Tag: constitution

For Students, New Nation, Review Strategies, Test Prep

Branches of Government & Checks and Balances Drag and Drop Activities

I’ve been trying out some new software to add interactive student activities to the website. Try the two drag and drop activities that I added below! One is the basics of the 3 branches of government and the other is a review of the basic checks and balances of each branch.

How You Can Use This In the Classroom
  • Use it during a unit on the Constitution as a review at the end of class. (Students can do it individually on their devices or you can project it and complete it as a class. See the QR code at the bottom. Students can scan it with their devices!)
  • Use it at the beginning of class the day after you have taught the information as a review.
  • Assign it as an exercise for students who finish their work early.
  • Use it at the end of the semester to review for an end of course test.

 

Have your students scan this QR code to quickly access these activities! (You can also access them under the “For Students” page.

Do you want to see more drag and drop review activities? Use my contact form to let me know!

Colonization & Settlement, For Students, New Nation

Free Interactive Drag and Drop Review Activities

I’ve figured out a way to add some drag and drop reviews to my site, and I am SO EXCITED! I’ve already made one about the Declaration of Independence and the Preamble to the Constitution. I used to make my students memorize these passages. This would have been a great help! I can’t wait to make more of these! I’ll be posting all interactive review activities on my website under the For Students tab.

Colonization to Civil War, New Nation

Help Students Memorize the Preamble to the Constitution

I am helping my daughter memorize the Preamble to the Constitution.  I think it is imperative that ALL citizens of this country memorize at least the introduction to our governing document.  The Preamble is a good reminder of why this country was founded and what the purpose of our government truly is.  I do NOT like the idea of making my students memorize a lot of random dates, but I always made my students memorize (and be able to explain) two things every year in US History:  the Preamble to the US Constitution and the first line of the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence (“We hold these truths…Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”).  I did not, however, just give the text to my students and say, “Memorize this.”  We worked for a few minutes in class every day for about a week, and then students had to recite it.

I wrote the various words and/or phrases of the selected text on various pieces of construction paper.  I divided the text up into bits that equaled the amount of students in my largest class.  So if my largest class had 28 students, I divided the text up into 28 chunks.  This way, each student had a piece.  In the smaller classes, I just gave a few students 2 chunks if there were extra pieces.  Then I did this:

  • Time the students on how quickly they can line up so that the words of the Preamble were in the correct order.
  • Read the words of the Preamble as a class.
  • Mix up the words and do it again, trying to beat the previous time.  If the students are successful, they get a reward (like candy or a few free minutes at the end of class).
  • Repeat this exercise each day until you are confident that most students know it.
  • After the second day, I don’t allow students to talk when they are moving around with their pieces.  It makes things a little harder (and more interesting).

The day of the unit test, students had to come up and say the Preamble to me after they took their test.  I didn’t make students say it in front of the class, because I had some students that knew it but just couldn’t handle saying it in front of others.  The recitation was worth 100 points.  I allowed the students to start over as many times as they needed, but I subtracted 5 points for every prompt required or word missed when they said it the final time.  One thing I did notice was that many students seemed very nervous having to come up and say it to me.  I think it’s intimidating for some students to have a teacher’s undivided attention while reciting something from memory, so be sure to smile and be encouraging.

When learning the Preamble, you can also show the the School House Rock video.  It’s older, but the song is very catchy.  (Just be aware that they leave out “of the United States” at the beginning.)

I also recently found this rap.  The video quality is not very good, but the rap is pretty catchy.  You could try to recreate it for your students or let them watch it and perform along with it.  (You’ll have to read your students’ attitudes and whether they will be willing to do this one or not.)

I also found this free memorization sheet that would great to use if needed.