Constitution Day is Coming: September 17th

 

Constitution Day

by

Gail Skroback Hennessey

Click here for a free downloadable version: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/CONSTITUTION-DAY-FREEBIE-FUN-FACTS-3338019

Each year, Constitution Day is celebrated on September 17th. This is the date, in 1787, when delegates to the Constitutional Convention, signed the Constitution. They had met for 116 days, at the State House(now called Independence Hall), in Philadelphia, PA. If Constitutional Day falls on a Sunday, as it did in 2017, the official observation is the following day. Constitution Day is also called Citizenship Day.  It’s a day to celebrate this important document of our nation!

   

Did You Know?

1. Did you know that Ben Franklin arrived at the Grand Convention in Philadelphia on a sedan chair? Four prisoners from the local Philadelphia jail carried Franklin on the chair.

2. Before deciding on Mr. President, names for George Washington, the first leader of the United States, included “His Most Benign Highness” and “His Highness, the President of the United States of America and Protector of their Liberties.”

3. Philadelphia, the largest and most modern of cities at the time of the Convention, had a population of 40,000.  Gravel was used to cover the cobblestone streets to make it less noisy for the meetings.

4. It took 116 days to complete the draft of the document called the Constitution.

5. To date, only ONE amendment to the constitution has been removed(repealed). The 18th Amendment(1918) which abolished the making, sale and transportation of alcohol, was repealed in 1933.

6. Each night, the Constitution is lowered into a specially made vault for its protection.

7. George Washington announced the first national “Thanksgiving Day”, November 26, 1789, to “give thanks” for the creating of the Constitution.

8. The words “democracy” and “God” do not appear in the document of the Constitution.

9. Eighty-one year old Ben Franklin cried as he signed the Constitution.

10. James Madison, who would become the 4th President of the United States, was called the “Father of the Constitution”. 

Teacher Page:

Things to do:

1. Have students pretend they are the Constitution on display at the National Archives. Tell a day in your life as people come to see you. What do you hear? See? feel? https://www.archives.gov/publications/general-info-leaflets/1-about-archives.html

1. Enter the Constitution Day Poster Contest:Postmarked by Oct. 1, 2020. https://www.constitutionday.cc/2020_EntryForm.pdf

3.  This link explains the Bill of Rights  for kids: http://kids.laws.com/bill-of-rights  Groups of students could be assigned one of the rights and make a poster.  Have students write a paragraph explaining which right they feel is most important and why.

4. Have students create posters or greeting cards for Constitution Day.

Website of Interest:

http://www.constitutionday.com

*Check out my Ms. Bie Ografee Play on James Madison, Father of the Constitution: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/ConstitutionReaders-Theater-Script-James-MadisonFather-of-the-Constitution-3337971

Why Study History? Question asked by Kids...Here is the Answer!

 

WHY STUDY HISTORY?

 “Why do we have to learn this stuff” is a common question my students would ask me while learning about Julius Caesar and the fall of the Roman republic or other topics in social studies. Of course, I would explain that the the past is important to learn because past events are the building blocks that create our present. 

     With a new year beginning, it's a great way to start a discussion on just WHY study history and encourage responses from students.  

I like to remind students of when they were little and played the game of "Telephone". Remember, sitting in a  circle and someone would whisper something in your ear and you would  pass along the information to the person sitting next to you? History of the world is kind of like that game. People through the ages have passed down ideas which are still used today. 

EVERYTHING has a history, from the potato chip we eat, to the tissues we use to blow our noses, to the shoes we are wearing, to the pencil we use to jot down a note. Everything was once an idea that someone developed, passed along and in some ways was improved upon by those that learned of the idea. 

We are very connected to the past as it has shaped the present that we have today!

Here are some examples of "World-History Telephone"

1. You get up and look at the clock and see that it’s time to get ready for school. Did you know that the ancient people of Mesopotamia (people that lived in the present day country of Iraq) had a counting system based on 60? That’s how high they could count on their joints on their fingers and toes, and that’s the bases of our time counting today!

2. You look at the calendar and see that it’s Thursday. Thank the people of Mesopotamia again. They established a seven day week. Seems they had seven main gods that they wished to honor each day. 

3. Even the names of some of the days of the week came from people living many years ago. The Vikings had several main gods which they worshiped on a certain day. “Tiew’s day” became Tuesday, “Woden’s Day” became Wednesday and “Thor’s Day” became Thursday. 

4. Staying with the calendar, did you ever wonder why there are 365 day in a year? Yes, that’s another gift from the past. The ancient Egyptians had 360 days in their calendar and added 5 extra days at the end of the year for a BIG harvest party.

5. The earliest bathroom was excavated in a place called Orkney Islands, Scotland. The bathroom excavated dated back to 8000 BCE. 

6. You grab onto a bar of soap. Soap was invented about 600 BCE, by the ancient Phoenicians (of present day Lebanon). They made their soap from goat fat and wood ash. 

7.Pick up a fork and thank someone from the country of Italy who lived in the 11th century. Before this time, people ate with their fingers. In fact, for many years it was considered poor manners to use that metal contraption called a fork. 

I have a reading which I have developed sharing many things in our world that came from us from other past cultures. It includes comprehension questions and a couple of extension activities. It would be a great beginning of the school year activity to show kids that "history is all around us".

Click here to see a preview and to purchase: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Why-Study-History-Reading-in-Social-Studies-Our-Past-Shapes-our-Present-3164074

Show children that EVERYTHING has a HISTORY, even candy, pretzels, tulips, shoes, chewing gum, pens/pencils and paper, peanuts, soccer with this bundle of readings and/or webquest: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/History-Everything-has-a-History-A-Bundle-of-ResourceDistance-Learning-4448553 Each are also so individually.

Note: The illustration is from Phoencia.org and wpclipart.com

National Aviation Day is 8/19

 

Did you know that people actually thought that the airplane would have no real purpose? WOW...were they wrong!  On December 17, 1903, less than 10 people showed up to watch Orville and Wilbur Wright make history. In fact most papers(only 3 carried the story in the USA) refused to print the press release of the Wright Brothers' historic flight, believing it was not possible for a human to fly. The December 17, 1903 event had to have been a hoax! 

To honor this historic day in history, use this resource to learn a bit about the history of flight.

Did You Know?

1. Most people at the time of the Wright brothers’ first flight attempts on December 17, 1903, thought that the airplane had NO purpose for transportation and was just a dangerous sport. Would you have gone to see the first flight attempts by the Wright Brothers? Why or why not?____________________

2. The distance covered by the 1903 Wright Flyer was less than the wingspan of today's 747 Jumbo Jet!

3. The Wright brothers’ first attempt went 120 ft. That’s about 20 people, about 6ft. tall, lined end to end!

4. Charles Lindbergh was the first to fly non-stop from New York to Paris. The trip,
in 1927, took 33.5 hours. What do you think Lindbergh thought about during his
flight?_____________________________________

5. Amelia Earhart was the first woman aviator to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. The
year was 1928.

6. Lillian Gatlin, was the first woman to ride as a passenger in an airplane! The year was 1922.

7. In 1939, Willa Brown was the first African American woman to earn a commercial pilot’s license.

8. Did you know that pilots and co-pilots can not eat the same meal while in flight? Why do you think this is?____________________________________

9. Every 37 seconds, an airplane takes off from Chicago O’Hare’s International Airport. That’s about 100 airplanes each hour.

10. The word used for aviation help, “Mayday”, comes from the French “m’aides" meaning “help me.

11. Did you know that 1/3 of your taste buds get numb while flying? Which taste is your favorite?(sweet, spicy or salty) and why?_______________________

12. Bessie Coleman was an American aviator and the first African American female pilot. She was also the first American to receive an international pilot’s license. 

13. It is said that Gustave Whitehead successful powered an aircraft in Bridgeport, CT, on August 14, 1901. That is two years before the Wright Brothers. Whitehead's craft, called the Condor, did two flights on that date. Reaching 50 Ft., the distance covered was 1 1/2 miles.

14. Aerophobia is the fear of flying.

15. KLM is the world’s oldest airline, started in 1919.

16. Someone estimated that if you add up all the miles flown by all the 747 airplanes, it’s the distance from the Earth to the Moon and back over 75,000 times.c

17. National Aviation Day, August 19th, was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939, on the birthday of Orville Wright, who first piloted the Wright Flyer, on December 17, 1903.

Your Turn:

1. Write a diary entry pretending to be Lindbergh, Earhart, Coleman, Orville/Wilbur Wright and tell about a day in your aviation life.

2. Illustrate one of the factoids. Write a sentence of your own explaining the illustrated fact.

3. Have you ever flown in an airplane? Tell about something you remember about your first time in an airplane.  If you haven't flown, would you like to experience flying? Why, why not.

4. If you could meet one of the aviators mentioned above, what would be TWO questions you would ask of the aviator?

5. Write 3 POSITIVE(i.e.: helpful) character traits that a person can have. Write 3 NEGATIVE (i.e.: jealousy)character traits a person can have. What would be 2 positive character traits you would describe for yourself. What would be ONE negative character trait you would describe for yourself. What are 3 character traits that you would give to someone that is an aviator such as Lindbergh, Earhart, Coleman, Orville/Wilbur Wright? 

Links:

Visit the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: https://airandspace.si.edu 

Wright Brothers' National Memorial: http://www.outerbanks.com/wright-brothers-national-memorial.html

Teachers- check out these resources on the History of Flight.

     1. Wright Brothers( A Webquest): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Wright-Brothers-and-the-AirplaneA-WebquestExtension-Activities-628501

2. Bessie Coleman( Reader’s Theater Script): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bessie-Coleman-AviatorReaders-Theater-Script-1687487

3. Amelia Earhart (Reader’s Theater Script): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Amelia-EarhartBiographical-PlayTo-Tell-the-Truth-Play-348663

     4. Aida de Acosta: A Reading(1st woman to fly a powered aircraft) https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Womens-HistoryAida-de-Acosta1st-woman-to-fly-powered-aircraftREADING-3696573

     5. Wright Brothers: A Reader's Theater Script: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Wright-Brothers-Wilbur-and-Orville-A-Readers-Theater-Script-4536348

    

     6. Women Pilots during WW2: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/World-War-2-Female-PilotsMembers-of-the-WASP-A-Readers-Theater-Script-4378242

 

Note: Photograph from Gail Hennessey(Wright Brothers' National Memorial)

100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment-Women VOTING rights!

August 18, 2020 is the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote. Many women worked hard and sacrificed much for the right to vote!

Originally opposed to Women’s suffrage, President Woodrow Wilson changed his position. The year was 1918. In order to pass the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, originally called the Susan B. Anthony Amendment,  all the states had to take a vote. In some states, women already had the right to vote. Those state were Indiana, Kansas, Arizona, Nevada,New York, Nebraska,Illinois, South Dakota, California, Michigan,Washington, North Dakota, Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Alaska, Oregon,Oklahoma, Arkansas and Montana.

It would be on August 20, 1920, the state of Tennessee ratified the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

On November 2 ,1920, eight million women VOTED!

Fun Facts:

The state of Colorado was the first state to grant the women of their state the right to vote: 1893.

Wyoming actually gave women the right to vote in 1869 but it was not a state at the time, but a territory. Interestingly, Wyoming said they would NOT join the United States unless this right was given to women.

Charlotte Woodward was the only attendee of the Seneca Falls, NY, convention (1848) and signer of the Declaration of Sentiments, to see the 19th amendment ratified.

Wearing bloomers became popular during the women’s suffrage movement. 

Did you know that it wouldn’t be until 1984 that the state of Mississippi ratified the 19th amendment?

The first state to ratify the 19th amendment was the state of Wisconisn.

Victoria Woodhull was the first woman to run for President. The year was 1870. She was unable to vote for herself!

Activities:

1. Have kids try this quiz on Women’s Suffrage: https://www.2020centennial.org/kids-quiz

2. Here is another quiz: https://www.thoughtco.com/womens-suffrage-quiz-3530932

3. Check out when and where women got the right to vote. https://www.thoughtco.com/international-woman-suffrage-timeline-3530479

Check out this bundle on Women Suffrage:(resources also sold individually)

1. Reader's Theater Script on Susan B. Anthony

2. Reader's Theater Script on Nell Richardson and Alice Burke who in 1916 did a cross country trip to promote women's suffrage. Go on a ride through history to learn about the Golden Flyer.
3. The Silent Sentinels: A Reading Passage/ Activities on the brave women who worked to get women's suffrage and what they endured.

Click here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Womens-Suffrage-A-Bundle-of-Resources-4802320

Helpful resources:

https://www.womensvote100.org/toolkits

https://allthatsinteresting.com/women-suffrage-movement

Photographs

https://www.loc.gov/collections/women-of-protest/about-this-collection/

https://www.ducksters.com/history/civil_rights/womens_suffrage.php

https://www.loc.gov/resource/rbcmil.scrp5015401/ cartoons about women’s suffrage

https://www.nps.gov/articles/symbols-of-the-women-s-suffrage-movement.htm symbols of women suffrage movement

Photograph from: 

https://www.loc.gov/resource/ggbain.20196/