Hooray For Constitution Day!

Here are some easy and fun activities to do with your children/students.

Constitution Activities for younger citizens:

I kept things very simple for the Y5's. An easy definition of what the constitution is, followed up with everyone signing their name to our classroom constitution works well.

One of our standards is learning to write our name so this is a nice overlap of that standard.

I also made tea-stained paper and explained to the children that during that time period  people wrote on parchment paper with feather pens called quills.

I collect seagull and goose feathers all summer, from area beaches so I have enough for each child to write their name with a quill dipped in black paint. They can then take it home with their parchment-paper signature.

I was amazed at how excited they got over keeping a feather!

They really enjoyed this activity and wondered how in the world anyone wrote anything of any length with a feather! "Hands on!" definitely helped them understand that time period a bit more.

These ideas and templates can be found in the 10-page Activities For Constitution Day packet. Click on the link to zoom there and view/or print a copy.

More Writing:

I've also made a "Happy Constitution Day!" Trace & Write skill sheet.  To view/print it, click on the link. Constitution Day activity sheet.

The Constitution delegates responsibility. Even younger students can understand this, if you break it down for them and give specific real-world examples.

A perfect way to do this is by making a class book entitled We're Responsible.  A sample booklet is included in my Activities For Constitution Day.

Also included in this packet is a My Constitution Fact Booklet that students can easily read as they cut and glue a matching picture for the text. It's an easy way for young children to learn about the basic facts of the Constitution, while practicing the skills of cutting, matching, tracing, reading and writing.

Plus students have a nice booklet to take home at the end of Constitution Day, that they can share with their families, to once again review what they have learned.

The packet also includes Constitution picture cards as a fun way to review.  Print the cards twice and turn them into a Memory Match game that can be used as an independent center activity. Encourage students to say the names of the picture to increase their new "Constitutional vocabulary".

There's also a set for the original 13 states which helps students understand that things were different during the time the Constitution was written.

Click on the link to view/download this fun-filled 36-page Constitution Day activity packet.

Another helpful packet is Constitution Day Stuff. Click on the link to view/download that packet.

So that I could answer any questions my students might have,  I researched basic facts about the Constitution.  Click on the link to view/print my fact sheet for some great background information on the Constitution. Basic Facts About The Constitution

I show my students a poster I made of the 3 parts of our government. Click on the link to view/print a copy, perfect for helping explain the Constitution. Constitution Day poster

You can turn the poster into a labeling lesson for older students. Click on the link to view/print this Constitution Day activity.   

Gross Motor and Story Time:

To get the wiggles out we march around to some Sousa music and I settle them down by reading several America-themed books including We The Kids.  It’s the perfect book for explaining the constitution in kid-friendly language. {amazonWS:itemId=0142402761}

Show & Share:

I was fortunate to visit Washington D.C. and able to purchase a parchment copy of the Constitution.  It's a nice "Show & Share" item for my students.  "Fat Brain" sells nice reproductions for only $2.95.  Click on the link to check them out. Parchment Copy of the Constitution

Games:

Reinforcing learning by taking just 5-minutes to play a game, is a fun way to culminate your Constitution Day lessons.

To review the 3 parts of the Constitution as well as the 3 branches of our government play my 123 dice game.  Click on the link to view/print a copy.  Constitution Day Dice Game

I also made up a Constitution Day tic tac toe game.  To save paper, simply glue 4 large Popsicle sticks together to make permanent playing boards.

Use flag erasers, red, white and blue flat marbles, or my Constitution Day game pieces.  Print off the page, laminate and then cut out the individual pieces.  Store in Snack Baggies to use each year.

Click on the link to view/print a page. Constitution Day Tic Tac Toe

A math game for older students would be for them to find out how many years ago the Constitution was signed.  Write today's year on the board. To find the answer, subtract 1787 from it.   Give a flag sticker to the student who finds out the correct answer first.

Apples4Teachers offers 14 Constitution Day coloring pages.  I use these to make bingo-dot-a-pattern center sheets, toppers for mazes, dot-to-dots, and headers for my word finds. My students also enjoy practice writing their name and tracing Constitution Day themed words that I write under these pictures.

A nice culmination to the days activities is to graph your students feelings about the Constitution and Constitution Day. Click on the link to view/print some graphs. Constitution Day Graphs

Related Constitution Day Activities: Our Flag

Because this is such a patriotic day, I also review a few geography related things with my students, such as: the city where they go to school, the state they live in, the country they live in, as well as facts about our flag including The Pledge of Allegiance.

I have several free lessons centered on the flag, which would also make great centers for this day.  Click on the links to check them out.  Flag Activities Book, and My Pledge Definition Book. 

The easy reader booklet “My Flag” is a nice way to transition from story time to an independent writing activity.

Finish the day off by giving everyone a few pretzels during snack time,  to review the 3 branches of the government and the 3 things that the Constitution creates.  See how many students remember.  Take a bite out of each pretzel section as you say a word!

As always, if you have anything that you do on Constitution Day with your students, I’d enjoy hearing from you.  diane@teachwithme.com

Thanks for visiting today.  Feel free to PIN anything you think others might find helpful.

"A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour." -Unknown