Primary Learning Outcomes
A. The students will use the story, A More Perfect Union, to complete a KWL worksheet.

Assessed QCC
Language Arts
Written Communication
35
Topic: Writing
Standard: Uses examples form literature to create individual and group stories.

Total Duration
45 minutes

Materials and Equipment
Maestro, B., & Maestro, G. (1990). A More Perfect Union. New York: Mulberry Books.
The Constitution of the United States KWL worksheet

Procedures
Step 1:
The teacher will tell the students that they are going to learn about the Constitution of the
United States and how it was drafted and ratified. The teacher will distribute copies of the KWL worksheet to the class. The teacher begins by asking students to brainstorm what they know about the Constitution of the United States. Then the students record the information on the “K” column (What I know) on the KWL worksheet.

Estimated Time: 10 minutes

Step 2:
As students suggest information and as confusion arises, the teacher will tell students to add questions in the “W” column (What I want to learn) on the KWL worksheet. Students also suggest questions they would like to explore during the reading of the book. Brainstorming information in the “K” column helps students activate prior knowledge, and developing questions in the “W” column provides students with specific purposes for learning about the selected topic. Sample questions: (1) What is the purpose for the Constitution? (2) Who does the Constitution belong to? (3) Who does it govern? (4) Who wrote the Constitution? (5) Where was the Constitution written? These questions become the basis for the W (What students want to learn).

Estimated Time: 15 minutes

Step 3:
The teacher will read the story to the students. Asking the students questions while reading. After the teacher has finished reading the story, the students will note in the “L” column what they learned about the Constitution.

Estimated Time: 20 minutes

Step 4:
The teacher will discuss the Constitution with the students. The teacher will ask the students to share what they learned during the reading of the book.

Estimated Time: 5 minutes

Step 5:
The teacher will then tell the students to form groups. After the students have formed their groups, tell the students to write "rights" on the left hand side of the paper and "responsibilities" on the right hand side of the paper. Tell the students in the groups to brainstorm at least three under each column. These rights and responsibilities are the students' in the classroom. For example, students' have the right to learn, it's the students' responsibility to keep their area clean. Allow a few minutes for each group to write down at least three and then share with the class. The teacher can write the ideas on the transparency under the columns suggested.

Estimated Time: 5 minutes

Step 6:
The teacher will act as one of the delegates who stayed behind and wrote the final draft of the Constitution. Using the suggested rights and responsibilities from the groups, the teacher will type a class constitution. After the teacher has written the class constitution, he or she will read it to the students and allow those who agree to sign the constitution. (This reiterates what really happened at the convention.)

Assessment
The students will be assessed by the completion of the KWL worksheets and participation in sharing.

Extension
For those students who already understand the concepts about the Constitution, they may create a class constitution of their own.

Remediation
For those students who do not understand the concepts about the Constitution, the teacher may find trade books of a lower lever outlining similar concepts.

Rubric
The information supplied in the KWL chart was listed and contained at least three statements or questions for each column:
____(5-4) Very Good  ____(4-3) Good ____(2-0) Needs Improvement

The information supplied in the KWL chart was legitimate and stayed on task:
____(5-4) Very Good  ____ (4-3) Good ____ (2-0) Needs Improvement

Pre/Post Test
1. Describe what happened at the writing of the Constitution?

2. What was the problem with the Virginia Plan?
    a. the delegates were not cooperating         b. no one signed it
    c. the big states held all the power                d. the small states held all the power