Teaching 6 Big Ideas in the Constitution with Resources fromThe National Archives &The Center for Legislative Archives

http:// www.archives.gov/legislative/resources/education/constitution/

We teach about:

What Congress DoesAnd

Why it Matters

Archives and history classes share a common mission:

engaging students in history.

When we engage students in

active learning with

original records,

we trigger powerful discoveries

that help them better understand today

and inspire civic engagement tomorrow.

When we invite students to analyze President Thomas Jefferson’s decision to acquire the Louisiana territory

Or challenge them to formulate a congressional compromise to save the Union in 1850

we open their eyes to history as a living set of choices and unfinished revolutions.

Through active learning with primary sources,

We take them to the defining moments that shaped our national destiny

and inspire them to contribute their voices to shaping the next chapter of our history.

Educational Resources from the National Archives

http://www.archives.gov

http://www.archives.gov/legislative/

http://www.archives.gov/legislative/resources/education

“The vast majority of Americans cherish the U.S. Constitution but do not know much about it.

http://www.constitutioncenter.org/ncc_home_Landing.aspx

Honor the Teks

Start where the students

are

Study primary sources

Apply what the students

learn to their lives

Honor the TEKS

19 TAC Chapter 113, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies, Subchapter B, Middle School

(16)  Government. The student understands the American beliefs and principles reflected in the U.S. Constitution …

(D)  analyze how the U.S. Constitution reflects the principles of:

1. limited government 2. republicanism 3. checks and balances 4. federalism 5. separation of powers 6. popular sovereignty

7. * individual rights (See our lesson: Congress & the Creation of the Bill of Rights)

Start where the students are

Study primary sources

Mapping the Constitution prepares students to consider questions such as the following:

1. According to the map, which topics received the most attention from the Founders?

2. In what ways does the map suggest how the Founders weighed the relative importance of various sections and powers in the new government?

3. What significance is suggested by the order of topics discussed in the Constitution?

4. To what extent does the map match today’s government?

The Founders’ Social Network

Biographical Resources for Constructing An 18th Century Social Network

1. http://usconstitution.net/constframedata.html

2. http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/charters.html

Idea Significance Why he likes this idea or not

The Great Compromise

The Three-Fifths Compromise

The Constitution (Did he sign it?)

Likes

Finding 6 Big Ideas in the Constitution

• Divide the students into groups with each group assigned a Big Idea. • Supply each group with a transcript of the Constitution

(printed or electronic).• Have the students identify text in the Constitution that

refers to their big idea.• Have them place the ideas on a chart.

Popular Sovereignty Limited Government Republic

Separation of Branches Checks and Balances Federal and State Separation

A second technique for identifying 6 big ideas in the Constitution

Analyze historic documentsDetermine which of the 6 Big Ideas each matches

Rela

te th

e 6

Big

Idea

s to

Hist

ory

Apply what the students learn to

their lives

Relate 6 big ideas in the Constitution to civic life today:

becoming politically active by debating big ideas

• Each debate assigns five participants to each side of an issue. • Each speaks for no more than two minutes. • Teams alternate speakers.

Opening A Opening B

First Argument A First Argument B

Second Argument A Second Argument B

Third Argument A Third Argument B

Closing A Closing B

Debate Topic Example

Teaching History with the Records of Congress http://www.archives.gov/legislative/resources/education

Active citizens are engaged in civic action informed by the Constitution

The National Archives

And the Center for Legislative Archives

Are your partners in civic education.