The Constitution

The Constitution

Students will learn how our Constitution was created and what some of its key characteristics are. They will also explore key amendments to the Constitution and their application in protecting citizens' rights.

Planning to celebrate Constitution Day? Find our most popular resources in this collection.

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Game

Branches of Power

Learn to control all three branches of the U.S. government!
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DBQuest

America's Founding Preambles

Learn how the American idea of government evolved from a revolutionary response to monarchy to a union of states. The sources will illustrate the effort taken to reach “a more perfect union” through a close read of our founding documents. Students will dig into the preambles and introductory text of the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and the United States Constitution.
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Lesson Plan

Constitutional Principles (HS)

View the Constitution from the perspective of its foundational principles. Consider the Founders' intentions and the Constitution itself as you discover how the constitutional principles are critical to a free society.iCivics en español! Student and class materials for this lesson are available in Spanish.
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Lesson Plan

The Federalist Debate (HS)

Discover the debate that surrounded the Constitution before it became the law of the land. Excerpts from Federalist 84 and Anti-Federalist 46 offer insight into both sides of the debate while offering a better understanding of how our government developed in its early years.Got a 1:1 classroom? Download fillable PDF versions of this lesson's materials below!
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WebQuest

Constitutional Influencers

Magna Carta, Montesquieu, the Mayflower, and more! Follow this WebQuest through history to the events, people, and documents that inspired the writers of the Constitution.
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Lesson Plan

No Bill of Rights, No Deal (HS)

Jump into the big debate over the Bill of Rights, and see how the Federalists and Anti-Federalists battled over the fate of the U.S. Constitution. Where did the idea come from? How did they decided on the first ten amendments and a focus on individual rights?
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DBQuest

The Constitution's Cover Letter

In 1787, delegates to the Constitutional Convention decided that it was time for a change. A new plan for government was outlined in the Constitution, and it was George Washington's job to present this document to Congress. As with any important document, the Constitution was delivered with a letter of introduction. Part background, part persuasion, Washington's cover letter provides a behind-the-scenes look at how a new government came to be designed.
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Game

Branches of Power

Learn to control all three branches of the U.S. government!
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Game

Do I Have a Right?

Run a law firm and test your knowledge of constitutional rights.
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Lesson Plan

Do I Have a Right? Extension Pack

Make your students’ gameplay more meaningful by using our constitutional rights activity and assessment set designed specifically for Do I Have a Right?. We included tips and practice that help make differentiated instruction a breeze. And, best of all, new instructional scaffolds now mean this lesson is adaptable for a wide range of learners! Do I Have a Right? and its Extension Pack are correlated according to WIDA's methodology using the WIDA PRIME V2 Inventory. To see how these materials best meet your ELL students' needs, click here. (Note: PRIME stands for Protocol for Review of…
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Lesson Plan

Changing the Constitution (HS)

Learn how the Constitution has changed over time and what methods created those changes. Analyze specific examples of change including amendments, Supreme Court decisions, and legislation.Got a 1:1 classroom? Download fillable PDF versions of this lesson's materials below!
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