What are you doing for constitution day Sept 17th?

Public Law 108-477, enacted in 2005, requires public schools to provide an educational program on the U.S. Constitution on September 17, Constitution Day. It’s a great idea. All students need a healthy civics background, and celebrating the day our founding fathers signed the document which created our unique American democracy can make meaningful and memorable impressions. But September 17th comes in the first month of school. Most classroom teachers are still busy establishing the routines and rhythms of a new school year. Where can you find the time to prepare a Constitution Day lesson? 

I wrote my book, Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation, in response to that dilemma. In 2005, I was working as a library media specialist. And in order to lighten the load of my school’s classroom teachers, I took on the responsibility of observing Constitution Day and fulfilling the requirements of Public Law 108-477. To make the experience fun, I wrote a skit for our fourth graders to perform via our in-house school news show. The kids enjoyed performing the skit so much, I expanded it into a book, published by Charlesbridge in 2009. Illustrated by Nickelodeon Magazine comicstrip artist, Jef Czekaj, Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation presents history in the form of a school play performed by exuberant young actors dressed as the thirteen original colonies.

A Reader’s Theater for teachers and students is available at the publisher’s website here.

For a taste of the show, visit youtube.com here

And for more Constitution Day resources and lesson ideas, please see a list I compiled here

Jacqueline Jules

www.jacquelinejules.com