Principles of the Constitution Activity Kit
$6.75
Introduce students to the main principles of the US Constitution with this multi-activity kit that goes deeper than simply textbook definitions.
Included are mix-and-match options that include real-life examples, current event analysis, and gummy bears!
Description
Instead of leaving it to your boring government textbook, let’s try something new and take students straight to real-world examples, current news events, and their own imagination with a fun gummy bear group activity.
This kit covers:
- Popular Sovereignty
- Republicanism
- Federalism
- Checks and Balances
- Separation of Powers
- Individual Rights
- Limited Government
- Rule of Law
Included in this complete Principles of the Constitution kit:
Teacher Resources
- Detailed Lesson Plans with planning notes, multiple lesson options, standards, and links
- Lecture Slide Deck file with images of examples for each of the 8 principles, fully editable
- Detailed Answer Key of student graphic organizer
- Link to Google files of all student sheets
Student Activities
- Principles Brainstorm – for students to jot down any incoming knowledge or guesses about each of the principles
- Principles Matching Slips – for students to match definitions with terms to preview and practice concepts
- Principles of the US Constitution Lecture – cover the basics and brainstorm examples of each principle: popular sovereignty, republicanism, individual rights, limited government, separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, and rule of law
- Principles in the News – pull various principles in action from that day’s headlines (you pick the perfect article!)
- Principles in Political Cartoons – create a gallery walk of cartoons to illustrate the principles in action (you pick timely cartoons!)
- Gummy Bear Diorama – student create gummy bear displays of their assigned principle
- Student Skill Handouts – Analyzing News Media Sources and Analyzing Political Cartoons
This resource is 31 PDF pages, plus Google files.
What grades is this intended for?
This was designed for a mixed-ability high school level. The included activities vary in difficulty, so you will find some are suitable for middle school and others will require more scaffolding or may be omitted.
What supports are included? How can I modify this?
Activities are built with included supports to accommodate varying needs: visual images, graphic organizers, chunking, small-group and low-stakes student talk, manipulatives and kinesthetic activities, etc.
Student materials come in editable Google file versions to allow you to modify activities by shortening, re-leveling, translating, or using text-to-speech software to support student needs.
Can I use this in a homeschooling setting?
Sure! While this resource was designed for a traditional classroom setting, it can also be used in a solo or small-group setting.
Is this editable? What file types does this resource come in?
The main resource is a secured, non-editable PDF file intended to be printed. Included are links to editable Google Doc files of all the student materials.
What standards does this address?
Several! Standards vary, but this resource supports these from various states:
- Analyze how the ideals and principles in the Constitution shaped America as a constitutional republic
- Explain how the Constitution upholds various core principles like checks and balances, popular sovereignty, federalism, individual rights, and limited government
What are the terms of use for this resource?
This resource, including all ancillary files, may be used as needed for regular, non-commercial single-classroom use between a teacher and their students.
This includes printing copies and sharing digital files with students through a secure platform, like Google Classroom or Canvas, email, or a classroom-only shared drive.
The using and sharing of any part of this resource in any manner outside the above-mentioned capacity is strictly prohibited. Prohibited uses include, but are not limited to,
- posting files on the open internet or in a Facebook group
- emailing files to or sharing print copies with others (without purchasing additional licenses)
- uploading or storing files in a shared cloud drive accessible by anyone other than students
- including any part, or any derivative work, within any commercial endeavor like curriculum development, professional training, or for-profit teaching like Outschool, or selling this resource as your own in either print or digital formats
Doing so violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), copyright law, and these terms.
By downloading this resource from Let’s Cultivate Greatness, the original user has been granted one license for a single teacher (or number of teachers matching the number of licenses purchased) and their students at any one time.
Let’s Cultivate Greatness retains the full copyright of this resource.
This resource was an excellent overview of the Constitution. My students found the activities engaging and I was very pleased with how well they comprehended the material and recalled it. – Blair E.
I am very excited about it next year as a way to introduce government and to tie in current events. It will make difficult or abstract concepts a bit easier for my middle schoolers to understand. – Sara M.
Great resource! My students were engaged and worked cooperatively! This activity generated great discussions. – Rachael F.
