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SHOWCASE
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"Mr. Madison" (classroom presentation)
- Constitution Leadership Initiative
Read the script:
- Constitution Leadership Initiative
- The Constitution Leadership Initiative believes today's school kids should hear about James Madison's role in the formation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights "straight from the horse's mouth." That's why we have begun working with public and private school teachers to have "Mr.Madison", fourth President of the United States, visit their classroom to explain, "first hand", his life as one of America's Founding Fathers and his connection to these foundational documents. To schedule a visit to your classroom, contact gary@constitutionleadership.org
- CLI is willing to consult for free with people who want to start a similar program in their own area
Read the script:
| cli_james_madison_project.docx |
U.S. Constitution – Most Important Document of the United States (classroom presentation)
- a 9/12 group in Charleston, SC
- a 9/12 group in Charleston, SC
- Concerned that history is not being taught in government schools, this 9/12 group set about to find presentations on the U.S. Constitution for all grades. Not liking what they found, the group crafted its own presentations. To get into schools, the group worked through an ally on the local school board and the head of the history department who was receptive. Then bookings for classroom presentations, school assemblies, and Constitution Day programs flowed in from interested teachers and principals. The group concentrated on the lower grades in the first year of the project, relying heavily on picture slides for the younger audience. Also, the younger kids love presenters in colonial costume; it’s like having a real person from history walk through the door. The presentation for high schoolers is more detailed and focuses on the Bill of Rights. In all grades, the presenters add interest by capitalizing on the facts that South Carolina had four signers of the Constitution and a tea party 13 days before the one in Boston, making the Constitution local history for the students. The group gives away pocket Constitutions during presentations - 1,500 in the first three years and 3,000 in the next two years – being fortunate enough to find funding for this purpose.
- Aligning with strongly held values in Charleston, the group builds inclusiveness into its presentation, to show the kids the Constitution is not just for ‘rich white men’. Black allies join presentations in costume. Also, the stories of Samuel Adams (who was not well off) and Alexander Hamilton (an orphan born in a foreign land) are highlighted.
- Other highpoints include:
- why we have a Constitution and why ours is so exceptional
- why the Articles of Confederation didn’t work
- an introduction to The 5,000 Year Leap and the idea that progress stems from freedom and thus our founding documents
- how the Book of Deuteronomy inspired parts of the Constitution
- how Captain John Smith set up the rule that "he who does not work, does not eat" in the Jamestown colony to keep the people from starving. (Jamestown began with a ‘common store’, i.e., communism, which led to both sloth and famine.)
- How Ben Franklin called for prayer during a particularly contentious part of the Constitutional Convention
- the different forms of government (e.g., democracy versus dictatorship)
- the difference between our Republic and pure democracy (mob rule)
- The presenters usually play the School House Rock's The Preamble as the students are walking into the auditorium, library, or settling down.
- The group sends scanned pages from a Constitution coloring book, if teachers request them.
- The group has 4-6 volunteers at any given time. Presentations are usually made in teams of two, sometimes at charter schools. The group invites school board members to its presentations and has been written up in the local paper multiple times.
- The group is willing to send its presentations to interested parties and consult on how to get such a project going. Contact Debbie Jones: debbiejones80@yahoo.com
