Check us out on Facebook. Look for Alabama Council for Social
Studies for more resources and opportunities.
Constitution Day Resources
On September 17, 1787, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention met for the last time to sign the document they had created. We encourage all Americans to observe this important day in our nation's history by attending local events in your area. Celebrate Constitution Day through activities, learning, parades, and demonstrations of our love for the United States of America and the Blessings of Freedom that our Founding Fathers secured for us.
We encourage educational organizations, to conduct ceremonies and programs that bring together community members to reflect on the importance of active citizenship, recognize the enduring strength of our Constitution, and reaffirm our commitment to the rights and obligations of citizenship in this great Nation.
These websites are provided as examples of resources on Constitution Day that you might find helpful. There are many other resources available that may be just as helpful.
Resources from NCSS Journals and Selected Online Sources to Help You Teach about the U.S. Constitution.
https://www.socialstudies.org/resources/us-constitution-resources
https://www.socialstudies.org/social-education/83/4/teaching-constitution-virtually
https://new.civiced.org/lesson-plans/constitution-day-and-citizenship-day
https://www.socialstudies.org/middle-level-learning/32
https://www.annenbergclassroom.org/teaching-the-constitution/
https://new.civiced.org/lesson-plans/constitution-day-and-citizenship-day (By Grade Level)
Commemorating Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
https://www2.ed.gov/policy/fund/guid/constitutionday.html
https://www.constitutionday.com/
https://www.icivics.org/
National Constitution Center’s Interactive Constitution
https://constitutioncenter.org/education
https://constitutioncenter.org/education/constitution-101-curriculum
https://jackmillercenter.org/constitution-day-2023/#selected-online-resources
Check out these live online events:
Constitution Day Resources
3-12 Teachers
6-12 Teachers
6-12 Students and Teachers
8-12 Students and Teachers
9-12 Students and Teachers
6-8 Students
6-12 Students
9-12 Grade
We encourage educational organizations, to conduct ceremonies and programs that bring together community members to reflect on the importance of active citizenship, recognize the enduring strength of our Constitution, and reaffirm our commitment to the rights and obligations of citizenship in this great Nation.
These websites are provided as examples of resources on Constitution Day that you might find helpful. There are many other resources available that may be just as helpful.
Resources from NCSS Journals and Selected Online Sources to Help You Teach about the U.S. Constitution.
https://www.socialstudies.org/resources/us-constitution-resources
https://www.socialstudies.org/social-education/83/4/teaching-constitution-virtually
https://new.civiced.org/lesson-plans/constitution-day-and-citizenship-day
https://www.socialstudies.org/middle-level-learning/32
https://www.annenbergclassroom.org/teaching-the-constitution/
https://new.civiced.org/lesson-plans/constitution-day-and-citizenship-day (By Grade Level)
Commemorating Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
https://www2.ed.gov/policy/fund/guid/constitutionday.html
https://www.constitutionday.com/
https://www.icivics.org/
National Constitution Center’s Interactive Constitution
https://constitutioncenter.org/education
https://constitutioncenter.org/education/constitution-101-curriculum
https://jackmillercenter.org/constitution-day-2023/#selected-online-resources
Check out these live online events:
- September 14 – Library of Congress: Constitution Day 2022: The Hughes-era Supreme Court
- September 12-23 – National Archives Student Webinars
Constitution Day Resources
- General Constitution Day resources [National Archives]
- Constitution Day remarks by Debra Steidel Wall, Acting Archivist of the United States [National Archives]
- NEH Chair Constitution Day Remarks [National Endowment for the Humanities]
- Remarks by Dr. Anthea Hartig, Elizabeth MacMillan Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History [Smithsonian National Museum of American History]
- Civic Engagement [Institute of Museum and Library Services]
- Reckoning Exhibit: Children's Collection and Guide [Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture]
- Constitution Popular Topics Page on DocsTeach [National Archives]
- First Amendment in 21st Century America [National Endowment for the Humanities]
- Commemorating Constitution Day [National Endowment for the Humanities]
- Courting Liberty: Slavery and Equality Under the Constitution [National Endowment for the Humanities]
- A More Perfect Union [National Endowment for the Humanities]
- Educating for American Democracy: Smithsonian Summer Sessions 2022 [Smithsonian Institution]
3-12 Teachers
- Visualizing Democracy [National Portrait Gallery]
6-12 Teachers
- Lesson Plan: Constitution Day Resources [Library of Congress]
- Voices of Social Justice [National Portrait Gallery]
- Revolution and New Nation (1763-1815) with the National Portrait Gallery [National Portrait Gallery]
- Ratifying the Constitution: A Digital Game Opportunity [National Endowment for the Humanities]
- American Experiments (Classroom Edition) [Smithsonian National Museum of American History]
6-12 Students and Teachers
- National History Day: Origins of the U.S. Constitution [Smithsonian Office of Educational Technology and EDSITEMENT]
- How the Court Works and Functions [Supreme Court Historical Society]
- Landmark Cases [Supreme Court Historical Society]
- Marbury v. Madison [Supreme Court Historical Society]
- We The Students - Supreme Court Cases For and About Students [Supreme Court Historical Society]
- Defining Freedom: Securing the Promise of the 13th Amendment [Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture]
- Reconstructing Citizenship (14th Amendment) [Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture]
- Make Good the Promises: 150 Years and Counting (15th Amendment) [Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture]
8-12 Students and Teachers
- Becoming US: Teaching Immigration and Migration History in the 21st Century [Smithsonian National Museum of American History]
- National Youth Summits (On Demand) [Smithsonian National Museum of American History]
- Join the Student Sit Ins [Smithsonian National Museum of American History]
9-12 Students and Teachers
- Northern Plains Treaties: Is a Treaty Intended to Be Forever? [Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian]
6-8 Students
- Independence Hall: International Symbol of Freedom [National Park Service]
- The Preamble to the Constitution: A Close Reading Lesson [National Endowment for the Humanities]
- Before and Beyond the Constitution: What Should a President Do? [National Endowment for the Humanities]
- We the People Virtual Field Trip [National Park Service]
6-12 Students
- Learning History Through Objects: The Founding Documents [Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture]
9-12 Grade
- Protecting the Independence of the Judiciary from Disinformation [Supreme Court Historical Society]
- The Constitutional Convention of 1787 [[National Endowment for the Humanities]
- Analyzing the Constitution - Interaction Between the Three Branches [Supreme Court Historical Society]
- Supreme Court Cases and Women's Rights [Supreme Court Historical Society]
- 100 Civics Study Questions for Naturalization [PDF, 303KB] [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services]
- Preparing for the Naturalization Test: A Pocket Study Guide [PDF, 421KB] [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services]
- Constitution Annotated, Analysis and Interpretation of the U.S. Constitution [Library of Congress]
- Constitution of the United States: Primary Documents in American History [Library of Congress]
- Constitution USA [National Endowment for the Humanities]Family Resources
- The Families Learning Civics Together Toolkit [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services]
- A More Perfect Union: The USCIS Civics Test Guide to the Monuments and Memorials on the National Mall [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services]
National Hispanic Heritage Month 2023
National Hispanic Heritage Month 2023
Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402.
National Hispanic Heritage Month is annually celebrated from September 15 to October 15 in the United States for recognizing the impact of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements for the United States. Hispanic Heritage Month is unique in that it crosses over two months, celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. This time period was chosen because it includes Independence Day celebrations for Belize, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua.
The 2023 theme for Hispanic Heritage Month is 'Prosperity, Power, and Progress', recognizing the significant achievements of the Hispanic community in the economic and political industries.
Primary Sources: Mexican American Migrations and Communities with Teacher’s Guide
https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/mexican-american-migrations-and-communities/
https://www.loc.gov/collections/fsa-owi-color-photographs/about-this-collection/
https://www.docsteach.org/
https://latino.si.edu/learn/teaching-and-learning-resources/hispanic-heritage-month-resources
Resources for Preschool to 12th Grade
https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/free-learning-resources-for-hispanic-heritage-month
https://www.teachervision.com/activity/hispanic-heritage-month-warm-up-writing-prompts
https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/about.html
https://hispanicheritagemonth.gov/
https://edsitement.neh.gov/teachers-guides/hispanic-heritage-and-history-united-states
https://www.si.edu/events/heritagemonth
https://www.bgca.org/news-stories/2023/July/8-ways-to-celebrate-hispanic-and-latino-heritage-month?gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwi7GnBhDXARIsAFLvH4lNmmP7N7BBc753wV4QizlXbMCsGSYUKnHx5CxMFzUmqdM8unYX1boaAp8pEALw_wcB
BOOKS K-12
https://jaxpubliclibrary.org/blog/books-celebrating-hispanic-heritage
U.S. Department of Education Resources
https://sites.ed.gov/hispanic-initiative/national-hispanic-heritage-month/
Resources:
Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402.
National Hispanic Heritage Month is annually celebrated from September 15 to October 15 in the United States for recognizing the impact of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements for the United States. Hispanic Heritage Month is unique in that it crosses over two months, celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. This time period was chosen because it includes Independence Day celebrations for Belize, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua.
The 2023 theme for Hispanic Heritage Month is 'Prosperity, Power, and Progress', recognizing the significant achievements of the Hispanic community in the economic and political industries.
Primary Sources: Mexican American Migrations and Communities with Teacher’s Guide
https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/mexican-american-migrations-and-communities/
https://www.loc.gov/collections/fsa-owi-color-photographs/about-this-collection/
https://www.docsteach.org/
https://latino.si.edu/learn/teaching-and-learning-resources/hispanic-heritage-month-resources
Resources for Preschool to 12th Grade
https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/free-learning-resources-for-hispanic-heritage-month
https://www.teachervision.com/activity/hispanic-heritage-month-warm-up-writing-prompts
https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/about.html
https://hispanicheritagemonth.gov/
https://edsitement.neh.gov/teachers-guides/hispanic-heritage-and-history-united-states
https://www.si.edu/events/heritagemonth
https://www.bgca.org/news-stories/2023/July/8-ways-to-celebrate-hispanic-and-latino-heritage-month?gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwi7GnBhDXARIsAFLvH4lNmmP7N7BBc753wV4QizlXbMCsGSYUKnHx5CxMFzUmqdM8unYX1boaAp8pEALw_wcB
BOOKS K-12
https://jaxpubliclibrary.org/blog/books-celebrating-hispanic-heritage
U.S. Department of Education Resources
https://sites.ed.gov/hispanic-initiative/national-hispanic-heritage-month/
Resources:
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Hispanics in the United States: Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month
- Census Bureau: National Hispanic Heritage Month, 2022
- Census Bureau: Facts for Features: Hispanic Heritage Month 2022 (Spanish)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (Spanish)
- Library of Congress: National Hispanic Heritage Month
- NASA: Hispan@s de la NASA
- National Archives: Hispanic Heritage Month
- National Endowment for the Humanities: Hispanic Heritage and History in the United States
- National Park Service: Hispanic Heritage Month
- Patent and Trademark Office: Hispanic Heritage and Inventions
- Smithsonian Institution: Heritage and History Month Events
- Smithsonian Institution: Top 8 Reasons Why and How We Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
- Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino: Hispanic Heritage Month Resources
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health: Hispanic Heritage Month
- U.S. Department of the Interior: Discover Hispanic Heritage at these historic sites
- U.S. Department of Labor: Celebrating the Rise of Hispanic Women Workers
- U.S. Department of Labor: 5 Hispanic Leaders Who Changed Labor History
- U.S. Navy: Hispanic Americans in the U.S. Navy
Additional Resources
Alabama Learning Exchange https://alex.state.al.us/browseSS.php
Alabama Public Television. http://www.aptv.org
Alabama Department of Archives and History http://archives.state.al.us
Alabama Bicentennial http://www.alabama200.org
Alabama Geographic Alliance https://www.alabamageography.org
Alabama Center for Law and Civic Education https://www.aclce.org
Alabama State Department of Education https://www.alsde.edu/sec/isvcs/ss/Pages/home.aspx?navtext=Content%20Area%20Pages:%20Social%20Studies
Alabama Virtual Library https://www.avl.lib.al.us/resources/all
Mississippi Council for Social Studies http://mcss.org.msstate.edu/contact.php
Tennessee Council for Social Studies. http://www.tncss.org
National Council for Social Studies https://www.socialstudies.org
National Geographic Education https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/
Social Studies Weekly Lessons. http://pages.studiesweekly.com/september-week3/?utm_source=Studies+Weekly+Newsletter&utm_campaign=db0cd912ba-Newsletter_09_16_2018&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_58ff6ba303-db0cd912ba-326040961&mc_cid=db0cd912ba&mc_eid=c81adc7d09
Alabama Public Television. http://www.aptv.org
Alabama Department of Archives and History http://archives.state.al.us
Alabama Bicentennial http://www.alabama200.org
Alabama Geographic Alliance https://www.alabamageography.org
Alabama Center for Law and Civic Education https://www.aclce.org
Alabama State Department of Education https://www.alsde.edu/sec/isvcs/ss/Pages/home.aspx?navtext=Content%20Area%20Pages:%20Social%20Studies
Alabama Virtual Library https://www.avl.lib.al.us/resources/all
Mississippi Council for Social Studies http://mcss.org.msstate.edu/contact.php
Tennessee Council for Social Studies. http://www.tncss.org
National Council for Social Studies https://www.socialstudies.org
National Geographic Education https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/
Social Studies Weekly Lessons. http://pages.studiesweekly.com/september-week3/?utm_source=Studies+Weekly+Newsletter&utm_campaign=db0cd912ba-Newsletter_09_16_2018&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_58ff6ba303-db0cd912ba-326040961&mc_cid=db0cd912ba&mc_eid=c81adc7d09