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High School Lesson Plans
A More Perfect Union: Barack Obama's Speech on Race at the National Constitution Center
This lesson is designed to show the process of perfecting the Union through changes made to the Constitution and through the powers delegated to each branch of government by the Constitution. The lesson encourages student deliberation on race in America by familiarizing students with Senator Obama’s speech entitled, A More Perfect Union, his famous race speech, given at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia in March 2008. Students are asked to read the speech for homework, guided by essential questions. In class, students work in groups to analyze parts of the Constitution, legislation and a Supreme Court opinion. They are then asked to consider them in regards to the progression of race relations in American history and Sen. Barack Obama’s call to perfect the union. The deliberation culminates with students creating an action plan detailing how they will play a part in perfecting the union.
Presidential Progress Report
The National Constitution Center has created a quick and easy student activity sheet to provide your students with a tool to keep and eye on recent presidential actions, and most importantly consider how they feel about recent presidential steps.
Emancipation Proclamation, Leland-Boker Edition, 1864
Though enacted in 1862, this souvenir edition of the Emancipation Proclamation was auctioned in 1864 to raise money for Union troops. It is signed by President Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of State William Seward and on display at the National Constitution Center. This full color, two-sided, 11"x17" mini-poster and discussion guide encourages students to analyze the meaning of the proclamation, as well as its historical context.
Thirteenth Amendment, Congressional Copy
This handwritten, Congressional Copy of the amendment that banned slavery is signed by President Lincoln, Vice-President Hamlin and over 150 members of Congress. This full color, two sided, 11"x17" mini-poster and discussion guide encourages students to examine this primary source and its impact on American society.
The Future of Race in America
In the 2003 Supreme Court ruling Gratz v. Bollinger Justice Sandra Day O’Connor argued that in 25 years racial preferences would not be needed to determine admissions into institutions of higher learning. With this lesson students will learn about the future of race in America by examining the “narrowly tailored” admission policy of the University of Kentucky in the year 2011. The policy requires students who wish to benefit from their race in the admissions process to submit to a DNA test proving their ethnic makeup. However, the university quickly learns that the makeup of their students’ DNA does not always match how students perceive themselves or how others perceive them. In addition to examining this case, students will also learn about and analyze historic affirmative action cases. The lesson culminates with students viewing a clip of how some of the country’s sharpest legal minds ruled on the future case in a moot court. For assessment, students will write a feature piece for a newspaper about affirmative action: past, present, and future.
“Living News” is a unique, live theatrical performance at the National Constitution Center designed to introduce controversial constitutional issues and encourage students to ask questions about where they stand on these issues. This lesson contains pre, during, and post-visit activities where students analyze current events, develop their own opinion on a current constitutional debate and reflect on where they seem themselves fitting into the Constitutional system.
Abraham Lincoln’s Crossroads is a classroom activity designed to support the National Constitution Center’s online game of the same name. It invites them to learn about Lincoln’s leadership through an animated Lincoln that introduces a situation, asks for advice, and prompts players to decide the issue for themselves before learning the actual outcome. Using this resource, students will work collaboratively to compile results and ultimately be assessed on their findings.
State of the Union Bingo is a tool designed to engage students in the President’s annual address to Congress. In this lesson students will identify the Constitutional requirement of the address, and use the bingo card to actively watch the speech as well as facilitate discussion of the President’s new agenda.
POTUS Bingo
Similar to State of the Union Bingo, this version allows for students to create their Bingo cards based on current events and can be used for any major address given by the President of the United States.
This lesson invites students to examine differing interpretations of the Second Amendment and use their understanding of the amendment’s history in order to develop informed positions on Second Amendment issues. This lesson raises issues of personal freedom and safety and exposes students to the concept of constitutional change though informal methods.
The government taking of private land for public use is always a contentious issue and in this lesson students will conduct a mock trial to evaluate how and when the takings clause of the 5th amendment authorizes the government to seize private property.
Thinking like a Founding Father: The Founders’ Library refers to the prior knowledge the Founding Fathers brought to the Philadelphia Convention of 1787. Students will use these ideas to examine the Constitution and later think how movies, books, television shows impact their ideas about the United States. The combination of personal experience and the critical examination of the Constitution will allow the students to have a deeper understanding of the creative imagination that was necessary to write and debate the Constitution of the United States.
The Preamble to the Constitution
The Preamble to the Constitution outlined six major goals of the United States government and the articles that followed were designed to give the government the powers necessary to carry out these goals. In this lesson students will identify these six goals, generate present day examples of how the government performs these functions, and decide which of these goals is most important to maintain a strong but democratic nation.
This lesson, designed for National Constitution Day, fully immerses students in the document itself and asks them to examine the role of the people in the Constitution. Through examining the debate during the Constitutional Convention, Article II, and the amendment process, students will discover the revolutionary and powerful idea that it is the people who ultimately consent to the government framed by the Constitution.
Behind the Scenes: The Executive Response to 9/11
This lesson is a viewing guide to accompany the program, Behind the Scenes: The Executive Response to 9/11 which took place on February 28, 2008, as part of the Peter Jennings Project for Journalists and the Constitution. This program describes how the administration responded to the crisis as well as how it handled new demands on the Executive Branch and was made possible through the generous support of The Annenberg Foundation.
This lesson is designed to help any visitor or class explore the National Constitution Center. Starting with the exciting performance “Freedom Rising” and ending after your trip though the American Experience Exhibit, the hunt is an exciting way to discover all the Center has to offer.
Middle School Lesson Plans
Presidential Progress Report
The National Constitution Center has created a quick and easy student activity sheet to provide your students with a tool to keep and eye on recent presidential actions, and most importantly consider how they feel about recent presidential steps.
Emancipation Proclamation, Leland-Boker Edition, 1864
Though enacted in 1862, this souvenir edition of the Emancipation Proclamation was auctioned in 1864 to raise money for Union troops. It is signed by President Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of State William Seward and on display at the National Constitution Center. This full color, two-sided, 11"x17" mini-poster and discussion guide encourages students to analyze the meaning of the proclamation, as well as its historical context.
Thirteenth Amendment, Congressional Copy
This handwritten, Congressional Copy of the amendment that banned slavery is signed by President Lincoln, Vice-President Hamlin and over 150 members of Congress. This full color, two sided, 11"x17" mini-poster and discussion guide encourages students to examine this primary source and its impact on American society.
POTUS Bingo
Similar to State of the Union Bingo, this version allows for students to create their Bingo cards based on current events and can be used for any major address given by the President of the United States.
ERA for Students
This lesson invites students to analyze the history and debate surrounding the failed Equal Rights Amendment as a framework for examining the amendment process outlined in Article V. Using ERA as a model, students will work cooperatively to generate an Equal Right amendment and ratification campaign of their own. This activity will simulate civic action and allow students to gain a deeper understanding of the difficulty of formally amending the Constitution.
"Living News" is a unique, live theatrical performance at the National Constitution Center is designed to introduce controversial constitutional issues and encourage students to ask questions about where they stand on these issues. This lesson continues pre, during, and post-visit activities where students analyze current events, develop their own opinion on a current controversial Constitutional debate and reflect on where they seem themselves fitting into the Constitutional system.
Abraham Lincoln’s Crossroads is a classroom activity designed to support the National Constitution Center’s online game of the same name. It invites them to learn about Lincoln’s leadership through using an animated Lincoln that introduces a situation, asks for advice, and prompts players to decide the issue for themselves before learning the actual outcome. Using this resource, students will work collaboratively to compile results and ultimately be assessed on their findings.
State of the Union Bingo is a tool designed to engage students in the President’s annual address to Congress. In this lesson students will identify the Constitutional requirement of the address, and use the bingo card to actively watch the speech as well as facilitate discussion of the President’s new agenda.
The government taking of public land for private use is always a contentious issue and in this lesson students will conduct a mock trial to evaluate when the takings clause of the 5th amendment allows the government to seize private property.
The Founders’ Library refers to the prior knowledge the Founding Fathers brought to the Philadelphia Convention of 1787. Students will use these ideas to examine the Constitution and later think how movies, books, television shows impact their ideas about the United States. The combination of personal experience and the critical examination of the Constitution will allow the students to have a deeper understanding of the creative imagination that was necessary to write and debate the Constitution of the United States.
This lesson, designed for National Constitution Days, fully immerses students in the document itself and asks them to examine the role of the people in the Constitution. Through examining the debate during the Constitutional Convention, Article II, the amendment process, students will discover the revolutionary and powerful idea that it is the people who ultimately consent to the government framed by the Constitution.
The National Constitution Center is filled with interactive exhibits, primary sources, and multimedia resources, and this lesson is designed to help any visitor or class explore the museum. Starting with a the exciting performance “Freedom Rising” and ending at the end of the American Experience Exhibit, the hunt is an exciting way to discover all the Center has to offer.
Elementary School Lesson Plans
Discovering the Bill of Rights
In this lesson picture books are used as a vehicle for teaching younger students about the major rights and freedoms Americans exercise. After reading stories aloud, students will discuss the freedoms discussed in the book, identify the freedoms they value in their lives, and chose one of a variety of extension activities to showcase their new awareness of American liberties.
What is small enough to fit in your pocket but can buy you a car: money! In this multi-day lesson students will examine the history of American currency, discover the meaning beyond the symbols, figures, and mottos on American coins, and finally “mint” their own self-designed coin.
The National Constitution Center is filled with interactive exhibits, primary sources, and multimedia resources, and this lesson is designed to help any visitor or class explore the museum. Starting with a the exciting performance “Freedom Rising” and ending at the end of the American Experience Exhibit, the hunt is an exciting way to discover all the Center has to offer.