StevenE.

Sannella
WHATSINTHECONSTITUTION
I.

LessonPlanOverviewandDescription
A)Approximately50minutesor1classperiod
B)SocialSciencesAddressedCivicsandHistory,Government
C)ThislessonplanismeanttoteachstudentsabouttheConstitution.Itisdesignedto

highlight

specificallywhatisnotintheConstitutionandtoencouragestudentsto

brainstormonthings theythinkshouldbeincludedintheConstitution.
D)KeyVocabularyIncludes
1)TheU.S.Constitutionthehighestsetoflawsoftheland.
2)SeparationofChurchandStateAconceptnotexplicitlyintheConstitution
3)MartialLawmilitaryrule
4)JudicialReviewWhentheSupremeCourtreviewslowercourtcases
E)SkillsChildrenwillneedtohavebasicresearchskillstocompletethislessonplan.
Theywill

alsohavetobeadeptatworkingingroupsincludingcomingtoa

consensusandreportingon theirfindings.
F)StudentswillbehandedalistofcommonconceptsnotincludedintheConstitution.
Theywill

beaskedtodeterminewhichconceptsareandwhicharenotbeforecheckingthat

noneofthem are.Thenstudentswillbeabletodecidewhatconceptstheywouldincludeinthe
Constitution.
II.

ContentOutline
A) TheConstitutionThedocumentthatembodiesthefundamentallawsandprinciplesby
whichtheUnitedStatesisgoverned.Itisreferredtoasthehighestlawoftheland.But
whatisntinitisjustasapplicableandrelevantaswhatisinit.

B) CommonPhrasesandGoverningConceptsnotactuallyincludedintheConstitution
1) ExecutivePrivilegetherightofthePresidenttowithholdinformationfromCongress
ortheJudiciary
2) InnocentUntilProvenGuiltyNotmentionedonceintheConstitutionbutisbasedon
Englishlawandisnowconsideredcommonlaw
3) ItsaFreeCountryNotexplicitlystatedonce.Oursisacountryoflawsandwehave
manyfreedoms
4) JudicialReviewNotstatedonceintheConstitutionbutestablishedveryearlybythe
SupremeCourt
5) JuryofPeersAlthoughtheConstitutionguaranteesarighttojuryitdoesnotsayit
needbeajuryofpeers
6) MarriageMarriageisnotmentionedonceintheConstitution.Argumentsaboutthe
rightsofmarriage(definingwhatitisorisnt)arenotaddressedbytheConstitution
7) MartialLawNotexplicitlybannedorallowedintheConstitution
8) TherighttovoteThequalificationsforwhoisallowedtovoteisnotspecifically
addressedbytheConstitutionandislefttothestatestodecide
9) SeparationofChurchandStateNevermentionedintheConstitution.Thephrase
comesfromThomasJeffersonwhendescribingthefirstamendment
10) ImmigrationThewordisnotmentionedonceintheConstitution.Doesthatmeanthat
theFederalgovernmenthastherighttoregulateit?
11) PoliticalPartiesEvolvedmuchlaterthantheConstitution
12) RighttoPrivacyNotstatedintheConstitutionthoughtheSupremeCourthas
establishedthatthe9thamendmentguaranteesit
III.

PDESASStandardscivics/government,history,economics,geography;NCSS

ThematicStrands
1) PDESAS5CivicsandGovernment,1PrinciplesandDocumentsofGovernment.3rd
Grade.DIdentifykeyideasaboutgovernmentfoundinsignificantdocuments
2) PDESAS5CivicsandGovernment,2RightsandResponsibilitiesofCitizens.3rd
Grade.AIdentifypersonalrightsandresponsibilities
3) PDESAS5CivicsandGovernment,3HowGovernmentWorks.3rdGrade.A
Identifytherolesofthethreebranchesofgovernment.
4) PDESAS5CivicsandGovernment,3HowGovernmentWorks.3rdGrade.E
Explainthepurposeofelections

5) NCSSThematicStrandIITime,Continuity,andChangeHumanbeingsseekto
understandtheirhistoricalrootsandtolocatethemselvesintime.Suchunderstanding
involvesknowingwhatthingswerelikeinthepastandhowthingschangeand
develop.
6) NCSSThematicStrandVIndividuals,GroupsandInstitutionsItisimportantfor
studentstolearnhowinstitutionsareformedandpeoplesroleininstitutionalchange
7) NCSSThematicStrandXCivicIdealsandPracticesanunderstandingofcivic
idealsandpracticesofcitizenshipiscriticaltofullparticipationinsocietyandisa
centralpurposeofthesocialstudies
IV.

LessonObjectives
1) StudentswillbeabletocorrectlyidentifywhatlawsarefoundintheConstitutionvia
afillintheblankexamination
2) Studentswillexercisetheprincipalsofmajorityrulesbyvotingonwhetheraseriesof
lawsareorarenotintheConstitution
3) Studentswilldemonstrateaccurateresearchbycorrectlydeterminingwhichlaws
fromalistarenotintheConstitution(noneofthelawsfromthelistare)
4) Studentswillworkeffectivelyinsmallgroupstocometoconsensusastowhatitems
arenotintheConstitution
5) Studentswillworkeffectivelyinsmallgroupsandcometoaconsensusastowhat2
or3lawstheyfeelshouldbeintheConstitutionandwhy

V.

TeachingProcedures
A) AnticipatorySet
1) BeforetheLessonbeginsaskstudentstodefinewhattheConstitutionis.As
necessary,steerthediscussiontothefactthattheConstitutionrepresentsthehighest
lawoftheland.
2) Askstudentstolistsomeoftherightsandfreedomstheycherishasthemost
important.Listtheseontheboardandaskstudentswhichonestheythinkareinthe
Constitution.
3) TellstudentswewilllearnabouttheConstitutiontodeterminewhatlawsareinit.
B) Input

1) Handoutcopiesofalistoflawsandlegalconceptsthatareconsideredbasic,key
rightsbutarenotactuallyintheConstitution.Thelistwillbegeneratedfromitems
thatappearatthebelowwebsite
http://www.usconstitution.net/constnot.html#jury
2) BeginthelessonplanbyabriefdescriptionofhowtheConstitutionisthehighestlaw
ofthelandandhasthemostimportantlawsinit.Tellstudentstheywillbereviewing
importantlawstoseeiftheyareintheConstitution
C) GuidedPractice
1) Godownthelistoneitematatimeandhavestudentsvoteonwhichitemstheythink
areorarenotintheConstitution
2) Teacherwillwritedowntheresultsontheboard
3) Classwillberemindedthatmajorityrulesandthataonevotemajorityisenoughto
makeananswer(orlaworelection)stick
4) Onceeveryitemhasbeenvotedon,studentswillformgroupsof4or5
D) GroupPractices
1) TeacherwillhandoutacopyoftheConstitutiontoeachgroup
2) Eachgroupwillbeassigned2or3itemsfromthehandoutlistandtoldtofindthelaw
intheConstitution
3) Studentswillbegiven2030minutestofindtheirlawsintheConstitution(noneare
inthere)
4) Studentdiscussionswillbeactivelymonitoredandencouragedtofindlanguageinthe
Constitutiontosupporttheircontentionthatagivenlawisorisnotinthe
Constitution
5) Callallthegroupstogetherandhaveadesignatedspokespersonfromeachgroup
reporttheirfindings.
6) Teacherwillnotateresultsontheboard
E) IndependentPractice
1) Teacherwillconfirmthatnoneofthelawsonthehandoutareactuallyinthe
Constitution
2) Studentswillbechallengedtodebatewhytheythoughtcertainlawswereinthe
Constitution
3) StudentswillberemindedthatsomeoftheselawsmaybeintheBillofRightsormay
havebeendecidedbytheCongressorconfirmedbytheSupremeCourt
4) Studentswillthenbeaskedtocomeupwith1or2lawsthattheyfeelareso
importantthattheyshouldbeintheConstitution
F) Differentiation

1) Studentswithgreaterneedswillbegivenmoreteacherattentionduringthegroup
phasesoftheproject
2) ELLswillbegivenaSpanishlanguagesummaryofthelistoflawsandthe
Constitution
3) Advancedstudentswillbeaskedtogeneratethetextof23lawstheyfeelshouldbe
intheConstitution
G) Closure
1) StudentswillberemindedthatjustbecausealawisnotintheConstitutiondoesnot
meanitisnotandimportantlaw.Alllawsaretobefollowedandiftheyareunjust
theyneedtobechanged.StudentswillberemindedthattheConstitutionallows
amendmentssuchastheBillofRightswhichisthesubjectofanotherlesson.
VI.

TeacherandStudentResourcesandEvaluationofResources
1) StudentReadingResources
a) ListofLaws
b) Constitution
2) TeacherResourcesforLessonDesign
a) Allofthereadingmaterialslistedabove
3) EvaluationofTeacherResourcesUsedforLessonPlanningDesign

ResourceTitle

Influence

Characteristics

Accessibility

OverallRating

ListofLaws

SI

Very

Moderate

3outof5

tobe
Avenerable

Moderateto

3outof5

document,the

slightlydifficult

highestlawofthe

fora3rdgrader

comprehensive
thoughnot
writtenfor
childreneven
thoughitclaims
Constitution

SI

land

VII.

FormativeandSummativeAssessmentsofStudents

1) Studentswillbeassessedbytheteacherformativelyduringthegroupworktodetermine
theirlevelofparticipationandunderstandingofthematerials.Studentdiscussionswill
bemonitoredfordeeperlearningandtheability
2) Thenextdayafterthelessonplanthestudentswillbegivenasummativeassessmentin
theformofatestonthematerial.Thewillbegivenalistoflawsthatareinthe
ConstitutionandthatarenotintheConstitutionbasedonthelessonplananddiscoveries
oftheConstitution.Theywillhavetoidentifywhichlawsareandarenotinthe
Constitution.
VIII. Technology/Materials/Equipment
1) Acopierforteachertomakecopiesoflist.Nocomputersneededforthislesson
IX.

ReflectiononPlanning
ThiswillbethefirstoftwolessonplansontheConstitution.Thesecondlessonplanwill

also

includetheBillofRights.Thepurposeofthislessonplanistointroducestudentstothe

subjectmatteroftheConstitutionandalsotheBillofRightsbyvirtueofsomeofthelawsfrom
thelist.Studentswillbeengagedindiscussiononthefactthatjustbecausesomethingisntinthe
Constitutiondoesntmeanitisnotimportant.Throughdiscussion,studentswillbeencouraged
todraftlawsthemselvestheythinkshouldbeintheConstrictionandtothinkcriticallyabout
lawsimportantenoughtobeconsideredthehighestlawsoftheland.Thislessonplanrelies
heavilyongroupworksostudentswillshowtheycanworktogetherandworkthrough
disagreementstocometoaconsensus