Social Studies/Classroom Management Class Constitution

Rationale: While students study the events during the American Revolution and the creation of the US Constitution and the documents that inspired it, they apply what they have learned to create a new class constitution. Not only are they learning content, but they are actively thinking about what rules should govern their classroom. This allows them to take ownership of the rules and their class, giving them the feeling of more control over their environments and making the classroom a more positive place. It also allows for a great deal of complimenting and constructive criticism/discussion. Standards: VS.6a Explain why George Washington is called the Father of our Country and James Madison is called the Father of the Constitution. VS.6b identifying the ideas of George Mason and Thomas Jefferson as expressed in the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. English 4.1b, e, g, h: The student will use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings by contributing to group discussions across content areas, using grammatically correct language and specific vocabulary to communicate, and demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams and work independently. Objective: To take what we have learned about the US Constitution and how it came to be and create one for our classroom. Time Required: 6 days (only 1-2 days of actual instruction) Materials: We the People: Writing a Constitution worksheet and rubric (attached), large sheets of paper Notes: The idea for this project is to group the students in their same heterogeneous groups that they were put in for lesson two and have them come up with a new constitution for the classroom. Each of these constitutions will be tested each day and the class will gather and discuss what we liked, what we didnt like, and choose a new constitution for the class, pulling from the student created ones.

Procedure: 1. Explain to students that we are going to get into groups and create a constitution for the class. Explain to them that they need to think what would be best for the classroom and tell them that the teacher has veto power over anything she finds to be too silly or not doable, like no math ever again. 2. Pass out We The People: Writing a Constitution worksheet and rubric. 3. Have students work with their groups to write their own Constitution with five laws and five rights, and a preamble listing three reasons why they are writing a class constitution. 4. When students are done, make sure they check their work against the provided rubric and go back and make necessary changes 5. Once students have double-checked their work, they may turn in their constitution. 6. At the beginning of each day the teacher will post a large sheet of paper with the group of the days constitution written on it. All students will be required to follow the constitution all day long. 7. Repeat this process with each groups constitution. 8. When all the constitutions have been tested out, post them all up and then post a blank sheet of paper or blank SmartNotebook or document on the projector. Discuss with the students what worked and what didnt work, were any of the laws unfair, etc. Have the students select five laws and five rights from the group constitutions to become part of the new class constitution. Remind the students that the teacher has automatic veto power over anything like students have the right to recess all day. 9. Post the new constitution where all the students can see it.

We The People: Writing a Constitution

Goal: Your goal is to create a new Constitution for our classroom. Role: You are one of several students put in a group to help create the Class Constitution. Audience: Your fellow classmates and teacher. Situation: We need a new set of rules for all students to follow and a new way to run our class. It is up to you to write a new set of laws and rights for the class. Like the writers of the US Constitution did, you may draw on other documents written by other people to help you define the rights of your fellow classmates and tell us how the classroom should be run. Product: You will need to write a Class Constitution. Standards and Criteria for Success: Your Constitution should include: FIVE laws, or rules, to tell the class how to behave FIVE rights guaranteed to students in the class A Preamble - a paragraph saying THREE reasons WHY you are writing the Class Constitution (tell us, whats the point in having a Constitution?) A list of documents you used to help you decide on rules or rights

Rubric: 0

Laws

No laws are listed.

Rights

No rights are listed.

1 Less than five laws for the class are listed and the laws are not clear and defined. Less than five rights of students are listed and the rights are not clear and defined.

2 Less than five laws for the class are listed OR the laws are not clear and defined. Less than five rights of students are listed OR the rights are not clear and defined.

3 Five laws for the class are listed. The laws are clear and defined. Five rights of students are listed. The rights are clear and defined.

Score

Preamble

The preamble is not a complete paragraph and The preamble is it has less than missing. three reasons why a Constitution is needed.

The Preamble is not a complete paragraph OR it has less than three reasons why a Constitution is needed.

The Preamble is a complete paragraph with three reasons why a Constitution is needed.

Writing

No complete sentences, many spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes

Group Work

Did not work with the group at all.

Some complete sentences and some spelling, punctuation, and grammar mistakes. Did not listen to others and did not contribute constructively to the discussion, creation, and writing of the Class Constitution.

Some complete sentences OR some spelling, punctuation, and grammar mistakes.

Used complete sentences, proper spelling, proper punctuation and grammar. Listened to Did not listen to others, others OR did not contributed contribute constructively to constructively to the discussion, the discussion, creation, and creation, and writing of the writing of the Class Class Constitution. Constitution.