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Check out our complete list of US History Lessons.
The School House Rocks videos (most if not all the clips can be found on schooltube) are a useful and different way to review some major events and themes covered during a U.S. History course. (It also might be useful to show these just before a final exam or state assessment.) The clips are short and can be covered in a relatively short amount of class time.
Prior to watching, the students complete a viewing sheet to see how many students already know they answers. At the end of each segment, the class discusses the themes associated with each cartoon. The cartoons also can be show individually during the point of the year that you cover a particular topic.
The goal for each video is to share:
- Pre-veiwing questions.
- The video.
- The lyrics.
- The themes.
Below is the worksheet I give to the students along with a few “teacher” notes. Hopefully both are useful.
Pre-Viewing Questions (to test prior knowledge)
1. What year was the Constitution written?
2. Complete as much as you can of the Preamble to the Constitution (answer on the back)
“We the People of the United State in order
The Preamble (3:01)
Main Points (Notes for Students)
- September 17, 1887 Constitution was signed – “a list of principles
For keeping people free.” - Preamble – the first part of the Constitution.
- The Constitution is an AMAZING document that still serves as the foundation for our political system.
The Preamble
Hey, do you know about the U.S.A.?
Do you know about the government?
Can you tell me about the Constitution?
Hey, learn about the U.S.A.
In 1787 I’m told
Our founding fathers did agree
To write a list of principles
For keeping people free.
The U.S.A. was just starting out
A whole brand-new country
And so our people spelled it out
The things that we should be
And they put those principles down on paper and called it the Constitution, and it’s been helping us run our country ever since then. The first part of the Constitution is called the preamble and tells what those founding fathers set out to do.
We the people
In order to form a more perfect union
Establish justice, insure domestic tranquility
Provide for the common defense
Promote the general welfare and
Secure the blessings of liberty
To ourselves and our posterity
Do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America
In 1787 I’m told
Our founding fathers all sat down
And wrote a list of principles
That’s known the world around
The U.S.A. was just starting out
A whole brand-new country
And so our people spelled it out
They wanted a land of liberty
And the Preamble goes like this:
We the people
In order to form a more perfect union
Establish justice, insure domestic tranquility
Provide for the common defense
Promote the general welfare and
Secure the blessings of liberty
To ourselves and our posterity
Do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America
For the United States of America . . .
Themes
1787 founding Fathers write a list of principles for keeping people free
Betsy Ross and the original flag
Great images for discussion
“We the People, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” Chorus