12th Grade Adopting The Constitution Lesson Plan

Topic: Adopting the Constitution

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to identify the arguments put forward by the Federalists and anti-federalists during the adoption of the constitution and explain their significance in shaping the constitution.

Materials

• Textbook or article that discusses the arguments put forward by the Federalists and anti-federalists during the adoption of the constitution
• Handouts or excerpts from primary sources that provide examples of the arguments put forward by the Federalists and anti-federalists
• Whiteboard or chalkboard for students to write and organize their thoughts

Warm-up

• Begin the lesson by asking students to think about the arguments they have heard regarding the constitution and constitution ratification.
• Then, have students share some of their thoughts with the class and see if there are any common arguments or themes.
• After discussing the common arguments, ask students to think about the motivations behind the arguments and why the arguers made them.

Direct Instruction

• Begin by explaining the concepts of federalists and anti-federalists. Explain that the federalists supported the constitution and favored a strong central government, while the anti-federalists did not support the constitution and favored a weaker central government.
• Provide students with a brief overview of the ratification process, including the importance of the state ratifying conventions and the role of the federalists and anti-federalists in those conventions.
• Then, provide students with an overview of some of the key arguments made by federalists and anti-federalists during the ratification debates. This can be done by using handouts or by projecting images or documents onto the screen.
• Begin by discussing the arguments made by the federalists. Emphasize the importance of a strong central government in ensuring the security and stability of the new nation. Emphasize the need for a strong executive branch to carry out the duties of the president and to ensure the execution of the laws.
• Then, discuss the arguments made by the anti-federalists. Emphasize the risk of a strong central government abusing its power and infringing on the rights of the states and individual citizens. Emphasize the importance of state sovereignty and the rights of states to govern themselves as they see fit.
• After discussing the arguments made by the federalists and anti-federalists, have students consider the motivations behind the arguments and why the arguers made them.

Guided Practice

• Divide the class into small groups and provide each group with a set of key documents or images from the period of the ratification debates.
• Have each group examine the documents and images and identify the federalists and anti-federalists involved.
• Have each group discuss the arguments made by the federalists and anti-federalists in the documents and images they have been given.
• Have each group discuss the motivations behind the arguments made by the federalists and anti-federalists.

Independent Practice

• Have students choose a specific state from the ratification process and research the events that occurred in that state.
• Have students create a presentation (e.g. PowerPoint, Prezi) that highlights the key players, arguments and motivations behind the ratification process in their chosen state.

Closure

• Review the main points of the unit by having students summarize the themes and topics covered in their own words.
• Ask students to reflect on what they have learned by writing a short paragraph on what they find most interesting or surprising about the ratification process.

Assessment

• Observe students during the class discussion and presentation activities to assess their understanding of the topic.
• Collect and evaluate the essays written for closure to assess students' understanding of the main points and themes of the unit.