US Citizenship Podcast: Preparing for Constitution Day

USCIS 100 Hall Card

Our school is counting down the hours to Constitution Day.

Since the first day of school (August 250 we have been getting to know each other, setting goals, and studying the Constitution every day.

Last week, we printed out the slides for the Constitution ppt and posted them in the hall. We also added some posters about the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and other govenrment displays.

On Saturday, we ordered three sheet cakes that said: HAPPY CONSTITUTION DAY! HAPPY CITIZENSHIP DAY! and one cake that said: WE SIGNED THE CONSTITUTION. These cakes will be served at the post-signing reception for the day and evening classes.

We also ordered 1500 postcards to be sent to the CA State Legislature that said PASS THE STATE BUDGET! FULLY FUND ADULT EDUCATION plus two quotes from the 1st Amendment & the CA Constitution about petitioning the government. These postcrds were going to be distributed during the "I signed the Constitution" ceremony to link the Constitution with civic participation. On Monday, the CA Legislature announced a "deal"--yeah! (We are keeping the postcards for next budget crisis). We also ordered 500 copies of the Constitution to be printed on 8.5x11" pieces of "antique resume" paper. The copies of the Constitution will be given to each student.

Yesterday, assembled the USCIS 100 hall-cards.

We printed out each of the USCIS 100 questions on separate white sheets of 8.5x11" paper.

We printed out all the USCIS 100 answers on separate white sheets of 8.5x11" paper.

We used a paper cutter to cut the questions and answers down to 8.5x5.5" rectangles.

We folded a 9x11" pieces of Federal Blue construction paper in half.

We used a glue stick to glue the corners of the questions on the outside of the hall card.

We used a glue stick to glue the corners of the answers on the inside of the hall card.

Today we will:

Put four loops of blue sticky-tape on the back of the hall cards and hung them up in four rows of twenty-five cards.

Make hall cards for the USCIS 96. We will use red construction paper.

Un-roll the big Constitution and parchment paper.

Sharpen the quills and test the ink.

Set up tables in the hallway.

Tomorrow we will

Study the Constitution.

Ask the new citizens to talk about studying for citizenship and what has happened after they became citizens.

We will assign classmates to help people sign the Constitution and give each student a copy.

Each class will come and sign the Constitution.

Eat cake!

Here are more resources for Constitution Day!

The National Constitution Center held the first “America Reads the Constitution” on September 17, 2004. A diverse group of people read the Constitution from start to finish, from “We the People” to the final words of the 27th Amendment. The NCC has developed a downloadable toolkit for the public reading of the Constitution. The NCChas divided the Constitution into 100 reading sections, so that the Constitution can reflect thediversity of the community.

Listen to the Constitution: Debra Jean Dean reads The Constitution of the United States (Including all amendments)
>>Download the entire audio file.(62 megs, 68 minutes, high-quality MP3).
Download the Bill of Rights (first ten amendments of the Constitution)

Need a copy of the Constitution for your class, but it too late to order? Go here and download #3 Constitution for the United States — Formatted to print on two sides of one letter-size sheet of paper. (click the black square for a Word.doc)
Don't have parchment or a quill pen? The American Bar Association invites everyone to Sign the Constitution online.
Crossword, Word Search, & Treasure Hunt Puzzles from Constitution Facts
Choose one of the following puzzles to print out.