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Back to America's Freedom Documents lessons

Back to Constitution Day lessons

Create a New Amendment

Subjects

  • Social Sciences
  • Language Arts
  • Ed. Technology

Grade

  • 6-8
  • 9-12

 



Brief Description

After studying the amendments to the Constitution, students propose a new amendment.

Objectives

Students gain a greater understanding of the amendments to the Constitution. Students demonstrate critical thinking and creative thinking skills in developing a new amendment.

Keywords

amendment, Constitution, critical thinking

Materials Needed
paper, pens; PowerPoint software (optional); copies of the amendments to the Constitution from textbook or library sources or printed from the following sites:

Lesson Plan

Note: This lesson might work as a culminating activity for a unit of study on the amendments to the Constitution.

  • Review and discuss with students the important points of the amendments to the Constitution. Discuss the guidelines for adding a new amendment to the Constitution.
  • Tell students to imagine that they have been appointed to committees to create a new amendment. Have students brainstorm ideas for the new the amendment. (If students have difficulty thinking of ideas, start the discussion with a suggestion; for example, an amendment for children.) Write their ideas on the board.
  • Divide the class into small groups. Have each group choose one of the ideas. Students work together to create a proposal for their idea and present it to the class. Variation: If you have access to PowerPoint, have students create their proposals as PowerPoint presentations.

Assessment

After listening to the presentations, have each student write down the one amendment he or she thinks should be added to the Constitution. Tally the choices and note the top choice on the board.

Lesson Plan Source

Education World

Submitted By

Lois Lewis

National Standards

Social Sciences:
NSS-USH.5-12.3

Language Arts:
NL-ENG.K-12.4
NL-ENG.K-12.5
NL-ENG.K-12.6

 

Updated 6/25/12


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