CLASS VISIT ACTIVITY Guide - National Constitution Center

WELCOME LETTERWELCOME TEACHERSDear Teacher,Welcome to the National Constitution Center and thank you for planning a visit with yourstudents. We are the first and only museum in United States devoted to the teaching of theConstitution. During your tour of over 100 interactive exhibits, your class will be introduced tothe Constitution of the United States, its role in history, and its impact on our everyday lives.This Activity Guide is designed to orient you to the Center, its mission, programs, and exhibits,as well as provide engaging activities for your students. This guide has been developed to help youteach in our museum, which is our way of encouraging you to visit here, engage your students,challenge them, and model for them learning beyond the classroom walls.The National Constitution Center promotes the teaching of civic education through activecitizenship. We believe civic education is much more than knowing who the president is and howfederalism works; it is participating in our democracy. At the National Constitution Center, we seeeducating students for citizenship as a framework that includes teaching public action, democraticdeliberation and civic knowledge. Teaching public action encourages students to participate in andimprove their communities. Democratic deliberation teaches students that in a democracy there aremany different points of view, and that free expression should always be supported by examiningother ideas. Civic knowledge ensures that each student understands the history of our nation andhow the government works. Using this framework, these lessons are designed to increase yourstudents’ understanding and encourage them to be active citizens in our nation.We would like to invite you to come to the National Constitution Center prior to your class tripin order to better plan your students’ time here. Complimentary teacher tickets are available bybringing this guide with you and presenting it at the box office prior to your class trip.Enjoy your visit,Education and Exhibits TeamThis class visit activity guide was created through the combined efforts of theNational Constitution Center’s Department of Education and Exhibits, underthe leadership of Dr. Dr. Stephen Frank, Vice-President. Contributors included:Eli Lesser, Kerry Sautner, Amy Chernekoff, Anne Spector, Sarah Winski,Lauren Cristella, Donna Jackson, and Andrew McGinley.All sections of this guide were reviewed by members of the NationalConstitution Center’s 2006-2007 Educator Advisory Committee:Andrew Kuhn, Cheltenham High School, Cheltenham, PAMarc Brasof, Constitution High School, Philadelphia, PACarl Ackerman, Constitution High School, Philadelphia, PAElizabeth Soslau, Grover Washington Middle School, Philadelphia, PAJenn Wong, Gideon Elementary School, Philadelphia, PAAlison Van Wyk Wanaselja, Independence Charter School, Philadelphia, PADonna Sharer, University of PennsylvaniaAdicia Cohen-Johnson, Elkins Park Middle School, Cheltenham, PA1