In this lesson, students will gain an understanding of the separation of powers using role playing and discussion. Students will identify which parts of the Constitution provide for the branches of our government, and will categorize public officials into one of these three branches.
Civics Lessons
Lesson Topic: Constitution Day
Connecting the Separate Powers
The Preamble to the Constitution: How Do You Make a More Perfect Union?
These lessons help your students begin to understand why the Founders felt a need to establish a more perfect Union and how they proposed to accomplish such a weighty task.
What Does the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution Mean?
Students compare and contrast the language in preambles to two state constitutions; compare state preambles with the preamble of the U.S. Constitution; draft a new preamble for the U.S. Constitution; and discuss the process of amending the U.S. Constitution
Responsibility and the U.S. Constitution
In this lesson, students learn about responsibility and apply the concept to segments of the U.S. Constitution.
We the Students: Writing a Class Constitution
The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution sets out the purposes or functions of American government as envisioned by the framers. Using the Preamble as a guide, students will identify the purposes of their own classroom and create a class “constitution.”
The President’s Roles and Responsibilities: Communicating with the President
Through several activities, students learn about the roles and responsibilities of the U.S. president and their own duties as citizens of a democracy
Constitution Day Lesson-6th Amendment
The goal of this activity is to introduce 6th grade students to the 6th Amendment of the US Constitution (guarantee of an impartial jury for criminal defendants). The materials illustrate how the American juror selection process differs from the jury selection process used in ancient times during the Roman Republic.
Colonial Influences
American colonists had some strong ideas about what they wanted in a government. These ideas surface in colonial documents, and eventually became a part of the founding documents like the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. But where did they come from? This lesson looks at the Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, English Bill of Rights, Cato’s Letters and Common Sense.
Constitution Day Lesson-1st Amendment
The goal of this activity is to introduce 7th grade students to the First Amendment of the U. S. Constitution.
Matching Game with the U.S. Constitution
By the end of this lesson, students will understand what the Constitution is and
what it does for them; recognize key images related to the
Constitution and its history.
