Constitution Day Resources

As you know, federal regulations require the development of student programming to celebrate U.S. Constitution Day each year on September 17th.

KET, as usual, has valuable teaching resources that are classroom-ready and aligned to content standards. Below, please find resources from Discovery Eduation (provided free to Kentucky schools courtesy of the Kentucky Department of Education and KET), from PBS LearningMedia (a digital repository of classroom media resources), as well as from PBS and more, to aide your lesson plans on this topic.

If you need help logging into Discovery Education or creating an account, please contact your KET Education Consultant. (Contact information below.)

Holiday Facts and Fun: Constitution Day highlights the history of the United States Constitution and explores how different communities across the nation celebrate Constitution Day. The program also examines the formation of the Mayflower Compact, the Articles of Confederation, the Bill of Rights, and the three branches of government.

Discovery Education.

Grades K-5.

The Constitution and Constitution Day: A Beginner's Guide. Jeffrey and Lilly, along with their intelligent dog Mr. Beanbody, travel back in time to learn about the United States Constitution. Along the way, they explore the three branches of United States government and the Bill of Rights. Mr. Beanbody goes on to explain the origins of Constitution Day, a national holiday celebrated in communities across the United States.

Discovery Education.

Grades K-8.

Preamble Scramble. Have fun getting to know the phrases of the Preamble while you unscramble the puzzle.Printable.

National Constitution Center.

K-12.

Which Founder Are You? Quiz. The U.S. Constitution was written in 1787 by a group of 55 men with one purpose and many different personalities. Discover which Founding Father you're most like!

National Constitution Center.

K-12.

A virtual tour of a town's buildings, roads, and parks teaches kids how federal, state, and local government decisions directly impact their community. 'How Does Government Affect Me?' also provides a basic understanding of the branches of the federal government and balance of power. Examine the different ways local government impacts our daily lives through local entities like police, parks, transportation, business, industry, libraries and housing.

PBS.

Grades 3-8.

From the animated series Liberty Kids comes "We the People." How our nation’s Constitution and first government were forged during these trying times and laid the foundations for an innovative compromise on legislative representation.

Discovery Education.

Grades 3-8.

In this blended lesson supporting literacy skills, The Powers of Government, students learn about the three branches of the United States government. Students develop their literacy skills as they explore a social studies focus on the powers that the Constitution assigns to each branch—legislative, executive, and judicial—and how the three branches work together. During this process, they read informational text, learn and practice vocabulary words, and explore content through videos and interactive activities.

PBS LearningMedia

Grades 5-8.

From Constitution USA - Constitution Games. Did you know that only 38 percent of Americans can name all three branches of the U.S. government? Test your knowledge of the U.S. Constitution. Play iCivics’ Power Play, Branches of Power and Do I Have a Right? games, and take the citizenship quiz to find out if you could pass a U.S. citizenship test.

PBS.

Grades 5+

Teachers can use the documents and sound files in this primary sources toolkit, the Constitution, to help students experience the four-month process of secret argument, debate and compromise that produced the Constitution of the United States. Students can view the documents, recorded notes and personal reflections of the delegates. They can read news reviews of the time. They can study a map and image of the places where these historic events occurred and can view paintings of the people involved in these events. They can view a chart, a broadside, the song lyrics and a graphical cover for a musical score. They can even listen to the words of later statesmen whose speeches record their beliefs about the duties of government and about being a U.S. citizen.

PBS LearningMedia.

Grades 6-12.

Teaching the Constitution is a collection of resources within PBS LearningMedia which includes video, documents, and activities. Students will understand the issues involved in the creation and ratification of the United States Constitution, the new government it established, and its continuing significance.

PBS LearningMedia.

Grades 6+

Does the Constitution have what it takes to keep up with modern America? Join Peter Sagal, host of NPR’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! as he hits the road to find out. Traveling across the country by motorcycle, Sagal is in search of where the U.S. Constitution lives, how it works and how it doesn’t… how it unites us as a nation and how it has nearly torn us apart. Constitution USA includes classroom resources, Constitution games, quizzes, and more.

PBS.

Grades 6+