I Teach Third Grade, And We Have Just Begun To Study The American Revolution . . .

[Dinger]

the Constitution, the Bill Of Rights, and great leaders we have had. I find myself wanting to take time with this because it is so important. We are ahead of schedule, so that is precisely what I am going to do. I am wondering if any of my honored fellow DUers have suggestions for me. I have some ideas now, but I am really looking forward to this. Thank you all in advance for your great ideas!:patriot:

[MadMaddie]

1. The fact that you are taking your time to cover this is great.

Keep up the good work!

[annabanana]

2. What a fabulous opportunity!

Third graders are VERY attuned to the idea of "fairness", am I right? I think that would be a wonderful way to ease them into the themes in the Bill of Rights.

[thoughtanarchist]

3. Suggestion: The shot heard 'round the world!

This is one of the most inspiring tales of the era. It has literally shaped the course of my early education.

Lots of info at the site tor MinuteMan national Park:

http://www.nps.gov/mima/

:patriot:

[hwmnbn]

4. When you get to........

"We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal"

Give them each some time to express themselves. With your guidance, that idea and all it entails can blossom in their consciousness.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Have them write their own bill of rights

I used to do this with my kids every September. It's a great way to build community and it is the anniversary of the signing of the constitution.

After they wrote our class constitution, I copied it on brown craft paper and had every kid sign it. Then I burned the edges so it looked old. It makes a great bulletin board.

[karlrschneider]

9. That's a great idea!

...

[karlrschneider]

6. Just have them READ it. Discuss as appropriate.

Good for you!!! :toast:

[The Wielding Truth]

7. Yes. Remind them that in a democracy the leaders are employed to

represent the interests of that nation's people. That leaders placing their own political security or profit above the people they represent are wrong and should be met with removal from office.

[H2O Man]

8. The Articles of Confederation

and Franklin's meetings in Albany with the Haudenosaunee are interesting to 3rd graders.

[jsamuel]

10. remind them that freedom isn't free

:sarcasm:

Keep up the good work. Great history teachers are a must if we are going to get out of this hole.

[mzteris]

11. I think it's important

to not whitewash the things that weren't so "great" about the US. Don't hide them. Don't slough over them. Discuss them. While the "Founding Fathers" did a great job - considering the times, don't hesitate to mention the things that they could have done better. Slavery, Women's rights, etc. . .

[everythingsxen]

12. I would say

study more about Thomas Jefferson and the Federalist Papers.

[Hippo_Tron]

14. In 6th or 7th grade maybe, for a 3rd grader that's a bit much it seems like

[jody]

13. A useful source is the Avalon Project, 18th Century Documents, see

The Avalon Project at Yale Law School, 18th Century Documents

The Declaration of Independence; July 4, 1776 and the Articles of Confederation; March 1, 1781 are very important.

IMO, the simple fact that the United States with its Constitution is the oldest major government in the world is very significant. In that sense, we are an experiment to see whether a multicultural nation can govern itself. If we fail, then there is little hope for a peaceful world.

[political_outcast]

15. read online book by Dr Fresia about how the constitution was created for the elite, by the elite

http://cyberjournal.org/authors/fresia/

[Lisa]

16. if you like, I could send you a replica firesteel from that era

You could show the kids how difficult it was, to strike sparks and light a fire in the days before matches were widely available. And then ask them to imagine what it must have been like, to do this at Valley Forge in the middle of the winter, if you were cold and hungry. The odds are that at this time of year, in most parts of the US, even trotting the class out to the playground for 5 minutes without a coat will get the idea across. "Can we go back inside now? I'm freezing!" "Of course, and we can finish the lesson where it's nice and warm."

When we see formal portraits of leaders like George Washington, they look well-dressed and comfortable (even in that famous "crossing the Delaware" picture), but it might be interesting for the kids to think about how hard it must have been back then. Many of the colonists must have been tempted to quit, because they were running out of food, or needed to get back to their families. And it wasn't certain that the revolutionaries would win. And even when they did, I still find it remarkable that they didn't install a dictator, and just do things that would benefit themselves and not the rest of the population (like so many other revolutions have ... as in Orwell's book "Animal Farm", about the USSR). Instead, they tried to create a new kind of government. The world has changed so much since the 1770s, but somehow they came up with ideas that still work today.

It's so easy for phrases like "We the people" to become meaningless words that get recited, but to see them as something new and liberating, as a lot of those involved in the struggle back then must have felt, is very exciting. I don't teach history, myself (except for maybe environmental history, and the evolution of cities?) -- but it must be so cool, to see civics being re-born, again and again, in each new class of students.

President Carter wrote a novel which was set in the southern states, during the Revolutionary War -- it's for grownups, but he does bring up some interesting points about what was going on there at the time (he said that we mostly hear about the New England states, in school, and he wanted to spread things out a bit).

Is there any sort of historical park near where you are, that might be suitable for a field trip? So the kids could see what life was like back then?

[bklyncowgirl]

17. Amateur hour at Lexington

A middle aged, somewhat chubby, silversmith and part time political cartoonist gets on a borrowed horse and rides through the night to warn the local farmers that the British are coming, saving two of the radical leaders in the process. He gets stopped by a British patrol and never makes it to Lexington, but a doctor, who happened to be on his way home from his girlfriend's house, manages to carry the word on to Lexington where ordinary men who'd had enough of British arrogance make a stand and chase the British back to Boston.

I've always had a soft spot for Paul Revere and his pals because were ordinary guys. Revere was not a professional politician and was probably not even the best horseman in Boston--you'd think they'd pick a lightweight to outrun the British patrols. Samuel Prescott wasn't even in on the plot--he was just in the right place at the right time and did what he had to do. That was the story of the American Revolution--a group of unlikely heroes who somehow came together to create a nation.

It's inspiring.

[Bucky]

18. Google "Shhh, we're writing a Constitution"

It's designed for 5-6th graders, but could might be adapted. Most reinactment's I've done with my high schoolers tend to end up with the kids all taking the antifederalist side and the convention falling apart in a stalemate. That nearly happened in 1787, too, by the way. The salvation was in the way Roger Sherman kicked James Madison's ass with the Connecticut compromise.

[silverojo]

19. Thank you for doing this!

When I was a kid, anything to do with American history was glossed over, in favor of the histories of other countries. That continued, even into high school!

I salute you, for helping to educate kids about our country!! :patriot:

[proud patriot]

20. Get "liberty kids"

http://www.libertyskids.com/parentsteachers.html

here's the educational goals page
http://www.libertyskids.com/pt_ed_goals_tv.html

[Solly Mack]

21. Include "Molly Pitcher" - Mary Hays McCauly

And not just because I belong to the Order of Molly Pitcher.

Don't forget Margaret Corbin either.

[Left Is Write]

22. I have no particular ideas for you, but I do talk to my own children...

about these subjects, at least as much as they can understand. They get bombarded with so many neo-con perspectives that I believe I have a right and a duty to give them as many facts as I can, my POV, and why I hold my POV.

[Conan_The_Barbarian]

23. I know just the textbook!

America: A citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction. Has great discussion questions and proposed classroom activities.