Describes how the Community-in-the-Classroom (CIC) program works and the positive effects CIC has on students' learning and character development. Discusses the use of experiential learning, outlines the preparation for having community speakers in the classroom, and provides two examples of using guest speakers to teach about Vietnam and the U.S.…

Provides a lesson plan and student handouts for examining the question of whether Shays's Rebellion was an important cause of the United States Constitution. (JDH)

Presents a lesson plan which allows students to grapple with significant questions about the U.S. Constitution while they develop important critical thinking skills. Entitled "The Constitution, the Public, and Voting," the plan encourages skills such as evaluating generalizations, evaluating reasoning by analogy, and recognizing unstated…

When George Washington was sworn in as the first President of the United States on April 30, 1789, the U.S. Constitution had already been ratified, yet the future of the new country was at risk. Some people wanted a bill of rights added to the U.S. Constitution to guarantee individual liberties. Two groups opposed each other--the Federalists…

Says political writings such as "The Federalist" have generated multiple interpretations and the framers assumptions must be deduced. Provides a typology for such interpretations based on the terms, antidemocratic, liberal, republican, and constitutionalist. Recommends students be taught about the lack of consensus among scholars and key…

The paper takes the position that the study and understanding of the United States Constitution should be a critical part of citizenship education, especially as its Bicentennial approaches. Several factors suggest that the Constitution has become the most durable document of its kind in history, and that its teaching should be centered in both…

Discusses the benefits of using simulations in the classroom, stating that critical-thinking simulations, as opposed to factual simulations, provide for more student involvement, a greater increase in students' research ability, and improved critical questioning skills. Describes each type of simulation and presents a critical-thinking example…

This instructor's guide assists secondary social studies educators in making effective use of the five-part video series, "That Delicate Balance II: Our Bill of Rights." In the tradition of "The Constitution: That Delicate Balance," the series introduces students to the Bill of Rights and the controversies that have arisen over…

Designed to help students understand the historical context of the primary and secondary materials by and about the framers of the United States Constitution presented in "Letters of Liberty," this teacher's guide provides directed discussions and activities for evaluating these materials. The guide also is intended to help students gain…

Provides a list of 23 activities which demonstrate how constitutional issues and law are manifested in current events. Maintains that the activities help students gain a working knowledge of the U.S. Constitution in addition to seeing it as a relevant, living document which inspires critical and creative thinking. (JDH)

The basic premise of the paper is that the Constitution should be the main theme of courses in United States history at grade 8. Students should study a unit on the Constitution, as is commonly done at that level. In addition, other units taught throughout the school year should emphasize constitutional principles, values, and issues. Three…

Focusing on the history and principles of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, the high school text and teacher's guide are intended to be the basis of study for the competitive component of the "We the People... The Citizen and the Constitution" civic education program. The 40 lessons in the text are divided into 6 study units…

Identifies four areas of deficiency in understanding and applying the principles of the Bill of Rights. Provides guidelines to improve instruction, emphasizing systematic coverage of Bill of Rights topics; analysis of case studies on Bill of Rights issues; and discussion of Bill of Rights issues in an open classroom environment. (CH)

Asserts that history often is listed by students as their least favorite subject. Contends that teachers should use materials and teaching methods that engage student's imagination and critical thinking skills. Provides an annotated bibliography of instructional materials including multimedia resources, compilations of lesson plans, and teacher…

Asserts that social studies teachers generally agree that critical thinking and cooperative learning skills are two primary instructional goals. Describes a class activity utilizing roleplaying and the cooperative "jigsaw" approach to study the U.S. Constitution. (CFR)