The U.S. Constitution: Discover How Democracy Works with 25 Projects - Hardcover

Mooney, Carla

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1619304414 ISBN 13: 9781619304413

Publisher: Nomad Press, 2016

Synopsis

Where did the American democratic tradition begin? From ancient civilizations in Greece and Rome to the Enlightenment in Europe, democratic ideas throughout time have influenced the development of democracy in the United States.

In The U.S. Constitution: Discover How Democracy Works, children ages 9 through 12 learn about the foundation of democracy and how the documents crafted hundreds of years ago still have an impact on our country today. They explore the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, among others. These documents provide a framework with which we make the laws and processes that help keep democracy a vital paradigm.

Through hands-on projects, which include analyzing how the promises made in the Preamble of the Constitution were put into practice and investigating how to balance the freedom of speech in the digital age, students investigate how American democracy operates. With colorful illustrations, interesting sidebars, and links to online primary sources, this book asks readers to consider the effect of technology on democracy and make predictions about future documents that will be important to the preservation of democracy around the world.

About this title

About the Author

Carla Mooney is the author of several Nomad Press books including Forensics: Uncover the Science and Technology of Crime Scene Investigation and The Industrial Revolution: Investigate How Science and Technology Changed the World. Carla lives in Pittsburgh, PA.

Tom Casteel has illustrated several books for Nomad Press, including Cities: Discover How They Work and Explorers of the New World: Discover the Golden Age of Exploration. Tom lives in South Bend, IN.

Review

Booklist Online Exclusive

This book explains how history, civics, philosophy, and current events all play an important role in understanding how the U.S. government works both in theory and in practice. The events that provided a catalyst for the Constitution are introduced, with a brief primer on the American Revolution and the Constitutional Convention. Basic precepts of democracy and more intricate foundational concepts, such as checks and balances and branches of government, are discussed. Vivid illustrations contextualize these abstractions in an appealing comic-book style, and new terms are introduced a handful at a time. Each chapter summary culminates in a relevant active-learning exercise. These activities will appeal to many modalities and learning styles and range in difficulty from creating parchment from scratch to planning a debate of important current events. By using active learning as a capstone to critical concepts and by including essential questions to guide readers, the book provides an interactive introduction to ideas that are vital to responsible citizenship.

School Library Journal

"Mooney adds another informational volume to the series with an overview of the U.S. Constitution. Casteel's color illustrations are simple and inviting, and they illuminate important points clearly. VERDICT A handy and useful resource for upper elementary and middle school classrooms with an interest in government and politics."

Praise for other books by Carla Mooney

Great George Washington Projects Booklist Spotlight on Crafts Top 10 Pick

"This very readable account of Washington's life is paired with appealing projects from the colonial period."

Edition details

• Publisher: Nomad Press
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1619304414
• ISBN 13: 9781619304413
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 128
• Illustrator: Casteel Tom