Constitution

Objectives:
Students will be able recognize various aspects of the US Constitution and be able to complete the final Constitution test needed to graduate from eighth grade. 

Resources:
  • Blue Constitution workbooks (A.J.S. Publications) – Our Federal and State Constitutions
    • One per student (saved at end of class and used in 8th grade again)
  • Teacher’s Manual (test changes each year and located in it)
  • Various other workbooks on the Constitution, which are located in Fox’s room.
    • These are Xeroxed and used as additional worksheets which are stapled/taped into the Constitution workbooks
    • Some children’s books written about the Constitution, which are in Fox’s room.
  • Constitutional Card sort and other games (created by Fox)
Chart of Lesson Plans
Monday Wednesday Friday
• Pass out workbooks
• Explain class and why it is needed
• P. 2 – American Revolution 
• P. 3 – Declaration of Indep. (both review pages)		 • Go over Dec. of Independence p. 3-4
• P. 5 – Articles of Confederation
• P. 6 – Constitutional Convention
• Hw – post it q’s on who was in attendance and why		 • Finish Const. Convention p. 6-8
• Start Bill of Rights pages
• Do History Alive Bill of Rights pages with the placards.
• Finish Bill of Rights pages and activity from Friday • Quiz on the Rev. War, Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, etc. 
• P. 11 – Strengths of the Constitution
• Start the Preamble pages		 • No school
• Finish Preamble activities (worksheets, children’s book)
• Start to learn large marker chart of the Articles and the Amendments (smaller ones to be taped in books).		 • P. 14 and 15 on the Summary of the Const. and the graphic of the Legislative Branch
• Hw – p. 16 on Leg. Branch		 • Quiz on Bill of Rights, Preamble, and the Constitution in general
• Legislative Branch p. 16-18 and handouts to go along
• Chart on HR vs. Senate
• Quiz on general information on Legis. Branch
• Finish HR vs. Senate handouts and chart
• Worksheet on duties of Congress		 • No school • No school
• P. 22 – Lawmaking Process
• Cut and tape - Bill to law activity with paperclip
• Cut and glue bill to law activity		 • Quiz on HR vs. Senate
• Finish bill to law activities and worksheets		 • Watch video on Bill to Law (“I’m Just a Bill”)
• Discuss p. 23 and 24 – Other duties of Congress
• Rubber band – Elastic Clause
• Other sheets on additional duties of Congress
• Quiz on Bill to Law
• Finish p. 24 
• P. 25 - 27 on Division of Power
• Hw – p. 28 and 29 on Exec. Branch		 • Start Executive Branch p. 28-30 with pages on cabinet
• Cabinet discussion p. 30-31
• Hw – 2 sheets on executive branch		 • Finish Cabinet discussion p. 31
• Start electoral college discussion (use kid friendly book and overheads, along with poster and map)
• Quiz on Executive Branch
• Finish electoral college discussion
• Hw –p. 33 and 34		 • Start Judicial branch p. 36 and 37
• Judicial branch handouts and worksheets
• Word search on Federal Court systems		 • Judicial review p. 37
• Start pages 38 and 39 on the system of checks and balances
• Quiz on Judicial Branch
• Finish Checks and Balances p. 38 and 39, color coding p. 38
• Do History Alive checks and balances activity		 • Checks and Balances p. 40 and any other sheets
• P. 41 on flag of US
• Hw – p. 42-43 on the Federal Budget		 • No school
• Start reviewing with outline p. 44 – 45
• Do review questions p. 49 – 51
• Play review games – card game and Velcro sort		 • Do team card sort/outline in hallway and make individual card sort/outlines
• Do review sheet that was created for specific test
• Start practice test p. 46 - 48		 • Jeopardy review game with Mr. Jepsen’s class
• Hand out more practice tests (old test from old practice book and some found online)
• No school • Constitution test! • Retake day (if fail)
• Class party with group games