Home » Education & Career » Tips for Teachers » To Form a More Perfect Union

To Form a More Perfect Union

© Irene Taylor

September 17, 2001 marks the 214th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of the United States. This amazing document has been the blueprint for our country since 1787. Here is some background, and a few fun activities to help you celebrate Constitution Day with your class.

Begin by discussing what the word Constitution means. Most students will be able to verbalize the idea of the need for rules for a family, a classroom, a town and for a country. Explain that the United States Constitution is just that - a set of rules to explain how our country will be run.

Once students have grasped the basic idea, let them read the story of how this document came into being. Shh! We're Writing the Constitution , by Jean Fritz, is a perfect book to use with your class. This short book tells the story of the creation of the Constitution. The charming illustrations by Tomie dePaola add to its appeal. In simple language Jean Fritz tells the story of how, following the Revolutionary War, 13 independent states saw the need to join together and form one government. She explains Founding Fathers' reasons for writing this Constitution, and the many problems they encountered and solved along the way. The amazing foresight of these men, along with their willingness to reach compromises, is artfully described. It is a wonderful story, one well worth reading and discussing in class! Here is an excellent multi-page lesson plan guide for studying Shh! We're Writing the Constitution. It contains many links to American History and Constitution related information as well as teaching ideas and suggestions.

The Parts of the Constitution

Have students look at a copy of the text of the Constitution itself. You can find the complete text in Shh! We've Writing the Constitution, as well as in any encyclopedia and many Social Studies books. In addition, see the National Archives and Records Administration , THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, or Constitution for the United States of America for online copies.

One of the first things you'll want students to observe is that the document is organized into three sections. These are the Preamble, which describes the purpose of the document and government; the seven Articles, which describe how the government is structured and how the Constitution can be changed; and the Amendments, which are changes made to the Constitution. The first ten were added soon after ratification and are called the Bill of Rights.

The copyright of the article To Form a More Perfect Union in Tips for Teachers is owned by Irene Taylor. Permission to republish To Form a More Perfect Union in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.