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September 17th has been designated as Constitution Day in hopes that future generations will gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of our nation's founding document. Use the activities below to get your students thinking about how the Constitution affects all American citizens.

Things to Do

• Explore the Interactive Constitution, a clause-by-clause explanation of the Constitution, providing easy access to basic constitutional facts and interpretation. It is searchable by keywords and Supreme Court cases.

• Kids, are you having trouble understanding what the Constitution is all about? Read a simplified version for Grades K - 3, Grades 4 - 7 and Grades 8 - 12.

• Are you ready? Here are the lyrics to the Schoolhouse Rock version of the Preamble. You can also watch the video on TeacherTube.

• Test you knowledge of the Constitution by completing this Online Quiz.

• Learn all about The Signers of the Constitution - the 39 delegates who took part in this important event.

• Visit Centuries of Citizenship: A Constitutional Timeline and discover two hundred years of constitutional history, as told through a collection of stories and headlines spotlighting some of the people, events and issues that have shaped the Constitution.

• Uncover the issues involved in the creation and ratification of the United States Constitution and the new government it established in this Teaching With Documents lesson on Delaware's ratification.

• Following ratification, the next task was implementation. Analyze historic documents and determine the extent to which the Constitution provided for the reestablishment of the Navy.

• This version of the United States Constitution includes notes Washington wrote on his copy of the Constitution, his diary at the Constitutional Convention, an essay on Madison's role in the Constitutional Convention, Madison's notes on the debates, Jefferson's letter to Madison expressing his opinions on the new Constitution and his belief that a Bill of Rights was needed, and more.

• Looking for ways to give your students a better understanding of the government brought into being by our Constitution? Get involved with the Utah’s We the People.

Links

• The Constitution
  A transcript of the constitution as well as high-resolution images of the actual document.

• Online Hyperlinked Constitution
  This online constitution provides students with an easy-to-read version of the document in its entirety.

• Congress for Kids: Constitution
  Here is information for students about the Federal Government and a history of the Constitution to the present day.

• Constitution Toolkit
  This page includes images of newspaper articles (1787), notes Washington and Jefferson wrote on drafts of the Constitution (1787-88), Jefferson's chart of state votes (1788), Washington's diaries (1786-89), Hamilton's speech notes for proposing a plan of government, a Philadelphia map (1752), the "broadside" Bill of Rights (1791), and other artifacts.

• The Bill of Rights
  A transcript and images of the Bill of Rights.

• National Constitution Center - be sure to view the Explore the Constitution section.

• Constitution History

• The Constitutional Dictionary
  A glossary of terms used in the Constitution.

• Constitution Question and Answers

• Constitution Fast Facts

• The Learning Booth: Historical Documents

• The Patriot Post
  Includes great links to primary documents relating to philosophical foundations of the Constitution and other historic documents.

• Find Law
  You can use Find Law to search topics or actual cases. This site is also helpful if you are wondering what cases might have been discussed concerning a certain clause, section, or amendment of the Constitution.

• Documents from the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention 1774-1789
  One of the Library of Congress' repositories for Constitutional documents and information.

• UShistory.org
  You will find information about 18th century American history and the founding of the United States, with a focus on the Revolutionary and Constitutional periods in Philadelphia.

• A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation, U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1873
  Documents from the Continental Congress, the Constitutional Convention and ratification debates, and the first two federal congresses. These documents record American history in the words of those who built our government.

• Our Documents
  View the original speeches, international treaties, Supreme Court cases, patent designs and Constitutional amendments that changed the course of history, as well as read transcriptions and historical interpretations of these documents.

• Madison’s Notes on September 17, 1787
  A speech given by James Madison before delegates signed the constitution.

• To Form a More Perfect Union
  Provides some background history to the continental congress and constitutional convention.

• Ben’s Guide to the U.S. Government for Kids
  Let Ben teach you how our government works and how to fulfill your civic responsibilities.

Books to Read

• A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution. Maestro, Betsy. HarperTrophy, 1990.
• The Constitution of the United States of America. Applewood Books, 1995.
• The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. Pilon, Roger. Cato Institute, 2000.
• Felicity’s Craft Book. Evert, Jodi, ed. Middleton: Pleasant Company Publishing, 1994.
• . . . If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution. Levy, Elizabeth. Scholastic Paperbacks, 1992.
• Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution. Fritz, Jean. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1987.
• Unforgettable Americans: The Great Little Madison. Fritz, Jean. New York: Putnam, 1989.
• The U.S. Constitution: And Fascinating Facts About It. Jordan, Terry. Oak Hill Publishing Company, 1999.
• We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States. Catrow, David. Dial Books, 2002.
• We the People...the Citizen and the Constitution . Center for Civic Education, Ed., 1998.
• Words That Built a Nation. Miller, Marilyn. New York: Scholastic Books, 1999.

Lesson Plans

• Why Celebrate Constitution Day?

• Teaching With Documents: Observing Constitution Day

• Center for Civic Education Lessons for Constitution Day

• Constitution Costs (Gr. 6-12)

• The Constitutional Convention: What the Founding Fathers Said (Gr. 6-8)

• Perseverance and the First Amendment (Gr. 7-12)

• The Preamble to the Constitution: How Do You Make a More Perfect Union ? (Gr. 3-5)

• The Constitution: What the Founding Fathers Said

• James Madison: From Father of the Constitution to President

• United States Government: Opening Day Activities

• Constitution Day Activities from The Bill of Rights Institute

• The Constitution Game

• Creating a Classroom Constitution (Gr. 6-12)

• Debate on Ratification (Gr. 6-12)

Videos in eMedia

The following constitution-related videos are available in UEN's eMedia service.

• The Constitution Video Quiz
• Symbols of America. The Constitution of the United States of America
• American Experience
• Liberty's Kids
• My America. America In Its Own Words
• Liberty! The American Revolution
• Benjamin Franklin
• Emergence of Modern America. Shaping the New Nation
• Field Trips to Yesterday: Historic Philadelphia
• 18th Century Turning Points in U.S. History
• 19th Century Turning Points in U.S. History
• 20th Century Turning Points in U.S. History
• Africans in America.

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