THE CONSTITUTION

CRITICAL READING INTERPREPATION ANALYSIS EVALUATION

Suggestion: GIVE STUDENTS COPIES OF THE PREAMBLE AND FIRST ASK THEM TO GIVE IT A MODERN TRANSLATION. ASK THEM TO PUT IT INTO THEIR OWN WORDS.

THEN SHOW STUDENTS THE SCHOOL HOUSE ROCKS VIDEO OF THE PREAMBLE, AND THEN ASK THEM TO CREATE A DRAMATIC READING OF THEIR MODERN TRANSLATIONS

AFTER SHARING THE RECORDINGS AS A CLASS GO ABOUT ANSWERING THESE 6 QUESTIONS:

1. How will you make sure that anyone who feels unfairly treated will have a place to air complaints? (establishing justice)

2. How will you make sure that people can have peace and quiet? (insuring domestic tranquility)

3. How will you make sure that group members will help if outsiders arrive who threaten your group? (providing for the common defense)

4. How will you make sure that the improvements you make on the island (such as shelters, fireplaces and the like) will be used fairly? (promoting the general welfare)

5. How will you make sure that group members will be free to do what they want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else? (securing the blessing of liberty to ourselves)

6. How will you make sure that the rules and organizations you develop protect future generations? (securing the blessing of liberty to our posterity)

TELL STUDENTS WE WILL COME BACK TO THIS IN A COUPLE DAYS AND THEY NEED TO KEEP IT FRESH IN THEIR MINDS. I WILL END

THIS DISCUSSION WITH THE QUESTION:

IF YOU AGREE WITH THE IDEAS PROPOSED IN THE PREAMBLE OF THE CONSTITUTION IS THERE A

NEED TO ADD A BILL OF RIGHTS? WHY OR WHY NOT?

CONSIDER A VERY SIMILAR APPROACH WITH THE BILL OF RIGHTS TO THAT OF THE PREAMBLE.

ANALYZE SUMMARIZE REWRITECONSIDER DIVIDING INTO SMALL GROUPS

AND SHARE FINDINGS WITH THE CLASS.ASK STUDENTS TO CREATE

POWEPROINTS/PODCASTS/ VIDEOS EXPLAINING THEIR TRANSLATED BILL OF RIGHTS

DEBATE AND DISCUSSION

o ARE THERE IDEAS THAT ARE REPEATEDo ARE THERE IDEAS IN ONE THAT ARE NOT IN THE OTHER IF SO WHAT?oFINALLY DOES ONE MAKE THE OTHER UNNECESSARY? WHY OR WHY NOT?

SUGGESTION: TAKING A VERY SIMILAR APPROACH TO TEACHING THE FEDERALIST PAPERS.

HAVE STUDENTS INTERPRET, AND REWRITE THEM IN THEIR OWN WORDS

THEN POINT OUT THAT THE FEDERALIST PAPERS ARE ESSENTIALLY EDITORIALS, AND THAT WHILE THE FEDERALIST PAPERS SUPPORTED THEIR WERE OTHER DOCUMENTS OPPOSING THE IDEAS, AND BELIEFS.

CENTINEL – SAMUEL BRYAN AGRIPPA – JAMES WINTHROP BRUTUS – ROBERT YATES CATO- GEORGE CLINTONSEVERAL OF THESE ARE GREAT

COUNTERPOINTS TO THE FEDERALIST PAPERS, AND ONCE TRANSLATED BY STUDENTS MAKE FOR GREAT DEBATING SOURCES. SOME HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN HANDOUTS.

FEDERALIST 1, 10, 17, 84 BRUTUS 1 AND 2 CENTINEL 1 ALSO ELBRIDGE GERRY’S REASON FOR

NOT SIGNING THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTION: ARE ANTI-FEDERALISTS ANTI-DEMOCRACY?

Our Middle School teachers have looked at the Ohio Constitution using compare and contrast.

They ask students to compare the U.S. Constitution, the Northwest Ordinance, and the Ohio Constitution (1802)

They ask Students to make lists of similarities and differences and then hold debates on the subject

http://www.learner.org/biographyofamerica/prog05/index.html

THIS LINK MAKES A GREAT COMPUTER LAB ASSIGNMENT, OR HOMEWORK. COMPARES HAMILTON AND JEFFERSON QUOTES AND POINTS OF VIEW AND STUDENTS CHOOSE WHOSE VISION HAS WON OUT.