Constitution Day Information and Lesson Plans
Lesson Plans for Observing Constitution Day 
Constitution Day is September 17, 2009. Federally-funded educational institutions are required to hold an educational program pertaining to the United States Constitution on Constitution Day. See the Federal Register: May 24, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 99).
The National Archives and Records Administration is the nation's record keeper, and as such is home to more than 10 billion original documents. Perhaps the most important document that the National Archives houses is the Constitution of the United States of America. Millions of additional documents can be found in the National Archives nationwide that relate to the Constitution and serve as primary sources when studying the Constitution in your classroom. Congress has mandated that all "educational institutions that receive Federal funds for the fiscal year shall hold an educational program on the Constitution on September 17 . . . for the students." The National Archives has many resources available to you and your students for holding such an educational program. The lessons contained in this packet are just two ideas that you can use in your classroom when celebrating Constitution Day. They contain primary source documents from the holdings at the National Archives at Kansas City.
Constitution Day 2009 Poster Contest
Got Rights Constitution Day Poster Contest open to students in grades K-12, students are encouraged to create their own Constitution, including the Bill of Rights and Amendments. Make it colorful and be creative!
Are you looking for an easy and fun way to bring Constitution Day into your classroom? Try the Constitution Day Poster Contest sponsored by the Gov Doc Kids Group. The Gov Doc Kids Group is made up of library and archives professionals from Johnson County Library, Wichita State University, Kansas State University and the National Archives at Kansas City. The Gov Doc Kids Group is co-sponsored by Kansas Library Association Government Documents Roundtable (GODORT).
Contest Rules:
Each poster should demonstrate how the student and his or her family benefit from the freedoms embodied in the U.S. Constitution (including the Bill of Rights and the other amendments).
Winners will be selected in five grade-level categories. An additional winner will be selected for the best entry from the Kansas City metro area. K-12 students are eligible to participate in the contest. Home-schooled students are welcome. Entries must be postmarked by October 1, 2009.
Winners will be selected by a panel of three judges: Jan Schall, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art; Brian Oertel, Johnson County Library; and Mary Burtzloff, National Archives at Kansas City. Each winner will receive a certificate and two copies of his or her poster. For further information, please see the Contest Entry Form and the GovDoc Kids Group wiki.
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