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Back to America's Freedom Documents lessons Back to Constitution Day lessons

Subjects

• Social Sciences
• Language Arts
• Ed. Technology

Grade

• 6-8
• 9-12
  

Brief Description

After studying the amendments to the Constitution, students propose a new amendment.

Objectives

Students gain a greater understanding of the amendments to the Constitution. Students demonstrate critical thinking and creative thinking skills in developing a new amendment.

Keywords

amendment, Constitution, critical thinking

Materials Needed

paper, pens; PowerPoint software (optional); copies of the amendments to the Constitution from textbook or library sources or printed from the following sites:

• The First 10 Amendments to the Constitution as Ratified by the States (Bill of Rights)
• Amendments 11-27 to the Constitution of the United States
• The Bill of Rights
• CongressLink Glossary
• Constitution of the United States

Lesson Plan

Note: This lesson might work as a culminating activity for a unit of study on the amendments to the Constitution.

• Review and discuss with students the important points of the amendments to the Constitution. Discuss the guidelines for adding a new amendment to the Constitution.
• Tell students to imagine that they have been appointed to committees to create a new amendment. Have students brainstorm ideas for the new the amendment. (If students have difficulty thinking of ideas, start the discussion with a suggestion; for example, an amendment for children.) Write their ideas on the board.
• Divide the class into small groups. Have each group choose one of the ideas. Students work together to create a proposal for their idea and present it to the class. Variation: If you have access to PowerPoint, have students create their proposals as PowerPoint presentations.

Assessment

Lesson Plan Source

Submitted By

Lois Lewis

National Standards

Social Sciences:
NSS-USH.5-12.3

Language Arts:
NL-ENG.K-12.4
NL-ENG.K-12.5
NL-ENG.K-12.6

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