Books for Teaching about the Constitution

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From Unit Plan: Democracy: A Big Challenge

Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School by Mark Teague
Ike the dog sends letters to his owner, Mrs. LaRue, in an attempt to return home from obedience school.

Classroom Tip: Use this book as a Read-Aloud on Day One, Lesson Two. It provides students with a humorous example of persuasive letter writing.

Encyclopedia of The Presidents And Their Times by David Rubel
This book is a wonderful reference tool for studying U.S. and presidential history.

Classroom Tip: Use this as a reference tool to assist students when conducting the research phase of the assignment.

Great Genre Writing Lessons: Focused Step by Step Lessons, Graphic Organizers, and Rubrics that Guide Students Through Each Stage of the Writing Process by Heather Clayton.
This book guides students through the steps of various writing projects.

Classroom Tip: Use this as a reference tool to help your students navigate the writing process.

House Mouse, Senate Mouse by Cheryl Shaw Barnes
This book teaches children about our nation's Capitol and takes them through the legislative process -- from the basic research of a bill through committee consideration to its signing at the president's desk.

Classroom Tip: Use this book as a Read Aloud on Day 1 of Lesson One to help students understand the legislative process.

If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution by Elizabeth Levy; illustrated by Richard Rosenblum
This unique presentation takes young readers into the locked rooms of the Philadelphia State House at the drafting of the U.S. Constitution.

Classroom Tip: Use this as a resource to introduce the concept of Democracy and the purpose of the Constitution.

Kids’ Letters To President Bush by Bill Adler; illustrated by Chuck Rekow
This collection features letters to the President in which kids ask political, personal, and poignant questions; give advice; and tell the President about themselves.

Classroom Tip: In Lesson Two, highlight a persuasive letter from this collection to use as a model.

Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz
Students can review a copy of the Constitution in this “life-like” account of history.

Classroom Tip: Give students an independent review of the Constitution.

Sites of Action: Be Informed, Speak Up, Act Lesson Plan (Grades 9–12)
List web sites where students can take action on the political and social issues that matter to them most. Student learn how to form a petition, write persuasive letters, and take part in a network geared toward social activism.

Ideas on How to Act: Be Informed, Speak Up, Act Lesson Plan (Grades 9–12)
Show students how to act on their opinions about important political issues. Encourage them to write letters to newspaper editors, draw political cartoons, take surveys, record podcasts, and more.

Election 2008: Families for Edwards
Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards says that he is passionate about fixing America's health care problems. So passionate that he invited families to speak about the subject at an unusual town hall meeting Sunday in Manchester, New Hampshire.

LESSON PLAN	What's in a Name? Shares a lesson plan on business letter writing. Students are required to write a persuasive letter arguing that a confection company should...
UNIT PLAN	Democracy: A Big Challenge Presents a unit plan on the drafting and signing of the U.S. Constitution, with an exercise geared towards cooperative learning through research,...
ONLINE ACTIVITY	Election 2008: Kid Reporters Blog the Debates Scholastic Kid Reporters blog the 2008 presidential and vice presidential debates.