We the People provides a comprehensive look at the people and issues involved in the formation of the Constitution. In addition to the factual story of the creation of the document there are included in the resource a variety of materials to encourage critical and creative thinking, vocabulary games and puzzles, and an intriguing trivia section. There is also a Mock Convention Section that presents guidelines for the development of a simulated classroom Constitutional Convention. A quiz, which may be given as a pre- or post-test, is also included.

Section I: The Story of the Constitution
The objective of this section is to familiarize students with the main events and issues associated with the development of the Constitution: the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, the Northwest Ordinance, the Annapolis Convention, convention compromises, the importance of the Bill of Rights, federal vs. state powers, checks and balances, and the separation of powers. The constitutional trivia information may also be used as the basis for a classroom trivia game.

Section II: Profiles of the Framers of the Constitution
This section contains the biographies of the most important and colorful delegates to the Constitutional Convention. Seventy-four men were names as delegates; fifty-five of them attended the Convention and thirty-nine were signers. Students may us the profile information to complete activities in the Critical and Creative-Thinking Section and in the Mock Convention Section.

Section III: Vocabulary Activities
Students are asked to find definitions for a given vocabulary list. A variety of activities reinforce comprehension and usage.

Section IV: Critical- and Creative-Thinking Activities A variety of activities to challenge students’ critical- and creative-thinking abilities is offered. Choose all or some.

Section V: Mock Convention
Re-create the Constitutional Convention in your classroom. Begin by choosing a student to play the role of George Washington, president of the convention. The other students then each select a delegate to portray. Encourage the students to research the delegate in depth. Some of the activities require additional research by the students. It is important that the students accumulate sufficient background information before proceeding with the simulation. The Rules of Procedure page provides guidelines for conducting the convention. With the class, decide on which issues to simulate in the classroom. A study of Independence Hall may enhance the students’ background knowledge.

Download the Table of Contents page here.

Grades 3–7.