Set the Preamble of the Constitution to music with your own tune or use the "Preamble" song from Schoolhouse Rock. Teach the kids to memorize the Preamble through singing the song frequently. Take the Preamble apart line by line and discuss what "We the People," "more perfect union," "establish justice," "ensure domestic tranquility" and so on mean. Ask the students to make an illustrated book or digital slideshow explaining each phrase within the Preamble, one line per page.
Explain that the states at first refused to approve the Constitution because it did not contain a written guarantee of citizens' rights. So the Founding Fathers added the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights defines a U.S. citizen's protected freedoms, such as the freedoms of speech, religion, assembly and the press as well as the rights to own a gun and to ask the government to address your grievances. The Bill of Rights also prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. Read stories such as "The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins" by Dr. Seuss, "Dayenu, or How Uncle Murray Saved the Seder" by Rosalind Schilder or "Mister Billy's Gun" by Berta and Elmer Hader. Let the children act out each story and discuss which Constitutional rights are violated in the story.
Pair students up and ask them to create a short role-play skit in which someone violates another person's rights and freedoms. Let each pair perform its skit for the class and ask the audience to identify which clause of the Bill of Rights applies to this situation. Brainstorm together a better way to handle each situation that preserves the citizen's Constitutional rights.
Ask the students whether people should have the same rights in any situation or if circumstances can supersede a person's rights. As an example, give a playground scenario such as, "One of your classmates is wearing a shirt that several other kids think is ugly or strange. You walk up to him and say, 'That's the ugliest shirt I ever saw.' " Discuss whether this is protected speech under the First Amendment and whether your intention makes a difference in the statement being covered as free speech. For example, if you are trying to be helpful and protect the child from teasing, is that more or less wrong than if you are just trying to be mean and hurtful? Debate whether the freedom to say anything you want is more important than being considerate of others' feelings and speaking with grace and tact. Ask students for examples of when it is OK to speak your mind and when it is better to keep your opinion to yourself.
Divide the class into Supreme Court justices, lawyers, plaintiffs and defendants. Send the justices out of the room while you explain to the others that they need to read up on a Supreme Court case such as the Minersville School District v. Gobitis (1940) or West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette (1943). Give them a few days to prepare the arguments for their side, while the justices, knowing none of the specifics of the case, study the meaning behind the amendments that will be involved. In both of these cases, for instance, the court members would study up on freedom of speech and religion. On "Court Day", set up the room to resemble the Supreme Court. Black robes for the justices are optional but a fun way to add ambiance and authenticity. Lawyers for the plaintiff and the defendant make their cases before the court. The justices adjourn and discuss the case in private. Each one writes a paragraph describing his reasoning and opinion on the question before the Court. Re-assemble the session and let each justice read his opinion. Tally up the vote to determine which side wins the case. Compare the classroom court's decision with the actual Supreme Court decision. If the class decision is different from the Supreme Court's, discuss how the historical, political and cultural factors of the time period influenced the decision.
Assign students to delegations for the 12 states represented at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Try to make the groups roughly proportional to the number of actual delegates for that state. For example, with eight delegates, Pennsylvania represented about 14 percent of the 55 delegates, which works out to four representatives out of a class of 30. Give each delegation time to study the social, political, economic and geographic factors that influenced the representatives viewpoints on Constitutional questions, such as, "Is it desirable to have a strong central government; and if so, what powers should it have?", "What do we call the leader, and what powers should he have?", "How do we prevent tyranny?", "How should we make new laws?, "How many representatives should each state be allowed?", "Who counts as a citizen?" and "Who can vote?" Have students debate these issues as if they are setting up a new country; have them draft a Constitution for their government. Compare their results with the U.S. Constitution and discuss whether any new ideas ought to be submitted to legislators for additional amendments.