National Constitution Center

The National Constitution Center is an independent, non-partisan, and non-profit organization dedicated to increasing public understanding of, and appreciation for, the Constitution, its history, and its contemporary relevance, through an interactive, interpretive facility within Independence National Historical Park and a program of national outreach, so that We the People may better secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.

Note: The information listed below is solely the material of the National Constitution Center and not endorsed by any of the other organizations associated with www.constitutionday.us.

National Constitution Center Resources

• 10 Fast Facts on the Constitution — Fast Facts and teach TEN key facts about the Constitution.
• America Reads the Constitution — Join with the National Constitution Center's national constitution reading at your school, federal workplace or organization?in reading the Constitution aloud as a community event.
• America Volunteers — The America Volunteers curriculum was developed by the National Constitution Center to help teachers provide meaningful civics experiences to middle school students. It addresses the need identified by a number of educational researchers for programs of study that not only provide important information about our system of government, but that also provide opportunities for students to develop the habits and dispositions necessary for effective citizenship in a constitutional democracy.
• Basic Governing Principles of the Constitution — Explanation of the Constitution's basic governing principles, including: Popular Sovereignty, Rule of Law, Separation of Powers and a System of Checks and Balances, Federalism, Judicial Review, and Individual Rights.
• Being American — The National Constitution Center's teacher resources includes service-learning programs for middle and high schools as a form of education that brings together students, teachers, and community partners in ways that foster responsible citizenship and promotes a lifelong involvement in civic and social issues.
• Bill of Rights Online Game — Help! The national computer has crashed and we need your to help save the Bill of Rights!
• Centuries of Citizenship- A Constitutional Timeline — Visit Centuries of Citizenship: A Constitutional Timeline and discover two hundred years of constitutional history, as told through a collection of stories and headlines spotlighting some of the people, events and issues that have shaped the Constitution.
• Classroom-Ready Lesson Plans — The National Constitution Center created this section to help teachers teach the Constitution and other civic-related topics to students of all ages. These lesson plans meet the Center for Civic Education's National Standards for Civics and Government and offer elementary grades K-4, middle grades 5-8, and high school grades 9-12 teachers a selection of classroom activities, readings and Web resources.
• Constitutional Wordsearch Puzzles — The National Constitution Center offers wordsearch puzzles for the classroom on the following topics:
• Events
• Federal Employee's Toolkit — A packet of information designed to inform federal employees on the U.S. Constitution and Constitution Day. Includes "Top 10 Ways to Grow as a Citizen", "How to Get Action from Your Leaders", "Founding Father's Dictionary", "Constitution Fast Facts", and selected readings in a "Constitutional Reader".
• Founding Documents - Full Text — Read the full text of several founding documents, including: Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, The Virginia Declaration of Rights, Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, Constitution, Bill of Rights, Reconstruction Ammendments
• FREE 2007 Poster and Teaching Guide to the United States Constitution — FREE 20" X 28" Poster of US Constitution with Teaching Guide. Includes: full-sized classroom poster, lesson plan for grades 7-12, and all 27 Amendments.
• I Signed the Constitution — A tool kit which enables a school, federal agency or any organization to set up a kiosk for Constitution Day where citizens can sign the Constitution or decide to abstain. The tool kit is accompanied by education materials and easy to follow how-to instructions. ActivityEducatorsFinder ActivityCommunityFinder ActivityGovernment_or_MilitaryFinder ActivityStudentsFinder
• Interactive Constitution Online — Explore the Interactive Constitution, a clause-by-clause explanation of the Constitution, providing easy access to basic constitutional facts and interpretation, and searchable by key words and Supreme Court cases.
• Just Vote! Civic Participation and Service Learning Curriculum — The Just Vote! Civic Participation and Service Learning Curriculum was developed and piloted in classrooms in 2002. In cooperation with its partners - Champions of Caring, The League of Women Voters of Philadelphia, Law Education And Participation program (L.E.A.P.) at Temple University, WHYY-TV, The Haverford School, and The George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science - the National Constitution Center has created a flexible, standards-based curriculum to encourage student involvement in the political process.
• Lincoln - The Constitution & The Civil War - Teachers' Guide — Lessons focus on the major themes of the recent exhibition, "Lincoln: The Constitution & The Civil War" – secession, slavery, and civil liberties in wartime. Lessons are aligned with national standards.
• Pocket Constitutions — Folded, color, pocket-sized U.S. Constitution with all Amendments. Bulk quantities available at very reasonable prices. Perfect give-away for your Constitution Day celebration!
• Printable Text of U.S. Constitution (PDF) — Print the full text of the Constitution
• Student Discussion with Elizabeth Eckford — This lesson plan will familiarize high school students with the history of racial segregation in American schools, and introduce them to the bravery of nine African-American students who forever changed the course of American education.

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