Constitution Challenge
PBS Western Reserve’s program CONSTITUTION CHALLENGE was created by a team of teachers from school districts in our service area. It is directed at Grades 5 and 8 and is keyed to both social studies and language arts standards for those grades. The format of the program is a game show, with both students and “the man on the street” trying to answer questions. The components of the series have been designed for use as either stand-alone educational tools or as a complete package.
Educational Resources
Produced: 2006
Subject Area: Social Studies; English
Grade Level: 5-8
Resources: Constitution Challenge Teacher Guide
The Constitution
The Constitution deals with the structure and the history of the Constitution, including the factors leading up to the Constitutional Convention, information about the Founding Fathers and details about the content of the Constitution.
Checks and Balances
Checks and Balances looks at the three branches of government — executive, legislative and judicial — and how each of these plays a role in making and enforcing the laws of our country. The concept of checks and balances is stressed.
The Bill of Rights and the Amendments
The Bill of Rights and the Amendments looks at the rights and responsibilities given to us by these documents. Each amendment is looked at, but major emphasis is given to the first and fifth amendments.
Constitution Challenge: Federalism
Federalism shows the differences among the federal, state and local governments, and outlines each level’s responsibilities.