The Indian Constitution Lesson Plan for 8th Grade Students

Topic: The Indian Constitution

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to understand what the Indian Constitution is and its importance in the governance of India.

Materials

• Copies of the Indian Constitution
• Colored pencils or markers (optional)

Warm-up

• Ask the students if they have ever heard of the Indian Constitution. Ask them to explain what they know about it.
• Write the following question on the board: "What is the Indian Constitution?

Direct Instruction

• Tell the students that the Indian Constitution is the supreme law of India. It was adopted in 1950, after India gained independence from the British Empire.
• Explain that the Constitution was written to ensure the protection of the rights and freedoms of the people of India. It also establishes the structure and functions of government.
• Ask the students if they know what rights and freedoms are. Explain that rights are protections that are guaranteed to all people by the Constitution, and they include things like the right to life, freedom of speech, and the right to equality.
• Explain that functions are the things that government is responsible for doing. For example, the Constitution establishes the functions of the central government, state governments, and local governments.
• Ask the students if they know what the structure of government is. Explain that the Constitution establishes three branches of government: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial.
• Ask the students if they know what the legislative branch is. Explain that the legislative branch is made up of the Parliament, which is the lower house, and the Rajya Sabha, which is the upper house. These two bodies make laws and policies for the country.
• Ask the students if they know what the executive branch is. Explain that the executive branch is responsible for implementing laws and policies. It is made up of the President, the Vice President, and the Cabinet, which is a group of ministers who head government departments.
• Ask the students if they know what the judicial branch is. Explain that the judicial branch is responsible for interpreting the Constitution and deciding if laws are constitutional. It is made up of the Supreme Court and lower courts.
• Explain that the Constitution can only be changed by a special process known as amendment. This process requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the members of Parliament in both houses, as well as the approval of at least half of the state legislatures.
• Ask the students if they have any questions about the Indian Constitution. If they don't, move on to the activity. If they do, try to answer their questions as best as you can.
• Activity
• Distribute copies of the handout about the Indian Constitution to the students. Ask them to read the information and take notes.
• Ask the students to share what they learned about the Indian Constitution with the rest of the class.

Guiding Questions and Answers

• What is the Indian Constitution?
• The supreme law of India. It was written to protect the rights and freedoms of the people of India.
• What are rights?
• Protections that are guaranteed to all people by the Constitution. They include things like the right to life, freedom of speech, and the right to equality.
• What are functions?
• The things that government is responsible for doing. For example, the Constitution establishes the functions of the central government, state governments, and local governments.
• What are the three branches of government?
• The legislative, the executive, and the judicial.
• What is the legislative branch?
• The Parliament, which is the lower house, and the Rajya Sabha, which is the upper house. These two bodies make laws and policies for the country.
• What is the executive branch?
• The President, the Vice President, and the Cabinet, which is a group of ministers who head government departments.
• What is the judicial branch?
• The Supreme Court and lower courts.
• What is the Constitution?
• The supreme law of India. It establishes the structure and functions of government. It can only be changed by a special process known as amendment. This process requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the members of Parliament in both houses, as well as the approval of at least half of the state legislatures.
• What is amendment?
• A special process that requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the members of Parliament in both houses, as well as the approval of at least half of the state legislatures. This is the process by which the Constitution can be changed.
• What are the three branches of government?
• The legislative, the executive, and the judicial.
• What is the legislative branch?
• The Parliament, which is the lower house, and the Rajya Sabha, which is the upper house. These two bodies make laws and policies for the country.
• What is the executive branch?
• The President, the Vice President, and the Cabinet, which is a group of ministers who head government departments.
• What is the judicial branch?
• The Supreme Court and lower courts.
• What is the Constitution?
• The supreme law of India. It establishes the structure and functions of government. It can only be changed by a special process known as amendment. This process requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the members of Parliament in both houses, as well as the approval of at least half of the state legislatures.
• What is amendment?
• A special process that requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the members of Parliament in both houses, as well as the approval of at least half of the state legislatures. This is the process by which the Constitution can be changed.

In this lesson,

the students are expected to:

• Understand what the Indian Constitution is.
• Know the three branches of government.
• Understand how the Constitution can be changed.

Materials:

• Chalkboard or Whiteboard
• Pens or Markers
• Copies of the Constitution
• Copies of the amendment process

Guiding Questions and Answers

• What is the Indian Constitution?
• The supreme law of India. It was written to protect the rights and freedoms of the people of India.
• What are rights?
• Protections that are guaranteed to all people by the Constitution. They include things like the right to life, freedom of speech, and the right to equality.
• What are functions?
• The things that government is responsible for doing. For example, the Constitution establishes the functions of the central government, state governments, and local governments.
• What are the three branches of government?
• The legislative, the executive, and the judicial.
• What is the legislative branch?
• The Parliament, which is the lower house, and the Rajya Sabha, which is the upper house. These two bodies make laws and policies for the country.
• What is the executive branch?
• The President, the Vice President, and the Cabinet, which is a group of ministers who head government departments.
• What is the judicial branch?
• The Supreme Court and lower courts.
• What is the Constitution?
• The supreme law of India. It establishes the structure and functions of government. It can only be changed by a special process known as amendment. This process requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the members of Parliament in both houses, as well as the approval of at least half of the state legislatures.
• What is amendment?
• A special process that requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the members of Parliament in both houses, as well as the approval of at least half of the state legislatures. This is the process by which the Constitution can be changed.
• What are the three branches of government?
• The legislative, the executive, and the judicial.
• What is the legislative branch?
• The Parliament, which is the lower house, and the Rajya Sabha, which is the upper house. These two bodies make laws and policies for the country.
• What is the executive branch?
• The President, the Vice President, and the Cabinet, which is a group of ministers who head government departments.
• What is the judicial branch?
• The Supreme Court and lower courts.
• What is the Constitution?
• The supreme law of India. It establishes the structure and functions of government. It can only be changed by a special process known as amendment. This process requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the members of Parliament in both houses, as well as the approval of