A Classroom Constitution

To celebrate Constitution Day on September 17, the students in Andrea Shaver’s second grade class came up with a constitution for their classroom.  

“Teaching the Constitution is part of the district curriculum,” said Shaver, who teaches at Kent Primary School. “It makes sense for me at the beginning of the year to link our class rules with it. We talk so much about being good citizens and about how to take care of one another.” 

To introduce the subject, Shaver read “We the Kids” by David Catrow, a picture book that lays out the Preamble to the Constitution in language children can understand. It even includes a glossary that explains the words in the Preamble.  

The book is filled with funny illustrations that make the children want to read it again and again and, as they do, they learn the ideals that America was founded upon.   

“I liked the book,” said Violet. “It’s funny and it helps you understand.” 

After learning how the Constitution shaped America, the second graders wrote their own Constitution, or class rules. Then one by one, the students signed their class constitution, which read:  We the Kids of Mrs. Shaver’s Class, in order to learn and have fun, promise to follow these rules:  

1. Be Safe 
2. Be Respectful
3. Be Reasonable 

All students got a printable Constitution book to color and take home.