| Each fall as school resumes, we immediately find | | | | Finally, I show the children how to draw a flag using a |
| ourselves having to teach about the Constitution in | | | | drawing program on the computer. I use KidPix. We |
| order to celebrate Constitution Day. The idea of | | | | look at a flag to find out how many stripes they are |
| celebrating a document is a bit difficult for lower | | | | and what colors are at the top and bottom of the flag. |
| elementary students. | | | | We use the rectangle tool to draw the red stripes (as |
| So, how can we help younger children understand the | | | | the line tool isn't quite thick enough.) We add a blue |
| impact of the Constitution and also celebrate the day? | | | | rectangle in the upper left-hand corner. We stamp on |
| I begin by talking about when the pilgrims came to | | | | 50 stars, or white dots. |
| America and why. We discuss becoming a country | | | | In kindergarten, we type our name on the flag. In first |
| and having George Washington as our first president. | | | | grade we write "I am proud to be an American" and |
| These are concepts that they may have heard about | | | | our name. In second grade we add one reason why |
| before. Next I address the idea of starting school and | | | | we are proud to be an American. By third and fourth |
| how rules are important to keep the school flowing | | | | grades we have multiple reasons as to why we are |
| with ease. Then I suggest that a new country would | | | | proud to be an American. |
| have to have rules also, to keep the peace. With older | | | | After printing the flags in color, I staple each to a piece |
| students (grades 3 and up, I read "The U.S. | | | | of red or blue construction paper and send them back |
| Constitution" by Norman Pearl) which gives a very | | | | to the classroom to become a bulletin board display |
| basic outline of the Constitution. | | | | for the month of September! |
| With the kindergarten through second graders, I begin | | | | What a great way to start the year! Constitution Day |
| by having the younger students recite the Pledge of | | | | doesn't have to be a painful experience to celebrate |
| Allegiance. Then I ask if there are any words in that | | | | with youngsters. More painful is when I sing them the |
| Pledge that they don't understand? Maybe words like | | | | Schoolhouse Rock version of the Preamble! (Check |
| pledge, allegiance, justice, liberty, indivisible? I read "I | | | | that out too, if you need another lesson to celebrate |
| Pledge Allegiance" by Bill Martin Jr. This book does a | | | | Constitution Day!) |
| great job defining the pledge and I even skip some of | | | | Play the song, sing together, and look at the flags your |
| the small print. | | | | class has made! |