We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution: Middle School Teacher's Guide

This program focuses on the history and principles of the U.S. constitution and Bill of Rights for middle school students (suggested grades: 7-9) The curriculum not only enhances understanding of the institutions of American constitutional democracy, it also helps students identify the contemporary relevance of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Critical thinking exercises, problem-solving activities, and cooperative learning techniques help develop participatory skills necessary for students to become active, responsible citizens. The program's culminating activity is a simulated congressional hearing wherein students are given the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge while they evaluate, take, and defend positions on relevant historical and contemporary issues. The hearings, whether competitive or noncompetitive, provide the classroom teacher with an excellent means of motivating and assessing student performance.