Curriculum
Writing The Constitution Unit Documents
Unit Guide, Unit Storyboard, Lesson Calendar; Brief Answers for Teachers
Writing The Constitution Lesson One
Unit Launch, The Articles of Confederation (Q1)
Students review the Unit Guide and Storyboard, and learn the story of the Articles of Confederation. They tell the story back with “Because – But – So” sentences.
Writing The Constitution Lesson Two
Shays's Rebellion (Q1)
Students learn the story of Shays’s Rebellion and tell it back using a Four Box Storyboard.
Writing The Constitution Lesson Three
Washington's Worries (Q2)
Students interpret a letter from George Washington to John Jay.
Writing the Constitution Lesson Four
The Constitutional Convention Meets (Q1)
Students learn the story of the start of the Constitutional Convention, then tell the story back with “Because – But – So” sentences.
Writing The Constitution Lesson Five
Compromises Over Representation (Q1)
Students learn the story of the Great Compromise and the 3/5ths Compromise, and tell the story back in a four sentence story.
Writing The Constitution Lesson Six
Debating The Slave Trade (Q2)
Students interpret Madison’s notes on the convention’s debate over the slave trade.
Writing The Constitution Lesson Seven
Making Laws and Electing Presidents (Q1)
Students learn the story of how the convention decided on the processes for making laws and choosing the President, then tell the story back with “Because – But – So” sentences.
Writing The Constitution Lesson Eight
The Anti-Federalists (Q2)
Students interpret excerpts from an essay against ratification of the Constitution by “Brutus.”
Writing the Constitution Lesson Nine
The Federalists (Q2)
Students interpret an excerpt from “Federalist 51,” a response to “Brutus 1” from the previous lesson.
Writing The Constitution Lesson Ten
Federalists and Anti-Federalists in Virginia (Q3)
Students explain why voters in the western counties of Virginia favored ratification of the Constitution, while voters in the central counties opposed it, and make a hypothesis about under what conditions voters tend to favor strong national government.
Writing The Constitution Lesson Eleven
Ratification and the Bill of Rights (Q1)
Students learn the story of the ratification of the Constitution and the addition of the Bill of Rights. They tell the story back with “Because – But – So” sentences.
Writing The Constitution Lesson Twelve
The First and Tenth Amendments (Q2)
Students interpret the First and Tenth Amendments to the Constitution.
Writing The Constitution Lesson Thirteen
Direct Elections and Political Office (Q4)
Students discuss whether they think the Constitution should have required direct election of Senators and the President, and under what conditions they think voters should choose office holders directly.