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Constitution Day (September 17) is less than a month away now. Federal law requires teachers in the US to teach a lesson on the US Constitution on that day. To help you develop lessons, Sunnylands Classroom is offering a free package of teaching resources. Included in the collection is a free DVD about the 1991 case of Edmonson v. Leesville Concrete Company which effectively barred race peremptory challenges during jury selections. Other resources from Sunnylands for Constitution Day include an interactive game on the First Amendment and an interactive game about the Constitutional Convention. Register here by September 5 to have the Sunnylands resources sent to you. H/T to US History Teachers Blog. Applications for Education The Constitution Day resources from Sunnylands Classroom really seem to be targeted toward a middle school and high school audience. That said, with a little adaptation you might be able to use some of the resources with 4th and 5th grade students too.

Great film for studying the Constitution Preamble

Electoral College

The federal education program appropriated funds "based on good test scores in math, science, and reading," she said, but it did not distribute money for history or civics. O¹Connor¹s new web site aims to right that wrong. Launched on May 24, iCivics.org is a rebranded, expanded version of an earlier site called OurCourts.org. "Barely one-third of Americans can even name the three branches of government, much less say what they do," O'Connor said. "… I'm worried." Games on iCivics include "Do I Have A Right," in which the player runs a virtual firm specializing in constitutional law; "Executive Command," which offers a chance to play president; "Supreme Decision," about the Supreme Court; "Branches of Power," which gives the player control of all three branches of government; and "LawCraft," in which the player is a member of Congress. The iCivics program is based at Georgetown University Law School. O'Connor is the project founder and leads the board of the nonprofit iCivics Inc., iCivics spokesman Jeffrey Curley said. The project began in 2007 and is in use at schools around the country.