Red and blue mosaic background with various outlined images and symbols representing America: Lady Liberty, the Golden Gate Bridge, and protestors with signs. In front of these is a white sign reading: Constitution and Citizenship.

Resource Spotlight - Constitution and Citizenship

Constitution Day and Citizenship Day

Since 1952, the United States has celebrated Constitution Day and Citizenship Day on September 17. And since 2004, all public schools in the country have been required to “hold an educational program” on September 17 in observance of the day. Given ongoing debates over the intentions of the Framers, the “checks and balances” system, and the rights of citizens in the U.S., this Constitution Day and Citizenship Day presents a great opportunity to deepen students’ understanding of our founding documents and the history of U.S. citizenship. Check out the resources highlighted below for easy ways to incorporate more of this history into your classroom.

If you’re interested in expanding your own learning about the national and state constitutions even further, we encourage you to join us for a FREE Constitution Day virtual workshop on September 15. All teachers are welcome! Learn more about it by clicking here!
 

CHSSP Resource Spotlights

  • Teach the Election: This resource spotlight from the 2024 election highlights our teaching materials on U.S. presidential elections and civic engagement. Also included are picture book recommendations, relevant historical scholarship, and resources on how to have civil and democratic classroom discussions.

  • Civic Engagement: This October 2022 Monthly Highlights page features a list of ready-to-use lesson plans on federal, state, and local governments. Included are a second-grade lesson on government institutions and a fourth-grade one that introduces students to local government.

Ready-to-Use Lesson Plans:

  • Separate is Never Equal: Before Linda Brown, there was Sylvia Mendez: This inquiry set introduces fourth-grade students to the history of school desegregation in California (Mendez v. Westminster, 1947). Featured prominently in the history of this court case is the role of the 14th Amendment and what rights U.S. citizens are guaranteed under the Constitution. 

  • Introduction to the Constitution: This fifth-grade lesson is designed as an introduction to the study of the Constitution through a close reading of the Preamble. In answering the lesson focus question — “What was the purpose of the preamble?” — students prepare to learn about the rights and responsibilities detailed in the Constitution and the purpose for its structure of government.

  • Reconstruction’s Impact on the Country: This eleventh-grade inquiry set asks students: How did the country change because of the Civil War and Reconstruction in the nineteenth century? Students learn how the Reconstruction amendments (Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth) increased the scope of the federal government, changed the meaning of citizenship in the U.S., and laid the legal foundation for the later twentieth-century civil rights movement.

  • Government Power: This twelfth-grade government lesson asks students to consider foundational government documents that address the nature of the power of government, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and citizenship documents. 

  • Democracy by Participation: A Life in California Politics: This inquiry set explores the branches of California state government, using the life and career of Cruz Reynoso as a window into the structures and processes of state government. Students follow Reynoso from his California State Assembly campaign, to the executive branch as a secretary to the governor, to the state judiciary, and, finally, to a state commission. This lesson helps students to understand the difference between appointed and elected officials, as well as differences between the federal government and state governments, specifically in California. 

#KatesBookClub Reads:

Leo’s First Vote! by Christina Soontornvat, illustrated by Isabel Roxas. A new favorite! Leo is so proud of his father who has recently become a naturalized citizen of the United States. With his father, Leo learns about the election process and the steps leading up to a presidential election. A simplified, but informative story that connects the importance of a free and fair election, voting rights, polling places, and voter registration to the election process. A timely story aimed at younger students, but appropriate for all elementary grades.

Mamie Tape Fights to Go to School:  Based on a True Story by Traci Huahn, illustrated by Michelle Jing Chan. A beautifully researched and illustrated true story that would be a welcome addition to any California classroom, especially fourth grade. Mamie Tape grew up with her family in San Francisco in the late 1800s, playing with neighborhood children. When it was time to go to school, Mamie and her mother were told, “Your kind is not welcome here.” Mamie’s family pushed back against the policy that excluded Chinese children from attending schools, and the family eventually won the right for Mamie to attend classes. The illustrations reflect the author’s research, including details from the family home. Terrific background information.

Some of Us:  A Story of Citizenship and the United States by Rajani La Rocca, illustrated by Huy Voun Lee.  “...some of us are born American.  Some choose.” This title gracefully introduces young readers to big ideas of immigration, naturalization, and citizenship. Simple text for even the youngest of learners to explore the reasons why people may leave their families behind and undergo a dangerous journey to travel to America and what gifts these new residents bring to our country. Terrific back matter includes an explanation of rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Beautifully illustrated.

Spanish is the Language of My Family by Michael Genhart, illustrated by John Parra. Wonderful story told from the perspective of a young boy who is entering his school’s annual Spanish Spelling Bee. While helping him practice, the boy’s grandmother shares stories of how speaking Spanish in school was not only frowned upon, but was also grounds for physical punishment. Simple text and powerful sentences combine to make for an important story for all learners. Important back matter highlights the history of language and education in the United States, including the state of California.

Walk:  A Stroll to the Poll, The by Winsome Bingham, illustrated by E.B. Lewis. A child and her grandmother take a walk together. Along the way they stop at homes and storefronts encouraging friends and neighbors to join them on their journey. “We walk on, traveling in a group, talking like family, together, a community.” The procession grows and the group finally reaches their destination - the polling place. Simple, yet powerful at the same time, and a welcome addition to all classrooms.