Instructional Goals:

Students will

• Orally share what they learned about the Constitution
• Orally share what they have written on the research work sheet
• Understand how the constitution is useful today

Learning Objectives:

Students will

• Use the internet and print resources to locate information
• Analyze and read a primary source document

Motivational Goals:

Students will gain confidence in researching, retrieving, and processing information to fulfill an information need.

www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/freedom/indes.html

www.nara.gov/exhall/charters/constitution/confath.htm.

www.nara.gov/exhall/charters/constitution/conmain.htm.

Literature

Fritz, Jean. (1998) Shh!We're Writing the Constitution. New York:  Harcourt Brace.

Johnson, Linda Carlson. (1994). Our Constitution (I Know America). New York:  Millbrook Press.

Levy, Elizabeth. (1996). If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution. New York:  Paper Star.

Maestro,Giulio. (1997). A More Perfect Union:  The Story of Our Constitution. New York:  Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books.

Quiri, Patricia. (1998). The Constitution:  A True Book. Danbury, CT:  Children's Press.

Content

Day 1

1. Upon their arrival, welcome students and ask them to imagine what school would be like without rules and regulations. Allow a brief reflection
2. Display the Constitution on the Smart Board.
3. Explain that after the Revolutionary War, it was found that the Articles of Confederation had several weaknesses.
4. Read aloud the preambleof the Constitution, and model a "think aloud" by discussing how you highlight key words and decipher difficult words.
5. Ask students to write a preamble for their class.
6. Discuss with the class what is important