MarcoGram September 2005 -- We the People: Celebrating Constitution Day

We the People: Celebrating Constitution Day
This school year, for the first time ever, all schools that receive federal funding are required by Congress to hold a "Constitution and Citizenship Day" on September 17 or the closest school day. To help you prepare, we've rounded up some of our newest and most compelling lessons on the U.S. Constitution, its architects, its meaning and its magnitude in this month's MarcoGram. Use the activities below to get your students thinking about how the Constitution affects all American citizens, then scroll down for more links and resources on this topic. Plus, visit EDSITEment for a full-page feature on the Constitution, with lessons and activities for all grade levels.

The U.S. Constitution

1. On September 17, 1787, the final draft of the U.S. Constitution was signed, bringing to a close the Constitutional Convention. During this four-month meeting, the Founding Fathers discussed and debated, often heatedly, many issues that the Constitution addresses. One point of contention among the delegates was how many representatives in Congress to allow each state.

Why do you think delegates from large states felt they should have more representatives than small states? (They had a larger population.) Why do you think delegates from small states felt that all states should have an equal number of representatives? (They wanted equal say.)

Demonstrate the concerns of each side by dividing the class into two groups, with one group twice the size of the other. The larger group should sit by the classroom heat source while the smaller group gathers near the classroom door. If the small group has only one representative, while the large group near the heat source has two, what might happen if the small group requests to increase the heat? (They probably will not get a majority vote for more heat.) Now imagine the large group requests that the door be opened for better airflow. If each group has only one vote, what might happen? (They might not get a majority vote to open the door.) How would you solve this dilemma? How did the delegates resolve the issue? (Membership in the House of Representatives is proportionate to state population; the Senate has an equal number of members from each state.)

Find out more about the signers of the Constitution and the states they represented with:

"Mission Geography: USA" (3-5) from Xpeditions, National Geographic Society

"The Constitutional Convention: What the Founding Fathers Said" (6-8) from EDSITEment, National Endowment for the Humanities

"Freedom of Speech"
by Norman Rockwell, The Saturday Evening Post, February 20, 1943. Licensed by Curtis Publishing, Indianapolis, Ind.

2. During World War II, posters bearing sayings such as "Loose lips might sink ships" and "Americans suffer when careless talk kills" were distributed to warn both servicemen and civilians about the need for great care when discussing military matters, particularly troop movements. While they did not directly limit free expression, the popular posters certainly encouraged discretion in speech.

In your opinion, when, if ever, should the First Amendment right to freedom of speech be curtailed? Does national security take precedence over this right? If so, under what circumstances?

Consider the USA PATRIOT Act, which was passed by Congress in 2001 in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11. The Act has been criticized by some who feel it undercuts civil liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and gives the federal government too much power. In Section 802 of the Act, "domestic terrorism" is defined as criminally dangerous activities in the U.S. that "appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion." Why might the phrase in quotations be problematic in light of the First Amendment right to freedom of speech? Write a brief essay in which you defend or oppose this provision of the USA PATRIOT Act. Be sure to support your position with well-reasoned arguments. (Note: The full text of the USA PATRIOT Act is available on the Department of Justice website.)

Explore the freedoms secured by the First Amendment with:

"Freedom of Speech and Automatic Language: Examining the Pledge of Allegiance" (9-12) from ReadWriteThink, International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English

"Regulating Freedom of Speech" (9-12) from EDSITEment, National Endowment for the Humanities

"That's Not Fair! Examining Civil Liberties with the U.S. Supreme Court" (9-12) from ReadWriteThink, International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English

3. At the Constitutional Convention, the Founding Fathers had to make many choices about what should be the rules for the U.S. government. Because the type of government they were creating was so new, they did not always know for sure whether the decisions they were making would turn out to be the right ones. Sometimes, we are faced with making difficult decisions, too. At those times, we can employ some strategies to help us make the best choices possible.

Tell students they are going to use their decision-making skills to determine the suit and value of a playing card. Using a standard deck of cards, randomly remove one card from the deck, without revealing it to the class. Of the remaining cards, turn half over so students may view them. In their investigation, students should first identify the facts – the card cannot be one of the cards showing, so those can be eliminated. Next, students may ask questions about the card without asking which suit or value it is. For example, is it a black suit or a red suit? Is it a face card or a number card? If it is a face card, is it a man or a woman? If it is a number card, is it a high (8-10), medium (4-7) or low value (1-3)? Then, students should discuss the possibilities as a group. Finally, have students take a vote. The guess that receives the most votes wins. Did students make the right choice? If not, let them take a second vote as an "amendment"!

Put your decision-making skills to the test with:

"Creating Classroom Rules" (K-2) from Science NetLinks, American Association for the Advancement of Science

"Let's Learn Those Facts: What's Left?" (K-2) from Illuminations, The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

"The Game of SKUNK: Choice and Chance in Life" (6-8) from Illuminations, The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

4. During the 2004 campaign season, do you remember seeing lots of television commercials that ended, "My name is John Doe and I approved this message"? Did you glimpse a few "Elect John Doe" posters decorating people's lawns or hanging on lampposts? How about campaign buttons, bumper stickers, T-shirts and hats – did you spot any of those? Chances are, you saw all of these items in abundance as the nation geared up for national and local elections. While the process for electing a president was established long ago in Article II of the U.S. Constitution, the way candidates campaign has changed dramatically since then. Today, candidates have an array of tools available to publicize themselves, but they also have a budget to keep.

Imagine you are running for president, and you have raised $20 million for your campaign. How will you spend it? Which advertising formats do you think are most effective in garnering votes? Allocate your funds based on the following production costs:

Television commercial: $75,000 plus $500 every time it airs
Website: $50,000 plus $1,000 per month for maintenance
Billboard: $2,500 per billboard per month
Hat: $5 per piece
T-shirt: $4 per piece
Bumper sticker: $3 per piece
Poster: $2 per piece
Campaign button: $1 per piece

Once you've drawn up your budget, explain to the class why you made the choices you did. Then, design a logo that can be used to represent your campaign on all your campaign materials.

Learn more about presidential elections in the U.S. with:

"Constitution Costs" (6-12) from EconEdLink, National Council on Economic Education

"The Election Process and the Campaign Trail" (5-8) from ARTSEDGE, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts