Social Studies > Political Science > Government > U.S. Federal Government > U.S. Constitution (52 resources)

Is It Constitutional?

Grade Levels: 3 - 7

Overview

Students will read constitutional amendments and use the information to evaluate laws and actions.

Objective

Students will learn how constitutional amendments protect many rights and freedoms of United States citizens.

Materials

• Is It Constitutional? Worksheet
• Amendments

Procedures

1. Point out to students that citizens of a free and democratic society have many rights and freedoms. The Constitution of the United States protects many of our most important rights and freedoms.
   
   
2. Explain to students that a law could be passed that would take away some of these rights. If this happened, the Supreme Court would say that the law was unconstitutional and could not be carried out. When a law is passed, it is very important to ask weather it is constitutional.
   
   
3. Tell students that many of our most basic rights and freedoms are protected by the amendments to the Constitution. Print out and distribute the worksheet listing three of those amendments.
   
   
4. Discuss each amendment with students. Remind them that a law or action taken by the government cannot contradict an amendment. If it does, the law or action can be challenged and reversed.
   
   
5. Now print out and distribute the worksheet Is It Constitutional? Worksheet. Ask students to write the numbers 1-10 on a separate sheet of paper. Tell them you are going to read aloud the list of laws or actions that might be taken by the government, and they should listen to each item carefully as you read. If they think the law or action would be constitutional, they should write a C next to the number, along with the number of the amendment that makes it constitutional. If they think the law or action would be unconstitutional, they should write a U and give the appropriate amendment number.