Importance of the Constitution as the supreme law of the land and the reported failure of the United States youth to have been genuinely educated about the Constitution raises questions regarding teaching. One concerns what teachers know about the Constitution and the other is what they believe about teaching. This study investigates these…

This document consists of lesson plans for teaching junior high school students about the U.S. Constitution. Lessons are derived from teaching methods that instructors have found useful and appropriate for the actual condition of the ordinary classroom, and account for the characteristics and needs of the early adolescent. The document includes a…

This quarterly report on the Kailua Intermediate School's Excellence in Education Project provides information about the status of the project's four components, success of the project, replication of the project in other schools, and the project budget. The four component areas described include the skills laboratory, Homework Assist Program,…

Describes a five-day instructional unit designed for seventh and eighth graders about the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Points out that the individual rights in the First Amendment often conflict with the rights of the majority. Provides student questions and suggestions for resources and activities. (CFR)

This lesson provides a simulation in which upper elementary and middle school students establish classroom routines, participate in decision-making activities, improve their understanding of the Constitutional Convention, and differentiate among the three branches of government. (BSR)

This booklet contains 15 lessons to infuse the study of law and citizenship education into an eighth grade social studies curriculum. The lessons are designed to encourage inquiry among the students and to use community resource people, particularly attorneys. Through these lessons, teachers can build support for democratic values, while students…

The key to a successful field trip is planning. This publication, designed to provide guidelines for the middle school teacher, outlines the step-by-step experience of a visit to Montpelier, the home of James Madison. A prefatory article by constitutional authority A. E. Dick Howard, called "James Madison and the Constitution," provides…

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)

The Unites States Constitution and the Bill of Rights set forth the basic principles of the U.S. democratic constitutional order. It is from these documents that the fundamental political concepts of the United States are derived. The program presented here was developed for junior high school students and is intended to combat the apathy toward…

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)

Developed for eighth grade students reading on or above grade level, this self-correcting unit covers the background of the Constitution, the Preamble, the seven articles, and the amendments. Material is divided into two sections. The teacher section outlines activities, materials, evaluation options, and follow-up activities. A crossword puzzle…

In response to the concern for the spreading constitutional and historical ignorance of students, the essay outlines the development of an instructional unit on the Constitution based on selected and personal documents. Covering a development period of approximately 1.5 years, the essay traces the step-by-step efforts of the National Archives to…

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…

In 1877, Standing Bear and his people, the Ponca (Indians), were forcibly removed from their land in northern Nebraska and sent to Indian Territory. Since no provision for food or shelter had been made for them, a number of the tribe, including Standing Bear's son, did not survive the harsh winter. In defiance of the relocation order, Standing…

This eighth grade teacher's guide with student activities is designed to create greater awareness of Indiana, its geography, history, government, and future and is designed to be used as a supplement to the study of the U.S. Constitution and the Indiana Constitution. In the first section, entitled "Geography of Indiana," the lessons…