicling United States history from 1776-1965
• http://www.constitutioncenter.org/timeline/html/index.htm - Centuries of Citizenship: A Constitutional Timeline
• http://congressforkids.net/cartoonintro.htm - Congress for Kids (information and interactive quizzes and activities)

Standards and Benchmarks
Standard History 5:  Students understand political institutions and theories that developed and changed over time.Benchmark A:  Students understand how democratic ideas and institutions in the United States have developed, changed, and/or been maintained.

Standard History 6:  Students know that religious and philosophical ideas have been powerful forces throughout history.

Benchmark B:  Students know how societies have been affected by religions and philosophies.

Standard Civics 1:  Students understand the purposes of government, and the basic constitutional principles of the United States republican form of government.

Benchmark C:  Students understand the principles of the United States Constitutional Governments.

Standard Civics 2:  Students know how to use structure and function of local, state, and national government and how citizen involvement shapes public policy.

Benchmark A:  Students know the organization and functions of local, state, and national governments.

Standard Civics 4:  Students understand how citizens exercise the roles, rights, and responsibilities of participation in civic life at all levels.

Benchmark C: Students know how citizens can exercise their rights.

District 11 Diamond Units/Lessons Overview - includes information about the purpose, goals and structure of these sample instructional units:

Lesson 1: Part 2 U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights
Duration: @  5 class periods
   

History 6:  Students know that religious and philosophical ideas have been powerful forces throughout history.
District Indicator:  Identify beliefs of individuals and groups and their effects on societies.
Enduring Understanding:  Beliefs of individuals and groups have powerful effects on societies.
Essential Questions: Who were the key players in the founding of the United States of America?
Assessment:  Students answer the following question: Who made the greatest contribution to the founding of our nation?  Explain.

Activities

• Discuss how each contributed to the founding of the nation:  George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison.

• Do biographical research projects on Founding Fathers. Choose from the table below.  

Resources: History Alive!  Chapter 12: The Declaration of Independence.  History Alive!  Chapter 13: The Revolutionary War.  We the People Chapter 7: Biographies.

Differentiation:
Support: Using a matrix grid with the information posted, students must identify the Founding Fathers by looking at the characteristics that describe them.
Extension: Act out the Constitutional Convention.  Include dialogue that may have been essential in agreeing to the division of three branches of government. 

Literacy Connection
The Alexander Hamilton You Never Knew  - Accelerated Reader and Scholastic's Reading Counts book that students can purchase, check out from the school library or read online and take the test online.  Accelerated Reader Quiz   Scholastic's Reading Counts Quiz

Lesson 2: Components of the Constitution
Duration: @  6 class periods

History 5:  Students understand political institutions and theories that developed and changed over time.
Civics 2:  Students know how to use structure and function of local, state, and national government and how citizen involvement shapes public policy.
District Indicator: Explain how governments are organized at the local, state, and national levels and the responsibilities of each.
Enduring Understanding: Individuals and groups make, enforce and apply rules and laws (government).
Essential Questions: What are the main components of the Constitution?
Assessment:  Ask questions about the Constitution using the graphic organizer. For example, What is the main responsibility of the Judicial Branch?

Activities

• Explain the ratification process of the Constitution.

• Compare/contrast the structure, function, and interaction of the three branches of government.

• Chart the three branches of government, people involved and their roles.

•  The Constitution Translated for Kids, - This guide for a book ,provides basic information on the seven articles and 27 amendments.

Resources: History Alive!  Chapter 14:  The Constitution.  We the People:  Chapters 12,13,14.

Differentiation:
Support: Make a flow chart to show the three branches of government and who is involved in each branch.
Extension: Research our state and local government and identify how each relates to our national government.  Include the names and roles of the current people involved.

Lesson 3: Making Laws
Duration: @ 5 class periods
 

History 5:  Students understand political institutions and theories that developed and changed over time.
Civics 2:  Students know how to use structure and function of local, state, and national government and how citizen involvement shapes public policy.
District Indicator:  Describe how and why rules and laws (government) have been made and enforced.
Enduring Understanding: Rules, laws and governments develop and change over time.
Essential Questions: How are laws made?
Assessment: List the steps in the order that laws are made.

Activities

• Sequence the steps involved in how a bill becomes a law.

• Role play the process of how a bill becomes a law.

Resources: History Alive!  Chapter 14:  The Constitution.

Differentiation:
Support: Working with a partner, list the first three steps on how a bill becomes a law.
Extension: Create a set of classroom laws allowing teacher to have veto power.

Lesson 4: Rights, Roles & Responsibilities of Citizens 
Duration: @ 5 class periods
 

Civics 4:  Students understand how citizens exercise the roles, rights, and responsibilities of participation in civic life at all levels.
District Indicator:  Explain the rights, roles, and responsibilities of students and citizens in the classroom, school, community, state, and nation.
Enduring Understanding: Citizens have rights, roles, and responsibilities.
Essential Questions: What rights and responsibilities are associated with the Bill of Rights?
Assessment: History Alive!  Assessment 15 and/or Prompt: Choose 1 of the Rights from the Bill of Rights and explain how it applies to today. Share different perspectives with classmates.

Activities

• Describe rights and corresponding responsibilities.

• Make connections to current events.

Resources: History Alive!  Chapter 15: The Bill of Rights.  We the People Chapters 16 -21. 

Differentiation:
Support:  Choose a right from the Bill of Rights and explain how this would apply to the classroom.
Extension: Choose an amendment to the Bill of Rights and write a paper to promote it to a country that does not have a democratic government.

Integrated Reading and Writing
The Alexander Hamilton You Never Knew  - Accelerated Reader and Scholastic's Reading Counts book that students can purchase, check out from the school library or read online and take the test online.  

Parent Resources

ABCs of Elementary Years: These ABC Tips are designed to help you support your child’s learning in social studies during their years in elementary school.