Teaching about the U.S. Constitution must enable students to appreciate the meaning of the U.S. system of government and civil liberties. Many methods beyond rote memorization are available to ensure that adults understand their rights and responsibilities as citizens. (SK)

This book explains the development and current workings of the American and Maryland judiciaries. An interview with the Honorable Arthur M. Monty Anhalt of the Circuit Court of Prince George's County, a long-time advocate of law education, presents a realistic view of the principles by which jurists operate in their daily effort to impart justice.…

This collection of 17 lessons developed by teachers is intended to assist in teaching civic education to gifted and talented students. Gifted and talented students find the study of the United States Constitution, case law, and the legislative process fascinating. Divided into two sections, one for elementary and middle school and the other for…

This paper contends that the issues of constitutional government debated during the founding of the United States should be in the core curriculum of any school that seeks to educate students to become responsible citizens of a constitutional democracy. For purposes of teaching students, the issues debated by founding-era political thinkers can be…

Written by classroom teachers from around the country, this compilation of 28 lesson plans on the U.S. Constitution and related topics is adaptable to many grade levels. Lesson titles include "Exercise Your Constitution: Constitutional Olympics for the Classroom"; "ERA for Children"; "It's in Your Pocket" (minting of…

This digest discusses: (1) the main ideas contained in "The Federalist Papers"; (2) reasons for teaching "The Federalist Papers" in secondary schools; and (3) how to teach ideas of "The Federalist Papers." The authors of "The Federalist" held varying ideas about government, but strongly agreed on the…

This special theme issue of "Update on Law-Related Education""tells about the past, present, and future of equal legal representation for all in our society." It is dedicated to the history and heroes of legal aid for the poor and the need to further that cause if the United States hopes to achieve equal justice for all. In his…

This teaching guide provides methods for integrating the study of law and citizenship into chronologically based U.S. History courses for elementary students. Correlated with the Illinois State Goals for Learning and the Learning Outcomes of the Chicago Public Schools as well as with national standards projects, the lessons encourage critical…

This paper assesses efforts undertaken to promote teaching and learning about the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights during the years leading up to and including the bicentennial celebrations of these two documents. The assessment focuses on three specific topics: (1) patterns of content coverage; (2) materials for teachers and students; and…

Designed to make the U.S. Constitution come alive for students, this guide uses real-life examples taken from the daily newspaper to illustrate the document's day-to-day applications. Activities are presented to familiarize students with the Constitution's content as well as with its continuing impact on U.S. life. Newspaper-related activities are…

The two-week teacher-training institute that this report documents resulted from two interests: the curriculum reform movement in California public schools and the celebration of the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution. The goal of the institute was to train 45 selected elementary and high school teachers in the central documents of the…

Presents a lesson which will help students see the importance of the Bill of Rights in their everyday lives and learn the first ten constitutional amendments. Outlines the procedures for a five-day teaching unit, assignment of a student project, and discussion of two problems dealing with freedom of expression. (GEA)

This document discusses several aspects of teaching about religion in the public schools. While religion is an important element in many areas of literature, art, and music, the social studies, especially history and civics, provide the best opportunity for including religion in the curriculum. Teaching about religion in public schools is examined…

The fall 1990 issue includes essays that recapture some of the presentations and thinking of the 1990 American Bar Association annual conference on higher education, entitled "American Citizenship and the Constitution." The idea of community was a recurring theme of the conference, and is the focus of three essays included in the Fall…

A teachers' guide is presented that accompanies the video production of "The Other Boston Tea Party," a play used to teach about the U.S. Constitution and American legal and political systems. The play combines a comedy of manners with an historical approach to the issues surrounding the Federalist/Anti-Federalist debate over…