New Constitution Day Distance Learning Programs for Students and Educators

Students in a distance learning programSeptember 17th is Constitution Day! On September 17, 1787, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention met for the last time to sign the document that they had spent weeks creating: the Constitution of the United States. To help students throughout the country understand the importance and relevance of this document, we’re offering two brand new K-12 distance learning programs and a webinar for educators!

K-12 Distance Learning Programs

These programs are free of charge and are offered for 4th-8th grades. A National Archives facilitator will connect with your class for a fun and interactive experience via traditional videoconferencing equipment or through a web-based platform.

Each program has been designed to enhance content knowledge of the Constitution and to strengthen critical thinking skills by analyzing primary sources from the holdings of the National Archives.

Programs are available Tuesday-Thursday and must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance. For more information please email us at distancelearning@nara.gov or visit our distance learning page.

The Constitution at Work: Elementary Edition

Letter with drawing of flag
Letter from Sheryl Byland to President Eisenhower with Flag Suggestion, 10/1958; Collection DDE-WHCF: White House Central Files (Eisenhower Administration). Online at: www.docsteach.org/documents/document/sheryl-byland
  • For grades 4-5
  • 45-60 minutes

Guiding Question: How is the U.S. Constitution relevant to the daily lives of American citizens?

What does the board game “Monopoly” have to do with the U.S. Constitution? How about the letter you wrote to the President when you were in elementary school? The answer to both questions is: plenty–if you know your Constitution.

This program provides a unique opportunity to learn, via analysis of primary source documents, about the content, impact, and perpetual relevance of the U. S. Constitution to the daily lives of American citizens.

Request your program today.

The Constitution at Work: Middle School Edition

Uncle Sam driving a team of three horses
This Is the Team That Will Win Every Time, 3/27/1898; (H-100); Berryman Political Cartoon Collection, 1896 – 1949; Records of the U.S. Senate, Record Group 46; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. Online at: www.docsteach.org/documents/document/team-win
  • For grades 6-8
  • 45-60 minutes

Guiding Questions: How does the Constitution create a strong central government? How does the Constitution separate and share powers?

During this program, students will review some of the problems created by the Articles of Confederation and how these issues led to the creation of the U.S. Constitution and a new central government.

Prior to the program, students will be divided into groups to analyze primary sources that show historical examples of the Constitution at work. During the videoconference, students will use these documents to determine how the Constitution creates a stronger central government compared to the Articles of Confederation. They will also discover how it shares and separates powers between the three branches of government and between the Federal Government and state governments.

Request your program today.

Professional Development Webinar for Educators

Teaching the Constitution with Political Cartoons

Bill ringing the White House doorbell
Anyone Home?, 2/24/1920; (M-023); Berryman Political Cartoon Collection, 1896 – 1949; Records of the U.S. Senate, Record Group 46; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. Online at: www.docsteach.org/documents/document/anyone-home

September 13, 2017, 7-8 p.m. ET

Register today.

Join the Center for Legislative Archives to discover how to use political cartoons to teach about the United States Constitution. This webinar will draw from the collection of Clifford K. Berryman cartoons from the U.S. Senate. Berryman’s career as a political cartoonist in Washington, DC, spanned five decades and his cartoons are a rich resource for history and civics lessons.

During this interactive webinar, you will practice techniques for helping students evaluate visual content and explore ideas for how to use political cartoons to illustrate the “Big Ideas” of the Constitution, such as separation of powers and representative democracy. You will also explore additional resources from the National Archives for integrating political cartoons in the classroom, such as DocsTeach.org. This webinar is designed for middle school and high school educators.

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