History education lends itself to considering historical problems from the perspective of people of that time and exploring their thinking or "predictions" about the problems' possible effects. Building lessons around the use of prediction-making humanizes history because it allows students to investigate historical events and understand…

This unit for teaching U.S. history was designed to help students understand, appreciate, and analyze the magnitude of the Founders' creation. It permits them to understand issues confronting the Founders in 1787, to become involved in the process of resolving these issues, to comprehend the actual solutions developed by the Founders, and to…

Reports on a role-playing activity concerning the U.S. Constitutional Convention. Explains how the program evolved through discussion, planning, organization, research, rehearsal, dress rehearsal, and performance. Identifies ensuring that people read and understand the Constitution's contents and origins as the major reason for the activity.…

This instructional media advisory list was compiled to support the teaching of U.S. founding documents in North Carolina schools. Many entries in the annotated bibliography focus directly on such works as the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and Bill of Rights. Other items that are cited reflect contemporary applications of the…

This guide is designed to introduce high school teachers of American history to the most recent scholarship dealing with the origins of the U.S. Constitution. Surveys of recent scholarship on constitutional origins are organized by the following topics: historiography of the Convention, the Anti-federalists, The Federalist Papers, ratification of…

The life of James Madison, the "Father of the Constitution," and his role in U.S. history are discussed in this guide to an educational program designed to acquaint students with Madison prior to a class field trip to his home, Montpelier. An essay on Madison and the Constitution is included, as well as a vocabulary list, a historic…

Illustrates how the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution provides an opportunity to teach about the broader concept of constitutionalism through study of the state constitutions. Presents an argument for teaching about state constitutions, their role in the federal system, and the values they convey. (LS)

The key to a successful field trip is planning. This publication, designed to provide guidelines for elementary school teachers, outlines the step-by-step experience of a participatory visit to Montpelier, the home of James Madison. A prefatory article by constitutional authority A. E. Dick Howard, called "James Madison and the…

The year 2003 marks the bicentennial of the 1803 Treaty of France, by which the United States of America acquired the Louisiana Territory, an area of more than 828,000 square miles. Upon this acquisition, known as the Louisiana Purchase, the territory of the United States doubled. Historians consider the Louisiana Purchase to be a landmark event…

Contends that "The Federalist" has been an intellectual beacon for the U.S. Constitution since it was written in 1787. Presents a secondary school lesson plan that focuses on the Constitution's ratification process, particularly the development of and campaign for the Bill of Rights. (CFR)

Presents seven annotations from documents found in the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) database about the U.S. Constitution that are appropriate for secondary and higher education students. Documents include mock dialogues, teaching with documents, and a discussion on the impact of the U.S. Constitution bicentennial on teaching.…

Says political writings such as "The Federalist" have generated multiple interpretations and the framers assumptions must be deduced. Provides a typology for such interpretations based on the terms, antidemocratic, liberal, republican, and constitutionalist. Recommends students be taught about the lack of consensus among scholars and key…

Twenty-eight lesson plans developed by California teachers who attended a summer institute on Congress and the Constitution are presented in this document. Sample lesson plan titles are: (1) "Geopolitics and the Constitution," (2) "Judicial Review," (3) "Electoral College and the Constitution," (4) "First…

This unit is one of a series that represents specific moments in history from which students focus on the meanings of landmark events. By studying primary sources of a crucial turning point in history, students become aware that choices had to be made by real human beings, that those decisions were the result of specific factors, and that they set…

The key to a successful field trip is planning. This publication, designed to provide guidelines for the middle school teacher, outlines the step-by-step experience of a visit to Montpelier, the home of James Madison. A prefatory article by constitutional authority A. E. Dick Howard, called "James Madison and the Constitution," provides…