ACLU launches online interactive learning tool for school children to learn about the Constitution
BOISE, Idaho—Wednesday, September 17th marks Constitution Day and grade-school students now have an online interactive learning tool to add to their tool box when it comes to learning about the Constitution and civic engagement in America.
In 2004, Congress created Constitution Day and passed a law requiring all schools that receive federal funding, observe Constitution Day by teaching a curriculum on the U.S. Constitution on September 17th, the day the U.S. Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution in 1787. Created in 2004 by Congress, the act mandates that all publicly funded education institutions provide educational programming on the history of the American Constitution on that day. Many public schools across the nation are unaware of this federal requirement to observe Constitution Day and there are few resources available to help teachers develop requisite lesson plans.
To fill these gaps, the American Civil Liberties Union has developed “Constitution Day Brought To You By The ACLU,” which is an innovative and interactive program that provides a fun and exciting learning opportunity for students on Constitution Day. The program includes teacher resources; an annual contest for schools to win up to $25,000; a petition to sign to observe Constitution Day as a federal holiday; and games and activities in which students and adults can learn the rich history of the Constitution. The goal of the program is to engage students as young as middle-schoolers in learning about the Constitution so that they are imbued with an understanding and appreciation for the individual rights and civil liberties guaranteed by the Constitution.
“The Constitution is our supreme guide in this country. It includes fundamental rights such as the freedom of expression, the right to protest, the right to vote and the fundamentally it also helped set the structure for how we govern our country,” said Leo Morales, ACLU of Idaho Interim Executive Director. “We are excited to present this interactive tool that we hope teachers and parents can use to teach our youth about our Founding Document.”
