Tip of the Week – 2012 Constitution Day resources

by glennw on September 14, 2012

It’s that time of year again.

Constitution Day 2012 is next week and you may be scrambling a bit to find a few useful resources.

Constitution Day is an American federal holiday that recognizes the ratification of the United States Constitution and also recognizes all who have become citizens due to either coming of age or naturalization. It is always observed on September 17, the day the U.S. Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution in 1787.

The law establishing the holiday was created in 2004 with the passage of an amendment by Senator Robert Byrd. Before this law was enacted, the holiday was known simply as “Citizenship Day.”

Part of the law passed in 2004 requires all schools receiving federal funds to provide some sort of US Constitution instruction on that day. To help as you plan your activities, I’ve put together a short list of goodies.

Center for Civic Education
A variety of lesson plans for all grades

National Constitution Center
Lessons, video clips, resources searchable by grade level

Constitution Day Portal
EDSITEment | Resources, Interactive, Documents
Lots of resources and materials including many available in Spanish

iCivics
Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Conner founded iCivics back in 2009 to help teachers and students better understand the workings of American government. Lessons and resources including some awesome video games and sims.

National Council for the Social Studies
Lessons, links, resources for teaching the Constitution

National Endowment for Humanities
This year, the NEH will celebrate Constitution Day by honoring the Constitution together with another pivotal document from U.S. history: the Emancipation Proclamation. From the NEH’s Emancipation Resource Portal, you can access resources and learn more about planned events. Not to be missed?

A live, streamed performance on Constitution Day. A panel of Civil War scholars will “recreate the national scene and the dilemmas facing Americans on Sept. 22, 1862.” Students will be able to submit questions via Twitter or email. (Register your “watch party” here.)

Constitution Day
TeachingHistory | Resources, Interactive, Documents
A large collection of Constitution related goodies.

Here’s a few more that might be useful!