Students discover how the U.S. Constitution is organized into the Preamble, the Articles, and the Amendments. Next, they explore the meaning of the Preamble by reviewing important vocabulary and the main “goals” it lays out for the Constitution. Then they work in small groups to illustrate one goal of the Constitution. Finally, they reflect on and illustrate the meaning of “We the people” in 1787 and today.
Students read an overview of the experience and the objective, are introduced to key vocabulary (union, preamble), and read background text explaining that the Preamble states the goals of the new government. They then respond to a wall prompt by posting one important purpose they think a government should have and explaining why.
Teacher MovesPreview the experience and objective, introduce the vocabulary, and use student wall responses to highlight common themes such as fairness, safety, protecting rights, and helping people. Emphasize that the Preamble is more than an introduction—it sets the tone and goals for the entire Constitution.
Students read an introduction to the Constitution and its role in U.S. government, then use the Interactive Constitution to examine how the document is organized into the Preamble, seven articles, and amendments. Based on the article headings, they answer a poll identifying what the first three articles describe and complete a drag-and-drop activity matching descriptions of fundamental laws to Articles IV–VII. They then read about the amendments, including the Bill of Rights, and answer a poll about which groups could vote in 1791.
Teacher MovesOptionally have students first click through the pages of The U.S. Constitution to notice the Preamble and article headings. Guide students as they explore the Interactive Constitution, clarifying the roles of the articles and amendments and using poll and drag-and-drop responses to reinforce how the Constitution structures government and how voting rights were historically limited.
Students read the full text of the Preamble and then reread it to focus on meaning. They complete a drag-and-drop activity matching key Preamble vocabulary words to their definitions, answer a multiple-choice question about the main purpose of the Preamble, and are introduced to the six goals it contains. Working in groups, they use two graphic organizers to restate each of the six goals in their own words.
Teacher MovesOptionally introduce the scene by showing the video The Constitution Preamble to engage students with the text. Support students as they unpack vocabulary and discuss the main purpose of the Preamble, then guide them in paraphrasing each of the six goals in accessible language before assigning each group a specific goal for the next scene.
Students are reminded that, as a class, they will create a digital picture book of the Preamble, with each small group responsible for illustrating one of the six goals. In groups, they brainstorm concrete examples of how their assigned goal is achieved in U.S. government at the national, state, or local level and record these ideas in a graphic organizer. Each group then designs or finds an image that illustrates its goal and uses a drawing tool to upload or create the image and add a caption stating the assigned goal. Students review the images created by other groups and post positive, constructive comments or questions on a shared wall about examples or images they found interesting or surprising.
Teacher MovesExplain that the class will build a digital picture book of the Preamble, assigning each group one of the six goals. Use the provided example list (e.g., Congress passing laws, court systems, police, military, Social Security, Bill of Rights) to support brainstorming as needed. Monitor group work as students generate examples, create or select images, and add captions, then encourage students to review and respond constructively to other groups’ pages.
Students read an explanation of why the phrase “We the People” is central to democratic government and consider how its meaning has changed over time. In small groups, they complete a two-column table comparing who “We the People” referred to in 1787 with who it includes today. Individually, they then draw or paste an image to illustrate the first page of the Preamble picture book, adding the caption “We the People of the United States.”
Teacher MovesClarify that “We the people” refers to citizens who have the power to influence government through voting—only white men in 1787, but people of any race or gender today. Use this contrast to deepen discussion about changing definitions of citizenship and participation, and remind teachers that this Elaborate scene is an optional extension that can be skipped without affecting the Evaluate scene.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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